Moonspear nuyuiksuk ⚬

it would do, she supposed. jadeglow eyes displaying gratitude even when her mouth could not. jarilo had found a fine shelter for her, though the duck attempted not to think upon the shadows of grief that lurked, ready to devour her once he departed.

a shiver then; the girl busied herself shaking snow from each pelt in turn and layering the furs in the corner, noting that though the guard hairs of the various creatures glistened with melting flakes, they were not altogether soaked.

assured they would dry swiftly, kukutux crouched to bear the weight of jarilo's questioning. feeling it was more than a typical interrogation, the duck plucked words to fit within sentences using utmost care.

"i am kukutux," was her first rejoinder, and she was swept with relief to finally have spoken her name aloud. wary lashes brushed her pale cheekbones: she glanced up through them to gauge jarilo before pressing onward.

in the soft glow of starlight that flowed across snows to cavemouth, his sable features were illuminated with a fall of eldritch gilding. face half-shaded, his gaze was whole, turned toward the girl with an intrigue reflected in his questions.

"i am from courtfall. i was brought here to find a uviq— husband." how had she stumbled upon a word said so often? kukutux bit the inside of her cheek, ashamed.

"i was traded to hydra and to moonspear for my skills. the return was that a husband would be found for me."

pause again, glancing shyly into jarilo's handsome jet features, hoping he would not meet the arrangement with the same disgust arcturus had for it. he had not wanted her, after all, and it was this final thought upon all that had occurred which brought a visible glint of new tears in her tired green eyes.