Ouroboros Spine It's all business in the left-hand lane

She'd been here before, hadn't she? 

Skeetch was usually pretty decent at recalling her journeys- the only problem was that she was a wanderer, which meant that she led many paths that had no end. It wasn't often that she found herself in the same place twice- and yet the spiny ridge of mountains had a shape that was very familiar. She recalled the speedy she-wolf who had challenged her to a race- and she remembered now, with some guilt, how the scent of a hare had distracted her, mid-race, from the woman's side. She hadn't spared a thought for Shikoba afterwards, but now...Now, she realized that she'd disappeared without a word when she should have been focused on the task at hand. 

She wondered if she might be welcomed again, or if her failure would be counted against her. She wasn't going to chance showing up empty-handed, so she chased down a rabbit that she might offer as an apology. She settled, then, just beyond the borders as she panted softly, taking some time to catch her breath- and hoping someone would come along soon. 

She didn't have a great attention span.

the two-toned eyes gave her pause.

but kukutux came closer with a graceful air. moonglow had taken a great step toward the future in the agreement of samani to rodyn. there was reason to celebrate.

"this is my village," moonwoman said to the slender dark stranger with the mismatched gaze. what spirit had touched her in the womb?

but she would not be unkind. "i have known you before. not by your name." there was a vague familiarity.

she waited.

Skeetch sat up when she saw a wolf in the distance heading her way. She had soft fur, the shade of a moonbeam, and while their was a loftiness to her step, she had a gentle mien. Any wariness went unnoticed by Skeetch, who panted softly, and dipped her head when she was addressed. The woman smelled of other wolves, of fur, fish, and earth. Skeetch flicked her tongue over her nose to get any more information she could gather off the woman who had come to see her. 

"Moonglow," She said, looking quite pleased with herself. She bobbed her head again. "Well, no, that's not my name, that's the name of your pack. I'm Skeetch." She said brightly. "I met Shikoba here once, about.....Hmm. About two an' a half months ago, yup." She sniffed. "She's still here! Gotta apologize to her," She said. "She said I could join the pack if I kept up with her in a race and...Well, I did dun good until I caught a rabbit's trail and whoof. Off I went. Oh! This isn't the same rabbit," She said, hovering a paw over the one she'd brought with her. The rapidfire pace of her speaking wasn't something she was even aware of, at this point. "This one's fresh!"

the stranger knew the name of the spine. this brought some peace to kukutux. 

"shikoba is now our star-hunter. if you know her face, perhaps she should be the one to decide." but she looked lightly at the rabbit.

"we are a place of hunters." and already skeetch offered promise. "what else can you follow in the forest?"

how could she be certain that something would not lead the young one away again? but winter was soon to come and it would be unkind. her mother's heart was speaking.

"Star hunter?" Skeetch echoed, tilting her head to the side. Her tail thumped against the ground. "Well I bet ya. She pretty quick- that girl could catch a star if she was put to a race with one fer sure," she commented. "I know her face, but more what she look like from behind. Notlikeina-y'know kinda way, just mean she started the race is all." She un-tilted her head, and felt a nerve twinge in her jaw. "She can be the judge if you want. The rabbit's for free," She said, reaching down to shove it toward Kukutux, its limbs lolling slightly. 

When asked about her skills, Skeetch lifted one of her hind paws and scratched at her shoulder thoughtfully. "Probably ain't much I haven't tracked," She said. "Got a wicked memory. Heck, I could tell ya what a bobcat had for breakfast by the scent of its paws," She chuckled. It was more of an expression her mother had used, than anything- but she was confident in her tracking abilities. "I'm pretty quick," She said, setting her hind foot back down with a soft thud. "I'd bet yer Shikoba to a race again anyday," She said, with a jackal's smile.

"i am moonwoman. my husband is sun man. shikoba is star hunter. we are leaders in the village."

for their ways. for balance. for protection.

she extended a small hard paw and pulled the rabbit closer. skeetch spoke of agility and a skill for tracking.

moonglow could use such things.

"come with me to my ulaq. that is a home of stone and earth and moss," the duck explained, inviting skeetch across their border. she picked up the offering and set their path directly.

At first, she thought she was being given the woman's name, and the name of her mate. It was only when Shikoba's name was spoken alongside what she learned to be the title of her rank that she properly understood what the Moon Woman was saying. "Ooooooooh," She said, in hushed admiration. Moon Woman, Sun Man and Star Hunter? She hoped that all the ranks were given such awesome names, and that she could get one for herself. One that wasn't Mosquito. "That's amazing! What's your name, then? Or do you only wanna be called Moon Woman?" She might've been a tad outspoken, but she was keen to learn and acclimatize. 

She was invited to the woman's Ulaq, and she felt a shiver go up her spine. If everything had a different name, this was going to be so much fun. She began to follow Kukutux, and inhaled to start asking a bunch more questions- but then realized that with her mouth full, Kukutux wouldn't be able to answer her without sounding very muffled. It'd be rude, she decided- and probably more proper for her to follow in silence. 

So she moved along, sniffing as she did so- careful to stay close enough to Kukutux that she wouldn't forget where she was supposed to go, and bolt down an interesting scent trail. She was discovering the pack little by little as they went, and kept herself behaved by means of distraction.

skeetch was delightful.

the duck found herself smiling easily.

"i am kukutux. sun man has the name of aiolos. and star hunter is called shikoba." she was pleased to share these names with the young woman.

when they arrived at the well-lived hollow, moonwoman showed skeetch where she might lay her offerings. "stay here with me for a night and then go into the forest to find a home," she offered, eyes dancing. "but first, tell me what you know of following brother deer."

as kukutux spoke she moved, and soon skeetch was presented with sundried fish on a strip of bark.

Kukutux. Aiolos. Shikoba. Skeetch might not have had great focus, but she did have a keen memory when she was able to catch the information she needed. These would be valuable names to know, along with their titles. Her lips twitched as she committed them to memory, half-whispering them to herself to make sure she would remember them. 

"Kukutux! Cool. So what would I be?" She asked. Their titles seemed like a prize to her. She expected an initiate like her might have not quite as spectacular as a name, and that she might have to work to earn a more interesting role for herself, but it was something she was willing to do. 

The Ulaq that she was shown was fascinating. Well kept, and full of scents that easily distracted Skeetch and had her salivating slightly. The scent of herbs, of meat, of fur- all a blend of something that smelled like home. She flicked her tongue over her nose so she could appreciate it fully, and struggled slightly with the interrogation that was set to begin. "Woahhhh. Your home is- brother deer? Oh, deer, yeah," It was difficult to rein in her attention. She felt obligated to focus and answer the question even though she wanted dearly to explore the Ulaq thoroughly. 

And then Kukutux presented her with the dried fish. "Woah, wait- woah, how? It's-" The earthy scent of the bark and the fragrant fish, dried with care and time, was a meal prepared with care. For someone with as ravenous an apatite as Skeetch, the idea of waiting for a meal to dry or cure wasn't really worth the effort. Being nomadic, it also hadn't been an option. She'd gulp down anything dirty, fresh, warm, cold, even a bit moldy. She wriggled and made a pleased sound before she picked it up- bark and all- and crunched through it. For her, the more noise made while eating was a compliment to the chef; the bark was a bit...Surprising, but it went down with the fish whether it was intended as a part of the meal or the display. She snuffled up the crumbs, licked her lips and blinked fondly at Kukutux. "Mmmmm. Thanks! You're super hospitable. It's nice. Oh, right- deer," 

She remembered quickly, and set about explaining in a rush. It was easiest for her to explain something when it was fresh in her mind. If she didn't get it out when she thought of it, she'd forget. "Yeah, I mean, so their tracks are pretty easy to recognize. Same kinda hoofprints as like moose, goat, elk, sheep, but y'know, the smell's different and obviously they have different habitats though deer are kinda less picky than like moose or the mountain-dwellers. They do mountain ranges, plains, forests- probably why they're easier to find than other hooved critters, 'cause they just kinda live anywhere almost, depending on the season. An' they pick what time of day they go out into the open. Dusk is like...The best time to catch 'em in fields. Y'know, they mind the depth of the snow in winter, 'cause I think they know we can outgun them in deep snow. Does'll stick their fawns in deep grass in the springtime so for a bit they're kinda sittin' ducks, super easy to pick off." It felt, at that point, as though she might be telling Kukutux things she might have already known. She tilted her head to the side. "Like what kind of stuff d'you wanna know about them? I can just spout facts all day, but like...I mean, I'd just be talkin' your ear off."

"you will start as hunter, as we all do. then you will choose what you do in moonglow. i am the maker of matches and i know the old ways i have given to my sons and to my daughters and to those in this village who want to know. sun man, he is protector and he knows the travel of many places, great distances."

skeetch was girlish and wild in her eating. but kukutux had no judgement, and offered more fish. she wondered how long the young woman had been away from a pack. 

she listened with a small smile to the words that flowed like a springmelt creek from skeetch. "i have my answer. i had the wish to know what your mind understands. you know deer in all seasons. beneath the sun and the moon. you know where they make their sleeping places and how their children are kept. and you know how they are different from the others on hooves."

moonwoman was proud. "brother deer has good fat around his stomach. it is called kitsautik. it is important to have much fat in the long cold. before the ice and snow have gone away, babies will be born in those darker moons. a hunter makes sure that there is always fat and meat in our caches."

Skeetch was grateful, and accepted when she was offered more food. Of course, she would have to repay the favour later- maybe some time spent down at the lake fishing would be a decent idea. If, of course, she could find a patch where the ice had not frozen. 

The concept of matchmaking went over her head. She did not understand the reference, and did not think on it long or see it as being interesting enough to question. She nodded along, this time taking smaller bites of the fish she was offered so that she might not seem as though she was absolutely starving. 

Apparently, she'd answered some useful information- and Kukutux had some to give in return. Skeetch, of course, had hunted deer before- but being low on the heirarchy, she'd typically been elbowed and shoved and pushed away from the parts of the deer that had higher fat content. Nevertheless, she was well aware that that was a choice cut. "Mmm. That's the good part." Being told that there would be children implied that yet again, she would be expected to help hunt the meat, but that the fattiest parts would go to the wolves who would be bearing children. Fair enough; Skeetch could gnaw gristle from the bone and be grateful for it. "I can do that." She confirmed with a compliant shrug, gulping down the last bit of fish the way a pelican might.

kukutux was pleased.

she indicated two caribou skins, still supple from having been tanned during last winter-hunting. "take these, for your sleeping-place."

moonwoman enjoyed the welcome of new wolves. she would ensure that skeetch slept in comfort during the nights to come.

the village was a place of plenty.

The Moonwoman’s generosity flabbergasted the chatty girl. Skeetch was also puzzled by the skins, having been crafted carefully. Skeetch slept on dirt, grass or earth- bedding such as this had never occurred to her. As such, she thought they were intended as a meal, for later. 

 The skins were soft, stripped already of fat and sinew, so she peered at them curiously. She would eat fur, of course, but knew it to be less nutritional. She looked at Kukutux quietly. Her offering was sincere- but she got the feeling she was missing something. 

”You…You eat this?”

"eat?" her brow furrowed and then smoothed. kukutux chuckled gently. "they are for laying. and for sitting. look," she said, gesturing to a smooth fur upon which ariadne sat as she sorted others.

"we chew them soft," and here she showed skeetch her ground-down molars, from the years and many pelts she had provided. "the women work here. the hunters bring us skins and we create these furs. they lie in every ulaq and also we trade them to others for things we do not have," she said proudly.