One Small Tuskarr

"One Small Tuskarr" is a short story by Garth Nix published in the anthology Folk & Fairy Tales of Azeroth. It is illustrated by Justin Gerard. The story tells of Taruka, a young tuskarr fisherwoman seeking to prove herself to her clanmates.

Summary
The story opens with Taruka—the smallest fisher in her clan—returning to camp with a meager catch, for which her rival Onaaka belittles her and the catch master Kattik only rewards her one knot (which Taruka is collecting so she can buy kite silk for her sister Unka). The clan is stocking up on food as they prepare to travel to their regular stopping point of Kamagua; the fishers will travel in their boats while the rest of the clan go across the ice on sleds. Taruka talks to her friend Larati, who is not convinced when the youngling says she will catch more and bigger fish. Taruka reminisces about her father, who died at sea before he could finish teaching her and left her only his boat's mast and a spear.

The old fisher Harooka warns Taruka that there's a danger in Lyquokk Strait and tells her not to sail there on her way to Kamagua. Taruka gets suspicious and thinks the other fishers want to keep her away from a prime fishing spot. After a sullen evening dinner with her sister and her mother Makusha, she walks out to the family sled and looks at her father's spear, only to suddenly receive what seems to be a sign from the goddess Oacha'noa telling her to take the weapon with her.

The next morning, Taruka sets out north in her little boat and heads through Lyquokk Strait, but sees no sign of fish. Suddenly a huge sea monster appears under her boat and causes it to capsize. Taruka ends up clinging to the creature's back and a struggle ensues. When the beast dives into the water again, she slides down its neck and manages to plunge the spear into its eye, killing it. Unable to right her boat, she is at a loss for what do to until she realizes that the monster's buoyant corpse can function as a ship. After attaching parts of her boat to the creature, she steers it north and, after three days, triumphantly arrives in Kamagua, where her family and clan members are waiting. The story ends with Taruka—now called "Taruka Beastkiller"—jovially asking Kattik how many knots her latest catch is worth.

Locations

 * Kamagua
 * Lyquokk Strait
 * Praak Island

Other

 * Emperor salmon
 * Spotted yellowtail
 * Stargazer (mentioned)
 * Sunfish (mentioned)