Ouroboros Spine Somewhere out there

Nutuyikruk had become a feeble mess who no longer would rise proudly to the call of nightsong. Would scarcely stand to the sound of play, or laughter, or tug without extensive coercion that left her mind feeling roughly fuzzy.

@Tautukpik

Her brothers ear would be met with a gentle nudge, quietly trying to stir him to his his feet.

He was there by her side, squished in to a bundle. Tautukpik had taken a piece of Kannoyak's beaver hide as he had torn in to it, and now slept with this tattered bit at his belly. He hid it whenever he left the ulaq, but had shown his sisters.

When roused by Nutuyikruk, he moaned softly and blinked at her. He saw the fire of her spirit burning low and offered his prize, nosing at her cheek.

Aapa will come home. He said to her softly, wishing he could believe it.

The ulaq was never safer than it was with Akmaaksi, Tautuk and Nutu. Auntie was a beautiful woman, and Aaka just as much so, but Nutuyik was sure that only they were capable of fending off great beasts. Great beasts, like the man who had been with her Aaka that was not her Aapa.

Tautuk told lies.

"He not comin'." She told him.

"Or he'd be here now."

Would he not? If he was coming? If he was coming for them, why did he make them wait so long?

Her heart broke itself. And it also raced many, many miles now. They would see him again, because she decided a solution if he would not cone to them.

"We gots to find him."

She refuted his claim. The boy frowned a moment, and the expression only deepened as he heard her express a desire to go.

What about Aaka? Tautukpik could not protect her if he was gone! And what about when Aaba came to tell his stories?

Maybe Tautuk didn't want to go with her. The girls ears melted down to her skull, tucked away in the bedding of her own fur. A question she had considered very intensely came to a rise, so it was now that she was confused that she hesitated.

Why would someone hesitate when they had made their decision so long ago? Answered it for themselves, but when she was asked, she thought again as if she had thought over it for the first time. What about Aaka?

"Nmnyes," she admitted. Why, leaving Aaka would certainly bring more danger to their home. The beasts would come in tenfold in their absence, maybe eat them in their sleep like monsters did, but- 

"What 'bouts Aapa?"

Aaka had their family, and their Aana. Nutu frowned. Her decision concreted again when she remembered she had a new Aapa with her now that wasn't their daddy.

"Who proteckin him? He all alone." Maybe eaten. "That why we gots go save him. Don' know what we do if he need savin'," she drew circles upon the ground with a sway of her wrist and claw, melancholic. What would they do then? What would they do?

"And," a whispering voice, so no one heard, and also because she was sure her voice was giving up. "Den Aaka and Aapa can be happy togeder again."

His sister made some very good points. He hadn't thought about the world Outside. There were many shadows and secret places within the village, and the boy felt safe so long as he was with Aaka or his sisters, and besides that he knew he was the man of the family now, and put pressure on himself already to keep them safe. He had Black Bear in his head often enough to keep him company; and he wasn't afraid, so long as he had Nutuyikruk.

What 'bouts Aapa?

Tautukpik was conflicted, and it showed in the pursing of his lips and furrowed brow. He didn't want to leave Aaka, but he didn't want to abandon Aapa if he needed to be rescued. And he couldn't let Nutuyikruk go without any protection or help, either. Okay, he answered, although he was still uncertain.

We get Aapa. Maybe... maybe Aaka put him on time-out? Sometimes when the kids were being too loud, or too grabby, or too much in general, they would be separated and distracted with toys or food or tasks; maybe that was the same for their father. Maybe we go geddum?

They'd have to do it themselves, Tautukpik reasoned; Aaka seemed to have forgotten him.

"OOooo, yah," she nodded. Maybe Aapa did something very, very bad, and Aaka put him in his place. She nodded and nodded some more, drawing her head down and thinking with every wheel burning behind her noggin. He was far smarter than she was, for she knew if anybody would know where Aapa might be, it was Tautuk. And out of all places, time out made the most sense. "Probly gave her a dirty deer pelt." Aaka likely would punish him for that. "Or woke her up from sleepin'." That would really get him in the time out hole.

"Kay." She whispered, a deep breath before her chest slowly. "Yah. We go gets him from time-out," she said. "Make aaka-aaba go on date!"

"We gon neeb lotsa big foo. Like, wabbit ears and berries." Because candy was exactly what two runaway children needed to bring with them to survive in the wild.

As far as plans went, Tauktukpik was happy not to try and find a solution. He wasn't very good at plans. Nutuyikruk found a way to string together an idea, and he was glad for that. Her idea was a good one as far as he could tell — they'd find their father, they'd bring him the tastiest snacks so he knew nobody was mad at him, and when he was home again they could reunite their parents.

I can sneak, an' get some from — the thing. The food place. he meant a cache, as there were protected spots throughout the sleeping places packed with medicines and meals, and he had seen plenty of the adults leave things behind within them. Somethin' big for aapa. His tail began to wag furiously.