Gifted Pelt

Chapter 51

Astrila smiles at the group to say hello, and they smile back at her. One woman, dressed in red, speaks. Her voice is warm and kind.

"Where are you two from? I haven't seen you in town before."

Tarkik is the one to answer the woman's question. "We're from a nearby settlement. This is her first time leaving, so I thought I would show her around Clyde River."

"Really? What settlement?"

Tarkik falters, unsure of how to answer that, so Astrila cuts in. "We're from Nunataq."

Several of the women gasp. "People so rarely leave! Why did you?"

Astrila flushes. Everyone knew of her village but she had heard little of any others. "I was curious, so I was given leave to travel for a short time."

"Well, Atelihai to Kangiqtugaapik."

Astrila bows her head in thanks and crouches to examine the pieces spread out on a cloth. The details are intricate, perfect. Some of them are just simple carvings, but many of them tell of a story. She is drawn towards one and stretches her hand out to touch it. She pauses before she does, looking up at the artist.

"May I?"

"Of course."

Astrila's fingers make contact with the whalebone carving, fingering the aurora borealis portrayed in such clarity across its surface. There are fainter carvings etched within it, so faint that you can only see them when the light is just right. Those secret, hidden carvings show animals dancing in the aurora's light. Seal and wolves, all manner of arctic creatures.

"This is lovely."

The artist smiles warmly from beneath her traditional fur parka. "Keep it."

Astrila pulls back. "I couldn't."

The woman shakes her head. "It means something to you, so keep it. Consider it a welcome gift."

"But you spent so much time working on it, I couldn't take that from you. You deserve something in return."

The woman laughs slightly. "Then consider my payment to be your name."

Astrila smiles. "My name is Astrila."

The artist's eyes widen. "Amka's daughter?"

Astrila's eyes grow large with shock. "How . . ."

"I used to be part of your village, and I left just after you were born. How is your mother?"

Astrila's face falls. "She's passed on. A few weeks ago."

She can feel a single tear slip down her cheek as the woman's hands fly up to cover her mouth. "Oh no! What happened?"

Astrila folds her arms around herself and Tarkik rests a comforting hand on her shoulder. "She was sick, and our healer could do nothing to help her."

The artist rounds her cloth of carvings to pull Astrila into a hug. Astrila rests her head on the woman's shoulders and fights back her tears as the woman murmurs softly.

"It's alright, it's alright. Little seal pup, you'll be alright." Astrila jolts slightly at the use of her mother's old endearment and the woman pulls back to smile sadly at her. "She called you that from the moment she first saw you. I thought it fitting to carry on the name." Astrila nods wordlessly as the woman bends to pick up the carving of the aurora, pressing it into Astrila's gloved hands. "You chose this because of her, didn't you?" Astrila nods again. "She's looking down at you from the lights, and she is proud, Astrila."

Astrila manages to give her a weak smile as Tarkik pulls her away from the group. They wave at her as she is pulled away and Astrila waves back.

"Where are we going now?"

He laughs, but the joy in it is muted slightly. "We're going to the library now. Then we'll make a quick stop at the store before we head back to the island."

"Okay . . . can you tell me what a library is?"

Tarkik smirks. "I could, but it's better to let you find out for yourself."

Astrila scowls and lightheartedly wacks his shoulder. He just laughs and steers her towards the center of the town. He stops before one building and extends his arm towards its entrance.

"Here we are!"

Astrila frowns at the strange entrance. "How do I go inside?"

Tarkik's eyes widen. "Oh, you've never seen a door before. Here."

He pulls on the metal bar and the wall seems to swing open. Astrila steps inside carefully, unsure of what exactly is happening. There is another door on the other side of the small chamber she finds herself standing in, so Astrila steps over to it. It's easier to pull it open than she expected, and she steps through to find herself in a strange room.
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What do you think will happen here? What do you think of the interaction with the artist? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~Goddess of Fate, signing out.