Ankyra Sound i keep on dancing through the quicksand

“It fell,” Sobeille began, using the same two words Tiuttuk often chose when relaying Moonspear’s fate. Her lips parted in surprise at this news, though she didn’t interrupt as her companion extrapolated on her loved ones’ fates and her subsequent hesitation about naming conventions. She couldn’t help but compare and contrast her own feelings in the wake of Sialuk’s departure, but whereas her anaa lived happily ever after somewhere else, Sobeille’s maman was dead.

I wish I knew what to say other than ‘I’m sorry.’ That’s… so much, Sobeille. Tiuttuk drew in a breath, her lips pursing before moving again. I can see why you’d worry about it being a bad omen. But whatever happened to them in the end, I know you loved them deeply. Don’t let one moment, no matter how terrible, overshadow or erase all the good ones that preceded it, Pie posited before hastily adding, But that’s just my take. It’s entirely up to you, of course.

Yellow eyes peered out into the fog-riddled trees, wondering if it was Sobeille’s missing family haunting this place. Were traces of their spirits what she’d sensed, lurking out there? Treepie still didn’t know what she believed, though she had been frightened by what she’d perceived out there. If the wolves of Sapphique roamed here, they did so with an agitated energy, not at all resting in peace.

Tiuttuk caught Sobeille’s eye and tipped her head toward the grotto, wishing to head inside. It had as much to do with wanting to check on the babes in question as dodging the restless spirits loitering in the brume. Anyway, shouldn’t they at least be looking at the children as they christened them with proper names?

With Sapphique gone, she asked in a low voice, which still bounced off the damp, rocky walls, what comes next?