Ouroboros Spine vii. and scrub between the cracks.

for one blissful moment, in the time it took kukutux to reach her and the two to crush each other close, lótë forgot. 

she forgot to be scared of the newness that faced her within the mountains. she forgot her terror of the death songs -- for herself and savi. misplaced all she'd missed out on. 

there was only relief that cracked through her like a sob. she clung to the duck, her words little more than a stumbling litany. 

imsorryimsorryimsosorry

and all the things she could not find the words for. 'i love you. i missed you. i tried so hard to get back.'

"it is good to see your face," she croaked at last, a somewhat embarrassed laugh breaking free of her as aiwë pulled back. her own face was streaked with the flow of tears. 

"she is here -- vairë? and the others? fjall? wil? ló? ink?" the words were a desperate gasp she could not stop. a silent plea was sent to tootega, to the spirits. to anyone who might listen. 

so desperate was she that for a moment she had even forgotten about the two-year who hung back -- the sand-kissed shadow melting forward beside her. guilt struck her, especially upon watching the way his gaze fell from nieninquë's. 

lótë shifted, lowering ever so slightly to touch her muzzle to saviguk's shoulder. a sign of solidarity. she would not abandon him either, should he be turned away. 

"there was an accident in the mountains. fjall was still weaning. i was lost. fjall was lost." her words were for kukutux -- an explanation. 

"the spirits led me to saviguk on my way home."