Ouroboros Spine ugguanik ⏞⏟

a cut in her forearm, nipped there by her teeth.

blood welling against the paleness of a softer flesh.

kukutux lifted her paw and smeared the red against @Sialuk's alabaster pelt, across face and along chest, leaning forward to smooth her muzzle against the girlish brow, ensuring her own blood would mar the driftwhite all the way to the raindrop's ears. not nearly enough to soak through as she would have done with a fresh kill. but she could not give so much. these drops must be enough. 

she ducked her own muzzle, superficial pain fading under sorrow. the markings were not well-made, but then again, she had not done such before. nine days. "it covers us from their eyes. we sing them to the dancing lights." mouth twisted with the effort of holding back her tears, but several escaped, running rivulets of dark rose to her chin.

she had asked the girl to soak the pelt given by the hunter. it lay within icewater now, and she breathed to think of such relief, numbing surface closing over her own head.

the woman stood to face toward moonspear as the sun faded, retiring to the sacred sleeping place, light narrowing to a fierce yellowed glow over the teeth of the round mountains.

a breath. she began the first guttural song, grief compelling it from some place in her chest. it is time to leave. it is time to leave this place of sorrow. it is time to lift from flesh and walk to home, the voiceless words came. do not be afraid. do not be afraid. our voices walk with you, beloved spirit.

a breath. a continuation. a breath. exhaling through nose. it would not come easily to sialuk.

kukutux began the first death song again, closing her eyes as cheeks grew stained with blood and wet with salt.