Ouroboros Spine juniperus

You will not be killed.

This pronouncement hit his ears and he barely moved. He heard, he understood, but he did not understand at the same time; a thankless flicker of his eyes up and back again, and that was all. After what had transpired with the red girl and the boar tusk, and the ruination of caches, and the pilfering of ulax, even after his containment, Kiliutak did not expect leniency.

He had not thought himself welcome to life. Having been stuck upon the mountain since the early days of summer, and it now being autumn, he thought he would be forgotten here, left to waste. Perhaps given over to Shikoba as a play-thing; the woman was ever-ready to target him.

Kiliutak squinted at the dirt. His low tail had curled between his legs.

Punishment..? The boy's voice was almost a whisper.
Hadn't his captivity been enough?