Whitebark Stream the black sea

skip me unless addressed directly

hard miles, hard people.

sobeille cared not for the man who joined them some weeks past, but she followed sivaak knowing to do otherwise would somehow tarnish her honor. it was principle: they hunted, they slept, they roved.

she missed sapphique and the pound of the sea. she missed dogfish and astera and chani. the twins. shadess. her maman.

but she knew if she was to see their faces again, she must not defect.

so she trailed sivaak at a distance, discomfiture rankling her spine as a man strode to sivaak as if he were her equal. he went to her as if a stag rutting; proud and tall and spearing and ready to cut his teeth on the world. but sivaak had spoken of the muradoii, and the supremacy in their femininity. so this man, sobeille was certain, would be cut down soon by sharp teeth or sharp words.

she remained silent, tensing her short claws in the hard packed snow.