Ouroboros Spine Little ones dressed in furs

Rodyn had been given permission to enter and so he did. In his maw were skins of otter, and small seashells. A caribou pelt for @Shikoba. The shells, something to show the children where their big brother Mojag was for now. Whether Mojag came back or not, that was up to him. And Rodyn would never force it upon him either. He would share in the time that Mojag gave his family and his packmates.

He found the den of Shikoba and chuffed quietly outside. He didn't skirt the entrace, merely sat upon his haunches and waited. He knew well how upsetting it could be to a mother to have visitors at times. And it was not his intention to cause the mother of his heart such unrest.

Yellow eyes took in the changing mountain as it turned from winter to spring. The buds of trees, new life singing or being laid. It was beauitful.

she had not expected Rodyn to come so early, and yet here he was upon her doorstep. shikoba hears his request and gladly accepts him with her own chuff, inviting him to come deeper and see her newest brood.

"Rodyn, it is good to see you," she would come to say as she tucks her duo closer to her belly, "Mojag has a little brother and sister." she wondered how the boy would take the news, though he seemed fine with it the last time she had spoken to her firstborn.

hopefully, they would all make a trek to moontide when their little legs were ready for such a journey.

Normally Rodyn would have waited, but Moonwoman had been sure to tell him upon his last visit that Shikoba had her children. And he had not wished to cause her any unrest by not visiting.

He grasped the gifts and moved further in. Eyes tracing the tiny forms at her side.

It is good to see your face. This man is glad for you, Shikoba. They are fine little ones.

he lay the gifts down. I brought you a new pelt in case you need it, two otter skins for the babies and these.

He flipped a paw along the otter skin and the seashells glinted in the shadowy light. Seashells, so they know where their big brother is staying for now. Mojag has brought much happiness to Moontide, Shikoba. Thank you for sharing him with us.

more gifts? shikoba hadn't even had a chance to unroll the other hide rodyn had crafter for her, nor use the sound maker until her little ones were a bit older with their eyes and ears open!

"you give so much, rodyn," she would come to say as she lets her eyes scan over the wonderous new things gracing her, "they will be so excited to visit when they grow." hopefully soon enough, shikoba had aspirations for them to see the growth in moontide and perhaps learn to love the ocean more than their own mother and more like their older brother.

speaking of mojag, it appears the boy is making big waves. her heart practically soars at the news. "it helps that he holds much trust in you," she comes to say with a laugh, "mojag looks up to you. what has he done since being there?"

Rodyn showed his love with gifts and acts of service. It was the only way he knew how to offer himself to those he cared for. So he knew she probably hadn't even looked over the ones he had already dropped, but he wanted to make sure she and the baby had. Frankly, he didn't trust Inutsuk to do as good as he had before, because well reasons.

Rodyn smiled. I hope they are. I think they will have fun. Rodyn himself was still a little leery of the ocean, but he was learning to care for it as Samani did. Perhaps not as largely, but still a bit.

Rodyn smiled. He helped us fell a deer. He's been learning the secrets of the sea and sharing them with us. He has discovered new fish we can eat and ones we can't. Been learning to map out the land. He is doing very well, Shikoba.

she listens, and the more she does this, the more she can feel her heart swell with pride.

her son, her greatest creation that was raised on the backbone of his pack and mother, had come to finally begin his journey as a man. but perhaps what made her beyond proud was not the fact that the boy continued his path of learning but instead that he was teaching others the things he learned on the island during his lost days.

being a sharp pupil took skill in itself but becoming the teacher? proud does not begin to scratch the surface. "i cherish this knowledge you share with me, rodyn. mojag has finally found his place, his people."

"he always shared a desire to return to the beach. the formation of moontide was a miracle for him to step forward." often shikoba wondered about mojag's days on the beach, the wolves he had met, and the memories he formed without his mother by him. "how does moontide fair, does it grow?" it must certainly be large enough for them to have made their claim.

Rodyn smiled at her. I think he always had. He just had to make that one step forward. We are very glad to have him with us.

We are larger than I anticipated one of the wolves even will bear pups. Sialuk brought her too us and asked us to care for her and the babies. We couldn't allow her out in the wilds with no one.

He tilted his head. We have tried to speak with some of the neighboring packs, but I can't go out as much as I used too. I need to train a trader. I believe our friend Heph may do well. I think you'd like her. She is a very good huntress.

Rodyn thought. Our borders are marked and we have done the howls. Moontide is official.

it seemed the sister villages were learning to depend on each other rather than going through Moonglow itself, and as shikoba listens, she thinks highly of the leaders of both. sialuk knew she could not care for a mother, so she would rather send her to another group to give her a chance rather than cast her out. and then moontide would come to provide a home, perhaps requiring a bit of extra work but seemingly a good decision based on rodyn's tone.

"it is hard to do what it is we want when we are given so much responsibility," she comes to say this thoughtfully for a moment, "training another to become a trader in your place is a good idea. she will spread the word of moontide, and hopefully have the charm that you do." a small laugh, rodyn seemed quite successful on his trading adventures to have samani become his bride.

"you bring much honor to the coast, rodyn. moonglow all stands behind you in pride for what you and samani have done." and hopefully, their claim would come to last as long, perhaps as long as Moonglow or even longer if the conditions were right.

Rodyn didn't know how to be a leader, but he had good wolves to learn from. He was trying to be fair and share with all those that had given him a chance. Moonspear had brought Marina. And he hoped she was happy with them. He worried for her.

Rodyn chuckled. Honestly, she may have more charm than me. She's a very nice huntress. he thought of the help she had offered him so many times in their hunting together and he wished her so much of the best of everything in the world.

Rodyn smiled and then shook his head. Enough of Moontide. Tell me of these little ones you have. He looked them over a genteel smile on his face.

when invited to speak of her children, a bright smile fixes itself onto her features and shikoba is careful to not stir them awake with her movement. but she comes to gesture to the little girl who was closer to rodyn than her brother.

"ajei," she comes to say towards rodyn as she peers down, "my heart, and only girl." perhaps the only girl that would come from her womb as shikoba continues to grow in age and risk complications with her parturition. then her nose comes to hover over her little son, "chiteo, handsome isn't he?" a small little laugh comes from her.

"they can't do much," she comes to say for a moment, "but i hope they grow to be strong like mojag and rodyn." it was the hope that any mother had for her kids. they would have the greatest of role models at their disposal, shikoba only hoped that they would utilize such resources.

The smile upon her face, would sit with Rodyn for days to come. Shikoba was such a good mom. Mojag had been lucky, and now so were these little ones, and he was lucky himself to be son of her heart, if not body.

Rodyn smiled, eyes going over the delicate little beings that lay near their mother's belly. His eyes lit up and he had to blink a little at the moisture there. They are both beautiful and perfect, Shikoba. I'm happy for you.

Rodyn gave a soft laugh. With a mom like you, i'm sure they will be absolutely wonderful and strong.

He didn't know their father well, but he was strong too. Perhaps he would do better with these two than he had with Mojag, this was Rodyn's hope. Though it was unfair to Mojag, at least it was something.