Ouroboros Spine I've Sought the Horizon

Heph returned to Moontide, but did not carve a straight path, instead keeping the spin in sight and heading towards it swiftly. She was eager to return to Moontide and Phox, even though she would soon be setting out again for the plains. But she remembered that there was more to the hunt than hunters and also that she had promised Senmut that she would pass along Akashingo's wishes to Moonglow. So she lingered for only a moment on Moonglow's borders before trotting within and seeking @Kukutux.

Looking for Moonwoman but all welcome :D
Being vague about whether they know about the hunt depending on how this thread goes thread

heph was a welcome sight to kukutux, who had begun to feel sick over her lost connection with ariadne.

believing it was more respectful to keep from her daughter's village rather than enter for now, moonmother kept to the spine and to her work.

at present, she was transporting soft strips of caribou leather, which she slid from shoulder and jaws when she saw the moontide woman. "it is good to see your face," kukutux called, moving out from the variegated forest alongside the lake.

When Heph heard Moonwoman call out she smiled, tipping her head in greeting. Her grin turned to tease when she replied back, still trotting to close the distance. "You're looking radiant as ever moonwoman. How are you?" She stopped with a swish of her tail when she neared and for a moment the warmth of the hearth made her wish to linger, but though there was more she wished to say she spoke first of what was most pressing.

"I'm sorry for dropping by in such a rush, I wondered if I might ask that in addition to any hunters who wish to come to the hunt in Hoshor plains soon if Moonglow might send healers as well, in case any of the hunters become injured? As much as I hope they are not needed." She spoke evenly, voice tilted up in question. Pulling healers away during the winter months might have asked too much. Although her own memories of hunting large game before she had come to the wilds had not dulled her spirit nor her daring in the hunt she had no wish to lose any of the pack's wolves to a tragic accident.

radiant! kukutux almost told heph of the new tension she had placed between herself and ariadne, then bit her tongue. it was a family matter and one she was ashamed to reveal.

winter hunting. this brightened moonwoman, who nodded at once. "we will come. i will be there as healer." she was visibly pleased by the idea, a convocation of packs once more.

"what will we hunt there?" moonmother murmured, urging heph along the beaten path up to the ulax.

Heph felt a moment of relief when Kukutux said that she would be there, the wolf was skilled and experienced in healing and Heph trusted her, that if there was something that could be done she would be able to do it. "Thank you." She followed along the path to the ulax.

When asked what the prey would be she replied, evenly at first. "Bison, it's been a long while since I've hunted them but we've asked many packs to come." Though there was some nervousness in her voice, a slight hesitation. With so many wolves coming and so many packs large prey like that was feasible, and yet it had been so long since Heph had pursued one that she could only hope she was still up to the task. And Rodyn had indicated that she might even lead one of the hunting parties.

only in passing did kukutux know what bison would be. the name called into mind heavy horns and great muscles. surely many sets of jaws must be needed if heph was gathering so many.

deer-fat and dried fish from the end of summer were delivered to the moontide woman.

"much meat will last us through much of the snow, and into the warm time beyond," she said, rather pointedly as a low tease shone through her voice, wondering at heph's planning.

Heph took the deer- fat and dried fish with thanks for it would strengthen their caches when so many of their hunters would go to the hunt. And in passing she mentioned her discussion with Senmut, and his offer of a political alliance strengthened by marraige. There was doubt in her voice when she mentioned this for she was not sure any of the Moon villages would wish to give up their sons or daughters in matches that did not have love but she passed it on anyways, there had been many wolves from Akashingo and Muat-riya at the coronation so perhaps if a gathering was arranged an attraction would spark that would suit both parties.

When Kukutux  spoke in a low teasing tone Heph laughed, warm a shake of her head. "I hope so. Brecheliant, Sunmote Copse, Hearthwood, Raventhorpe, Sapphique, Moonspear, and Moonsong have all been invited, I don't think Sweetharbor will come, but after all that perhaps enough to gift someone special as well." Her voice twisted around the one offer declined, death was not often a happy occasion and she wished that she had been able to stay and offer more than her condolences upon the island. But there was a delighted conspiratorial intonation at the thought of what she might bring with her if she tied to Phox.

"Phox came to Moontide to aid us when he heard of her death, and then again to stay with us for the winter." Though her words may have seemed cold, mentioning only the broadest movements of the other wolf, what he had done for her pack, there was a warmth to the pitched down candor of her voice that betrayed her. A wolf who had come to aid virtual strangers simply after hearing of the passing of their alpha, expecting nothing in return. That he had returned. A kindness about him. A smile. A steady heart. Her own beat a bit faster.

so many names! kukutux put each aside with its sound, meaning to consider them at another time. but all intrigued her, and she looked forward to meeting those from the other camps. sharing new ways was a method of exchange that kept such rites alive.

sweetharbor. did she know such a place? by heph's expression they had suffered.

but the next moment sparkled with warmth, and she spoke of phox.

"i am glad that you found one another," kukutux said warmly, knowingness in her face. grief flickered in her eyes, and that it was shared between she and heph was a comfort of some kind. "he gives for the moonwolves." maybe he would become one in truth.

"you have traveled many places! did you go alone?" the duck asked next, drawing them along.

Heph nodded the spark of pain in their eyes mirrored and she knew that Samani was not forgotten and yet it was a comfort to have it confirmed even when it hurt. But there was warmth in the white wolf's voice when she spoke of Phox and Heph was glad of it, her own optimism having begun to blossom since his return and to share the tentative hope she was glad to do. At the Moonwoman's question, she nodded her head. "Yes, Chakliux goes to hunt the man who harmed Marina who recovers, and Iiana, Matteo, and Raiyuk attend to other duties." She would not ask Iseul to travel so long and speak to wolves she would have no connection to when the land and the people and language were still unfamiliar to her, and Towhee and Phox had come to spend the winter settled not wandering about.

"How is Moonglow?" She asked, curious to hear news and also thinking back to Rodyn's words that something seemed to trouble the white wolf.

"it is quieter. only one of my sons has returned from his spirit-journey. but three of my grandchildren now live in the village, and so i do not feel so old."

her small worn teeth flashed in a grin.

chakliux! did heph know the first story of that ribald man? kukutux decided she would not tell it, not with him out earning his honor for moontide.

"i will come before the winter is over. i have offerings for the death ulaq and for the sea."

"I hope they return safely. What is a spirit journey?" She replied, she had not known Kassuq but Massaraq and Arrluk she remembered fondly. But though she wandered herself she was not ignorant of the dangers if they were gone from Moonglow's borders and journeying she could only wish them well. But though she knew that it was a part of their passage from boy to man she was curious about the details.

At the mention of another visit she tipped her head, more somber. "If you'd like company for the journey let me know." Though not a warrior Heph was a sure-footed scout.

"when a boy is ready to become man, he must go out as a boy into the forests and mountains. he must humble himself before the spirits. they show him then who he will be."

"i thank you, heph. it will be good to be alone. but it will be better to be near those who are good companions to me."

she thought this of the moontide woman, and was secretly hopeful that she took phox for a husband.

Heph nodded, she was happy to accompany almost anyone on a journey though she agreed she would prefer those she knew with warmth and good memories between them. At the description of the spirit walk she considered. It was a difficult thing to ask a young wolf, to humble themselves, but each wolf had to, in some ways, plumb the depths of their own hearts. Heph had left her natal pack and never returned, but she could relate to finding a part of herself in the journey. Not without danger or rewards. "I see. Do all young boys do this in Moonglow?" She asked, wondering if Panuk and Rolayne would as well, or if she had children of her own. Not a mother herself she remembered how helpless to help she had felt when Rodyn and Sialuk had gone to Moonspear, perhaps it would be different when they were grown. But it was hard to imagine feeling ready to let them go.

kukutux nodded. "they are the first. stratos left before i sent him." a sigh echoed from her very spirit. "it is easier in some ways for daughters. if they have the want to follow in what i have done, i will help them. but i cannot do the same for a boy who must make a journey away."

and many did not return.

this rested unsaid between she and heph.

Eventually all children went where their parents could not follow, she had been accustomed to considering those words on one side but each year she aged she came closer to the other and it felt a tenous thing. Perhaps daughters it was easier to help, but of course all wolves eventually forged their own paths in some respects. All they could do was prepare them. Her chest squeezed, she hoped that Rolayne and Panuk would take to hunting, that before they left she would have time to teach them how to navigate strange and foreign lands so that wherever they found themselves they would not feel lost. But she knew those were not the lessons that they were most eager to learn at their age.

I'm good to wrap/fade here if you are? <3