Ouroboros Spine pinched

she had not known a man, and for a moment did kukutux consider telling callyope of the seal hunters' First Rite.

but what would this do for her daughter but free the mind from its expectations?

"when i was a girl, a seal hunter asked my mother and my father if i would accept his son. i did. in that time, callyope, we were very young. it was done this way for villages had many, many days between them. i left my mother's side to live in his village. after these moons, he did the same for me, and we lived in my father's ulaq."

breath, wavering; the taste of snow from clouds which scudded over sea ice.

"our courting was long. it is done this way to know if two can live together as one, when they are finally to be married. we were husband and wife in most ways. but i did not know all things until i came here, to this place." her mind flashed then to the image of a widowed girl, stained with tears and dragging some last tatters of seal-meat in a ragged cloak.

breath, wavering; the taste of pinewood and soft rain,

"waited until my fire-time to know a man," kukutux murmured. "i was given in payment to the ostrega clan of moonspear, who held the first village upon the mountain. they did not know my ways. the blackbear woman offered me to one brother, but he was ashamed. i had the want for this, but they ah — a man is not simply given a wife in this land."

"there were always more brothers. i met the blackfox next. when the fire came for me, he took me as wife. and though i did not truly understand all of him, though i still felt as if we were new to one another, i have gladness, that i waited. it was as it should be, callyope. you will know."

kukutux had loved jarilo from the first falling of snow upon his face. sedna had taken him and given her a life with more beautiful glories than she had seen upon the mountain, and she had come to understand that love demanded such from those who pursued its embrace.