Kahota's house was a lot larger inside than Noatak expected. The walls sloped up into a high 'ceiling' and the minimal furniture made the room look a lot more spacious.

"Mom, Papa, I'm home!" Kahota said loudly. Noatak watched her bounce back and forth in the room, putting the basket of fish here, taking her jacket off there. She didn't stop moving except for a second. "I'm home, Hokada," She said cheerfully, stopping in front of a small wooden table. Noatak looked at her, puzzled, not sure who she was talking to. They were the only two in the room. It wasn't until Kahota continued to bustle around the room that he saw what she was greeting. It was a picture, framed on top of the table. The picture was faded, making it hard to see from where he was standing so he decided he'd try to catch a glimpse later.

"Mom! Papa!" Kahota repeated in a sing song voice. Noatak continued to stand at the entrance, fistful with the blanket he miraculously was able to hold onto while running. He shifted in place, looking for a place to put it down and finally walked over to a wooden chair near, and set it down.

"Kahota. Can you please stop shouting? I just got Anyuk and Anka to go to bed." A short woman said as she entered from a small hallway connected to the main room, rubbing her temple. "I- Oh, hello." The woman, presumably Kahota's moter, gave Noatak a surprised look, bringing her hands to her side. A tall, broad-standing man then appeared from another hallway, furrowed brows crumpling on his face.

"Kota, how many times do I have to tell you that you must be home before the it gets dark. It's very irresponsible and inconsiderate to have your mother and I worry about you like that. And having Nola come back alone was extremely-" He stopped mid sentence and looked at the boy who was uncomfortably standing in their house.

"Papa, I caught so many fish today! See, look!" Kahota said, breaking the brief silence, and Eagerly opening the fish basket and holding it for him to see. The man looked kept his gazed on Noatak for a second more as if he hadn't heard the girl, but then turned to look at Kahota.

"You've brought a guest," He said. Kahota nodded her head and turned to Noatak.

"This is Noatak." She said with a smile. Despite the cheerful look oh her face, Noatak grew uneasy as her father looked him up and down, his eye brows still furrowed.

"Where are you from, Noatak?" The woman in the hallway asked, not so much to be polite but to find out more about this boy that was standing in her house.

"He's from up North," The man answered in a deep, husky voice. "You can tell by the pelts. They're too thick to be from the animals around here." Kahota grinned and turned to Noatak.

With excited pride: "See, I told you!" She turned to her father. "That's what I said, papa!"

"What are you doing down here?" Kahota's father asked. Noatak looked at the ground. What was he to say? He ran away from home because of his father? They would definitely ask questions. "What are you doing down here!" He demanded, but Noatak remained quiet.

"I told him he could stay with us." Kahota explained.

"No. He cannot stay here. You have to leave. Now." The man looked Noatak up and down one last time before turning to leave.

"Hasook, it's already nightfall... He's just a boy." The woman tried to reason.

"Yena, you know of all the rumors I've been hearing about the north. If he stays here, he'll be putting our whole family at risk." He peered over his shoulder at Naotak. "He must go." Yena just nodded and looked to Noatak with what looked like a sympathetic smile.

"Perhaps i could fix you up something warm for your travels," she offered, walking over to a pot that still steamed a bit.

Kahota frowned and balled her hands into fists. "Papa, I refuse to make him leave! You can't do that," She protested.

"Kahota, this isn't you decision to make."

"Noatak saved me!" Hasook turned around to face his daughter, his eyebrow cocked with incredulously, as Noatak gave her a puzzled look. "I almost fell through this ice this morning 4 miles west, but noatak rescued me! You can't throw him out after that! He saved me, Papa." Kahota was lying through her teeth, but nothing on her face indicated that. Her brow was furrowed as her father's was before, her lips pouted, and her look showed determination.

"I've never known you to be so foolish as overestimate the strength of ice."

"Well I did. And if it wasn't for Noatak, I would have died." Hasook's eyes shifted back and forth between the two teens in front of him until finally he gave a great sigh of defeat through his nose.

"You may stay for the night. But tomorrow you must leave," he looked to Kahota and exhaled very loudly before walking back to the hallway. "Yena will show you where you can sleep."

The room must have lost majority of the tension it had built when Hasook had left. Only the three of them stood in the room, silent for a moment before Yena turned to Noatak and gave a small smile.

"I'll fix you both something to eat," she turned to Kahota. "Kota, both you are Noatak wash up." Kahota nodded and lead the boy to where she cleans her hands and face in preparation for dinner, and when done, they both returned to her house to find two soup bowls waiting with a plate of fish.

"Kahota, when you both are done, can you show Noatak to his room? I have to check on your sister."

"Okay, mother," she nodded, and Yena disappeared back into the hallway.

As soon as her mother was gone, She whipped her head around to Noatak and gave him a huge grin. "I hope you're hungry!" She exclaimed, and egan digging into her meal.

Noatak followed suit and quickly finished his meal despite having eaten not too long ago. the meal was very delicious, he thought, and he certainly was very hungry.

Hope you liked it. R&R

-Bea