Moonspear aliuktuk ⚶

"i would not have known," kukutux mentioned faintly. jarilo, for all the inner workings she had come to know were in him, never showed his true intentions. at least not upon his face before those he did not know. his wife had seen her husband in his calmness, in his protective guardianship, in his worry, but these were faces he had kept to himself until trust was born.

the pups appeared to be calming upon their chaotic swim along her sides. the duck's jaws split with a wide yawn, and she blinked for a long moment at the shifting glow of the sunlight. half-moons and safety, the scent of him alongside her. the promise of his role as father to be fulfilled, and his gentle praise of her, his gratitude.

theirs had been a swift union, but kukutux had found in jarilo a soul like new snow, for dedicated as he was to moonspear, he had never cause his moondrop to feel lesser. for that she thanked many spirits, and folded her tail around her flank. "you are the sun in my sky." eyelids began to fall in earnest, for though it had only been a short time, resting for even a handful of moments provoked sleep. surely he would not mind, would lie with her here. but she did not quite succumb; she rested against him with a placid blink, watching the green tree-branches dance in an unseen wind. "do you believe that your mother would have approved of me as your wife, jarilo?"