Ouroboros Spine In from the snow

There was nothing more to say to these people; besides, Kaluktuk's focus was split between the urge to go after his son or stay with his intended bride. Either choice could be weighed against him. On one hand to go after Kivaluk he would likely be seen as abandoning Ariadne, and perhaps it would enter in to the minds of the Moonglow wolves that he was more interested in that than marriage. On the other hand, staying by Ariadne would mean sacrificing this moment with his son and, in Kaluktuk's mind, would make it appear he was choosing the young woman over his own blood. He was stuck. In this instance Kaluktuk would not make a choice - it would be Ariadne to decide, which came within moments.

It had appeared that Aiolos was at least pretending to be on the side of his daughter, but as Kaluktuk witnessed the shift in the cloudwoman, heard the pain in her voice and the way she then tried to extricate them from the conversation, it was clear. There was a bride-price but there was not acceptance; there was tradition, and resistance.

Kaluktuk stood alongside Ariadne as she spoke those last words, and tenderly murmured to her ear, ...we go? The intention to speak of bride-price was only half of things; Kaluktuk had wished to speak directly with his son about the marriage and to open himself warmly to the boy, but that hope had been shattered with Kivaluk's sudden arrival, commentary, and subsequent avoidance. Ariadne made it clear they were to go, so Kaluktuk nodded and without thinking pressed a soft kiss to her temple.

He kept his eyes averted from both moon and sun, and said, We will spend a night in the Neverwinter. But then they would be gone for their village. Kaluktuk then ushered Ariadne from the mountain with care, as she would set the pace from here on out.

The wounds left by this conversation had already begun to fester.