Ouroboros Spine piviuttaktuk ⩸

feb 1st wedding for vaire and rhaegal! can be one post or round, please let @Bahiti (vaire), @Aiolos, and @Rhaegal post first! exciting! @Shikoba @Samani @Rodyn @Sakhmet @Kivaluk Callyope @Kausiut @Mojag @Inutsuk @Void @T.K.

@Sialuk & anyone she wants to bring are also welcome!

they would gather at the grandfather stone.

bring gifts!

furs for the new couple, meat, important items of carved bone and ivory, deer-teeth, feathers, sweet-sap, dried herbs, all things that the deer-woman of moonglow and her ocean husband would need for their journey into marriage.

kukutux had called to her daughters. "come! let us make vairë ready for this day." they had bedecked her in early flowers, in pine-buds and early wildflowers. while they worked, this would give rhaegal the opportunity to cleanse himself in the lake.

designs painted to brow and cheek and chin, of deer's-blood mixed with rich red earth dug from the ground, sacred markings that would protect vairë in whatever journey she chose.

the moonwoman would give rhaegal a garland of knit red leaves when he arrived.

she stood with sun man to receive vairë and rhaegal; her eyes glistened with proud tears.

and when moonglow had gathered, kukutux sang out!

"before the eyes of sedna and tooteega do we look upon vairë and rhaegal, who she has chosen as her husband this day."

she lifted her chin.

"before the eyes of amphrite and selene we call for joy! today the gods and spirits of this village smile down upon us."

she turned to her deer-daughter, eyes shining. "when a child of moonglow is born, they are given a spirit-name. when they are of age, their mother whispers this to them."

grand tears slid along her face.

"today i will tell it to you. this is for your ears alone. when your children are born, you too will give them their two names."

quietly, and only where the doe-girl might hear. kukutux whispered, "natjuksittitut."

therefore then kukutux stood back, looking to her husband and to rhaegal for their speaking.

moonglow held strong! her heart felt as though it would burst with love.

pp'ing an awkward kivaluk looming in the distance.

rhaegal's fur damp but clean from the doe's blood that had christened it upon his arrival at their borders, neck decorated with kukutux's garland of redleaves. golden gaze travels along his doewife, breath catching in his throat for a moment, struck by her moonbeam beauty despite that she bears bridepaint.

the sveijarn's chin lifts, feeling comfortable at his doewife's side where he settles though, admittedly, nerves battered against his stomach and up within his throat where they seem to catch. a soft shift of his weight and a subtle press of his shoulder against vairë's slender one.

he did not know the wolves of moonglow, and though he was about to be family by marriage, he was still an outsider.

a conception of his own making that he cannot quite shake.

like his fear of heights, addressing a crowd of strangers appeared to be something he could not quite master.

but he is urged to speak and he turns then, away from the wolves gathered — a stone and red colored boy looking uncomfortable and awkward catching the seadragon's eye briefly — and focuses upon vairë, letting the eyes of those gathered melt away.

with my offering of the antler and doe pelt that you wanted, i give you, humbly, myself. my loyalty, my heart, soul and body. it ... all of me, belongs tae you and you alone. he was, if nothing else, like the saltstone that stood resilient against the battering waves and time: as immovable. it wasn't a declaration of love ... at least, not yet; but it was what he could offer her here and now.

and with it, if you want it, my last name sveijarn. a family legacy that he hoped to pass along to cubs, one day.

Her sisters and anaa descended upon her like happy, furious harpies, and all the doe could do was release a laugh, happy and loud. It was a whirlwind of early flowers, of the sharp iron scent of doe blood. Old Doe twined in harmony around her spine, her ribs, singing the songs only deer know.

Happiness was a burst of air in her lungs, curving around her like a living thing. In this moment, the spirits her mother knew felt more living, those glimpses she got only growing until she was walking through visions. Three children clustered to her side, vigorous in their suckling, the salt stag at her side, old doe settling into the ground as she belonged to be. Finally to rest.

As she walked, the doe walked with her, at her side in shimmering light, a vision only she could see. Flowers and sweet pine tickled her nose, the laughter and speaking of her sisters fell in her ears, and her eyes darted through the crowd. This was a whirl of careful chaos, contained and measured, joy riding the breeze and scenting every corner of Moonglow with Vairë’s own. Then!

High on the breezes! The throaty croak of a crow! Immediately did Vairë turn, knowing this sound more than she knew anything else. This was him! This was-!

Akaagigan!

The crow, her crow, banked on the breeze, dropped to the snow in front of her. Here, Vairë cried, her bird returned to her, here on her wedding day!

She would step beside her husband, head spinning from the joy, taking it all in as much as her overwhelmed head could possibly stand. Akaagigan would find a perch in a nearby tree.

And in only a few words, it was to be.

Vairë was no more the lone doe.

Vairë Nuiruk closed her eyes, taking in her spirit name and letting it rest against her chest, taking in Rhaegal’s voice, his offer.

Vairë Nuiruk Sveijarn would open her eyes and smile, giving her husband a faint nod even as tears sat fat on her lashes.

Grandfather stone was Aiolos favored places in his pack territory. He often lay atop the mossy rocks, looking out to the river as ir made way into the great lake of their home. Here is where one of his little girl's would be formally wed. 

He stood tall at his mate's side, as both daughter and new son-in-law came to them, as they came to be one. Aiolos smiles to the snowy woman at his side. 

May both the Sea and Moon Goddess bring you good fortune, good life. His words are little and their is an awkward smile to Rhaegal, filled with the same uncertainty of speaking out before a crowd just the same. I love you dearly. Lower comes these words, spoken to his daughter as he kisses the top of her crown. 

Then, to those gathered, Everyone, let us celebrate the union of Rhaegal and Vaire Sveijarn! And there the Sunman lifts his head in cheerful howl.

Rodyn arrived on the heels of his own love. Samani had left early to take care of her sister for her wedding day and he settled beside her now. Upon his broad back he had carried gifts of his own for the couple.

A goat skin for them for their den, the noisemakers he had made that Samani liked and one of the pouches of fur he had made for them to do as they pleased.

He would also offer his back and body to help them carry their new gifts to their dens.

As he watched things unfold, he couldn't help but yearn for their own wedding. And so much more. A soft smile was upon his face as he watched the beautiful wedding. He lifted his voice in celebration.

Another sister might have been more jealous that her younger sisters were being wed before her, but Sialuk knew the way of patience. She bid Meerkat and Njord farewell for the day and set off early to help with the preparations for the union. In her teeth, she carried a fine antler, a perfect gift for her sister and her husband-to-be. They had both chosen well, and Sialuk did not begrudge them for it.

She set quickly to decorating her sister when the time came, laughing and sharing side-long glances with Kukutux and the other sisters.

And when the ceremony came, Sialuk stood as close as she could to anaa, knowing this was a proud day for her. She remembered the day when she too had heard her own spirit-name, and Sialuk repeated it silently to herself as Kukutux whispered to her younger daughter.

And the name Sveijarn! This must be one of Njord’s kin. Her heart pulsed with warmth for the new couple, a broad, open smile upon her face.

Kausiut did not join the other women of Moonglow in preparations for Vaire's wedding. She found the company of too many women burdensome and annoying, she did not understand their giddy excitement and joy for the occasion. Therefore she had arrived late and observed everything happening from a safe distance. Like a show that you have no interest in and yet you cannot turn your gaze away.

There were speeches said both by her parents and the happy couple. Promises made for a long life together. The wayward girl did not see herself ever standing there face to face with a man, on whom her life would depend on from that day on. Yet - she felt, she knew that eventually there would come a day, when she too would have to make a choice. For her own survival. So it was better to spend time until that moment observing, how it happened and what happened after the fact. To learn. For the sake of her own future.

vairë was married.

nuiruk no longer.

but kukutux knew she would not forget the name of her clan and family.

she kissed the decorated cheeks and smiled at her new son-in-law.

and she lifted her voice in beautiful, loving song!