Arrow Lake clair de lune

the effect her revelation had on Takiyok was not lost on the healer. it broke her heart all over again, and hurt worse than the aches and pains that she grappled with every day. she gave her sister time to silently grieve, to compose herself, and when Taki eventually did speak again, Tahani blinked softly in assent.

i will, Takiyok, she whispered. i'll give them all my love. you, too. i am here for my family for as long as i have left. i promise.

Tahani sighed and rested her head against Taki's shoulder, eyelids fluttering shut. i'm sorry, she breathed. i didn't want to upset you, or be a burden. i just needed to find you, before. . . before the end. needed to find someone. i'm glad it was you.

maybe a miracle would happen, and Siarut and Shivali, Tomkin, Shila, Aningan and Sos and Tunerk and Currituck and all the rest. . .maybe they'd come.

but for now, she had Takiyok and her children, and that was more than enough.

fade here? <3