Altar of Twilight but that was just a dream

For @Kukutux, though any may stop by firstly to assess his reason for being close.

Wholeheartedly Aiolos had come to the foothills of the Moonspear mountains. His long trek through the Firefly Glen having taken longer then intention given the harsh weather and because of it, the soupy consistency the fields had turned to. Due to this, the daylight hours were all but fading by the time he reached this little outcrop in the foothills. Though the red wolf had every good intention, he tread carefully, wearily, along the outskirts of the mountain wolves home. Though they were allies, Olo had learned of them to be very territorial wolves and equally just as aggressive. 

He did not know what would become of his presence here. Did not know if he would be run off. He clutched a plump muskrat in his jaws, likely run out of his burrow due to flooding. A gift for the yellow maiden if not a parlay for any who arrived firstly. Settling down the kill and then settling down himself into a sit, he lifted his muzzle and called out for the little yellow woman.

kukutux was not used to summons outside moonspear. a frown dawdled on her features a moment, smoothing in the next when the duck found it was familiar. aiolos. she had not seen the redsun man since saviguk and sialuk were housed within her.

a brief hesitation, and then kukutux was pursuing a southerly trail across the face of moonspear, toward the smaller peak nearby with its tall greystone walls. it was between the pair of territories that the snowbird paused, giving a single joyous bark downward toward the man. moving carefully, she made her descent, approaching at a trot with waving plume. "atelihai, kaiyuktuk," she greeted, somewhat out of breath but no less delighted. "it is good to see your face, aiolos."

Time passed and to Aiolos surprise, not a single other Moonspear member came to view him. Perhaps it was because the call was for someone specific or perhaps it was only because the little blonde bird came fluttering in faster then any other. 

Her bark had him standing up once more and his head lifted, finally spotting her yellow frame along the all gray rock face. He barked back happily, his own tail going off into swaying. 

The red man had not the slightest clue what she had said to him when she first came down, but greeted him in common tongue all the same. Aiolos had all but gonna used to others speaking to him in a language he did not know - the foreign tongued women in Yuelong, Hao in Neverwinter, Kukutux. He couldnt help the outward chuckle. 

I figured a visit was far overdue. He said, diving his head down and nosing the muskrat towards her. I brought a gift...maybe for the pups? He wasnt sure, really, if they were ready for all of that, but he figured if she had given birth around when Ruo had then it could certainly make a snack for them. How have you been? He was, well, surprised how much he had missed her-  the politeness, the curious attention she have, shy expressions, happy energy.

aiolos seemed happier somehow than the first time kukutux had met him. but she could not name it, not truly, and so reserved her comment for herself. pawing the plump thing closer, the girl grinned. "we call this kivgaluk where i was born," she murmured favorably. "they will find this good to eat and bite." 

her eyes remained lit with joy, and though kukutux felt the need to avert them in the next moment for docility's sake, she realized that aiolos was a man who gave her safety as women did. through their similar worlds, in which each was second to an entire sex, there was a connection of roots between them. 

"i am happy, i think," the duck murmured, stepping off on a faint trail and waiting to see if aiolos would join before moving on. "i have hunted and i am mother now. a piece of ice and a raindrop," she sighed, thinking of her beloved saplings in their new freedom upon moonspear. "and you?" came her next murmur, as she turned her gaze upon the goldsun color of his eyes.

Aiolos listened to her words, taking in the odd sounding name for the creature which now laid at her paws. Happy he was at least, that the children she now had would make use of it. 

You think? A rhetorical question mostly, his head tilting to the side and a single ginger ear sliding backwards. He then however would quickly rise to his feet at her beckoning, content to follow her down the small valley which bordered against two high rock faces of the Moonspear mountains. Though the day had since now passed, the valley lit with a brilliant glow from the moonlight reflecting off the pale rocks. Somehow, too, Kukutux pale coat drank up that light too. 

A huntress and a mother she was. Happy, at least, in those duties. I have a son- Huojin. He smiles at the thought of his pup. A pup which he would have never even thought to of had before. Despite his relationship with Ruo having grown to odd, animated, since then, Aiolos would never take back what they'd created. 

And... He hesitated. It was really still awkward to think about it much less voice it allowed, and to a woman. But Kukutux would understand. They shared that since of 'second nature'. I lead Yuelong with Hua now. She says I've been very faithful to the pack, and trusting. See, good servants could be something more!

huojin. she did not recognize the way the name had been put together, but aiolos' shining face dispelled any unsurety about its pronunciation. "you will be a fine taata," she grinned softly. having not heard that he had a wife, kukutux remembered their earlier conversation, and did not mention the arrangement.

"a leader also? you have been very busy, aiolos," the duck teased. "i have pride for you." was hua the mother of huojin? the names sounded similar, but once more, she politely kept back her words. "i am glad that you had time for me."

pausing to dig a shallow hole between two flat stones, kukutux dropped the muskrat into it and then returned to the redsun's side. "so you are truly ally to moonspear now. how many moons has huojin? maybe he would like to have play with saviguk and sialuk."

Taata. He assumed to be father or dad, whichever but either way had the same meaning behind it. The burnished wolf smiles to her, dipping his creamy muzzle to her kind words. I will always make time for my friends. And she was, as far as he felt for her, a friend to him. 

Bright eyes watched the little blonde woman kindly as she took step off their path through the valley, to hide away the gift which he had presented her and then return to his side.

A wave of his tail, Aiolos takes step once more with her. Three. He answered, I would hope he might. He is a rather quite boy, shy maybe, observant. Though he has taken to the change of the forest well whilst we stay with Neverwinter. I think he might like to visit the mountains. He explained and with it, informing her of their current residence.

kukutux enjoyed being called a friend. it was without gender, the word; he did not think of her as a woman he must possess, but a true companion. in a rare show of contact that was not with her husband, for the girl remained traditional in her ways, she brushed her shoulder against that of aiolos as they joined paths again.

"you have moved from the island?" came the snowduck's gentle exclamation. she supposed it was expected, for the rain would surely overfill the gluttonous salt-spirits. they might even be enticed to do mischief to yuelong's wolves. "mine also have three months. there are many playmates upon the mountain, but i think they would enjoy walking beyond it." a hinted invitation for the polite gold-red man to bring his child about one day soon.

We did. He answered, his tail nearly a proud wave behind him as Kukutux offered him an affectionate brush of her shoulder. Being a very traditional female, as far as he culture goes, he could only assume it meant she was comfortable with him. Something, of course, he could only hope for in someone he cared about. Kukutux, after all, was woman from a time in the Vale, a place which had begun a change in Aiolos he was better off for. He had seen Tundra too since then, who lived much further down the coast and it would leave Aiolos to wonder a moment how @Gracious was fairing on the mountains. 

The sandbar to the mainland would be perminantly submerged during the storms and we couldnt risk the island becoming flooded and us stranded. Some, like himself, like Hua and Ruo would have surely made the swim to mainland (in a break when the rain had stopped) but some, especially the pups, would not. We have been settled with Neverwinter during this. Maybe we could arrange for a meet in the middle, in the glen? He suggested, seemingly like the obvious choice. Between the two packs and vast and open, they would be easy to keep track of.

"i would like that very much, aiolos. it is good to show much of the world to children when they are young." to boys at least, she supposed. kututux did not care for the idea of sialuk straying far from moonspear, not even to travel. the snowduck was eager to arrange meetings out-of-doors for both of them, however.

an idea came to her; she grew thoughtful. "in the spring, my daughter will be of an age where she is ready to have an ugi. a boy who might be husband one day." kukutux carried herself demurely beside aiolos. "i do not know if an arrangement is what happens in yuelong, but i would have a happy heart to know sialuk's future might already be decided."

boys had many years to grow. girls had so little time. and the redsun was a man she trusted. he would be a good choice for an ally and outside father tied to the ostregas.

He listens to her words, not knowing how much he would end up reflecting on them the moment Ruo said she would be leaving for months and taking their son with her, no less. 

Kukutux went on, mentioning the time around their children would be close to a year old. She speaks of a betrothal, between her daughter and his son and he smiles to her, happy to think that the pair had grown close enough to where the little blonde woman would consider merging their families via their children's uniting. 

Yuelong's mother customs, where they came from, as I recall, has a similar custom where they married off the woman at a young age. For alliances, and other things. He wasnt sure all the details, of course but Hua had spoken of it with he and Lunaria before. I honestly dont know how Ruo would feel about it, but I can talk to her. Of course, it can be suggested, push them in the right direction, but in the long run, I'd like them to make the decision, you know? 

He would never really force his pup into any relationship, but introducing them, setting the scene, Aiolos figured that could work. Then again, he knew little of setting up betrothals but figured the ladies would if it came down to an agreement on it.

for alliances. there was something similar: to bind two clans as one. a girl who married into another family brought with her skins, meats, and kinship ties. a boy who brought his wife to live with his mother's people brought the promise of new life among their hearths. it was sometimes necessary, but kukutux had never known anyone to refuse. 

ruo. she held the word within her ears, wishing to memorize it. he did not speak of a wife. but this woman was the mother of his son, so he said. having taken aiolos' spirit into herself and created a child, she was worthy of such respect. the snowduck nodded knowingly. "i do not need an answer quickly."

she traveled in pleasant quiet alongside him a while, looking off toward the sea once more. "it was warm when i last went," when she had fled the keep. "i would like to visit the large salt when it is colder. where perhaps i might see the ice again."

Aiolos would be left to smile sheepishly to her first sentence, nodding his head in agreement to her. Having just had his first child himself, he couldnt quite yet wrap his head around his son's own coming of age and having children of his own someday someday too. 

Then silence fell between them and he was happy to travel at Kukutux side throughout the nightfall. He'd be mindful, ears picking up little scurrying over the pale rocks and he sniffed along the unfamiliar mountainside curiously. He had never lived within the mountains before and the closest he had was in the valley of Courtfall. 

I could always take you? Maybe then, your pups may like to see the ocean too? A suggestion, as he thought fondly of the idea of showing her around and about. You could see Yuelong, too. Have you seen an island before? Some had never seen an ocean before, much less a body of land 'floating' out in it.

had it been any other than aiolos, kukutux would have declined at once. but the time she had spent with the redsun had told the duck he would do her no harm. jarilo of course must be consulted, but the moonbow was assured of her efforts to sway him. "i would be in thanks for that," she rejoined with excitement coursing her tones.

to his next inquiry, the woman closed her eyes, swimming in the frigid waters of her last recollections. "i have." a chain of them, and her own named for the eternal light of summertime in those parts. "but it has been a very long time, aiolos. i would like to see island again."

How did one man as himself, become blessed with the life of living amongst such beautiful, polite and sweet natured women? He couldnt help but smile at her words, nodding in agreement to her. The once man struggling to find himself amongst slavery, now led the pack on the island. He had the power and ability to bring Kukutux to the island he called home. 

Its settled then. He speaks, now eager to await the chill of the winter months. The ending of one chapter could only mean the beginning of the next. He would pride himself on being the one to guide the little yellow duck back to the waters she had long now missed. 

Again then, the silent guardian falls to his silence, content to walk hand in hand with his little friend along the Alter of Twilight.

she felt the salt lifting beneath her feathered ruff, the salt of it tracing kukutux and limning her with a hundred memories. this water was different, former, foreign somehow. 

but out there was an island, and when the snows came, so would the sea ice. the duck paused, closing her eyes a moment as she lifted her face to the ocean zephyr. "you are blessed to live so close to the mother water, aiolos."

The Goddess which the Nereides worshiped... He paused, muzzle lifting to the air to smell the salt on the breeze northward. They called them Sea Mother and Moon Mother... for obvious reasons. He spoke, a small smirk playing over his mug. I've always felt my best by the ocean.

The Nereides, believing all men to be inferior beings, believed that the Goddess' shunned male kind. That no man was seen by the gods. Aiolos didnt believe this, feeling blessed by them for what he held now.

despite such injustice, aiolos had maintained his love of the goddesses, and of women. maybe that was what she felt glittered around him: an collar of nurturing, worshipful light. her mind whispered that his attentiveness surely extended to other situations; kukutux near blanched in horror at herself and turned jadestone gaze downward in respect.

"when shall we meet again?" the duck inquired, forward despite her submissive bearing, misplaced confidence to hide the scandalized rush of her pulsebeat.

A sudden look of shock touches her expression, a thought that goes beyond Aiolos. He sees it and a single ear turns back against his skull in wonder but just like she who turns away, so does he. He looks to the pallid rocks which mimicked her own coloration, the moon's light dancing over her and the rocks in this Alter of Twilight.  

He wonders what she might have thought. Wonders if it was his mentioning of 'Goddesses' which took her back, but he says nothing. She changes the subject then and he is accepting of it. Maybe a few weeks, a month? I'd like to meet you with Huojin, I think before we return home after these rains subside. He says this but as it would turn out it would be quite a time longer and with no Houjin, either. 

Until then? He speaks, stopping his movements from the stroll they had been taking. He didnt want to cut their time together short, as he truly enjoyed being with her, but knew enough he should be heading back to the forest, especially if he didnt want to get caught in the next storm.

<3

"may you stand on firm ground, aiolos." the blessing of her mother. kukutux at last lifted her gaze to his own, seeing nothing there beyond acceptance, perhaps a brief reluctance. and in her chest, the answer of it. was this the nature of companionship? for he was like no man she had known, and yet he was not a woman.

flustered by her internal binary, the woman sucked a breath and swallowed. "tavvauvutit." her voice a whisper above the tempest in her heart, kukutux corrupted tradition but for a moment, reaching toward aiolos hesitantly to brush his goldgleam shoulder with her muzzle before she turned away and let small paws carry her upward, back toward moonspear.

He smiles to her words, soft, wishing him luck to come to him but alas, the future would offer him somthing else. A hardship, one which would separate them for much longer then his original intention. Sh passes him a goodbye, or what he believes it to be as such. A hessitance, much as her own, and he too awkwardly moves in to touch him muzzle to her nape in the same instane which she moves to offer a delicate touch of goodbye to his shoulder. 

A smile, fleeting, small as he pauses, stilled for a moment as she takes to quickly making as back towards home. Fiery eyes lift to meet the pale woman's accension and then he turns, back to the forest from which he came.