much had been gathered in trade; wide leaves filled with honey from the great kingdoms, scraped salt, shells, caribou skins, deerhides, pelts from creatures far in the desert, antelope and dried lizards. bones from creatures she had not imagined, tiny glittering objects, lichen from the coldlands, bearclaws, a profusion of flower-seeds which might be planted in the lands of the moon. and of course, many packs of meat.

so many that each of those who followed carried perhaps one sling or even two filled with tender things wrapped carefully in wet grass. she herself bore two, weighted by sticks of dried sheep's-meat and portions of boar-flesh for which her mouth watered.

as the familiar well-worn path presented itself, kukutux let out a great breath of delight and let her pace slow. 

three returned to moonglow. a son and two daughters, she decided, thinking warmly of ajei.

but for all their great trade, for all the wealth brought home by moonglow, the gathering had become sharp in tense order. she had not been able to hold her women's circle. yet now that ajei had come home, she would ask of the young woman to speak before the daughters of the stone spine. the kinaalda was next to be held.

how much longer the path to her ulaq seemed, now that it was within sight!

a war in the far desert to which she had sent no warriors. ipiktok, gone to follow his man's spirit in search of strength. she had met with the women @Tavina, @Nasima, and @Racharra to say that moonglow would return. a welcome was given for they and the royal children to accompany those of her kith, otherwise they would depart as soon as light came.

after the bloodied conflict between swiftcurrent and sapphique on behalf of ajei, moonwoman had seen fit to bring the daughter of akavir home with them for a healing that might command more time. @Sobeille had been offered similar medicking, but kukutux would not abide them together after this. it would only brew a conflict she did not want within her packland. to that end, she told akavir it must be mae alone, not @Cygnet too with whom she returned. the girl's wounds had been irrigated and salved, wrapped and accompanied with further instructions and an herbalist's pack meant to see her through another eleven days.

aware that she could not stop the girl from following, and deciding not to react if such a stance was taken, the duck spoke to the leadership of the saltwater clan of her choice not to bring sobeille into a place where this battle might continue. into their grasp she aimed to press once more a sachet of pureleaf medicines for as many days, and a prayer for healing. a hope that the seawolves and moonglow would see one another again.

therefore sapphique departed, in tow the fierce young woman who still intrigued the duck. she meant to think on this alone, when moonglow had settled.

then too, kukutux would bring out the skin-bag of green, and find for herself what power it held.

for now she only stretched aching hips, gathering her descendants with a shout and sending them off to densites carrying equal portion pelts, goods, and meat. divided properly between all of moonglow, a well start would see them into winter.