Ouroboros Spine tulaktuk ⟿

official return! no posting order, single replies welcome, optional, really for reference <3 tagging everyone on pack hunt + @Mae & @Ajei & @Arrluk! <3 Aiolos @Nantahala @Lightfoot @Yuralria @Akmaaksi @Callyope @Kyrell

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.

Ajei was not expecting the heart rendering joy she felt at stepping back into moonglow. Her eyes glowed and her head lifted taller. She was overjoyed. She would quickly help to lay the burdens down and set off for her mother's ulaq.

It would need cleaned and fixed. And she was upset with Sobeille but also proud of her friends fierceness. She didn't let anyone roll her over. And yet there was guilt asit hadbeen on her behalf. If she had been stronger, braver?

Tags are for reference!

Truthfully, Nantahala hadn’t wanted to leave the hunt—for more reasons than she could count on one paw!

She trudged towards the middle of the group with a forlorn look in her eyes and a stern frown, holding the load of two buckskins. Her mind was in other places—plotting and planning for what she’d do once they got home—and once they arrived in Moonglow, she went to @Vairë immediately.

She would ask her mother if she could do what she desired most in that moment: stay at Moontide for a time, learn how to fish in the ocean under @Rodyn’s guidance, and be close to @Sirmiq and @Kitimat again.

After some deliberation, the two came to an agreement, and Nantahala would dance all the way to the women’s circle.

my tag for ref toooo

firegirl returned and she found herself not wishing to stray far from @Callyope.

firegirl worked in quiet, limbs aching, mind twitching with anxieties now that she was home and safe once more.

when grandmother did not look, akmaaksi slipped away, heading into the forest ringing anik lake where she would go to ground with no intent to emerge until she was rested once more.

It was in silence that Kyrell returned with his packmates. Bearing the weight of multiple packs on his body, his mind wrestled with the recent events towards the end of the hunt.

The trouble facing the desert kingdoms was unsettling, but he had no intention of coming to arms against an unknown enemy. Kyrell was a hunter, first and foremost. A defender if needed, but never a soldier.

The attack on Mae also plagued his thoughts. Kyrell did not intrude on the healing endeavors made for her behalf; the path to recovery being one that he could not walk for her. Yet it had been months since he last saw the girl, and she had gained a multitude of new scars in the time that passed. Now she would likely hold more. What else had changed for the wolves he knew from the willows?

Upon reaching Moonglow, Kyrell would assist in organizing the trade goods before walking the borders in thought once the work was done.