Ouroboros Spine máni

they settled in the dreaming.

the moon became more! it became a gravid bow of creamy light which grew greater and greater, and a woman's cries were heard as its glowing face twisted and became a thousand stars —

"it is Sedna," kukutux whispered, sunshine overtaking her tongue, and in her vision, she and sólhárr became dottings of tiny blue light which rose up among those stars and saw the woman's blood flowing into the salt sea below.

from there, orca lived; seal breathed; walrus swam; sea lion leapt.

they descended!

they descended! and brine filled her mouth, and the taste of ancient earth;

samani's soul passed through a mouth with great teeth there below the sea, and the dancing lights shimmered overhead.

kukutux sang aloud the grief-songs, her paw reaching to touch sólhárr's arm in this most sacred of unions she might share to make some part of his spirit sunshine.

nine dances.

nine dances.

antlered beings with single-eyed faces whirled, stamped.

a glowing plant rose from Sedna's breast.

ice became blood became rain became lightning.

she woke with not a gasp, but quiet joy as rainwater tipped over her face, over her own and that of the northern man beside her.