Ouroboros Spine kuli ⧫

his answer was not well-received. kukutux listened with ears falling back in at last an open distaste for his tone. for a long moment the duck only sought to pin her newly-realized kin with a green-dagger glance, though inwardly she quailed. she was unaccustomed to such expressions, and it folded at once back behind a more amiable demeanour.

"you are ostrega. i am ostrega. you did not know them upon the mountain. but i am bound to their name. and as long as we exist together in this village, we share in this." her ivory ears swept forward at last. kukutux had come to enjoy zane's presence, even if it was not understood, but she simply could not understand why a capable hunter of his years would not already have rooted himself in a land that was his to lead. "you do not need to make a decision today on whether or not you have more time to become a husband." her springjade eyes were dark.

zane traded ambition for lack of expectation; he was content to not rise so long as his pleasures were fulfilled and he was not given instruction. kukutux was no longer sure that she could find respect in this, now that she knew they had come from the same clan.

she lifted her chin. "this woman is beautiful indeed, but she is more than her face. and you are more than what you show, zane ostrega." with the air of a woman kneeling and carefully arranging her skirts about her, kukutux smiled finally, a small bow that chased her eyes into a brightness. "shall i call her now, pilannulik?"