Moonspear You've got all the butterflies tied up inside

Despite her best efforts to conceal her inward concerns, Kinusi seemed to sense them. She apologized and provided more context. Something about her phrasing bothered Tiuttuk in a way she couldn’t put a finger on right away. Later, after some deep contemplation, she would come to realize she resented the idea of anyone thinking they could just curtail what wasn’t only her dream but her entire life’s purpose.

I understand, she repeated patiently now.

Kinusi confessed she hadn’t given it much thought, which likewise irked Treepie. Pups seemed like an afterthought to her, which was fine. Not everybody lived to be a parent the way Tiuttuk did. But she felt a sick lurch in her belly as Kinusi talked so flippantly about something that truly meant the world to Pie.

I think you would make a good anaa, she said despite herself. Both our mothers left us, though we don’t have to follow in their footsteps. I will never leave my children behind. If they choose to leave when they’re of the proper age, that’s fine. Natural, even. But it won’t ever happen the other way around.

She spoke as if her future children were a given, even after the previous reality check. In Pie’s mind, they were a foregone conclusion. She understood Kinusi’s logic and pragmatism, but the heart prevailed.