Ouroboros Spine katjanik ⋖

the muskrat. a few blinks in apology; she took it beneath her unbroken paw and pulled the animal closer. "we call him kivuluk where i lived," she said perhaps too abruptly, unnerved by adrastus' feeling of reverence. it was only respect, but kukutux did not yet see that she deserved such, and her nerves only constricted with the old, ingrained taboo of believing one first.

how had her mother bound this feeling to her respect as wisewoman? 

but she did not spare herself a moment to think of it; she pushed the thought away for another time. "his fur, the water slides off. he will make a good pelt when i have finished." small teeth shone in a brief grin; despite her fumbling through their firstmeet, she had enjoyed it thus far. "you have much respect, adrastus. i think that maybe this has always served you well." 

the ice-mountain was not tied here, but kukutux enjoyed the way that their talking had gone. "as i heal, i often wish i was able to do the things i fulfilled before. but i cannot. if this is acceptable to you, bring me hides, and i will make them into softer things." another moon of mending before her, and the duck knew that without something to busy her hours, she would begin to waste.