Ouroboros Spine He's heading out the door

kukutux saw his face change at the mention of sialuk, and took it for something not dark, not dour, but thoughtful. in this place the raindrop was too young, and in both she had many, many moons yet to pass before she would be ready to be anaa herself. that was why raimo's hungry, cunning gaze choked kuktuux in sickness now. 

but she was more than old enough for an ugi, and now sialuk had outflown the age of girls. she led alongside her mother, she was trained in all medicine, she knew the secret and holy words, the prayers that sang in the back of the throat — as had the snowhunter's low, grating sound of displeasure. yes she had heard it, had seen his ice-hewn face shift in that way of men, where they share all of their thoughts in one moment and then not at all.

misreading, perhaps. 

but she was willing to be wrong.

sialuk was of an age where she might already have met the boy who would be her husband one day. adrastus was beyond that. would it be right to suggest him as ugi? there were no expectations inside such that sialuk change her days, live elsewhere, or prepare to leave her mother. only that her name would be spoken for, and in this way perhaps she might be granted protection.

she could not toss aside raimo until she had gathered all these things and spoken to him. but he had no attunement among the hunters because of his open jaws. sivullik could not be defined by this. kukutux had given him an honor and now he spoke of her body to other men. surely, she assumed, for she did not know word for word what he had said, and so believed them now to be the brash, raw commentary of hunters to one another.

raimo did not respect her.

"it is not decided that way." an answer, at last, feeling as though it came from another's throat. "there is the circle of hunters — aya," she exclaimed, frustrated with her inability to explain. face tipped heavenward; she shut her eyes and sought to breathe steadying stardust down upon them both. calling peace as if it were rain through blossoming plains —

you know him. he is also from a cold place.

"moonglow is unbalanced. i am too new a wisewoman, and i cannot choose sivullik. i only respect who was chosen. this land chose raimo first," kukutux breathed. "go and ask for wisdom in the mountains. if you will believe as i do, adrastus, then you know silent things walk in the forests. go and learn to be angakkuq." this time she did not translate, for there was no word in the common speech that could fit the true meaning of what she had said. man who walks with spirits. man who speaks with the caribou. man who calls the creatures beneath the sea-ice. 

show yourself to the earth and let her be the one who measures you.

"i will speak to firsthunter."

she meant to commune silently now; she was exhausted by all that had gone on and could speak no more.

gently her jadeglow gaze smoothed over every edge of his own.