Ouroboros Spine He's heading out the door

raimo's scent had clung to her until kukutux had hobbled to the lake. now she sat outside her ulaq, sweeping the droplets from her chestfur with a pink tongue. she was not ashamed of her dalliance, not before the eyes of any but sialuk. 

she knew the words she might use to explain — moonwoman uses her figure to sway the sun —

she closed her eyes, thinking of raimo again. he had left her lighter; she had come back to her ulaq in the darkness, flesh satisfied even while her mind continued to churn; it traveled to the face of aiolos, of the redsun — in her spirit the rose-hued blush of something she did not dare to name. but he was leader of yuelong. and he would be needed there.

and she thought of meerkat, who had only just departed. their ranks sharpened now to a handful, but she was determined to hold them together in this place. the duck heard the tread of adrastus, caught his scent, and turned. the marten's pelt had been stripped off, and lay blood-side down upon the earth. a thump of her plume beckoned the second-hunter close. "what has happened, adrastus?" she murmured, soft greenstone stare seeking to understand the solemn nature of his snow-chased features.