Moonspear [m] listening to fear

He accepted her invitation, and Sialuk smiled as he drew near, nipping at her chin in the way many had before him. Sialuk did not give thought to the fact any children sired by him might be different in size compared to the others. Very little crossed her mind during this time except the instinctual need to be close with others—particularly those of the opposite sex. Talisman did not seem too injured to participate, and so Sialuk let nature take its course.

. . .

Breathing heavily in the afterglow, she reclined prone on the cool ground, eyes watching the man who had warmed her for a time. The past year, she had called others to her ulaq, but this year, she thought she might seek out others elsewhere. Outside of Argent and Talisman, she did not know of other interested parties. Alaric came to mind, but after hearing his story, Sialuk did not wish to wind herself into his hurt heart.

The woman—Kusuma—will she have a darkened heart if she learns of this? Sialuk asked.