Moonspear i will take the sun in my mouth & leap into the ripe air

All CF tags are for reference. Mainly for Hydra & co., but please let Kuku reply first!

Days three of their flight to Moonspear, the faerie and her quail;
days three since she had held @Melkor and left their Court within his care; days three since she had spoken to @Aiolos of the siren's vanishment, of, perhaps, his impending own; days three days three, three three three —
and it is on this third day that Undómiel steps down free from her own foothills to linger upon the premises of the Moonspire; lets her sonorous beckon wreath like Kukutuxs' dancing lights and call call call the queen @Hydra herself.

“It has finally come to my attentions that I have yet to repay you for all that you had once done for me when I had Fallen. So, I have brought you a gift, ladyship. A life, for ze one that you have saved.”  A low chuckle, 'ere:  “And it is your realm that I would have her thus sent, for so surely I could not have her ... settle in that General's harem!”  A laugh, lower; a look, now, to the duck.  “No. No  –  she is as more a womb as we are all.
As I ever endeavor to do, I have deviated from her cultural design, and yet it is something that we have both mutual agreement upon. She is a dear friend, and who else to entrust such to ze dragon that you are, and all that you wish to hoard? And there is more than enough teachings that I am very certain that you and yours will glean of her.”  Cheeky thing and charmed creature, for all of her refinement.  “I know that my Quidalmë will bloom upon ze stonewall of your mountain, Hydra. I would not wish for her to be elsewhere ... as it is hers to find a husband and to whelp his children.”

She was not aware of else 'bout her;
@Kukutux and the nightqueen her fixation.

“Lives, then, queen  –  lives for those that were once mine which you have fostered.”

after this, feel free to skip kuku till u wanna tag her back in <3

two and one half weeks after andraste had agreed to be atauraga unto the poor little duck. three days following her last meet with agana; the memory of it stung every part of the girl's tender heart, and she dove away from the thought.

three days; kukutux was grateful that she had laid aside her traveling-goods, and was able to shoulder several finely made pelts, and one stick of dried salmon, which she intended to grant this distant queen as proof of her worth. the girl was in possession of many skills, and as she traveled from the court, she comforted herself with the knowledge that she would be worthy of any man to call nuliaga.

face burned then, as it did now; beneath the formal pealing of andraste's fluted tones, kukutux began to lay out the furs upon the beaten snow, arranging them for the impending eye of moonspear's ruler.

Hydra heard her cry, and made no haste to arrive there. Perhaps her son would arrive first; Hydra was more than inclined to not let the she-wolf leave for her ill will toward her at present. A large part to blame for that was Hydra's own increased aggression for the season upon them; she had yet to fall into it, but soon enough would. Other she-wolves were threats to that, and Hydra recalled too keenly their last encounter where Andraste had spoken of her own impending coronation in an effort to... to what? Misplaced pride; Hydra was ever one to remove arrogance with teeth, as she did with most things that displeased her. 

Her arrival upon the scene needed no pomp or ceremony; the dignified woman stared Andraste down, her annoyance far from evident upon her frigid bearing. There were no telltale signs of Hydra's ire that grew with each and every word Andraste spoke, though she meant well; when the season passed, Hydra might come to see the error in her own thought process, but as it stood once Andraste's tongue stilled Hydra took several strides toward her, advancing with a lifted plume and a draped chin as she spoke, still reticent despite the quiet, rolling thunder in her voice:

No life, no lives, could amount to the ones you willfully abandoned, came her dark words, only they can forgive you that; though there is no thing that will ever fill that void, that rift, you created. Do not offer whelps not yet begotten and feel peace for what you have done! Selfishly, she hoped they never would; for all that Andraste could not care for them, would not let herself, Hydra had. Was @Dragomir ready for this encounter? To disallow his mother to leave? To bury her here? Hydra stared, her tone brooking no room for argument, for rejoinder; here and now, Hydra was firm and would hear no more.

Hydra then looked to Kukutux, regarding her. Skills? Wife? To whom? This was not Hydra's culture, and yet she had already offered her children to one of Mahler's—...harem? That she would get to, but certainly not with Andraste this hour. Dragon indeed; hoard, yes, its bounty magnificent. She would accept no fools gold here, and wondered if that was what stood before her. To consider it seemed foolish, but Hydra had more to gain than to lose. Tell me of yourself. What makes you a worthy bride to any upon Moonspear? Your skills are in what areas? The matriarch invited the possibility of this she-wolf making up for Andraste's behavior toward her, it seemed... and Andraste at the least seemed genuine in wishing to alleviate the tension between the two of them. If nothing else, Kukutux could assist there. Andraste meant well, she could recognize past her wrath; it was why she regarded the stranger at all. If the other was able-bodied and capable, it could only help them in the season to come.

arcturus had seen from the lone peak a procession in the snow. the first wolf he recognized immediately — for even in this distance his sharp eyes scried the scars that laid waste to her figure.

he made his way down the summit, picking with care across the slopes rimed with ice. joined shortly by hydra, arcturus’ gaze burned into andraste first — for he had never forgotten that her children were here, forged into something better than blood by the spear.

when he found he could not look upon the pale waif any longer, arcturus found himself studying her winsome companion instead. of curious note were the particulars that lined her feet’ — the various pelts of sundry animals, and an unidentifiable stick of meat. arcturus delved most of his attention upon both her and her wares, while a single ear cut back in observance of hydra’s words.

the individual that swept down was fierce and terrible, hugely powerful, magnificent with her own might.

kukutux quailed, ears cupping tightly back against her skull as the roil of stormcloud thrummed in the throat of the iggari, directed first at her regent. her stare would have been one of consternation, wide-eyed desperate blinking, but the girl found her composure swiftly, and bowed her head in quick obeisance toward the one who would be her new ruler.

eyes the color of nightlit waterfall coursed into kukutux, compelling her with a pierce that brooked no disobedience. "this woman is eager to learn," the girl whispered, voice shaking as she inched forward at the summons. "this woman brings furs she has cured, and meat she has dried, to show you how she might preserve things to be used longer. this woman," kukutux went on, girlish voice fluttering against the cold air, daring a terrified blink upward, "is irnisiksiiji," the wrong word!

" — birth ... delivery for ... babies," kukutux stumbled, forgetting easily the common title for what it was she had managed to make herself. "and healer. knower of many herbs."

a pause. she only then noticed the dawngold gaze of the man who hovered close, his eyes upon her. kukutux wilted further. kisuk, the spirit whispered, and surely it was so.

Taking some liberties due to the circumstances!

 

Eager to learn; evidently skilled with meats and all that they offered. Hydra looked toward the dried meats, a thing she had never thought of herself. These skills could be offered to Moonspear to further their growth, their abilities, and Hydra was not one to deny what was freely offered when the offer was quite so good at this. The language spoken was one Hydra found she did not recognize, but she was not bothered by the interruption brought on by her tongues lapse. 

For her own part, Hydra needed no midwife. She had whelped with Lyra alongside her, midwife enough, but perhaps she could teach Lyra more. As to that, who knew? Healer; wise with her knowledge of herbs. Good, more for her sister. More for her, too; Hydra never refused to learn. 

Andraste's presence served to annoy Hydra, though; looking to the woman, Hydra decided: for your time here and use of our own wares, you are forgiven. Leave Moonspear, and do not return. If your children wish to see you, they will do so on their own terms, and only then if you are forgiven will you and I have an accord, and again there was no room to argue, no room to be denied, for no sooner had she finished her command did she crowd the woman with snapping teeth. Andraste was wise to turn tail, to leave swiftly; Hydra watched her go before turning to the moon-hued wolf. Once that was done with, Hydra was at ease. 

Wife, hm? Hydra looked to Arcturus. He had been missing throughout much of this breeding season; Hydra regarded him. He had been absent at the meeting which discussed breeding, and she felt he had been avoidant of her. She wondered how he might handle this: Arcturus, Kukutux wishes to become both bride and mother. You would make a good husband, a good father, she drawled, only half-suggesting. The matriarch valued her brothers opinion, and he would have the choice of her over Jarilo, to start, due to his present leadership. For her frustration with him, she turned to him then; she had half a mind to make it so—though one could not tell by the look of her, as she regarded Arcturus with open curiosity. Did he want that for himself? He could have stability, happiness; but he had a mind of his own, and Hydra would hear it.

once all eyes were upon the presented she-wolf, she began to speak. arcturus thought her inflections funny — the way she referred to herself moreso. it was yet another quaint thing to add to that ever growing list of “unusual habits adopted by outsiders”.

he blinked slowly, looking from her to hydra. how would hydra take her offerings, would she be pleased, would it be enough? he attempted to read from his sister’s features her mood, though he quickly tensed as she began to crowd andraste. he went alongside hydra for a time, though his gaze ever turned back to the supine form of kukutux.

andraste was forced to turn. arcturus watched the waif reproachfully — and a bitter part of him wished she would darken their doorstep nevermore. her children were moonspear’s now, and he did not want to revisit the hurt her departure had caused among dragomir and isilme.

his thoughts stopped abruptly as he heard his name. glancing to hydra one could see he was caught unawares; shyly, he inspected the woman — she was lacking neither in beauty nor presence, but she was not the one arcturus’ heart sang for. he gave a sweep of his tail, apprising her with a careful glint before clearing his throat. as stuck as he was in his ways, it did not sit right with arcturus that kukutux was bartered as if property. was that what she wished? he could not imagine any of the women in his family accepting that burden gracefully — and certainly, neither would he. welcome to moonspear. i am arcturus.

just a cameo for development!

just out of sight, the girl watches. she had not been called for, and yet she arrives none the less. she can not deny the part of her that wants her mother back, despite her anger, her betrayal. but as the woman opens her mouth to trade a woman, a living, breathing thing for her time spent here, something freezes and dies deep in her chest. 

no mention of her, only talk of wombs and children and women as if they are commodities. a brief rush of love for the queen when she speaks, only to fade away into the dull realization that she was never a daughter to the woman that stands just over there. a commodity, something gained, only to be discarded when she'd stopped being enough to have the woman stick around. 

wordlessly, she vanishes back the way she'd come.

it did not sit perfectly with kukutux that she had not been told the truth of her trade.

and she did not understand even now, as she waited demurely with head bowed, flinching at the continued wrath of the great stormcloud against the gentler shrinking mien of andraste. a desperate jadestone look given to her former regent; kukutux dared not watch the elf fly free.

but her trembling began swiftly; she was alone now, and though hydra had sheathed her swords and came back to speak of the barter with her large counterpart, kukutux could not bear but to feel more agonized than before. she picked over her furs, gathering her things slowly.

the man addressed her, and the pathetic little duck wilted somewhat to see that he had not even made acknowledgement of hydra's offer of her as wife. was she so ugly then? not worth even the squall that had heralded her being? arcturus, him, and the great lady hydra. 

"i thank you," she mumbled, frightened, resolved to become formal to the point of utter humility. eyes downcast, she raised her voice somewhat despite the events that had shaken her.

"i ... must have a husband," the girl ventured, chewing her lip nervously. "i believe that my skills are bride-price alone," for that was the last gift andraste had ever given kukutux: the promise of her own merit. "but, kallak," the duck pleaded her last to hydra, "it is also the best way i will be able to prove myself to you. you will not regret me."

silence now; she cast herself low and waited.

Though Hydra knew little of her culture, and perhaps, truly, cared less then and there, even she was not ignorant to the way Arcturus lack of acknowledgment must make the other feel. Hydra was no empath, so, and therefore her cheeks did not burn for the shame that Kukutux herself might feel. Arcturus, she speaks again, slowly, after Kukutux: she must have a husband. This is what she has come for. She offers things that may prove priceless throughout famine, the undercurrent of her tones was do not offend her further! 

Pausing, she expressed: besides Dirge and I, you are the other leader within the ranks. And so I offer to you the chance to bear children this year with Kukutux, should you wish to take a mate and have this for yourself this year, here. This is her desire, but, Her ears pricked as she watched; for him, she did leave room for alternate suggestion—Jarilo, for example—but then and there she wondered if he would firstly want that for himself. It would be wrong to offer to any other first given his right to it through rank alone. Much as Hydra wanted it for him, she would never force him to something he did not want for himself. To soothe them both, she finishes with: if you do not feel ready for this, speak truly, brother, for at least then Kukutux could understand it had nothing to do with her if such was the case.

Isilme was missed then and there, at least her arrival; Hydra blinked to watch her depart, suddenly, and her heart sank. Only once Kukutux responded would Hydra heed the young cub and find her.

isilme was only scantly registered; arcturus' gaze slid to her briefly, before coming back horrified on the woman he had inadvertently cut down.

shit.

he withered to see her quail. it had not been his intention to hurt her feelings, and he did not feel it was right her self-worth suffer based on his poor handling of the situation. it was not her fault he was juvenile, and not used to masterfully handling situations in which he had unwittingly gotten caught in the crossfire. he could not deny kukutux her appeal - she was surely everything she promised and more.

but he was young -- too young to be strapped down by choices not his own. too young to anchor down someone else to him when his heart was wild and not ready.

he was young and he was stupid, yes -- but he was not impulsive. not since towhee.

could he speak freely? truly? he read the room, and knew the answer was no.

arcturus looked to the ground to sum up his thoughts, a string of guilt tied around the budding frustration he felt. when hydra spoke his name he looked upon her, eyes clear and ears perked. and he thought to himself if this was right -- he could not help the way his back went up, as if he were an animal being cornered.

and in a way, he was - certainly, they had flipped the spotlight on him and put him poorly on the spot. the way hydra had spoken to him slowly, as if he were to commit some great folly if he wasn't wise, caused his fur to rise further. he was his own wolf --certainly, she would never allow herself to be married off like chattel. she had gone against her father's wishes in selecting dirge -- and no one had told her she was to be betrothed to some strange arrangement. the hypocrisy of it stung arcturus. his gaze hardened, and for the first time he felt raw rebellion for the alpha streak across his heart.

he knew what to say, but his tongue was heavy and his breath one of a young wolf just beginning to understand diplomacy. "you are not one of those furs or scraps of meat to be bartered over." arcturus started slowly - painfully - meeting kukutux's gaze with something akin to compassion. "if it is your wish to become wife and mother, so be it. but i would not take away your choice. there are other wolves -- eligible wolves -- here, that you may meet before you tie your life to another. you have a month to make your decision." his gaze slipped to hydra -- for he wondered if his bold agency might be challenged, or if it would be encouraged.

hydra spoke again, and her words washed relief over kukutux.

she had been given to the bear-woman. it was wise and good that hydra bartered for her now. a glance or two was stolen bashfully at arcturus. he was tall, handsome, a soul that seemed kind. the spirit chunnered approvingly, despite the gentle insistence of his leader, the young man addressed the delicate nuliaksraun.

though kukutux appreciated his words, it was hydra who would determine her fate. arcturus reminded the duck of kalika — whom she might never see again — kalika, jubilant and teasing and ready to strike the chains from 'round the girl's ankles, bring her out of bondage, make her a woman before a wife.

but she had only ever wished such with agana.

and that could not come to pass. not now. not ever.

thus kukutux found herself traded to moonspear, and was determined to make of it a good thing. if there were other men within the ranks who might take her as wife, she would not need a month to choose. "thank you," she murmured again, lifting long-lashed greenstone eyes as far as his cheekbone for a shy moment. "it is my choice to be wife, to bear children for moonspear."

wife and mother. mother. mother. yes. why then could she not fill her arms while her heart remained empty?

"whoever you choose," the girl addressed to hydra, wilting back into herself once more, "i will obey." do not send me to find another empty hearth. i cannot bear it.

She is not, Hydra said, rumbling lowly, and neither are you, Arcturus. His misunderstanding was one that caused her to feel irate; did he think so poorly of her, then, that she would rob any of their choice? Especially him? All she had ever sought to do was right by him, by their family, and here he stood before her acting the petulant child. He was still young, true, but too old for this. She had come here for a specific reason, but she wanted to grant Arcturus his choice first and foremost. Hydra had, in her own opinion, gone against the wishes of none; her father had ran away, as certainly as Arcturus had, and she had presumed [wrongly, not that she would know it] their mother had shared such information with their father. 

But dalliances came first. We will talk later, she informed. She knew him enough to know she had rankled him; he knew her enough that despite the cool, stoic demeanor she maintained she was displeased. It was not his free will that bothered her, but his thought that again she would betray him; it was the second time he had come to such a default, and she the last time such a thing had happened this precluded some wrongdoing of his with their father... or came after it. Hydra could only hope she was wrong, there. 

I will see to Isilme, Hydra hummed, knowing that in this moment perhaps she might be the only one to reach her in her agony, Kukutux, welcome; Arcturus, please, show her to the rendezvous. Kukutux, I will find you soon, she drawled. Let her get to know the man further, and see that he was not so callous as he appeared... simply awkward, and young. She waited no longer before turning to do just as she had said, moving swiftly to catch up to the youth.

arcturus knew his words would more than likely be met poorly. he glanced to hydra, half expecting she would cut him down. instead she smoothly commandeered any emotion that might betray her thoughts -- such is the moonspearian way, the beta observed wryly. he was disappointed, however, that kukutux had so easily deferred his offer and turned to hydra to be appointed a husband -- this stung the beta, despite the fact kukutux was simply observing the proper hierarchy. hydra's word was the ultimate word - even then, arcturus could not help the simmering disappointment that settled in his belly.

he hid it well, his face stoic despite his internal emotions. he glanced after isilme, affording a brief bow of acquiescence as hydra commanded him to show her the rendezvous. his sunflower gaze fell to kukutux blandly; he would wait for her to collect her wares, and then he would lead her to the stonehold's hearth.

as soon as it had happened, it was all over. kukutux kept head down as hydra addressed her, speaking a name that reminded her vaguely of the ranks at courtfall.

when she looked up again, it was into a tension that shimmered almost tangibly from the beta, something unspoken between himself and hydra. 

his eyes had lost their warmth, she noted, but kukutux refused to quail. demurely, carefully, she gathered her pelts and followed arcturus silently through the snows to the place she could not pronounce, a sudden grief chilling her veins.