Ouroboros Spine taggak

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Finding his way to the edge of Moonglow was easy considering his history with the place. Kigipigak had spent precious hours climbing his way up the mountainside, following the hidden paths that eventually led to the village where he had been cared for; he thought that certainly, @Sakhmet would be here.

When Kigipigak had been in need of help it had been @Kukutux who had lent her aid, bringing the two together when he was fit enough to travel again. Perhaps the girl had come here for aid in finding her siblings - or for another reason that was hidden from Kigipigak.

However as he searched for Sakhmet's scent among the patches of markings along the path, his heart sank. There was no sign of her.

kigipigak.

kukutux went to meet her kinsman, face drawn and hips sharp around the roundswell of her sides. she found the winterhawk stricken, melancholy, and pressed herself gently along his side for some moments. "you are alone," she observed, and if there was the scent of sakhmet still upon him, it had faded.

her viridian eyes went to his next; the duck was silent, wondering, for he would speak, and until then she would keep herself close.

You are alone. For a moment he thinks he is speaking to himself, somehow, in his mind. Or that it might be the wind; but it is only Kigipigak's preoccupation with Sakhmet that has him missing Kukutux' arrival.

She draws closer. Her belly has grown, the rest of her looks hungry. Her face is embellished with worry.

I lost her. He admits, huffing the words with a sad tone that does not suit him. Gone is the overtly boisterous boy. I woke one day to find Sakhmet gone. We had some trouble on the plateau - ah, she hoped to help her parents. I think maybe that is why she is gone.

He had to hope it was so simple.

We hunted the plateau for her missing family, a little girl. I think she went further - but I do not know where. Has she been here? Have you seen her? To learn that Sakhmet was merely visiting the moon village would ease his mind, equally so if she was being cared for by Kukutux, but even as Kigipigak asked these things he knew that she was not among the ulax.

Kukutux only carried the scent of her people, and the heavy scent of a man he did not know.

kukutux listened, but what came only was the rueful shake of her head. "i have not seen sakhmet since you and she left this place." surely it would hurt him, break his hopes, but the direct nature of their people would never die in kukutux.

"kiggavik," lapsing into the second tongue, "you said that there was a quarrel between you?" trouble took many forms, and she wished to help her kinsman. had their harder time been between them alone? or had an ill befallen the plateau?

the duck was silent.

He shook his head as he sighed.
No, not between us.

When I returned with her, I learned that her mother and father lived there also. That they were reunited. They had children between them - but one was missing. While they hunted for their lost one I believe Sakhmet might have gone to do the same. They should have gone together. Kigipigak should not have been so pig-headed with his views, but he had not shared his opinion with anyone, and merely took to minding the plateau while they struggled to keep their family together.

I do not know where she is. If not here -- and there was the other thought, that, and without knowing if there are still dangers in the woods, the cat; had he killed it? Had it succumbed to the wounds he left it with? It had been strong enough to nearly kill Kigipigak and if it came upon Sakhmet...

His chest hurt so deeply that he could not take a breath.

there now; understanding broadly swept across the duck's verdant expression. "there have been no cats here," not so far. "suppose she made a journey in another direction. suppose she is only lost, and will return from that land."

she thought swiftly.

"the woman with the name of eldritch. i saw her last in a field of berries. she is a spirit-talker."

face solemn.

"i do not know where she has gone, but if sakhmet does not return in the time that you expect — go to eldritch. make a trade for her sight."

Kigipigak knew he was being foolish, letting himself become so worked up over this. If Sakhmet found a reason to leave then he would have to respect it; equally so, he would give her enough time to return, as she had waited so long for his own recovery it only made sense to afford her the same.

The talk of this Eldritch, the spirit-talker, was not exactly startling to Kigipigak but to some degree, unwanted. He did not want to face the reality that Sakhmet might be gone for good; but he knew Kukutux was only trying to help. It was not meant in any ill-will.

She will return. He resolves, as if his will alone will make it so. I will wait for her, and I will keep searching.

she nodded.

"wait here again, with me."

a swallow, a movement of scarred muzzle to indicate her sides. "it will be soon. wait in moonglow, and sing on their behalf as their mother's brother."

a kinship tie, one of many to tie their little spirits to this rich world. and a great honor offered to kigipigak in the midst of his grief.

Her sides were round. He knew this, but it was information that struck him quite suddenly all the same. Kigipigak was so focused on finding Sakhmet that he hadn't been paying as much attention to his kin, and it was her invitation that struck such a chord with him.

Kigipigak could go far in this place. He could not give up on Sakhmet — he had places he wanted to go and to look, but the offer was incredibly tempting. What would her parents think? He only entertained that question for a breath, as the answer was swift to arrive: he did not care what they thought. They had abandoned Sakhmet before and would do so again. Perhaps this time she abandoned them first.

I... I have places I wish to look, Kigipigak explained, his head lightly shaking back and forth. Still his mind buzzed with thoughts of Sakhmet, of the paths he could take in seeking her. Perhaps he could visit the ruined glen where they had met. Or further south, where he'd never been before...

If I do not find her I will return. He promised, though Kigipigak sounded distracted. He sighs, looking at the ground and then back to Kukutux, to her bulging sides. It looked as if he had time to do a quick survey of the valley before her children came.

You look happy, healthy, Kukutux. I wish one day I could have what you have.

kukutux nodded. there was no persuading him now. kigipigak's heart belonged to sakhmet. perhaps too their futures were tied together.

kukutux was tiring, even during their short meeting.

his words cut through her as if they were made of sharp chert. "you will," she urged, insisted. "you must not let your heart grow weary."

the duck leant against her kinsman. "will you make a path with me, back to the ulaq?" kukutux was not yet ready to release him, fearing strongly that he would not return.

She needed him there, physically, and so he followed alongside, matching her stride for stride. A break was what he needed - what Kigipigak did not want to give himself - and some time to rest before going off again.

For a short time he could be there for Kukutux. They would make their way towards her ulaq and while roaming, Kigipigak tried to draw his mind away from Sakhmet.

How long? He murmured, speaking of the woman's condition; perhaps also thinking of the wait he will have to endure, it is unclear. Something shifts within Kukutux and Kigipigak can feel it against his own side, which startles him - he nearly skips a step.

"very soon."

"in the next hand of days."

she felt them stir, felt her kinsman react, the lines of him pulling taut a moment against her side. a tired smile came to attend her stress-darkened face. "they are strong. two seas live in them, kiggavik."

selfishly, kukutux was happy that he remained here, even for this very moment.

Two seas? He did not know what she meant by that.

Having not been around his mother during any subsequent litters she may have had, Kigipigak was oblivious to the way women worked; externally, internally, the lot of it. Kukutux' belly had grown considerable in size but the most unnerving, seemingly unnatural part of that came from the bodies within, kicking or turning or whatever it was they did, and he was nearly slack-jawed with the discovery.

Can I fetch you anything? He offered, sounding unsure; but that was his distracted mind and heart-sick core speaking. Whatever Kukutux might ask for, Kigipigak was glad to find for her and make the quaking of her abdomen stop.

she shook her head, watching how the land changed in hue as they traveled. kukutux could not articulate the feeling she felt from kigipigak now. he was old enough to be father, and yet he knew nothing of babies. maybe it was only the way of his people.

or perhaps it was his status as a man.

the duck was silent until they came to her den, and she was able to settle wearily upon the rich earth. "you are a good kinsman," moonwoman said softly, suddenly, jadestone eyes filled with a rush of emotions.

Though Kigipigak did not much feel like laughing, he could not help the sombre chuckle that emanated from his chest. Kukutux was like the mother he had never had; she was somehow much like his Sedna, but simultaneously softer than her, with a wise streak that he presumed all women carried. To hear her speak now - with such emotion - wasn't strange exactly, but a little out of place. Perhaps the children in her belly spoke through her.

His low laughter did die out, though. Kigipigak was glad to have found kin in this place; but he thought of Sakhmet too, and what she could have been to him. What she was.

I hope I am good enough, he remarks in a rare bout of crypticism. What if it was Kigipigak that had driven her away, somehow? He could not think of any reason Sakhmet would abandon him, especially given her history of being abandoned by others. She knew the pain of it. It was fresh for Kigipigak; devoted as he was to others, vanishing in such a way could only mean something ill had befallen her. But, what if...?

If you are well now, I will go. The man announces. I have places I wish to look. If you see me again, it is because I have failed. Failure was not a common practice for the Tartok warrior and he would not take kindly to it.

the set of kigipigak's voice told kukutux he would not be soothed, nor comforted.

"you are good enough for me, hawk-in-snow." a lick to his ear then, if he would allow. "i will be well. and i will ask the spirits to show sakhmet a path back, for your eyes."

kukutux mourned low within her to see him go. kigipigak had always come back to the hearth of moonglow. yet as each day felt heavy with expectation, she had begun to feel an old fear once more.

the duck smiled softly at kiggavik.