Moonspear kitchaktuk ⪩

set for tomorrow morning <3

she rested her body but her mind was filled with sorrow, and when kukutux awoke it was no less.

after she saw the small ones, she made a path to find @Rodyn, who she knew would not be far. her arms were for the man when she put her eyes upon him again; a breath exhaled.

"your wife and daughter sleep beside the sea. their spirits are at peace, ninauga." voice strained to the edge of breaking, a whisper; they shared this in equal amounts between them.

The sun had settled upon his russet fur as it rose to greet the day. It was amazing to him that the world continued to move around him and yet despite it all he felt in one place.

His peachy queens face met him in dreamland and it was often he hated to wake, but he did so. Knowing with the bitter taste of salt that it was always just a dream. She and their daughter were with Sedna now and he and the boys were here. And he couldn't join her yet even if his heart longed to. But that was ungair to those they loved, to their sons. So he would persevere.

He had found solace in the hunting trips he made upon the spine. And in the laughter of his sons. He found joy in small increments, but grief always overshadowed eventually.

Today he found solace and gripped his mother inlaw tight within his reach.

i am glad she dances and runs there. She dearly loved to run. She will teach our daughter.

Their names, he longed to whisper their names, but he didn't. They just rested there in the confines of his broken heart. Holding the pieces together.

kukutux held him in the way she would for any older son made man. rodyn's world had collapsed in upon itself. the duck had experienced this twice: first, during the time of falling rocks, and then when the star had come from the sky.

moonspear's spirits still walked this place, she knew.

kukutux closed tired jadestone eyes and called to them, to bring healing for rodyn's heart.

"i left heph in moontide. chakliux has gone to hunt for vaire, for now."

mauruk.

was the name veil enough for the dancing lights?

had they reached down for her sea girl all the same?

a sharp intake of breath. "ariadne will rest, and then i will say she should go back to moontide, also. we will keep the ways of your village until you and your sons return to it."

He took a deep breath. I will take a day soon to visit heph and hunt with her. It is unfair to ask her to keep everything going without my assistance. Though she would tell me I was wrong. a soft sad chuckle.

He preferred my peachy queens company to mine. I wish him safety and health in his travels if he should decide not to return.

Rodyn smiled. Thank you moonwoman. I will be sure to seek out Ariadne. She deserves many thanks from me. Perhaps I will find her a pelt to keep her shoulders. Sialuk too.

And the sister of his beautiful wife deserved much, both sisters did and he would do his best to thank them all. As did Elentari.

"he will go home, to moontide," kukutux assured rodyn, not wishing him to worry for his village if he was able. "he is seal hunter man. the death songs are not the ways of his people. i think he holds fear for spirits in his mind."

and yet he walked with one!

mauruk; kukutux could not speak the name.

"you will bring fine gifts for them. but for now, i wish that you rest. i know it is also the want of sialuk and ariadne," kukutux insisted softly, her eyes affectionate, worried.

Rodyn gave a soft nod and a sound of agreement. He didn't know if the hubter would stay. Not only was he preferential to woman. Rodyn strongly suspected because he could strong arm them. But also b3causecthe male was very egotostical. Rodyn liked him and he had makings of greatness, but he would need to learn some hsrsh lessons he imagined.


Rodyn sighed. It is hard to rest. I see her in my dreams. I know they are just memories and wishes. But it is hard.

He held a paw to his chest. a piece of my heart feels missing moonwoman.

"when the star fell, it took the life of my blackfox." eyes closing, a twinge of old pain passing. she reached for his paw.

"i cried for many hands of time. sialuk was with me each moment, as your children will be with you also, rodyn. but this piece you say in your words, that will not come back." a breath; her lips trembling; "you will only learn to make your days without it."

Rodyn held his paw to hers. Squeezing gently. That she knew somw of his pain. It helped ease it or at least he knew her words camecfrom place of wisdom that he didn't know yet.

A soft whine. I was afraid you may say that. The boys are strong and they will be good. I know it. Though i hope they do not feel a duty to care for me and not live.

kukutux took a breath.

she did not think rodyn and his sons should be alone. and yet she knew he was not ready to hear that he should marry again.

and so she did not speak, merely held his paw as eyes overflowed and she looked away with a small sob.

Rodyn pressed forward to gather the smaller wolf mother to him. Grandmother to his children, mother to his peachy queen. He knew her pain was deep and painful. She had Samani longer than he.

He had no more words just held her to him if she'd allow. Yellow eyes bright with unshed tears, but this grief day was for her.

"tell me anything of her you wish, rodyn," she murmured to him. "it is not our way to say the names of the dead. but perhaps it is yours," kukutux said softly, drawing back to find his eyes with her own.

together in this pain they would share.

nothing would replace the saltdaughter in her heart.

She chose our childrens names before they were born. Did you know this. She says she knew them before they would come.

A soft sigh. I will not speak her name. I promised her to respect the ways of her people, of yours and I will keep that promise. She will always be my peachy queen.

She wanted to travel and trade furs, meat, herbs. I will teach our sons this in her honor.

"i knew this. many moons ago, she told to me she had dreamed of them."

of motherhood. of children. how fiercely unfair it was to be robbed of these things.

"they will carry her name." a breath, to swallow tears; "my daughter chose well in you, rodyn."

A soft smile, sadness. How excited she had been. How happy. She was looking forward to the little bodies she had carried even before they had existed. It was heartbreaking and yet it gave him hope.

Rodyn shifted. I was lucky to be chosen. Thank you

happy to fade here and have another <3

in silence, lost mother and lost husband.

her name lived in their minds, her face upon their spirits.

when her children awakened to themselves, kukutux knew they would remember what part of her remained living in them as well.

rodyn would see this also.