Ouroboros Spine Pandora's box

"Samani," Kau recalled Kukutux mentioning her sister's name in association with this one. They were to be married. She looked him up and down, comparing him to those few males that had run together with the Walrus hunters, who essentially were a very strong matriarchal society. There a woman did not have to live up to particular expectations and did not have to fit standards or stereotypes. There even ugly Kausiut would have had her pick in the mate, it would be her choice alone and it would be up to her to leave the mate as well. Therefore, when she regarded the husband-to-be of Samani, one could sense that the demeanor was not exactly neutral or overly-positive. In that moment she evaluated him as one would a prized horse at an auction.

"Kausiut. Sister," she introduced herself after she had finished gathering the visual information on the man. "Trade?" she asked next. Conversations, small talks and socialization in general was still not Kau's forte, but Murre had taught her the patterns of, how such a thing was done. The simple inquiries and observant silence so that the other party filled it with words and expressions. If it had been up to Kausiut - she would never talk to people at all or engage in any other activities that required sharing space with people. However, her mentor and time spent in the other village, where the rules of survival were a lot harsher, had taught Kausiut that unfortunately due to her disabilities her fate would always be closely tied to a pack. If in one side of the equilibrium is the ability to have a fully belly and relative safety provided by others, then paying for it with at least attempting to fit in and making the village care for you long-term was a small price.

At the end of the day - with all her misanthropic tendencies - Kausiut very much wanted to stay alive.