Ouroboros Spine naungat ⥈

The river was left behind. Kigipigak walked with Kukutux and Aiolos for a time, and throughout the journey he would lag back to watch his remaining son, or check in with Amalia with a look, or see to it that Lestan and Tulukiri kept watch for dangers as they traveled together; all these things, wordless, and all these glances orders without weight. He was no sangilak now.

The loss of his rank was nothing compared to the loss of his wife and son. They were alive and they were safe, he had to remind himself; he saw Shikoba and wondered if they both held the same hollowed, gutted look as one-another. He knew he was fortunate in that Akkuma was merely soul-sick; he felt powerless to help, and frustrated by his inability, but kept these things tightly contained.

When they reached the village he knew he should have been glad. Kigipigak had many good memories of this place. He listened - approaching where Kukutux was organizing people - as the moonwoman allocated jobs for people. He moved to grab a bundle of furs to help with their transport to the ulax or wherever. Anything to keep his mind off of things.

Every path within Moonglow, every sleeping place, scent, sight, reminded him of Sakhmet and he further withdrew to himself as a result. Kivaluk would go off with Stratos; the others dispersed, and once Kigipigak had put away some of the pelts, he was approached by Aiolos. The sunman's invitation to walk the grounds was met with a firm expression and a nod, but no words.

Away he would go.