It had been two weeks since the Adelunan stranger had come to her village, and a week since they had found out that he had come to cheat them.  His words had been kind, and he had brought them gifts before wanting to trade.  He had told them that he could take their whale-bone carvings and bearskins to Adeluna to sell, and that he would bring the coin back.  As a show of good faith, the man had brought them spirits from his city, tree carvings from the elves, and other interesting items.  It would be those things her people could hold onto until he brought their coin back.

But Qannik had a feeling that the man hadn't realized that she could read the written language of Adeluna.  And the words on the pages caused anger to burn in her heart.  Even though she knew full well she wasn't supposed to snoop, the skinwalker had felt unsettled around the stranger.  And she was glad that she had.  The elders were unhappy with what she had done, but quickly realized that she had saved them a great deal of trouble.  And he had been foolish enough to come alone. 

The trader's face went from outraged to sly to pale as the elders told him why they would not be trading their goods to him.  He tried to lie his way free, but Qannik stepped in, reading from his journal.  It was then he looked like a ghost, realizing that his lies had caught up to him.  The trader had been confined to a hut while they argued over what to do with, and Qannik poured over the journal.  It seemed like the man had done this many times before, to many other people.  It was time the wheel caught up to his wicked soul.

It had been left to Qannik to ensure the trader's body was properly cared for, since she had found the evidence that damned him.  It was simply a tradition of their people, since it ensured the person bringing forth any evidence were sure of the words.  It had been two days since the trader had been bound to the rocks, and he had died quickly.  Her trip out had passed quickly since she travelled on her paws, and her business had been quickly dealt with. 

When she arrived back in the village, the elders were talking again.  From what she caught, there was another stranger approaching.

Lajaka could always tell when someone was lying. Not telling the whole truth, that wasn’t a lie, strictly speaking, but Lajaka knew the man who offered the job wasn’t telling her the whole story anyway. The pay was too good, for one thing. Second, he wanted the trader brought back ‘dead or alive’, a sure sign that the trader was up to no good. It was only after Lajaka had agreed to take the job and been given leave from the company that she learned the trader had been on his way to bloody Itjivut. Even in summer, the island was cold. But it wasn’t summer now, it was winter, and winter was worse. Cold and dark.

The ship to the island first stopped in Egjora before making its way to Itjivut. Out in open water, there was nothing to stop the wind from cutting into her skin, and they couldn’t even use all that wind to move them. They had to row, because the risk of running into an iceberg was high. At least the work helped people keep warm.

When Lajaka arrived, it was dark— it was dark more often than not, this time of year— but Canelux provided plenty of light. The welcome Lajaka received wasn’t exactly warm, even for a place as cold as Itjivut was. She didn’t recognize most of the words they used, though Adeluna came up, and the name Gruber: the trader. Lajaka approached one of them. “I’m looking for Gruber,” she said, using the Adelunan trade language. “Do you know where he is?” The confused look on the man’s face told her that he didn’t understand her words.

Drawing her cloak up around her a bit tighter, Lajaka questioned the wisdom of taking this job at all, no matter how much she was getting paid.

It took her a few moments to find the source of the voice that spoke the same language as the trader.  She was one of the few who could speak it fluently, and for a moment, Qannik debated even getting involved.  But her ever present curiosity got the better of her as always.  It was just part of her nature, and something that made the elders shake their heads.  Approaching the woman, she spoke in the Adelunan trade language as well.  "Gruber the trader?  He isn't here right now, and he won't be back for a few days at least.  I can show you where he was staying though," she said.  Her voice carried an accent, showing she had learned the language awhile after her native tongue.

A plan was forming in her mind.  Qannik wanted to know just why this stranger was here, and what she wanted.  Perhaps then she would know Gruber's fate.  And perhaps she would share it.  On the way, she chatted idly, showing the woman a few of the sights of her village.  "My name is Qannik, and we don't get a whole lot of visitors here.  Outsiders are kind of put off by the cold.  Oh, and things like that," she said, pointing out the skinned seals being processed for fur and meat.  The woman's reaction would be telling, and Qannik was curious.  Some didn't even flinch at the process, while others shuddered.

Once they reached the hut, she offered to let the visitor enter first.  All of Gruber's things were still there, the elders hadn't decided just what to do with the man's things yet.  "He left his goods and such here, so I'd imagine he plans on returning," Qannik added.  They hadn't touched his coin either, so there were quite a few interesting things in the guest hut.

Finally, finally, someone replied back in a language Lajaka understood. The woman looked like a native of the island, but her Adelunan was good, and she offered to show Lajaka around. Shame she was lying, though

The woman introduced herself as Qannik, and showed Lajaka around the village, pointing “Well, it is bloody cold,” Lajaka grumbled. Far colder than the darkest day of winter in the Highlands. The wind was worse, too. What surprised Lajaka was how there were no trees. She knew that happened sometimes on mountain peaks, but this wasn’t a mountain. Qannik pointed so some seals being skinned, saying that outsiders were sometimes put off by such things. Lajaka only grunted. She’d seen cows and sheep butchered for their meat and skins, and seeing a seal wasn’t any more off-putting than any other animal. Hardly a pleasant sight, but not an especially disturbing one, either.

Lajaka was the first to go into the hut, and getting out of the wind was a relief. She let down the hood of her cloak and rubbed her cheeks with her hands to get the blood flowing through them properly again. Qannik mentioned the mans, things, though she3 didn’t have to; Lajaka could see them easily enough. She walked around the hut, occasionally pausing to rifle through his things. Gruber’s coins were there, but more tellingly, so was his cloak.

“He ain’t comin’ back and you know it,” Lajaka said at last, holding up the cloak. “Man wouldn’t last long out there without a cloak, and Gruber’s been missing for days. Dead or alive, I don’t care, I get paid either way, but don’t bullshit me. Do you know where he is, at least? His brother might want the body, or at least part of it, so he knows I found him. After coming all the way out here, I’d like to at least get paid.”

The stranger grumbled about the cold, which didn't surprise her.  Only the natives were used to it, and any visitors found themselves in what they saw as an unwelcoming environment.  At least she didn't flinch when the seals were pointed out, that was a good sign.  "I'd imagine wherever you are from is just as inhospitable to my people.  All a matter of perspective," she said with a shrug.  The tent wasn't too gar, and the woman went through things quickly.  And it was then Qannik got at least some of the answers she wanted. 

Only a bit of the woman's words confused her, and Qannik's eyebrows narrowed a moment.  "What is you mean by 'bullshit'?  But he is dead.  I can show you where.  Are you always paid to find men getting into trouble?" Qannik asked.  There wasn't much of a reason to lie to the stranger any more.  And perhaps it would be better if she left the village as soon as possible.  Glancing outside, she quickly calculated.  "It will take too long tonight.  You would not make the trip.  We go in the morning.  You can stay here, as guest.  We will have a meal soon you can share," Qannik explained.  The light was quickly fading, and perhaps she could find the stranger something that would help her survive the trip out to the spirit rocks without losing any fingers or toes.

She returned to the guest tent in an hour, carrying some clothing that might work.  Tapping on the tent's door, she only entered when invited.  "Here.  We keep these for strangers.  Reindeer hide leggings will keep you warmer than anything you have.  Same with the shirt.  And there's a cloak for when we go find your trader," Qannik explained. Waiting a few moments, she added "dinner is soon.  Hopefully you'll like our food.  Lots of fish this time of the year," before leading the stranger to the central tent.  There was laughter and banter coming from it, and Qannik hoped the stranger wouldn't feel too out of place.