Contents
79 West
Overview
Tunuva, Wulf, and Canthe circumvent the sealed Harmur Pass by swimming around the gates and enter Ersyr, bringing Tunuva back to the South. Tunuva reflects on Wulf’s likeness to his parents and his harsh upbringing. They reunite with the ichneumon Ninuru, who recognizes Wulf by scent and agrees to lead them home.
Summary
With the Harmur Pass still locked and undefended, Tunuva, Wulf, and Canthe swim around the gates, hauling their horses through the Gulf of Edin to reach the Ersyri side. Tunuva kneels to the desert sand, breathing in the South, aware that each step carries her closer to home.
As Wulf takes in the endless dunes, Tunuva studies him for traces of his parents. She sees Meren in his brows and nose and herself in his narrow ears and bone-structure, yet his eyes show the hardship that has shaped him. She regrets that he learned Hróthi and Inysh instead of Selinyi; Canthe tutors her in Inysh at night. Learning there was no mother in Wulf’s childhood home stirs both relief and sorrow.
When Wulf spots a dust-raising shape and reaches for his axe, Canthe identifies it as Ninuru. The ichneumon barrels into Tunuva, licking her in a joyous reunion before chiding, “You left.” Tunuva apologizes and asks Ninuru to take them home. Ninuru, noting that Wulf smells of Tunuva, accepts, signaling a guided return across the desert and a deepening of their newly found family bond.
Who Appears
- TunuvaReturns to the South, reflects on Wulf’s parentage and hardship, reunites with Ninuru, and seeks guidance home.
- WulfTakes in the desert, reveals scars of upbringing, spots Ninuru, and is recognized by scent as Tunuva’s child.
- NinuruIchneumon who joyfully reunites with Tunuva, acknowledges her absence, and agrees to lead them home.
- CantheCompanion who identifies Ninuru and has been teaching Tunuva Inysh during the journey.