Firefly Ravine there in the smoke

words were not a thing sulukinak cared for. she did not have a strong grasp of words; it was only after many months of life with her uncle that she had learned lanzadoii, and before that the language of her mother had been sparse; commands, and rituals, and magic—but she learned, and she was a good listener even in moments such as this. perhaps especially in moments such as this.

the pale woman continue to plead. she showed herself for what she was: loyal to a betrayer, and ignorant, and young, all of which worked against her. sulukinak felt that voice grating on her last nerves as she heard it calling to her; back to the ravine, ready to turn on her heel and grab for ghenaya at a moment's notice.

so many words.

so many questions.

and finally sulukinak was too frustrated! she snapped her teeth as if the sound of her jaws might mute the stranger. that is what she was! stranger. as much lanzadoii as her uncle's betraying wife.

you don't know! she roared, at least to her own ears it was a roar; to anyone else it was merely the raising of a voice not used to shouting.
there was no going after! there was only law, and breaking, and the right of a chief to do as he wants! sun eater is chief. he is chief to the saatsine and if he says they must go, they go! if they do not, then teeth! then blood! he had every right to enforce his will, and to take the blood price from anyone not obedient.

it was this way in the everdark and it was this way here, in these wilds.
he broke law, once. he broke law and they took his eye. so do not tell me this is wrong, he is not alone! when you stand against the chieftain then you get what you deserve— she wasn't shouting now, but panting. emotional. exhausted. trying to make sense of it all to herself as much as to the pale woman.

you let me go. the cub is safe—she is safe with me. why did it now feel as though sulukinak was the one pleading? she stood firm before the ravine, feeling her heart pounding like a drum in one ear, while the other kept tabs on ghenaya in her hiding place, hearing her begin to squirm.
star eater is not one of us. she made her choice.
now other shore would have to make her own—but what would it cost?