Ouroboros Spine ommatik ∻

the other spoke; the moon listened. pleasure and relief like honeywine spread slowly across her features. "in this we are sisters." she breathed in, a silent prayer of gratitude lifting from the back of her mind skyward to sedna. "where i am from, women are not allowed to be aijatkugnaii," watching carefully to see if the word or the practice sparked familiarity in the other.

"but when i lived alone in these lands, i met a man who wore flesh but had empty eyes. he was spirit. we spoke. i listened to the old men even when i was not meant to hear," kukutux admitted with a shy, conspiratorial cast to her features that softened away the tension and grief of the last weeks if only for a moment.

"i know the sacred prayers and songs. so i say yes. i speak to them, but only sometimes."