Ocean's Breath Plateau ivugasrugruk ⪋

it was done.

in the death ulaq beside the sea, samani would lie until she changed only to bones.

but her spirit was not here.

it had gone to its peace.

kukutux was brimming with exhaustion. she arranged the last of hides, of gifts, of medicine, at the outside wall of the ulaq and rocked back upon aching flanks.

"sweet one," she said to @Ariadne. "first i must to to saltshore, to see vaire and her children. then i must go to moonspear, to share words with rodyn and to see the little ones."

only then would she return to moonglow for a rest. kukutux knew if she ceased now, grief would consume her whole.

"you may stay here, to help heph and the others, or make your path with me to the other villages, or go home to rest. it is a great weight on the soul," the duck murmured, glancing into the eyes of the girl becoming woman.

a thought came to her now: mauruk. mauruk. he had come home from the dead, and now she had lost a second child. was that the price? had the cleansing not been enough?

in dread, she silently rose, seeking @Heph with a quiet goodbye before her small pale form set off for saltshore and her deer-daughter.