she had not forgotten her raindrop;
nor what she thought the best action might be. the morning after adrastus had set out, she stared at the sheared edge of the mountain which was once spear. she had laid its name to rest as well. moonglow churned with barely controlled rage.
but this was a time of hunters. she would not interfere. that did not mean she would not spectate. her words must too find the ears of the shadowhunter. in guilt and in relief to see
@Sialuk did she drift into the young one's presence.
"pukak." her voice was heavy.
"i have honored raimo as sivullik and now he divides the hunters." she could not call it a mistake; was unable.
"adrastus seeks to become firsthunter in raimo's place. it was the ice-stone who told me of ... the things that have been said." a blink.
"you have never trusted him. you have been wiser than me in this. i told the snowhunter i could not decide. i told him he must seek wisdom from this world. and so he has gone off, perhaps to speak to spirits in the mountains. he says he will return to be first among hunters."
a wry cluck.
"when he comes down, will you recognize him as first? has he earned your respect?" for she would test adrastus, again, let sialuk test him. never again would she be a fool.
"i go soon to speak words that the shadow must hear."
There was tension in the air, though Sialuk could not discern its roots. She spent long hours with Sixsix, who had once more started to bring her precious small bones. The pieces of wood were replaced with each new bone, and soon, her bone collection would be complete once more. These she kept safe near the ulaq in a soft skin. Only a few bones remained for the set to be complete once more, and Sixsix had flown off again, likely in search of one of these. The bird earned his keep.
Anaa's voice called to her, soon weaving words together and explaining where the tension had come from. Raimo. And who else would it be? He seeded doubt into their lives the moment he made himself known to them, and Sialuk's eyes grew dark when she learned of what he had done. That Adrastus was challenging Raimo was news, but not unwelcome information.
Adrastus searched the mountainside when none of us could. He is a good man. Raimo thinks only of himself, of his needs,
Sialuk's stance was clear. Adrastus was the better wolf, more fit to filling the role of first among hunters. She was learning there was more to hunting in this role, and those were not things Raimo could live up to in her mind.
there was something that the duck could not explain to her star, and it was the sort of feeling raimo had given her. this was a conversation that sialuk could not yet know, and yet it had sown itself into all thought and talk of the shadowhunter. she would honor the choice of their world and if that was the ice-man, then it would be so in moonglow. kukutux knew the proper way to observe a decision that the spirits had made.
but are you prepared to bear children to his name, as you have been with raimo? lips tightening, kukutux glanced away. adrastus had caught her eye for more than one occurrence; even now, the man who wore the cloak of the snowbear sought guidance as her people did. he had given himself to the manner in which she had raised sialuk. how it would be in moonglow. i will be blessed to honor sivullik, and it was not untrue, the thought of it, and therein lay the guilt.
sialuk's voice was steady and unmoved by the air of conflict that had rolled through their village. the woman let out a relieved breath, nodding twice toward her daughter. "it is best that he learns what it is to be second."
she was furious with him, but moreso for the awareness that standing before him would only weaken her; she would not deny what they both wished and had indulged. she could not, and yet it was not a weakness. "this is new, all of it, to me. i am thankful each day that you came down from the mountain, sialuk."
The raindrop's head bobbed up and down in agreement. The black fur needed to learn to follow. Or he needed to learn to leave. That was Sialuk's wish, but she knew he brought value to Moonglow, so she did not turn him away. Anaa spoke again, this time gratitude spilling forth in a way that made Sialuk's skin warm. She thought of the family she had lost, but the raindrop thought also of the family she still had.
If you had not come down, I
—but the words would not come. Anaa would know without them. Sialuk closed her eyes and let her breathing steady.
When your injury heals, I wish to travel to Meerkat's village to make peace with them and extend our greetings,
she said, wishing to think not of the day that had brought them to Moonglow. It is looking much better now,
Sialuk said, her eyes falling on the limb that had caused anaa much pain.
kukutux bit back the sourness that crept to bitter her throat at the image that sialuk had even haltingly created. they had found one another. in that was a blessing that could never be overturned. her raindrop's intention caught at her gaze with worry, but she nodded.
"this is a good thing. it shows that we are family, and it shows that you have respect for the redhawk clan." a thought. "perhaps when you are there, you will give a message to the woman with the name of ruenna. invite her to moonglow, for we had meant to have another meeting before ... before we became moonglow."
Anaa mentioned another name that did not render an image in Sialuk’s mind, but she kept the name close. When it was time to visit Redhawk, she would ask of this wolf to travel for a visit. Perhaps even back with Sialuk as a guide to Moonglow itself.
When I go to Redhawk, should I bring another with me?
she asked. Or will it thin the village too much for two of us to be gone?
kukutux thought upon this a moment. "you are ulloriaq here in moonglow. the star makes its own choice. we will not fall if you take another with you." she reached to nudge her raindrop reassuringly, then straightened, rolling her head from side to side.
"i think i will rest now, sialuk," the moon said softly, though the glimmer in her gaze told the girl that she was welcome to share the respite, mother and daughter dancing together through brief dreams.
Anaa left the decision to her, and Sialuk thought she might mull it over for a time. If there was one she wished to take with her on this journey, she would have to choose wisely. Spending much time with somebody was not something she wished to do with flippancy.
Mmm,
she said when her mother mentioned rest. It would do her good now, and Sialuk found herself nestled against anaa soon enough, just as when she was a babe, breathing softly and slowly.