Cheshmu let her words pour over him, accepting her blessing. He took a deep breath and exhaled, his breath leaving a visible vapor. He then looked to the next elder. Elder Inazin looked Cheshmu over before reaching behind him and grabbing a necklace.

“This necklace holds the tooth of the great bear. It will guide you on your hunt and keep the ice from cracking beneath your feet.” Elder Inazin was rumored to have spoken with the great bear in his youth; the bear had given the tooth to him as a gift for honoring the bear's brethren and respecting their territories. Cheshmu bowed his head as Elder Inazin placed the necklace on him, placing his hand on Cheshmu’s head and sitting in silence for a moment.

“Remember young one. Complete this task, and you will earn your tunniit and will be added to our ranks as a hunter-warrior.” This time it was Elder Nodin; his entire family were well versed in giving the tribespeople their tunniit, tattoo markings on the hands and face. Cheshmu grinned at the thought of receiving his marks. It was another thing he longed for greatly.

As the sun peaked her way into the tent and gently placed herself on Cheshmu’s back. The elders spoke another prayer on him, handed him his spear, club, and a small bit of food for the journey, and sent him off on his quest.

Cheshmu groaned; he was sure he had hit it hard enough. He followed the trail of blood that the whale had been leaving. He followed the whale for a few miles, taking breaks to eat and rest. He left a good enough wound on the whale that he could easily follow it. It was now late in the afternoon, and Cheshmu had finally made it to where the blood was strongest. This time it was at another seal hole. The whale floated there, trying to breathe. Cheshmu took another deep breath and plunged his spear into the water once more, blood and water splashing about. The spear stuck in this time, and he was able to drag the whale onto the surface. He took his club out, and just like that, the whale was dead.

He let out another battle cry, proud of himself for making this kill. He reached into his bag and grabbed some rope to tie the whale carcass up, leaving some rope so he could drag it along the ice. The whale was more than likely an adolescent, not adult-sized, but just enough for the tribe to eat for months to come. He laughed and cheered as he tied up the whale, dragging it to an area with more land. He set up a small fire and tent and watched as the sun set and the stars came out. He was astounded by how smooth the whale was; even in the light of the fire, its striking white color was evident.

“You gave me quite a hassle running off like that. Good thing I found you before another predator did. Then I’d have nothing to bring to the tribe.” He chuckled once more and settled in for some sleep. He’d travel back to the tribe in the morning, and when he’d come back, he’d finally be honored in the tribe.

That sense of calmness would not last as Cheshmu entered the village and brought the kill to the butchers. A strange smell hit everyone's noses—that of soot and death. The elders circled Cheshmu and the whale carcass, demanding he unwraps it. Once he did, he was in shock. The whale carcass had appeared as if it were rotten and burned. On its underside, a large cut, as if a knife had run through it.

"I don't understand. The whale was fine just yesterday when I took it down." Cheshmu's heart raced. He did not understand what caused this?

"Stand back! Everyone, away from the carcass!" A deep voice pierced through the crowd that had gathered near Cheshmu and the whale. It was that of the head shaman Nanouk. Everyone did as he commanded and stepped back; however, as Cheshmu began to step away, Nanouk gave him a stern look. Nanouk was a no-nonsense sort of man. Having been the shaman for some time, he was rumoured to have been to the underworld and back. Everyone respected him greatly.

He stood over the whale carcass, carefully inspecting each oddity on its body. He observed as the steam that had been rising from the carcass slowly turned to smoke. He paid close attention to the various shapes and symbols the smoke had revealed to him. Nanouk then let out a great sigh.

"Young warrior, tell me." He looked over to Cheshmu, who was standing still. "When you took down this whale, did anything happen?"

As Cheshmu entered the hut, his heart weighed heavy on him. He had let his tribe down. His pride and arrogance got the better of him, and he was filled with shame. He wasn't sure how he could fix this. But he was willing to do anything he could to right his wrong. Nanouk began grabbing and mixing various herbs inside a bowl made from stone and stained with paints. He then lit a small fire in the center of the hut.

Nanouk and Cheshmu sat in silence the entire time up until Nanouk took a burning coal from the fire and placed it in the stone bowl. The herbs started crackling and soon produced a thick smoke. Nanouk took the bowl and placed it in Cheshmu's hands.

"Breathe the smoke in and focus your intention. Ask the whale spirit to appear before you. When it does. Apologize for your ignorance, and ask its forgiveness. It will show you what you need to do. Be caring and respectful. The spirit may be upset with you." His voice was deep and brooding, though Cheshmu found some comfort in it. He nodded his head and began to inhale the smoke. The smell was sweet and inviting yet pungent. Before long, Cheshmu felt as if he were drifting away.

"How will I know when to call for the whale?" Cheshmu looked up from the bowl to find that Nanouk and the hut had disappeared. He was alone in a vast, empty space, the floor seemingly covered in water. There seemed to be no noise aside from a low hum that permeated through the whole space. He stood up and began to look around. It was completely empty. He figured now was as good a time as any to call to the whale spirit. He cleared his throat and stood strong. Looking around, this place seemed to go on forever.

"Whale spirit. It's I Cheshmu, the one who took your life. I am so sorry. I should have honored and respected you for giving me your life. Please. I ask for your forgiveness." He fell on his knees. The water on the ground rippled as he landed. He sighed and looked around for any sign. It was dead quiet at first. But after a few moments, he heard a faint clicking noise. Followed by a large splash. Before him, a translucent glowing whale burst from the floor and began to swim in the air. Twirling and making various clicks, whistles and low bellows.

"I see. We have to act fast, young one. I will prepare a few things for your journey." Nanouk then began gathering up some more herbs and a stone jar covered in writing.

"But I still don't understand. Why the lights? How come the whale couldn't find them himself?" Cheshmu was beginning to feel a bit better and sat further up. He was curious about the significance of the lights. He had heard countless stories about them as a child. He thought they were just that. Stories. He would have never imagined that the stories were in any way real.

"When any being loses their life. Their spirit roams our land for a short while. They call to our ancestors to help guide them to the spirit realm. At the same time, we also call them honoring the spirits of those who have fallen to make their way to their world. Since you did not honor the whale or our ancestors, the whale is doomed to roam the earth until it is given the respect it deserves. And our ancestors know not of this great travesty that befell this beast. The great lights come to welcome those spirits. It's one of the few times we can observe the spirit realm in our world. Their power is so great, and their light is said to heal man and spirit alike." As Nanouk finished preparing the supplies, he placed them in a leather sack and handed them to Cheshmu. He then handed him a whistle carved from wood. The whistle was meant as a whale call long ago. Nanouk knew Cheshmu would need it.

"The lights will only be here for a short while. You must head north towards the mountains and use this whistle to call to the whale. He will hear your call and follow you to the lights. Once you are there, light the herbs and call to our ancestors to take the whale to their realm. Make haste, the spirits are ever-lasting, but their time in this world is not. If you fail, I fear for our future." Nanouk placed his hand on Cheshmu's shoulder. He worried for the young man, but he was confident in his ability to get to the lights in time.

Cheshmu was startled as he heard what sounded like a loud cry. He turned a corner and noticed a strange hole in the colorful barrier that surrounded the space. As he looked down into it, he saw himself. Jabbing at the whale, its cries echoing. He tried to scream and tell himself to stop. But it was drowned out by the sound of his own battle cry. He awoke in a rush. His heart was racing, and he was having trouble catching his breath as the cold air pierced through his lungs.

He could hardly sleep the rest of the night. Choosing to keep the fire lit and sitting in deep thought, Cheshmu reflected on himself and his actions and was ashamed of himself. He didn't take the elders and their warnings seriously, and now the whole village will have to pay for his ignorance. His mind raced on and on. Before he knew it, the sun peeked over and greeted him once more. He rubbed his eyes and put out the fire. He stood tall and with a deep breath. He blew the whistle; then, he was off again. Heading as far north as he could go.

Cheshmu hadn't walked so much in his life. However, he enjoyed the sights of the wide mountain ranges and all the flatlands before him covered in a blanket of thick snow and hard ice. He took his time to really appreciate his surroundings and continued calling to the whale. He could feel the whale's presence as he made his way closer to where the great lights would be seen. Cheshmu had seen the lights a few times in his life. He always enjoyed how they seemed to dance across the sky.

Cheshmu rose early that morning. Giving thanks to his ancestors and the whale for bringing him safely to the lights. He sounded the whistle once more and made his way to the base of the mountain. The journey took most of the day, and he made it to the halfway point late into the afternoon. His heart, once filled with dread, was now soaring.

As he forced his tired legs to move forward, he whistled a happy tune to the whale. Letting him know they had finally arrived. All that was left to do was make camp and wait. The sun was low in the sky as he reached the base of the mountain. The sky was a beautiful deep purple and pink. The stars began slowly appearing one by one, and Cheshmu set up his fire. He placed the jar of herbs near the fire and whistled once more. Letting his whale friend know that he was ready to bring him to the lights. Nightfall came fast, and for the first time in quite a while, Cheshmu welcomed it. He sat facing the open space and watched the sky. Placing his hands on his knees, he let out another call with the whistle before speaking.

"Great ancestors, hear me tonight. My dear friend has left the living world and seeks refuge amongst you. Hear our call." Cheshmu then let out another whistle, letting the note hold for some time. He knew in his heart that his whale friend was with him, calling to the stars with him.

"We call to you now, ask you for guidance, great ones. I offer these herbs to you, blessed by the great shaman Nanouk." He then grabbed the jar and opened it. He took in a deep breath and let the strong aromas hit his nose. He then threw the herbs into the fire. It crackled and burned. The smoke billowed up into the heavens. Cheshmu took in the smell of the herbs and again blew the whistle.

"Great ancestors and spirits old and new, accept my friend the whale into your world. He is kind, noble, and worthy; he has given his life to me. He has forgiven me after I betrayed him. His soul is pure, and he should roam free." He kept his arms up to the sky as the many colors continued to bounce across the land. Cheshmu could hear the faint humming sound once more and looked to his whale friend, who swam in circles near the lights as if finding the optimal spot to swim into the light. Soon the low hum grew loud, and a bright white light pierced Cheshmu's eyes; he sang once more to his whale friend, and the ground shook from beneath his feet, knocking him over. He paused for a moment to gather himself.

When he got himself back up, he looked to the sky; he couldn't see his whale friend and began frantically searching for him. He watched the lights bounce, glide and dance across the sky, seeing the many shapes of various animals and people. In a desperate attempt, he sang once again, praying for an answer. Finally, he heard a loud bellowing sound come from the lights, and as he focused his gaze once more, he could see the whale swimming blissfully with the other beluga, they seemed to greet the young whale in a playful manner, and he joined his brethren in their play. Cheshmu let out a cheer and jumped with a great sense of joy. His friend had been accepted into the spirit realm and was finally happy, finally free. No longer would he roam the land of the living in search of peace.

Cheshmu then lay on the icy ground. Watching the spirits dance across the sky, this was the closest he had ever been to the lights, and he was soaking up every moment he could. Tears streaming down his face, he felt the weight of guilt leave his body; he had proven to himself that he could get it done. And he knew just how important honoring those that pass on really was. Never again would he take life for granted. He got himself back up and sat near the fire. Watching as the lights began to flow elsewhere, he knew they had to move on to guide others to them. It was a bittersweet moment. But Cheshmu took great pride in knowing the whale was now where he needed to be.