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+--- Thread: Ouroboros Spine winterberry (/showthread.php?tid=63853)
winterberry - Ipiktok - December 05, 2024
The news of Sunman and Moonwoman setting Callyope’s bride price spread throughout the village. Word was the sunshine daughter’s suitor was a rugged and handsome man and together they settled a village nearby…
A flicker of envy burned in Ipiktok’s heart – wanting to to great things as they had done. But he could not even discover his totem!
With a huff, the man foraged for whatever winterberries had not yet been claimed by the birds.
His mother was not well when he had left, and was not improved when Ipiktok had returned.
He shook out his furs, not wanting to feel so somber, and began to walk the village paths, hoping to run into another.
RE: winterberry - Kukutux - December 06, 2024
forneskja. not a moon village, and with rodyn wishing to move his own pack.
akmaaksi was gone. she had not received word from nantahala.
disappointment reined beside fear. ipiktok was a comforting sight; kukutux pulled her foxfur wrap more closely around narrow shoulders and moved to join her grandson.
"have you been to the forest?" the duck inquired in sunshine, breathing moonglow's frigid skyline.
akmaaksi was gone. she had not received word from nantahala.
disappointment reined beside fear. ipiktok was a comforting sight; kukutux pulled her foxfur wrap more closely around narrow shoulders and moved to join her grandson.
"have you been to the forest?" the duck inquired in sunshine, breathing moonglow's frigid skyline.
RE: winterberry - Ipiktok - December 06, 2024
“Anânsiak!” Ipiktok gladly called out in a deep voice when he saw the flash of red foxfur against the snowy path.
These days, he looked upon their village through the eyes of a man, instead of a boy’s, and could feel himself grow aware of the village politics. And so when Moonwoman inquired about Neverwinter Forest, it piqued Ipiktok’s interest.
“The village of Callyope and her intended? I have not,” Ipiktok replied in their mother tongue.
“Have you?” he pried. “What sort of man is he? Perhaps I should find out for myself…” Ipiktok arched his back to puff out his chest, to show Grandmother his strength and pride.
RE: winterberry - Kukutux - December 06, 2024
"i have not been," kukutux murmured, and when ipiktok spoke, she slowed.
springjade eyes searched his own. "make a path. they will want you as warrior. but perhaps say you will be husband to a woman of forneskja, if she becomes sunshine."
a man in his prime, he might have no want to wander again if he was given such responsibilities and kept close.
such a match would settle the warriors of solharr and bring them to sunshine heel. kukutux veiled her machinations with a respectful dip of her scarred muzzle, moving on. "they are fighters, strong. new words. and they will not worship our spirits in the same way, my grandson."
springjade eyes searched his own. "make a path. they will want you as warrior. but perhaps say you will be husband to a woman of forneskja, if she becomes sunshine."
a man in his prime, he might have no want to wander again if he was given such responsibilities and kept close.
such a match would settle the warriors of solharr and bring them to sunshine heel. kukutux veiled her machinations with a respectful dip of her scarred muzzle, moving on. "they are fighters, strong. new words. and they will not worship our spirits in the same way, my grandson."
RE: winterberry - Ipiktok - December 06, 2024
Kukutux knew exactly how to appeal to the young man’s pride...
The idea of being sought out as a warrior by the forest wolves groomed Ipiktok’s ego and sparked a smug grin. Furthermore, there was a new mission to forge a second bond between the villages through marriage… and he looked upon this like a mountain meant to be summited.
“Any woman will wish to be Sunshine when she knows me!” Ipiktok crowed boastfully, belittling the spirits of another’s clade… but his jest veiled the fearful knowledge that their Sunshine bloodline grew thin, evident by the sons and daughters who wandered from the Spine’s safe harbor and married elsewhere.
“I always thought my future bride would be a Seal Hunter or a Caribou Herder,” Ipiktok mused. “So I’d very much like to know more of these forest wolves.” It made him think of his little sister, Nantahala, who had been tasked to find prospects for her elder brother.
His visage softened. “I will do this Grandmother. I will bring them a gift. Make a path,” he promised. If nothing else, but to keep the connection with his Aunt strong. “I promise it.”
Ipiktok rolled his shoulders as their conversation branched. “Arrluk and Ajei have returned home? Has he finally asked for her bride price?” he laughed. It was no secret the two of them stuck together like a stone and moss!
RE: winterberry - Kukutux - December 06, 2024
he was boastful! prideful, assured, all the things a sunshine man should be. in silence they shared the same worries for the future of the entwined moon villages; it was now, now! why she should bring them to her side, to be called up on behalf of the nuiruk clan.
quickly ipiktok warmed to such an idea, eliciting a bright smile from his grandmother. "how can they find resistance to such a face?" she praised the tall hunter. "at first i had thought a seal hunter woman. but they are only girls this year," kukutux explained. "and the caribou runners — aya! where are they?"
no; it must be this place of those who were not moon-kith; she must have her own bond with them made with blood and with marriage. to lose callyope meant another must come.
laughter then, soft. "he has not yet asked! but you see how already they live. she is already his wife, even if they have not said such words."
quickly ipiktok warmed to such an idea, eliciting a bright smile from his grandmother. "how can they find resistance to such a face?" she praised the tall hunter. "at first i had thought a seal hunter woman. but they are only girls this year," kukutux explained. "and the caribou runners — aya! where are they?"
no; it must be this place of those who were not moon-kith; she must have her own bond with them made with blood and with marriage. to lose callyope meant another must come.
laughter then, soft. "he has not yet asked! but you see how already they live. she is already his wife, even if they have not said such words."
RE: winterberry - Ipiktok - December 06, 2024
“He should not make Ajei wait any longer! Or I will take her hand for myself!” he jeered with a chuckle, knowing full well that such a thing would never come to pass. It was evident Sedna had already entwined their spirits together.
“I have not seen Akmaaksi or her brother,” Ipiktok noted. “Have they gone? What else had happened while I was away?” he asked, mostly wishing to know how his mother fared.
RE: winterberry - Kukutux - December 06, 2024
"and stir up arrluk's orca spirit? moonglow will see its first fight!" she exclaimed in faux chastisement.
wind changing; she was cold beneath her wrap and shivered.
"valiant returned to the side of your mother. akmaaksi and tautukpik have gone, yes. their hearts did not hold happiness. they also did not go to the forest," she breathed out. "rodyn says perhaps he will move moontide from the sea. there have been children taken."
it was not so good.
"it is why i have accepted fornesjka. the warriors of solharr, they too must hear sunshine. in this way, they are also ours."
ambition. did it live too in her grandson, this strong-shouldered son of doe woman?
wind changing; she was cold beneath her wrap and shivered.
"valiant returned to the side of your mother. akmaaksi and tautukpik have gone, yes. their hearts did not hold happiness. they also did not go to the forest," she breathed out. "rodyn says perhaps he will move moontide from the sea. there have been children taken."
it was not so good.
"it is why i have accepted fornesjka. the warriors of solharr, they too must hear sunshine. in this way, they are also ours."
ambition. did it live too in her grandson, this strong-shouldered son of doe woman?
RE: winterberry - Ipiktok - December 06, 2024
Though their laughter was warm, Ipiktok could see when his Grandmother shivered. He made a gesture with his muzzle down the path, towards the village ulax. Walking might help keep the cold at bay.
“This winter will be colder than the last,” he idly remarked before becoming attuned to Kukutux, one again.
“I am hopeful Valiant will help heal my mother’s heart,” he replied “She has improved little since I went away.” Was it not every son’s dream to see his mother smile? Would his marriage bring her happiness? Grandchildren?
“Aya,” he breathed at his cousins’ unhappiness. “I hope they will find their way home again soon.” Ipiktok knew Moonglow would always welcome Ariadne's children.
However, Moontide’s plight sounded even more dire. And Ipiktok knew it must take great strength from Rodyn to leave his departed wife behind….
Kukutux’s next comment made one brow raise. She subtly revealed a slice of her gambit. Ipiktok had a feeling there were many layers to Moonwoman’s diplomacy… perhaps he did not realize how deep it went.
“Anânsiak,” he simply said in a sly voice… as if to acknowledge her intellilect and prowess.
Yes, Ipiktok had ambition. Perhaps not to lead in a traditional way… but to help raise his people above all others. Though a child of an unlikely outcross, Moondoe had produced a man who’s veins were filled only with Sunshine.
RE: winterberry - Kukutux - December 06, 2024
ah! there it was, that cunning mink look in the eye of her grandson. it occurred to the duck then as if it were a bannering comet: if both arrluk and ipiktok married, then moonglow would see both grandchildren and tutitchiatqiun.
nuiruk, their silvermoon glow touched every part of the wilderness!
"your anaa, she must have something that fills her time." grandchildren.
"and it will be very cold. the snow geese fly early. solharr hunts his bride-price in the great storms."
for a moment, kukutux leaned upon ipiktok as she crested a small rise in the path, narrowed now the point of her own mortal focus."tell me when you make a way back from the forest — tell me if callyope holds joy still in her eyes."
nuiruk, their silvermoon glow touched every part of the wilderness!
"your anaa, she must have something that fills her time." grandchildren.
"and it will be very cold. the snow geese fly early. solharr hunts his bride-price in the great storms."
for a moment, kukutux leaned upon ipiktok as she crested a small rise in the path, narrowed now the point of her own mortal focus."tell me when you make a way back from the forest — tell me if callyope holds joy still in her eyes."
RE: winterberry - Ipiktok - December 06, 2024
Ipiktok braced his shoulder to support his grandmother over the unsteady terrain. “I will do this, Grandmother. Do you suspect her happiness is not genuine?” he dared ask in a quiet voice, though his bi-colored eyes remained fixed on the path ahead.
He had only been on the outside of Ariadne’s rise and fall… and the young man wondered if his Grandmother saw history repeating itself.
The ulax were up ahead. Shelter from the cold.
RE: winterberry - Kukutux - December 09, 2024
snow, whirling into the breath of a coldwinter wind. "callyope is nuiruk but the forest now is not. for love she is able to accept. but how many hands of time will that remain?"
more sunshine children must be born before she felt they would not be overtaken. sialuk upon the mountain and callyope beside the lake, vairë here with her mate and mother. arrluk within moonglow also, a comfort after all her other sons had gone.
galana. had she found sahkmet?
when they had at last come to the ulax, kukutux settled stiffly and tried to rub warmth back into her forelegs. "bring me that elk hide, i ask you, grandson. put it around me."
heaped near the entrance in a tantalizing bundle, the hide was large as kukutux and rivaled the thickness of a wolf's own coat, a snow-kill.
more sunshine children must be born before she felt they would not be overtaken. sialuk upon the mountain and callyope beside the lake, vairë here with her mate and mother. arrluk within moonglow also, a comfort after all her other sons had gone.
galana. had she found sahkmet?
when they had at last come to the ulax, kukutux settled stiffly and tried to rub warmth back into her forelegs. "bring me that elk hide, i ask you, grandson. put it around me."
heaped near the entrance in a tantalizing bundle, the hide was large as kukutux and rivaled the thickness of a wolf's own coat, a snow-kill.
RE: winterberry - Ipiktok - December 10, 2024
Romantic love was cryptic to the young hunter. In his experience, a marriage was architectured. Matters of the heart came second, if given the chance to grow. Perhaps passion between partners would never develop… but at least the union could exist without it. So, he could understand his Grandmother’s train of thought… or at least follow it.
“Hmmm,” the deep thinking sound was his only reply. Ipiktok did not feel he had anything more to add.
At his Grandmother’s request, he took the plush hide by the tooth and carefully draped it accross her. To him, respect of your elders was highest upon the totem pole of morals.
“I will make way to the forest village in the morning,” he assured her. The young man made a gesture with his muzzle as if to say, is there anything more I can do for you?
And then… a fleeting thought. “Grandmother, I wish to learn more about our customs. Our bloodline and ancestors,” he announced. “Perhaps when I return, we can walk together again,” he smiled affectionately.
RE: winterberry - Kukutux - December 19, 2024
"i will always have joy to walk with you, grandson," kukutux said with gentle jubilation, a kiss given to his proud cheekbone. "there are many things to learn. for one, your pappous aiolos, he was once from a place beside the salt water where men were kept as captives."
"sialuk; we thought that we might marry his son, huojin, to my daughter. but Sedna stood in the way of this." her mouth curved in delight. "she knew i would need a sun man to lead with me the first village of the moon."
balance! in all ways, in all things. ipiktok would come to know it. "make safe your path, grandson. i will rest. come to me again," and her eyes shone there with the secret intrigue now shared between them.
"sialuk; we thought that we might marry his son, huojin, to my daughter. but Sedna stood in the way of this." her mouth curved in delight. "she knew i would need a sun man to lead with me the first village of the moon."
balance! in all ways, in all things. ipiktok would come to know it. "make safe your path, grandson. i will rest. come to me again," and her eyes shone there with the secret intrigue now shared between them.
RE: winterberry - Ipiktok - December 22, 2024
Grandfather’s history sounded thrilling, and the meandering story of Grandmother’s life was a wellspring of parables.
“It is a promise,” the man vowed as he stood straight.
With Moonwoman settled, he left her ulaq, path set for the Weald where he would hunt.