Raven Woman by Pinkie Paranya

Author:Pinkie Paranya
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: paranormal romance, ancient alaska, inuit customs and history, inuit people, women as guardians, women as protectors
Publisher: Black Opal Books

CHAPTER 20

Umiak watched the small group of men turn away and began walking back toward the village, leaving her alone with Grandmother and Oolik.

The three women were being thrown away.

As a shaman with some power, Umiak could have stayed in the village. She was still young and strong enough to fight for her place in the community, but her daughter and the old one had no recourse. The Inuits ruled they must go for the good of the survivors.

She felt a surge of pride at the way Oolik stood by her side seemingly without a trace of fear. Umiak knew the child was terrified by the trembling of her body. Sarquaaq had hated Oolik since birth, believing her son and grandson died to make space for the soul of the newcomer.

The fur-clad men, looking like a small herd of animals dotting the horizon in the distance, soon disappeared in the mist of the oncoming whiteout.

Umiak found them a hillock of piled snow where they huddled together with their furs wrapped around them, waiting through the long, cold night until the faint refraction of light signaled another day.

The following nights seemed endless. The frigid arctic wind blew unceasingly while Umiak, Grandmother, and the child huddled under the lee of the snowbank, waiting to die. They had used up most of the bits of fat and gristle the people left with them, and still they clung to life. There remained some frozen pieces of fish, but they could not make a fire in all the wind and the fish was frozen and too hard to chew.

The old woman, nearly sightless eyes rimmed with matter, thin lips dried and cracked, never uttered a word of complaint or anger against those who left.

Umiak rubbed Grandmother’s face gently with their precious seal oil to keep the cold wind from penetrating. Oolik did not whimper or cry. Her liquid black eyes watched her mother’s every movement, and her soft, round mouth curled into a smile as if to offer comfort.

Umiak wanted to hug the delicate body to her, but dared not. It would hurt that much more when Oolik died.

The storm cleared and the sky poured its pale, life-giving warmth down through the cloudless gray sky.

High above their heads a lone Raven soared in graceful circles, cawing repetitiously, over and over, as if speaking to someone below.

Umiak felt a surge of energy overpower her lethargy. Her hands reached to touch her headband, and strength of purpose flowed through her blood. She hunched to her knees, motioning for the two to rise.

“Come. Let us search for a place to build a shelter. The sea cannot be far now and will provide some warmth.”

“Will we build an iglu, like a man does?” Grandmother looked worried.

Only the men built iglus, but what did that matter now? Umiak could not see where any rules or taboos applied, now that they had been discarded as humans.

“Kuturuq told me many times how to build one. Do you know also?”

Grandmother nodded, her wiry vigor returning a little.

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