Sequoia Coast [m] sun feathers

whether or not he would ever admit it, cen was moved by red leaf's tears. his heart ached; he wanted to wend her close and allow the warmth of her good true love to soothe the pain in his chest.

but gheli was between them. and ghaden.

an exhale.

"it is not wrong to want comfort. but it is not lanzadoii, red leaf. we do not live in shelters. our children are born beneath the sky. they grow beside the caribou calves. these people, this village — it is like what you have known."

ghaden! "a part of me drowned with him on that river." the hoarseness was so great in his voice that cen was forced to be silent for a moment. "yes. i have changed. i have become more lanzadoii. i have learned to trust myself. i know what i must do and who i must be. and i must never sacrifice any part of me, for anything."

he had come back here with the intention of beating her. now they only regarded one another with a near-mutual sorrow. at last he stopped and dragged the packs from beneath the pile of smooth, twisted wood. "i am unhappy when it seems you still do not understand who i am. or that you do not see I brought you here so you would not be forced to give birth as a lanzadoii woman. it is clear you do not want to be that."

cen felt a thousand ways, and then nothing. "i have been unkind. you anger me. and yet i keep this amulet because i cannot — because i cannot accept losing you. ever."

he turned away, hard teeth flinging the heavy hides over one shoulder. "but i mean this, red leaf. if you find some other man here who will accept your sharadoii ways, then i will not interfere."

wounded, cen wheeled from his wife's beautiful and stricken face, stalking in the direction of moontide.