Ouroboros Spine we can stay in tonight

though the doe pelt thread isn't finished yet, i wanted to get this up! <3

the doe's stiff corpse is heavy and weighs rhaegal down as he carries it over his shoulders; making his progression slow. luckily, the hunter that helped him take it down and took from it what she wished in return and him had been able to keep it contained close to moonglow.

it wasn't too far but he had to pause and adjust to keep the doe from slipping off his shoulders.

it's blood stains his back a sticky crimson as he jolts his left shoulder, letting it fall to the ground with a sickening thud. the release of additional weight is a relief and rhaegal cringes, wishing he had time to clean himself up.

surely, he looks like a mess.

but he wishes to waste no time; sending up a howl for @Kukutux and then to @Vairë.

the news of tulukiri weighed heavily upon kukutux.

but the mountain overlooking the village held sialuk. 

and her own body held the stirrings of new starlight.

the duck was somber when she came to attend the salt-man's call, but her face smoothed into warmth and interest to see him stained with blood.

he had brought a doe in wholeness to the village.

moonwoman regarded rhaegal knowingly. she was aware he had visited before and that her deer-daughter had met him. more than that, the details were not her own to know. 

but kukutux knew that he would marry vairë. her jadestone eyes were warm, favoring him as the son he had almost become.

"sedna has blessed you, man of the long salt."

Vaire will be there in a round!

She heard her salt stag’s call, and she was eager to reply.

But she was on the other side of the territory! Vairë slowed, for a moment, before she would raise her nose and reply in a distant howl. Then, she would begin speeding for the borders.

She was on the way!

it was kukutux that arrives first, and rhaegal dips his head in respect: both of her rank among moonglow and as the mother of his to be doewife.

now, rhaegal's nerves really set in. hullo, he greets with a small clear of his throat, really wishing he'd taken the time to clean himself up.

i bring this doe meat and pelt as the last of vairë's bride price. rhaegal tells kukutux, golden gaze lifting from the moonwoman briefly, only to search for any sign of vairë.

the salt man spoke and the duck looked knowingly toward him.

the doe-woman's call hovered overhead.

he was rich with blood, with the kill that he had brought.

"does my daughter accept?" she would ask, only when vaire had arrived.

She came, easy, loping across the snow like a fox. It helped, perhaps, that the fox pelt she beloved so much was across her back. She came to a stop just in time to catch the tail end of her anaa’s statement.

Vairë couldn’t help a giddy noise, half a giggle as she stumbled.

That was it. Her bride price fulfilled.

She looked at the doe, riverstone eyes shining bright, then up to Rhaegal. Her face split into a beatific grin.

I do. I accept the price, and name it fulfilled.

Her heart pounded, and she felt light headed.

a soft flutter of nerves batter at rhaegal's stomach; golden gaze lifting from the moonqueen to vaire when she arrives. his own heart thrums out a hard but steady rhythm, breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding released in a low exhale as she accepts.

the bride price.

him.

the sveijarn's tail wags softly, chin lifting and chest puffing a bit; looking between the two women and wondering what comes next for this is unfamiliar to him.

moonwoman beamed at them both.

her eyes misted softly.

she called then for @Aiolos, asking him to come to them, to see the man his daughter had chosen as husband.

her smile was warm as she gestured for both rhaegal and her doe-girl to sit.

The call for her father hung on the breeze, and Vairë smiled with every part of her face. Her tail breezed behind her, just as unsure as Rhaegal as to what would come next.

Samani and Rodyn had not had their own wedding yet, was hers to be after that? She did not know if she could wait. But, she did as directed and sat, riverstone eyes never leaving her intended.

After the little gathering between unspoken for men and women which Kukutux had thrown together, Aiolos had only heard word of those which had arrived. Rhaegal, of the long salt, was a name he had heard but not a man which he had met. As Kukutux called to him, he knew today would be the day. 

The call of his mate was not one he would hesitate to answer. It never would. If able, a call he would answer even more quickly now due to the new life which stirred within her. She had not said it. Had not confirmed it (nor had Sakhmet) but he could see it in the light of her jade eyes, of the happiness of her step. 

The Greek holds himself higher this day as he arrives, to greet an unknown man here to wed one of his many beautiful daughters. Their one son, @Stratos, off to seek out to young women of his own. 

I take it you are Rhaegal. He speaks to the man, offering a dip of his ginger muzzle respectfully as he looks over the blood-stained wolf. Large, as himself, but even so heavier built, young, strong and smelling of the sea, which brings a small smile to the father's features.

a call rises.

a earthen colored man approaches not too soon after, drawing the seadragon's gaze from the moonwomen to him.

a tip of his head is given, running with the assumption that this is vairë's father.

aye, rhaegal rumbles in response. rhaegal sveijarn, sir.

"daughter," kukutux said as her sun man greeted the sea wolf.

she noted how polite rhaegal was indeed.

"will you stay in the village a time? or will you be married now?"

her eyes were amused upon the obviously devoted pair.

perhaps today?

To her taata Vairë would offer an affectionate butt of her head to his shoulder, as always pleased to see him.

When her anaa began to speak again, she turned her gaze to her, but her eyes fell again to Rhaegal, though her ears still listened.

Today.

Her head spun almost comically fast.

Today?!

Vairë wasn’t a girl who dreamed of a big white wedding. It wasn’t her way. But…what was stopping them? Her eyes again turned to Rhaegal.

If..If Rhaegal wishes to be wed today, I have no objections. Her voice was slow and thick with surprise and a myriad of other emotions.

Today!

'Aye', came first the word of Rhaegal, accented with dialect of the sea. Aiolos knew the tones well and though he did not hold the tongue, the enjoyment of the familiarity shown in his eyes. Aiolos Nuiruk. He addressed thereafter and then sniffed the ear of his daughter who nudged him in greeting.

Kukutux asks of them. If they were to be official this day with their meeting. If Vaire was soon to leave, to go with Rhaegal to the northern seas. There was a twist in Aiolos chest. His land was far north-east on icy shores. 

His fiery gaze turns upon Vaire with her answer, though seeming surprised of the suddenness herself. 'Weddings' were not always a thing. Perhaps Vaire would have something a little different, but was happy his union with Kukutux had not been so extravagant. 

Vaire had spoken in their private meeting with one another... That when she was well she would seek a husband and become a hunter in her own right. Maybe she would hunt on the coasts as Aiolos once had in his youth. 

I think we should come together as pack. Share was spoils and celebrate of your new union. He turns to Kukutux, wondering if she held any certain plan.

aiolos, the father of his to-be doewife introduces himself as. another low nod is given, filing it away. it was as important as knowing kukutux's name: they would soon be family through vairë.

rhaegal is quiet as kukutux addresses vairë, letting her make the decision whether to remain with moonglow for a time yet or be married to him in the here and now. for the umpteenth time, rhaegal wished he'd taken time to clean himself of doeblood drying to his fur, feeling this embarrassment now more than ever when vairë expresses that she has no objections if he wished to be married today.

rhaegal's heart thrums in his chest, a steady thrum of seahardened wardrum; golden gaze moving to vairë when it lingers.

aye, i have nae objections tae bein' married today. and ...why wait? rhaegal sees no reason to, lest vairë thought it was happening too fast.

last for me!

kukutux looked to her husband in agreement.

"then it will be so. today."

she grinned at her daughter and the man of her choice.

"make ready, rhaegal. vairë, we will find your sisters."

a kiss for her sun man, a gentle brush for the younger hunter would become her ninauga.

and then she was away, drawing the doe-girl along.