Firefly Ravine there in the smoke

If she was to choose, she would not know what would be the right choice. Would she choose for the child? No. For herself? Maybe. But that meant putting herself first, beyond even Sun Eater - and she could not do that. Sun Eater would want the child. Sulukinak should have bolted; she should have run another way, not to be trapped by this ravine before her. She should have never put the girl down.

Hindsight.

As she deliberated, the talkative woman was lunging. Snapping. Sulukinak braced for impact and snarled — but the teeth sought the child! The stranger had Ghenaya and was running! No - no no no she could not have her!

Whatever had frozen Sulukinak to that spot broke, and she made reaching steps after the woman. They ran in tandem together away from the ravine — and then with a final lunge, Sulukinak tried to grab for the woman's face, or the dark bundle hanging there.

She felt something; her teeth met flesh, and she bit, and she pulled. Only the screaming of the child reminded Sulukinak of her true purpose; and perhaps it was the budding maternal instinct, or the hormones of her changing body, but whatever the case - something stopped her from shaking the child like a ragdoll long enough to curve away from the betrayer.

Away, away, and north, to where the earth was scored with its own scar.