Hoshor Plains pavva ≖

if there was surprise in the duck to hear the tone of moondoe's voice. she hid it well, arranging bits of antler by size in their carry-skin.

it was in times such as these that the scarred voice spoke; the deer who had possessed vairë before she had come back to them. "we were all foolish at such an age. it is natural." and had a proper husband been found for her, a younger man closer to her age, it may not have come to pass in this way.

you are moonwoman, she wanted to say. but it was not yet time. her daughter did not wish to wear this mantle so fast. and so while kukutux had come to think of herself as moonmother, she gave her answer in the way that vairë had asked.

"for salaksartok: tiritchik. snow-dragon boy." fire lived in that little hunter; it was not only his mischief, it was his calculation, his far-seeing, as if he viewed the world from high above.

she considered;

"for ipiktok: sivukkiksuk, boy who makes a straight path." the boy was dedicated to the moonvillages and to the sunshine people; he followed the tradition of well-trained hunters and boys who did not leave their paths.

and lastly; she thought on her granddaughter for a longer time.

"nalunaktuk. secret-holding girl." even this name would not tell what nasamiituuq might become. she held great mind in quiet; there were many thoughts behind the shy eyes.

"these names; you whisper them to your children before their ears waken. their spirit hears. when your daughter is ready to be anaa, it is only then that you tell her this name."

"your sea-sister did not know hers when she went to sedna."

a breath.

"but sedna knew her face for she had seen the new spirit given the name i whispered into that ear."

a shaking breath. she composed herself.

"there is great power in a name. that is why i am so angry that kigipigak has changed his many times. half of him will be in ariadne's children, hidden from the spirit world."