Ouroboros Spine alivâpuk ⩷

kukutux began to shake her head, but stopped. "i do not know. it has not been done."

yet she paused a long moment, facing in the direction that her island must be, and thinking in the presence of her raindrop. sialuk was patient, and so kukutux was free to choose the correct words.

"i have told you of the walrus clan. now i will tell you of the reindeer clan. they did this thing. each woman had two husbands. they gave husband prices, not the price for brides. men wished to be their husbands, for they were a rich village."

"but they did not have a path that was equal. the hunters of reindeer had far less children than the other clans. and because they gave their daughters in exchange for husbands, their numbers became lower."

"if they had kept their daughters in the village, and made husbands come to them, their way would be kept. and so it must be this way, if a clan has moonwoman only without sun man to balance. it is possible. but the spirits demand more of women, sialuk."

her gaze said this was unfair, but it was the way of things.