Ouroboros Spine Flourish, they may

A share of words had not been given since before @Kukutux gave birth.

Today, Inutsuk found the need to do so and dismiss the long-held silence between the pair.

After bidding his wife and son a loving farewell, the tawny man sought the ulaq of the Moonwoman.

Once upon the doorstep, he announced himself with a low, careful chuff, requesting permission to enter. He knew better than to barge in. She was now a newly mother again, fresh whelps to tend to and protect.

kukutux opened her eyes.

for now her trio of sun-children slept.

inutsuk was at her hearth. moonwoman rolled to her belly and gently slipped from the den, leaving the pups tucked against one another. she beckoned him with a smile and nudged his shoulder. 

"you are taataa to a strong son. he will be hunter in moonglow one day. maybe the spirits will also see that he becomes sivullik."

Upon her beckon, Inutsuk drew nearer, pecking her ear gently with his nose in greeting.

Strong indeed. The tawny man agreed, cheeks burning with an odd sensation of pride, for it welled greatly inside of him.

His son. Sivilluk of Moonglow. The thought was appealing.

I am sure Shikoba would like nothing more, as would I. Regardless of whether he does, he will provide our family — Moonglow — in great ways. 

How is your own ulaq faring? It cannot possibly be any less bustling than ours. Inutsuk chuckled, imagining having three whelps puttering around at every spare second.

kukutux laughed softly. "my husband's wife is my sister. we share our hearth. the older children have gone to hunt and to take short journeys. sialuk visits the mountain that was once moonspear. their voices come and go, but it is never silent."

she enjoyed it, the chaos of motherhood and weaning children underfoot. it sated her in many ways. and now inutsuk would come to know it. "in the winter, your son will go again with us to winter hunting. i set my heart forward, to watch for this time."

Sometimes Inutsuk would forget that Kuktux had lived to see more than one generation of children pass. It was inspiring in a way, but also intimidating. Mojag was the first he'd sired, but perhaps would not be the last.

How do you cope with watching them part from you? 

Upon first asking the tawny man of children, he may have shook his head (lest he be with the heart of someone like Shikoba); but now, as a father, he couldn't imagine a life without Mojag in it. They were of one blood in this world.

The hunt of winter. He'd nearly forgotten it, and now, he was looking forward to it. His son would be granted the first opportunity to learn as a hunter.

It is no lie to say I look forward to bringing him along.

she grinned. "it is a very good time for fathers and their sons. in the place of my birth, men took their sons out upon the dark sea ice. they were gone for many weeks, learning to hunt the animals which live in the long water."

she pondered his question. "my heart hurts. but i have much more happiness, to know that they will go and find their own paths."