Ouroboros Spine I think of you when I think about forever

I can open this up if need be but if/when you have time! No rush <3

Maia walked up to the borders of Moonglow with her heart entirely lodged in her throat. It made it a little hard to breathe, especially for someone unused to travel, so she took a moment to gather herself together before she called out for @Kukutux.

She’d told @Eljay that she was coming here, but had not told Chickadee or Kivaluk, mostly out of fear around how this interaction would go. She didn’t want to get their hopes up only to send them crashing down when she messed things up further.

Maia needed to let everything go. And more importantly, she needed to make sure Kukutux didn’t feel unwelcome in the same way Maia did when she approached this border. Such a thing would have easily prevented her from visiting her grandchildren; she couldn’t let it prevent Kivaluk’s mother, even if it was more for her own sake than anything else.

I’m not here to forgive or forget. I’m here for them.

She had tried to run through some of what she might say on the way here, but Maia knew that she would forget it all the instant the other woman appeared. She just needed to remember why she was here. If she did that, then everything would be fine.

<3!

her sister had grown weaker still, and kukutux felt it must be time. she had forced herself out already, slowly gathering rosehips for the autumn colds which sometimes plagued those in a village. the sun was warm against the forlorn emptiness in her chest.

the skin of small red fruits swung from her jaws as she straightened, stilling to hear the voice of brecheliant's mother upon the air.

their words upon the plains returned to kukutux, but she went all the same. surely maia brought news of chickadee and kivaluk; suppose it was not good? her step quickened until the other came into view.

she set down her carrypelt and regarded maia neither impassively nor warmly. "is all well?" kukutux asked softly, the question of one mother to another.

Maia waited patiently for the answer and it wasn’t long before Kukutux appeared before her. The other woman skipped over pleasantries but Maia, in a way, preferred that. We don’t need to pretend to get along. We just need to coexist.

It’s good news. Three of them, born a few days ago. Give or take. Recent enough that it felt time still hadn’t slowed down. I won’t keep you long. I just wanted to be sure to let you know; you’re welcome to visit. Anytime. If Kivaluk and Chickadee want you, or any family visiting, then Brecheliant is open to you.

Maia knew that this invitation was somewhat pointless; Kukutux didn’t seem the type to let her insecurities thwart her in the same ways. But she had thought about the discomfort she felt, considering visiting Moonglow and wondering if she would be unwelcome doing so. She didn’t want Kivaluk’s mother to have any reason to resent this. And she definitely didn’t want to be that reason herself.

three children. kukutux softened her features and nodded, some gratitude entering her eyes. maia did not have to make a path here; such could have been told another time. but here she stood.

"i give the same to you, maia. i give thanks to you also for coming here to tell me these things."

caught between offering her usual hospitality, and wishing to avoid the bite of well-warranted rejection, kukutux pushed the skin bag toward the brecheliant woman. "medicine seeds. i will gather more. i age. the good spring rain seems to live inside my bones and i am sick before i can blink." it was for chickadee, but it was for them all.

moonmother would not force friendship. but they could work as grandmothers of differing societies.

Even trying to reach out an olive branch, Maia’s first instinct was to refuse the gift. She didn’t like feeling in any way indebted, but bit that reaction back. Whether she liked it or not, this was Kivaluk’s family, which meant they were family too. If they wanted to give their grandchildren gifts then she needed to be okay with that.

Thank you. It took swallowing a lot of pride to say it. Maia knew it would continue to annoy her that she couldn’t think of anything to give in return. Stories… but she wasn’t ready for that. Just because there was a close relationship between her daughter and the mountain did not mean she wanted the same for herself. I’ll make sure Kivaluk and Chickadee know they are from you.

She could have made small talk, confided that her husband dealt with a lot of the same. Instead silence stretched between them while she, uncomfortably, decided how to bring this encounter to a close.

"i thank you for this. may your journey be one of ease."

their time had come to a close, and like maia, kukutux too was unsure how to close their words.

and so she offered her well-wishing, a goodbye standing in her eyes.

and she would hold nothing against maia, truly grateful that the brecheliant woman had come at all.

Thank you.

With that, the olive branch was left and Maia departed to deliver the gifts. They felt heavy in her jaws but she carried them dutifully. This is what it means. Auspex. Her own feelings didn’t matter when it came to pack relations. She needed to do what was right for Brecheliant, even in the (thankfully rare) cases when it felt so wrong for her.

She was glad she had gone. Nothing had changed for her, but for Brecheliant, the door was open. She was petty enough to wish it had remained closed, but she was smart enough to realize that this was something she needed to do. She loved her daughter too much to regret it.