Chapter 2 V-day : Yuralria and Ogtuk-luk

[DSIGFUSS]

Yuralria and Ogtuk-luk's sled dogs led by Yuralria's own Alornerk sped across the snow as fast as they could manage, so laden with supplies. If the Dorset people were top bring back so much Beluga meat, they would need many tools. Five sleds driven by over 30 sled dogs and carrying 6 Dorset warriors raced ahead of them. Chief Kalituk took the lead and held his famous spear Wanatom for the entire trip.Maniitok had decided to hang back next to Ogtuk-Luk and Yuralria's sled. Ogtuk'Luk had convinced Maniitok to stay behind and take up the rear in defense of the Shaman and Maniitok agreed.


Even though they rode in complete darkness, no directions were needed for Chief Kalituk to find the ancient hunting grounds. The Dorset people had traded Maniitok's favorite inlet hunting ground with the Thule for a bigger piece of the Cariboo hunt. This did not stop Maniitok and his two best friends Unulaq and Tornuaq from sneaking away from the village and hunting there.... they had done so since they were children and some treaty wouldn't stop them now.

They had been riding for two hours now of a four hour journey by sled. Chielf Kalituk held up his arm and brought his people to a hault.



Rest!

Maniitok pulls his sled up to Ogtuk-luk's and begins to unpack some dried seal for his dogs.

[trixie]

Yuralria steps off the sled in relief, and heads to the front of the dog reigns to see Alornerk. She bends down and pets her, giving her some water and food. She scratches her behind the ears for a moment while watching the rest of the villagers step off their own sleds and call out to their friends in enthusiasm.

"It won't be long now, Alornerk," she says softly, mostly for her benefit to calm her nerves. She pats her again and rises, headed for Ogtuk-luk.

She walks behind him and rests her hand on his for a moment to get his attention. She leans in to whisper,

"Have you been watching the hills, Ogtuk-luk? Have you seen anything out of the ordinary?" Her eyes tell him more than the words do of course, as they are dark and appear worried. "If there are hunters holding watch over us as we travel..."

[Eskimohermit]

Ogtuk-luk looks at Yuralria and in a gentle tone says:

I have watched the hills and have seen nothing out of the ordinary. As always, I will keep watch.... nothing will come near the group without me seeing.

[trixie]

Yuralria nods her head and swallows hard. I know there isn't danger coming...why can I not shake this feeling?

"Very well. Stay watching, Ogtuk-luk, as you always do."

Her eyes flicker over the group and she retires to her sled to check on the rest of the dogs. She watches for anything that strikes her as strange within the group as she does.

[DSIGFUSS]

Maniitok approaches Ogtuk-luk and Yuralria. He seems to mirror the Shaman's concerns and looks through the darkness with a growing weariness. Whether or not Maniitok is concerned for his own reasons or simply reacting hto Yuralria's paranoia, Ogluk-tuk and Yuralria can not be certain.



Do you see anything Ogtuk-luk?

Chief Kalitok hustles over to the group and nods his head to Ogluk-tuk showing respect for his authority.

o.c - The only members of the tribe The Chief has no direct control over are, by Dorset law, the Shaman and her guard. Dorset law says that a chief must listen to the words of his Shaman but is not required to take any couse of action. The Shaman is its own power in the tribe. Men often do as the Shaman says for they fear Sedna's reprisal, but some, like Chief Kalituk are less afraid and often go against the Shaman's advice.



Have you sensed anything Shaman! Are we walking into a trap? My hunters grow weary of this ghost and fear he is of Sedna's making. A soul eater they are calling him, turned white from all of the death he has wrought on our Thule brothers to the south.

[trixie]

"I know nothing that I haven't already told you, Chief." Yuralria escapes his penetrating glances quickly and excuses herself to go back to Alornerk.

Inside, she wonders about the Chief's sanity. Why would he touch her? Three naked wives in his bed was not enough? Yuralria tries to squelch the distasteful feeling in her mouth. What would become of this day? What was in store for them?

She sits beside Alornerk and pets her, trying to put her mind at peace and calm the shakiness and growing uncertainty inside her.

[DSIGFUSS]

Chief Kalituk notices Yuralria's uncomfort with his presence and sighs.

I will leave you now Shaman. If you have anymore of your visions... please just take care of yourself. We would all be lost without your guidance in this matter.

Chief Kalituk gives Yuralria a look of great concern before heading back to his sled. All of the other Dorset warriors begin making fires to warm themselves and cook up some seal meat they had brought for the journey! They whisper amongst themselves and constantly look back to Yuralria and Ogtuk-luk. After a while Maniitok gets sketchy himself and walks away from Ogtuk-luk and Yuralria in hopes of escaping all the untrusting glares headed their way. The Dorset warriors invite him into their circle and soon Maniitok is staring at Yuralria with all the others.

[trixie]

Yuralria's eyes flicker to Ogtuk-luk's in shame, and she smiles weakly.

"I suppose I'm popular now...the topic of many, hm?" She looks away quickly. "Are you hungry Ogtuk-luk? Would you come with me to ask for some meat from one of the fires? I'd rather not go alone. They will be.....full of questions."

[Eskimohermit]

Ogluk-tuk looks to yuralria and with a touch of tenderness replies

Of course I will... I am always there and no one will question you tonight.... I'll see to it.

As they walk to the others Ogluk-tuk thinks to himself how the chief has made Yuralria question herself and anger flares inside.

[trixie]

Yuralria and Ogtuk-luk approach Maanitok's fire and Yuralria's eyes flicker nervously over the Dorset men's faces.

"I was hoping you'd share a morsel of food," she asks, and catches Maanitok's eye quickly.

Maanitok, how quickly you turn and begin to talk of others when the times grow difficult.

[DSIGFUSS]

Maniitok rises and quickly offers Yuralria his fur next to the fire. He pushes one of the younger Dorset warriors off his own fur and the younger and this continues until the youngest Inuit warrior is left to sit on the snow.

The darkness of the snowy plains is all consuming so close to the fire. They can not see a thing around them. Chief Kalituk opens his seal skin sac and pulls out a large piece of whale blubber. A delicacy.... He hands it to Ogtuk-Luk, revisiting the respect for the Shaman's post he had earlier forgotten.



But of coarse Shaman! We are all brothers and sisters in this quest! What is mine is yours!

Cheif Kalituk sits back and holds out his arms... addressing his warriors.

We have been speaking at length of this pale faced one Shaman. I do not believe him to be a ghost after all, nor do I fear him. For what ever creature can be hurt by a Thule spear, can surely be hunted by the Dorset. Tell us Shaman and settle an arguement once and for all. Do spirits bleed?

Chief Kalituk smiles at Yuralria and Ogtuk-Luk, clearly amused at how deep and philosophical his warriors could become when frightened.

[trixie]

Yuralria remained silent for several moments, thinking of Loki and his wife. Were they spirits? Loki was very much in pain...but she couldn't recall seeing blood....

"No, I don't believe spirits bleed, Chief. However we still should be cautious. This man needs help, that is most certain. I am curious why he has a thule spear in his belly. Clearly he did something to deserve this punishment? Accidents don't often happen with our people."

Yualria immediately regrets her words. What was she trying to do? Cause a ruckus in the warriors? This would only make for difficulty later, that she was sure. They would enter with spears bared rather than hearts willing to help.....

[Eskimohermit]

Ogluk-tuk eats silently in a deep state of thought it suddenly occurs to him that the chief has been trying to undermine the shamans power all this time. Its politics a very distasteful and uneskimo thing. He is trying to get the shaman to break down and thus take some of her power. It is then that he realizes that they must leave camp tonight ahead of the hunters and chief. They well need Manii-tok to come with them.

He leans close to yuralria and whispers his plan and thoughts to her. Very insistent that they must get to the pale face one before the chief and his hunters.

[DSIGFUSS]

Chief Kalituk nods.

I thought not. Shaman if you would do us the honor and ask Sedna for her protection and guidance in this matter, my warriors could use the lift in their spirit.

[trixie]

Yuralria's eyes flicker over Ogtuk-luk's as he whispers in her ear, but she doesn't have the leisure of replying or taking his recommendations with the Chief's request following so quickly after. How could she refuse?

She takes a moment to consider his words, but feels more confused than ever after a moment. If only the village men were staying longer...but this was merely a quick supper and stretch of the legs. After all, they all had to be back in time for the hunt tomorrow morning. Yuralria was to swim down to Sedna and comb her hair...there was no way this would last more than a short stop.....and then when they'd realized it they'd be hot on their trail. It would surely divide her village in two....with detriment knocking once they were found....no this was not likely to turn out well if she and Ogtuk-luk hurried ahead of the Chief. It would only end in disaster....

Yuralria nods quietly to the Chief and goes back to her sack to fetch her things. She pulls from it's folds a rattle, made from a cariboo skull, covered in hide and tied to a long spear. The skull had small vertebrae bones inside and was her favorite item to shake in her dance for Sedna.

She took a moment to braid her hair with dried algae she'd saved from the last dive, and gathered herbs to toss in the fire for the warriors. They were potent...enough for them to feel Sedna's presence. If nothing else it would help calm their nerves.

Yuralria walks slowly back to the campfire, starting her chant quietly. She shakes the rattle gently to begin with, rhythmically, all the while chanting her song. She begins to dance, slowly at first, but growing more and more dramatic, her knees bouncing high in the air, jumping from foot to foot and all the while shaking her rattle louder and louder. Its quiet shh shh keeps beat with the fellow villagers who join in, and Yuralria's eyes close in her incantation, until she seems possessed by it entirely. She sprinkles the herbs over the fire as she circles it, her song growing louder gradually until all that could be heard was her rattle and chanting. The air seems electrified, the smoke circling and wafting its intoxicating scent over the entire group.

Eagle...Raven....hear our cries...Eagle...swoop and see far and wide....Raven call to us...call to the sea....whale....beluga....fish and more....hear the waves crash...hear us roar....Sedna Sedna...hear our call...Sedna Sedna....protection to all.....Sedna Sedna....the time is near...Sedna Sedna.....take our fear.....Sedna Sedna....SEDNA SEDNA...SEDNA SEDNA...SEDNA!!!!

[DSIGFUSS]

Chief Kalituk and all his warriors make low glutteral hunmming noises as Yuralria dances her praise to Sedna. Some stand and wave their arms.. Other just sway back and forth as if in a trance, absorbing the Shaman's words. When it is all finished, Chief Kalituk is grinning from ear to ear as are all his warriors

Thank you Shaman. It is good to know Sedna is on our side in this matter. Tell me... Do you still plan to speak with her before the hunt tommorrow?

Maniitok now much more at ease sits beside Ogtuk-Luk and takes out his whittling supplies. He passes Ogtuk-Luk a fresh piece of walrus ivory and begins to carve his own spear head.

I fear the white man has bewitched my friends Ogtuk-Luk. Tornuaq and Unulaq were quick to send me away. I was angry and wanted to kill the white man... true.... but I still fear he has hold of their minds. Will you help me Ogtuk-Luk. If they are changed.....

[trixie]

Yuralria takes a moment to catch her breath, and sits back on her spot next to Ogtuk-luk.

"Yes, Chief, I will comb her hair tomorrow. Then you and your hunters will have a bountiful hunt. I believe it to be so."

Yuralria sits, huffing and puffing for a moment, thankful for the change in mood with the men. The herbs were proven to improve moods. Although we might all be hungrier after a spell...

[coffee demon]

Qannaq, quiet hunter, leans back in the snow, watching silently as the hunters hum and sing. He watches Kalituk, the chief, and nods when their eyes make contact across the fire. He watches Yuralria dancing, with awe and respect.

He sucks the last of the fat from the skin of the seal, and stands slowly, brushing the snow off his knees, and moves into the darkness to give his lead dog the chewy sealskin.

The quiet and the darkness is comforting. Alone, with the dogs and the silence. Qannaq breathes deep.

Cold air, getting colder. Winter coming.

Qannaq is an old hunter, and wise. Never before have whales given themselves freely like this. Qannaq has not yet seen the whales, but he is suspicious. It would mean an easy winter, with so much blubber. Much wealth for their tribe, much to trade. But Qannaq was a hunter, for many winters. He would still hunt, even if they were all fat. He would find fox, for a new hood. And more seal, to line their clothes.

There would still be need for Qannaq, no matter how many whales there were.

The hunter murmurs comforting words to his dog team, and breathes deep.

[Eskimohermit]

Oglu-tuk excuses himself and asks Manii-tuk to join him in a patrol of the area. He respectfully bows to the chief with a slight and almost unnoticeable glare in his eye. As he walks by Qannaq he nods. He has a great envy for the way he always seems at peace with himself.

[DSIGFUSS]

Maniitok and Ogtok-Luk walk away from the fire and patrol the surrounding snow field. They pass by Qannuq and greet him politely. The ground is completely flat but the moon is hidden and the darkness is thick. Qannuq can barely see his hand in front of his face. He listens to the night wind blow freezing cold gusts over his chin but he is warm under his furs. His dogs start to sniff the air and his lead dog Nanook begins to whine for Qannuq.

Meanwhile back at the campfire, Chielf Kalituk is pleased with Yuralria's news.



Good Good Good! I'm sure Sedna will bless our hunt as she does every year. This white stranger is just a bump in the snow. I'm sure. And if there as many Beluga on the beach as Maniitok says, we will have all the meat we need. We can even give half to the Thule. They will forget our tresspassing brothers hey Maniitok?

Chief Kalituk watches Ogtok-Luk and Maniitok walk away from the fire. Maniitok nods nervously back to the chief who continues...

So then Shaman! How about a story to waken the nerves on this dark night. One that will scare my warriors enough to urge them back onto the trail heh?