Ouroboros Spine not today

she felt her mother clutch and she wondered if that might be it, a door closed until she was ready.

but her mother spoke and callyope felt her heart frantically beat within. samani did not know her own — is that why she saw so much of her in panuk? araidne did not give spirit names to her children — is that why her sister's spirit seemed to sing to the young boy?

were there spirits around them now that shifted and watched the two of them?

what she listened with now was more than just her ears. it was her heart, her own spirit that unfurled hearing its name spoken aloud.

tattilgat.

her eyes went to the ulaq. where she had seen the ice first. where her mother had sung many songs and told many stories. where she had first known the sisters who were now gone.

she cried, soft light tears. the last few weeks had felt like a storm of ice and she knew it was not still over.

she moved to hold her mother tight and close. incapable of words in this moment, only able to feel everything deeply and newly all over again.