Noatak made his way to the main room. Anka and Anyuk were sitting on one side of the table, with Hasook at the head. Noatak stood in the doorway for a moment. a light panic washed over him as he scanned the room for Kahota, but quickly ended as she entered the room carrying a plate of some sort of fish, followed behind by her mother.

"Noatak, i'm so glad to see you're awake. Please, sit down." Yena insisted as she placed a small bowl of soup in front of the two younger children.

"You can sit here, Noatak," Kahota said, gesturing toward the seat next to her. He made his way to seat and was greeted by a warm bowl of soup of his own.

"Let's all thank Kahota for the fish we will be having," Yena said. A chorus of 'Thank you's followed, and then she spoke again. "And, father for the Bison deer meat he provided for the soup." Once again, everyone said thank you, Kahota making an especially appreciative thanks to which she got a smile and a nod in response.

Noatak looked around the table curiously to see everyone looking to hasook until he nodded, and said "Let's eat."

Anyuk and Anka instantaneously started slurping their soup wildly, giggles escaping from their lips occasionally, until their father gave a slight clearing of his throat and threw a stern look their way.

Noatak turned to look at Kahota who was already staring at him. She cheerfully smiled at him, and then picked up her bowl. She looked over to him once more, giving him the tiniest of gestures toward his bowl with her head, encouraging him to pick it up and start eating. He did.

"I sold the last basket of fish today,"Hasook started, still focusing on the fish in front of him. "Kahota, that means I need you to go fishing again."

"Of course," Kahota responded without delay. "I'll go tomorrow morning." She turned to Noatak. "Noatak can help me too." Hasook shook his head in obvious disagreement with her plan.

"No, I need Noatak here." Hasook, finally looking up from his meal, peered at the boy sitting next to his eldest daughter. "You will clean the stables tomorrow." He said curtly.

"Father, I will clean the stables. Noatak doesn't need to do it," She insisted.

"Kahota, as long as Noatak is staying here, it's only fair that he helps out with the chores," Hasook's voice was low, with almost a sense of warning lingering. He turned to Noatak, face like stone. "Wouldn't you agree, Noatak?" Noatak gave him a nod almost involuntarily. 'No' didn't seem to be an option. "See, Kahota," was all he said, and continued with meal.

The rest of the meal was mostly eaten in silence with the occasional giggle from Anka or Anyuk as they played with their food.

When everyone was done, Kahota excused her self, signaling for Noatak to do the same, and they left for their rooms.

In his room, Noatak carefully combed out his badly knotted hair with a wolf tooth comb Kahota had left him earlier, leaving his two pieces of hair warpped as usual, and rinsed his face out of a small bowl of what was warm water that sat on his desk.

Once he was done, He stood for a minute, just taking everything in. Once again, he thought about his options. How long could he hide from his father or even stay here? Could he stay here? Where would he go if he couldn't? The questions buzzed until infinity. Noatak was usually always aware of his options, but not this time. The only seemingly possible options were 1. To go back home, 2. to keep running further from his father, knowing he would never go that far to find him given that he has Tarrlok and his wife, or; 3. He can stay here, if allowed, and try to make a new life for himself with these people.

A light knock interrupted his thoughts, followed by his own voice. "Come in," he said. Kahota stepped in through the curtain and instantly froze, an incredulous look on her face.

"Wow," She managed to whisper.

"What?" Noatak asked, deeply confused. Kahota shook her head but still looked at him a bit more intensely than usual.

"You just looked A lot like my brother for a second," she answered before returning to her sunny disposition. "But anyway, I wanted to say sorry about my father. He can be harsh sometimes." Noatak shook his head. Simple chores like that didn't bother him. He had to do them all the time since Tarrlok was younger.

"You don't need to apologize. I have to do them all the time at home," His voice rang strange on 'home'. He had forgotten for a moment that 'his home' was no longer 'his'.

Kahota opened her mouth, prepared to ask something, but must have sensed the strangeness, and shut it, smiling again. "I just wanted to apologize anyway. Cleaning the stables is no fun job." Noatak smiled small, accepting the not-needed apology, and a silence hung in the air. "But yeah. I'll say goodnight."

Noatak nodded. "Goodnight, Kahota," He responded. Kahota looked at him for a moment with a face of a bit of shock and disbelief before giving the most genuine smile Noatak had ever seen, and then leaving the room.

Sorry for being M.I.A for a while.. I was visiting family in Canada and I didn't really have a chance to write.

But here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy!

-Bea