Ouroboros Spine poetry

it was rough going.

she helped callyope where able, but kukutux intended for the girl to do a good deal of her own climbing.

the altar was carefully arranged bones with pieces of caribou ivory in the center. and there was also a sacred chunk of seal-tooth, stained worshipfully with red ochre.

kukutux motioned callyope to sit across from her. "do you know the formal greeting? 'this girl asks the spirits to listen?' say them, soft-snow."