Gifted Pelt

Chapter 53

Astrila waves goodbye to Elisapie as they leave the library, one single book still clasped in Tarkik's arms. It's the one they found to be most useful, summarizing all the treaties and the government's interactions with the native peoples. The book is quite thick, and the writing inside it is small. Tarkik notices where her attention has strayed.

"Don't worry, I'll be able to get it back to the island."

"How?"

A grin blooms across his face like frost. "If we are holding something - something we can actually carry, mind you - when we shift, it will shift with us. So this book will shift with me, your carving will shift with you, and anything we might buy in the store should be able to shift as well."

Astrila's brow wrinkles. "Store? Buy?"

"You'll see."

He motions her inside another building. It is smaller than the library and filled with all manner of things. There are parkas, boots, some strange paddle-like objects, and more. Astrila steps over to the paddle objects and examines them, trying to figure out what they are. There is the soft sound of footsteps from behind her, and Astrila twists to look at who is approaching her. It is an older man, his hair easily streaked with gray. There is almost more gray than black in his hair. Astrila inclines her head in greeting and he smiles.

"What are you looking for?"

"I'm not sure. I'm trying to figure out what these are. I've never seen them before."

He nods. "Are you the girl that just arrived from Nunataq?"

Astrila is mildly surprised that he knows of her already, but the community does seem to be tight-knit so it isn't that strange. "Yes, that's me."

"Atelihai to Kangiqtugaapik."

"Thank you. What are these?"

"They're called snowshoes. People use them to walk over the top of the snow without falling through."

Astrila exchanges a glance with Tarkik and he nods, smirking. He mouthes Kōri at her. Astrila grins and gives him a tiny nod in return. The man looks between the two of them.

"Is there something I'm missing here?"

Astrila lets out a quiet laugh. "Someone back home is really bad at walking over snow, and these would be perfect for him."

He nods. "Should I take a pair up to the front?"

Tarkik speaks up from the other side of the room. "Please."

"Which pair would you like?"

Astrila shrugs. "I don't think I know enough about them to make a decision. What do you think would be best?"

"How tall is he, the one you're getting these for."

"About a head taller than me."

The man nods, frowning to himself in concentration. "I think this one then." He pulls a pair off the shelf they are resting on. "They are plain, but they are very good quality and don't cost too much."

Astrila nods and the man takes them over to the table centered at the back of the room. He places the snowshoe on the surface and turns. He stills when he glances out the window of the store.

"You two won't be leaving for a bit."

Astrila shifts nervously. "Why?"

"There's a polar bear roaming the town."

Astrila's eyes widen. "Really?!"

He nods and points to the window. Astrila dashes over to it, forgetting that she still isn't supposed to run. But it was only a few meters, it can't be that bad for her wound, can it? Nanuq is standing just outside the shop, and as she stares at him he turns to look through the window at her. His black eyes gleam in the artificial lights illuminating the front of the store. He pads over to the window and huffs, his breath fogging the glass. Astrila blinks and waits for the fog to fade from view.

It clears only in front of her face, giving her enough space to see through but none for the others. For a moment Astrila thinks that Nanuq has disappeared, but then she sees someone in a white coat. For a brief moment, she thinks it's Kōri, but the coat doesn't look right. The fur is longer, thicker. Like a . . . Nanuq's coat. The person turns, revealing midnight black skin beneath the white coat. That's all she needs to know that he is Nanuq.

Nanuq inclines his head to her and crouches. She tracks him with her eyes as he places something on the snow and covers it. Once the object is submerged, he touches the top of the tiny mound with the pad of his finger. It flares with blue light before it fades slightly, still glowing softly. Nanuq backs away from the mound and turns. The glass fogs up again and when it clears, Nanuq is a bear once more. He turns away from the store and walks back into the distance, his footsteps barely indenting the snow. There is a shaky intake of breath from behind her and Astrila turns slightly to see the old man staring out the window after Nanuq.

"What did he come here for?"

His question isn't meant to be answered, he is just asking himself. Tarkik frowns slightly. "Can we purchase those snowshoes now?"

The man quickly nods and helps Tarkik with the purchase as Astrila continues to stare out the window after Nanuq. Someone touches her shoulder and she twists to look up at Tarkik.

"Are you ready to head back? Nanuq should be gone by now."

Astrila nods and follows Tarkik out of the store. As they pass the softly glowing mound, Astrila slows.

"What is it?"

"My leg."

She isn't lying, not exactly. Her wound is paining her, likely because of her short dash towards the window.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I just need a moment."

She sits beside the shallow mound, putting it to her side. She waits until Tarkik glances away to watch out for Nanuq before she scoops up the object in the snow. Hastily, before anyone can see, she shoves it in her belt-pouch. It clacks lightly against her ulu and snow knife, but not in such a way that she fears any damage to it. Astrila stands, shaking the snow off her clothing before it can melt.
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Haha, they got snowshoes for Kōri! What do you think of the store? What do you think about the Nanuq? About that, the story did it again. It was meant to be a normal polar bear, but the story wanted something else. So something else it became. What do you think it gave Astrila? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~Goddess of Fate, signing out.