Ouroboros Spine in a battle, that's all you get

kukutux rose from a fitful sleep to hear the voice of wintersbane. she had not known him well, but understood he was an experienced and ambitious warrior. she thought of the men that had come through the ring of mountains. and the one that had settled. 

"sialuk, please bring wintersbane to the ulaq," she called suddenly, on a whim. she had no knowledge of their conversation or his intentions to settle elsewhere. kukutux saw only that they were alone, and she had found him trustworthy. a pragmatic thought began to emerge in her mind. if in two more sunrises her husband and her son did not come down from the ruined mountain, it would be time to begin the death songs. nine days to sing a vigil. and after that —

she did not wish to think of it. rolling in the snow had cleaned the worst of the grime and blood from her coat, but wintersbane would still find her wan and grey, injured, completely unlike the woman he had met upon moonspear.