Ouroboros Spine cryptic bones and ancient feathers

shikoba finds herself avoiding the north from the heartwood as she smells a marked border not too far away from her and ciri. after she leaves the girl behind, the native finds herself on the edge of the mountains that keep the lake hidden from outsiders. careful to watch where she steps, the scarred woman lifts her muzzle into the air and calls for an audience.

she is not sure if joining a pack so soon is a good idea, but lone wolves are always at a disadvantage when it comes to surviving. soon, summer turns to fall, and fall into winter. by then, it is a poor time to have no land, no claim, no family. shikoba is wiser than that, she knows what needs to be done. for now, she takes tentative steps away from the border and keeps her posture low. she is the daughter of a chief, but he is no more than a memory. shikoba is not royalty here, she is only the marked woman whose flesh was torn by the hellcat.

shikoba intends to make a new name for herself, somehow. the scars may never leave, but the pain and guilt behind them will. perhaps, this ethereal landscape can aid in her healing.

a hard woman, with scars and more years than the duck.

when kukutux descended from her pineweald perch it was to peruse her borderland with a surreptitious and practiced glance. somehow, sometime, she had become her mother. she guarded their secrets — and her own — with a zeal that had only just come to her. their blessing.

today she wore no fur upon her shoulders; she felt rather unwrapped, naked, as she stilled her step before the figure. something familiar upon the wind. jadeite gaze was calm, though kukutux felt rather awed by the other, and dizzy with her awe. "this is moonglow. i am kukutux."

moonglow. the name fit for the ethereal being before her that calls this place home. shikoba understands the concept of beauty, again and again she sees that beauty can be found in so many of the wolves she meets in these wilds. each and every one holds their own unique definition of the term. for this duck before shikoba, it is something of a dream; whimsical and otherworldly. a beautiful haze that many would not want to leave.

a name is soon given. shikoba finds this one difficult to repeat in her head and attempts to verbalize it out loud. "k-k-ku-ku-tax?" no no, that does not sound right. a stern shake of the head, an an attempt to try again. a shallow, embarrassed swallow empties the pooled saliva. "k-ku-ku-tux... kuku-tux... kukutux." committed to memory now, shikoba nods her head firmly. 

a paw reaches to touch against shikoba's own chest, in a way to designate she is talking about herself. "shikoba," she says to the other, hoping she understands her poor attempt of introducing herself as she sets her paw back to the ground, "moonglow very big." the territory itself seemed endless as mountains wrap around the center pooled lake.

"moonglow and kukutux have... place for shikoba?" straightforward, blunt, but asked in the most polite way shikoba can manage. she is at the mercy of others, and if she is forced to prove her worth, shikoba will give all that she has in order to do so.

a narrow stumble over her name, but kukutux held no judgement. "sheik-oba," and a small smile, a wave of her plume, to show that she too did not always have the tongue for words. "what does shikoba bring to moonglow?"

despite her roughened demeanour, the woman was diplomatic. direct. "there is a man here with the title of sivullik. he chooses the hunt and what will be killed." a pause. "we have many ways here that are maybe not your ways." an understatement. "but moonglow has fairness, and my village is content."

she did not mention the sacrifices that etching the land had demanded, or how it all had been a price gladly paid in the end. she looked for the honey behind the splash of scarring and waited to hear shikoba's voice again.

her name spoken back in perfection, shikoba could feel envious, but she simply feels honored to have her name said by the woman before her. however, the formalities behind the names must grow beyond -- it is now asked of what she can offer. "protector... shikoba protects." her head turns, glancing at the teeth punctures and claw marks that once stung like hellfire. "shikoba fought big cat, protecting white one, ishi, from cat. cat why shikoba look like this." her eyes close for a moment, reliving the dark memory. she does not dare tell the woman she lost the fight with shame.

when told of the different nature of moonglow, shikoba holds no fear. she nods her head as kukutux finishes her explanation. the native has seen many different customs in these wilds, moonglow may be no different than the others. "shikoba understand, will follow what kukutux says -- open to new life."

open to new life. and she had gotten her scars in guardianship of another. these things brought shikoba up and up in moonwoman's eyes. she would follow, and be taught through their stories. "come first to my ulaq. that is the name for a home here, where you make your sleeping-place. more of them, we say ulax." eyes brightened to teach already, but she would not say more. perhaps shikoba had more questions.

warrior-woman; she stood aside and prepared a path for them through the pine forest. sivullik was not here to carry on his questioning, and moonwoman; "it is good that you have come now. an evil girl came to us. she left these," and here the duck paused, to indicate the healing scars from the base of her eye across her own muzzle, narrow, precise.

she is not thrilled to hear that there is a new language that she must be accustomed to while she finds her footing here at moonglow. however, shikoba is a resilient and trying, there is yet to be a challenge presented to her that she denies. she then tries the foreign words on her pink tongue.

"ooh-lak, ah, uh-lok--" a shake of the head, they don't sound like kukutux's voice, "u-uhluq, uhlaq... ulaq? ulaq." there, now it is form within her. she flicks her gaze over to the other woman, a hint of hope within her eyes that she is correct with her pronunciation.

when the duck expresses concern over the presence of something dark, shikoba glances her sulfur eyes over the marks left over. a step is taken closer to analyze further. she hums to herself as she looks, then steps back after deeming that she has seen enough.

"is girl still here?" she asks, concern laces her voice. "shikoba chase out or bring head back if wanted." a little violent, but a fierce promise. she is a warrior, and she has brought back the heads of others before to please her father. hopefully, kukutux is more merciful than the chief.

hope returned, taking the form of a slender nod given in shikoba's direction. the closer movement of the warrior-woman was not missed, and the duck's countenance curled into one of pleasure and surprise. but kukutux shook her head. "she has gone. her tongue, torn." a rude gesture of biting, tearing, but there is a dark satisfaction in even recalling that story of the hunt.

"she wears a parka of red. her eyes are the sky before the moon rises." kukutux studied their newest with a welcoming expression, one of encouragement and protectiveness over moonglow. "if she returns, bring her head, yes." a grin that did not match their bloodstained discourse. "we will put it beside the edge of the village, so it will be seen."

a rip in the flesh does not come close to being a suitable punishment, but as long as the girl is gone, shikoba will not think much more of it. though, it seems the duck is content with the idea of shikoba truly proving her skills as a warrior and executioner. it surprises the native, though considering the damage, shikoba does not hold judgement. perhaps there is more behind the ethereal gaze of the young woman before her.

a slow nod of the head from the agouti; she burns the image of a sunset girl stained with blood into her head. the test that may or may not happen, though shikoba will stay on guard until the girl is firmly chased off or dead. until then, she intends to learn more of the land that is called moonglow, along with the wolves who call the duck their matriarch. "kukutux... show shikoba ulaq?" it is the first step to entering, a first step towards developing the ties she once held in the past.

she looked at the scarring upon shikoba. they were already sisters in a way, she thought with a grim sort of amusement: marked ones. "yes," she said softly, leading them up the gentle slope that gave way to the ulax. "a man who has the name of kigipigak heals there," kukutux indicated with a gesture toward the darkened mouth of a small den. "a man who has the name of iḷitqusiq heals there," and another.

"this is my sleeping place," she told the warrior-wolf, showing the small clearing, the rock overhang where strips of fish and herbs sat, waiting for sunlight. "you have my welcome to stay in this place. or to make the finding of your own." kukutux chose then to sit at the mouth of her own ulaq, gesturing shikoba close if the other so chose.

the duck is kind enough to take shikoba to the place of rest. the agouti soon sees the clearing where the mouths remain open, providing entrance to the places of solitude for the dwellers of moonglow. names are given, though she sees no glowing eyes within the shadow of the dens. out for now, it seems.

kukutux takes a seat within the entrance of her own, she invited shikoba to draw closer, should she desire. the native feels a deep sense of gratitude to be welcomed with such open arms. she will prove her worth eventually, but until then, she settles besides kukutux. her sitting posture slumps, she soon settles down as her fur brushes up against the purity of the duck's. sulfur eyes stay open to observe the land before her, though they turn to look towards kukutux with promise.

"shikoba dig tomorrow. many thanks, kukutux." a warm smile, a feeling of safety and comfort. shikoba has been brought under the wing of the duck -- but she will not emerge as a peaceful waterfowl. no, she is a bird of prey. when it is asked of her, she will provide.

her eyes were not the temperature of the sun, but something far hotter, shaded in yellowgraph and the orange centers of perfect blooms. the glow of torchlight behind stone. she felt their mingled warmth settle into the ulaq. 

moonglow meant to be hospitable.

moonwoman welcomed this so. shikoba had offered that her teeth be used to rid the world of the tupilak. she would err to refuse such a gift. folding forepaws beneath her breast, the duck allowed herself a moment of respite. 

"i give thanks, also, that you have come." jadebloom eyes observant, gentle.

they nestle next to each other, birds of a feather. it is quite out, shikoba hears only the quiet breaths of herself and of kukutux. she feels at peace, just for this moment she shares with the duck. she has made a good choice coming to the spine with open arms tonight. a thanks is given to her as well, and shikoba exhales softly through her nose. when was the last time she was thanked for something? 

she settles more, chin resting atop her paws and eyes daring to close. in her head, she sees the tupilak running towards her, jaw unhinged with white pearl daggers open for the strike. one would shudder at the thought, perhaps even jolt up. but shikoba holds little fear when she faces her enemies. black lips part and the two collide.

a breath. a dream. perhaps even a reality. until then, shikoba will only dream that she wins this fight.

last post from me! so excited to be apart of this mystical group ;u;