Hoshor Plains world burn

Set directly after this thread.

Ariadne ran through the plains as fast as her body could, heading toward the Moonsong camp at a break-neck speed. She searched desperately for @Kigipigak, barking and whining between sobs as she looked for him.

When she couldn't find him, she returned to their shared room and promptly and dramatically flung herself into the pile of furs they'd been using as a bed as she continued to sob.

The last of the supplies had been packed and prepared for their journey back to the glacier. Kigipigak was putting the last of the new hides in to a bundle when Ariadne appeared, collapsed, and sobbed in to their shared bedding.

Immediately the man dropped what he was doing to go to her. Ariadne? Wife, what is it? He thought of the man Chakliux had gone to hunt; he thought of the men he didn't know in the hunting camps and Ariadne's fire-time; he thought-- so many things and each worse!

She sobbed! He did not know what to do; to crowd was not helpful, to stay back felt cold and wrong. He crouched by the furs to be on her level and crooned a note to her.

"Ariadne? Wife, what is it?" Kigipigak asked, crouching and crooning to reach Ariadne through her sobbing.

The women's circle was awful, uiga. I was met with many judgemental stares, and nobody sat near me. Which was an exaggeration on her part. She'd chosen to sit alone. Then a subordinate of ours remarked about our lovemaking in front of the group—I didn't even recognize her, but she carried our scent. She talked through her tears, occasionally pausing to wipe her eyes or nose. Nobody jumped to my defense, not at least what she had seen before quickly fleeing the scene.

I-I can't do this anymore—they think we're savages. I-I won't have our children raised under such scrutiny.

A women's circle was called? He must have been distracted not to notice, or maybe he forgot about it; but to hear her tell of things, Ariadne had not been welcome except to be a point of derision by the others. What had been the point of calling them together then? It would not surprise Kigipigak to hear this was done by Kukutux so she could continue to soapbox her ideals.

They have no right to judge you, or us! We have done nobody harm. We only love one another. It was infuriating! And now that Ariadne was here before him in shambles over it, Kigipigak could not think straight. He did not know how to fix this.

Ariadne already voiced what she wanted, and he focused, he slowed down to listen. Then we go. We pack our camp and we return to our village. I will take you north and we can put aside the stupidity of bride-price! If they do not honor you, I will not honor them.

You are issumatar! You will be my wife.

Kigipigak was calm; he spoke to her in ways she could digest in her current state and provided the validation she needed. Her sobs soon deteriorated into soft cries, and she was finally able to focus on him when he planned their next move. She nodded, agreeing with all but one point.

I do not want to return to Moonsong, she said, her voice the steadiest it'd been since she'd returned to their camp. I do not want to be anywhere near the Sunshine people. Her path with Sedna differed; she no longer felt welcome among the moonpacks.

Her admittance earned a silence from him. What could she mean? Moonsong was her village. She was head to it, she was Cloudwoman, she — had been refused in a way by her own people, and Kigipigak knew how that felt; but he could not understand abandoning their home.

He did not speak what was on his mind now. He had to listen, to obey. If Kigipigak truly wished for Ariadne to embody the will of a true issumatar, this would be her own decision. He was only there to support as sangilak.

Then we do not go to the village. Wherever you want to go, whatever you want to do, I will be there. You will be safe to choose.

Although Kigipigak's silence was loud, it didn't deter Ariadne; she had made her decision the moment she'd decided to leave the women's circle. 

She was relieved by his reply, and she picked herself up and held him for a moment, allowing the weight of the situation to settle and for her mind to consider everything. I want to be a true issumatar, she finally admitted with a steadying breath, pulling away and looking at him. I want to go north, marry you, make love with you many times, and learn more about your people.

When we're ready, I want to come south and start anew—I want to live like Tartok. And still, despite everything, she felt this was Sedna's path for her . I want to attract like-minded wolves, and I want to start anew with our family in a new home, far from these Sunshine people.

She sighed, feeling a weight lift off her chest. I had a thought of doing this a time or two since the others began to judge us, but I did not think it would actually come to this.

These were a great many changes. They were destined for it, Kigipigak felt; so far as destiny could be determined by a creature that did not rely upon superstition or magical thinking in the same way as the Sunshine People. He had not known it when he had met Ariadne, but now he was certain: she was everything to him, and her happiness would always come above all other things. If her happiness meant pulling away from her mother and her mother's people, he would go with her; if it meant leaving the glacier behind and seeking the northern ice, seeking Tartok, Kigipigak was glad to do it.

I am sorry that you are losing so much, he was genuine in his feeling, emoting this by holding her close. Maybe in time things would change again, but for now Ariadne was hurting and she wanted the be away. Kigipigak was angry on her behalf — for her, for them, and their future which brewed now within her belly. It was unfair to see her treated so poorly rather than embraced for her choices, and Kigipigak did not like to think of how their children would be treated when they came. He resented the fact his adult son had been stolen by Kukutux and would not let her do the same to the rest, or corrupt them with a culture he did not follow.

We will start again. Already you have our future inside of you, I am certain of it. He kissed her softly, carefully, upon one cheek and then the other, and would have kissed her everywhere had it been appropriate. Your sons and daughters will grow up to know their own power. They will have the strong will of their mother; her passion, her freedom. It will all work out. He would say anything to ease the pain in Ariadne! Kigipigak did believe this, though. If there was any faith at all to be found within the man, it was faith in his wife.

Her life would never be the same, and she had accepted this the moment the words had left her mouth. Still, there was a sadness about her; what she was losing was immeasurable. I know it will be worth it, she said with sorrow thick on her tongue. What we will gain because of it will be tremendous, and our futures will be better because of our decisions today. Their lives would be forever better without the scrutiny of the Sunshine People. They could live as they pleased, freely and without judgment.

Ariadne nodded in agreement when he remarked about the life within her; she'd assumed the same since the other night when she'd thrown up. They will be like us: powerful and free, and they will live as they want to. She looked up at her husband and tenderly kissed his chin. They will learn of this night one day and be proud.

She sighed, now pacified and gently kissed each of his cheeks. We should get going. They will return to their camps soon, and I would like to start traveling while I feel fine. There was a chance a wave of nausea could overcome her at any moment, and she wasn't prepared to travel while feeling ill.

We will take what we need from our camp and leave the rest to Moonsong.

They would go immediately. It felt like a knee-jerk reaction to Kigipigak, but he had not been there, he had not seen the looks given by these other women nor could he fully understand how scorned Ariadne felt. He need not question her, either; she was to be his wife, and she was queen in his heart. Then we go. It will take us some days to reach the north — but I will find the way for us.

The man had traveled far in his days, and even now could map in his mind the path to the coast, then to the glacier and the ruins of Natigvik, and from there — the freedom Ariadne sought away from the Sunshine People.

There is no more room for conversation; they would work together to hastily gather what she required, and then Kigipigak would shepherd her away. He thought of no-one but Ariadne in this moment; to the detriment of his promises to Kukutux and Aiolos in regards to bride-price, to the promise given to Kivaluk to be available at all times, to those of village Moonsong to whom he had pledged — but in the mind of the Tartok man, this was the way the world was meant to be.