Ouroboros Spine it beats and finds a way inside

It was good to have distractions, she had decided.

Most of her time had become mindlessly working upon a den in the frozen earth and when she did not do that, she offered loose patrols. Yet today her patrol was with more of a purpose, as she went to find @Aiolos.

Kukutux had been clear that she shouldn't talk to him about the concept of co-wife but rather get to know the man directly.

She only hoped that he would be free for the visit...

Aiolos was bound to have a one-on-one with Sakhmet at some point. He had always been the 'background leader' of sorts. That muscle behind Kukutux words, same as he had been for Hua. He was father of the pack. A quiet guardian, reserved, stoic. Though a conversation would need be had between them, whether as pack members, or more...

Aiolos remembered the conversation with Lote was a little awkward after Kukutux had spoken her will to them. The Sun man felt that same turning his gut and much like before, he swallowed it down. Kukutux knew where Aiolos limitations on this lie. Hopefully Sakhmet did too. They both would be working to appease Moonwoman this day.

She was a little woman, lithe and carried herself with a confidence that Kukutux shared. She was not hard to see, her deep burgundy coat standing out among thr snow around. Red, like quite a few of Moonglow's members along with snowy coated ones of the north.  

The firey coated wolf lifted from his sit along the icy lake bed to address her. Sakhmet, I hope you've been settling well...? He asks, though not all nonchalantly. Their was concern in his eyes. Aiolos knew what it was like to have to leave your home for the better of young lives. It was a hard decision to make.

It felt like a loaded question, whether she wished it to be or not.

As well as I can. Respect, warmth. Moonglow has given my family so much. All the things she could not, but she kept that close to her heart. She needed to loosen her shawl of grief and sadness.

Days, said Moonwoman. Not years.

I am sorry I haven't come to better know and speak with you sooner.

It is a silent nod he gives to her first set of words. Moonglow had been kind to her. It was a good land with good wolves, but it wasn't the home she had built with her mate. Aiolos missed the coast much so, but at least he could say that here in Moonglow is where his family had begun. His wife was known by all here. His children born and raised here. Sea or not, this was home for him now. 

A mistake on my part as well, I think. When she says she should have reached him sooner. Kukutux makes knowing everyone so closely seem easy. Too much time living on islands for me, probably. He said with a small smirk and shrug of his shoulders.

She laughed a little, warm and soft.

I get it. I think I've always known everybody wherever I've been before. The Blackfeather Woods, the plateau, then Natigvik... Moonglow had been the first place that she had not known every face. That she did not have to be there for every face!

Kukutux has a way of bringing everybody together though. A little sway of her tail. How did you two meet anyway...?

That she does. He agreed with a smile. Aiolos could not imagine how the pack would fair without her, didn't want to think about it. After Hua had left Yuelong, it had become a quiet and reclusive place and had not lasted far much longer after. 

Well, He began as he settled back down on his haunches, It was over three years back, when we had first met. We were a part of Courtfall, residing in the Northstar Vale. As I remember, Kukutux had been sent off to be wed. Then when the pack disband by the death of its leader, I left too. 

A pause, and then, When I saw her again, I was living on the island far north of here for quite a time. She was pregnant with her first litter then. We met from time to time, along the slopes of the Ocean's Breath Plateau. My eldest son and Sialuk we had introduced, with wonder if they might fancy one another some day. He chuckles to the thought of it now. Sialuk had yet to take a mate. He wondered if she would have eyes for Huojin now, if he were still around. 

There was far less visitors on the island, quiet, given it was an island and all. He said with a small huff. Though back then much war pillaged the mainland. We were happy to be left be. He admitted. It was just a pawful of us when we were forced to move on. The Moonspear had been struck then and the pack gone, most its members lost. He thought of this with a grim expression tugging his features. Kukutux had banded what was left together and formed a new home in Moonglow. It was just I along my co-lead, her mate and their new pups. They went elsewhere. I went to Moonglow. It was some time ago... though sometimes I think of that scar-faced woman and her eyes of twilight and sun. He thinks then with a fond smile and not knowing that is was Sakhmet's mother which he remembered with such fondness.

She listened and learned — both of Aiolos and of Kukutux. Things she had not known about the Moonwoman.

Aiolos had been a man of an island. Kukutux had been a woman of many places, seemingly intended to be wed forever. Something about it sat odd in the back of her mind. Sent off to be wed. Had it been from her mother? For the duck herself seemed keen to pair the near yearling children off. Perhaps it was a tradition learned.

Then tragedy — for what was a story without it? — struck among where Kukutux once lived. Moonspear. A place unknown by the Melonii who had lived plenty of her life in the woods and then had drifted away.

But the story ended on a mention of a woman who was clearly not Kukutux. Eyes of...twilight and sun? Scar-faced could have fit perhaps but —

Who is she? The twilight and sun one? There was warm humor in her voice, wondering what woman had been important enough to punctuate the story of Aiolos' and Kukutux's union.

Aiolos would not have imagined she did not know the name of Moonspear or the Ostrega who once ruled upon it. A pack once so large and so great, they had expanded into a second pack in the valley below and many spoke of their name with both fear and admiration. As they had the Nereides where Aiolos had hailed and a type of people which had come here a time or two before. They were not all that far from here, given one of their scouting missions was the reason why Aiolos himself had been led to these lands. 

Anywho...

She? A furrowed brow quirked up. Ah, a good woman. I did not feel right, leading without a woman at my side and so she joined me at it. We did our best to keep Yuelong afloat until there was little left. He did not know how well that sounded, those words, to have to have a woman at his side. He had been a slave to women and did not feel comfortable leading his own, over any woman. These words went unsaid, as he did not often share them just to anyone. 

Well, she looked to be a woman who had seen and done many a thing, some not so good... You could tell it, in her eyes. See it from the mangled side of her face and her mate whose throat had been torn. He spoke as he thought of her face now. But she wanted change, wanted rest, deep in her soul and her mate was a quiet fellow, but a stern patrol. 

They found peace in Yuelong, for however long it last. When we parted, they said they were looking to reunite with more family and wouod come to Moonglow if they could not. I've not seen then since, so hope that they had found them. 

He explained the last pack mates of Yuelong before it dispursed. Then, realizing he had not given a name, Her name was Maegi.

"...You could tell it, in her eyes. See it from the mangled side of her face and her mate whose throat had been torn."

Oh. No. No, no, no. Surely not. A description that felt entirely too personal and too unique. Sakhmet immediately sealed off her features into something unreadable. Whatever warmth or humor had played along her face before had been lost.

It was coincidence. Someone who matched the description of twilight, sun, mangled face. A wonderful, terrible one in a million chance.

It would always be one step forward and ten back.

"Her name was Maegi."

No, thank you. She wished to politely step back to a few moments before, she wished to set this conversation down, she wished to disappear entirely! Because Sakhmet knew she had been that family to be found. Only to have left her own mother! Her siblings!

Silence had settled for far too long between them, she realized belatedly. It had become far too late to play it off.

She felt corned suddenly. The knowledge that Aiolos knew her mother. The knowledge that they had apparently not come to Moonglow and Sakhmet was only left with the shredded tendrils of a possible (re)reunion.

Did she even want that? Did her mother? How long had it been? How awful had Sakhmet been to wander again and again?

When she opened her mouth, there was the soft choke of a breath hitched —

Maegi...Maegi Melonii? And her mate was Mou, wasn't it? Four little ones?

There was a long silence. The warmth in her features gone, to replace something unreadable. One thing was certain however- the mention of this woman had struck a nerve in Sakhmet. She must have known her. 

Aiolos' creamy lips turned down in a frown. His thoughts leading to him that the little woman before him must have crossed paths with Maegi. Maybe not in the best way... and here was Aiolos, trying to state that she had been a good woman. At least, to him. To her mate. To the pups she cared for. 

Then, she spoke a family name unknown to Aiolos, but Mou was known and there four children- Vesper, Prevost, Peregrine, Blueberry... I believe she had gone by Blackfeather, when we met. But none the less he had nodded carefully, confirming truth to the rest. Its been... a full year and a half, since. He added, should she have any ill feelings towards the woman. After so much time past, Aiolos did not believe it likely he would see her or her family again.

Sh-she was my mother.

Was.

Is?

She did not know. Could not know.

You met my mother.

She did not know if she had anything else she could say right now.

Her mother.

Still, Aiolos did not know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. He didn't know if he should ask and so, as Aiolos did when he was not certain, he said nothing. 

Small world, hu? He mused then only and added along, to draw the conversation and yet, not make it seem so much that he was changing the subject. 

Do you have much of a liking for the ocean yourself?

She appreciated it. The sudden change.

Distance from her mother was familiar. As awful as that sounded. It would be easier to box it all back up in a horrible manner and unpack it later.

Another self imposed thing to mourn.

Yes, talk about the ocean, Sakhmet.

O-oh. Yes, I'm...inexperienced with the coast. But the trip with Kukutux! Stumbling over her words now, but she forced herself to carry on. I would like to take Kivaluk to see it sometime.

Bashful now.

She had gone to the ocean with Kukutux- yes. Aiolos remembered the three days his mate had said she would be gone, taking this firey woman on this trip. Aiolos tail padded the earth behind him, happy to see in Sakhmet's eyes that it had gone well. With Kigipigak having left (again) the woman before him needed something good. 

Many of the men left in Moonglow. Some returned. Some did not. All seemed to fail their mates at one point or another. Aiolos had yet to, as far he knew and hoped he never would. Aiolos wasn't going anywhere. 

If Aiolos took Sakhmet as wife, would she turn back to Kigipigak, upon his return? What would then happen if again he was gone when a new litter was at her belly? Would her pups be left with a confusion of who was their father? 

The thoughts made Aiolos stomach turn. He hoped Kukutux was making the right choice, thinking first of Sakhmet for her co-wife. 

I had spoken to Rodyn, about how I'd like for us to go to the sea lion shores for a hunt. Just off the coast there is the island where I once lived. It would be nice for us to hunt together there and perhaps visit the isle.

faaade and something new soon please? <3

You should gather them, Rodyn and Kivaluk, and plan it.

Her eyes shined warm, but she felt the soft tug to be alone once more. With her thoughts of the sea and her thoughts of her own mother.

But I'll be waiting for my invite too... Voice trailing off softly, a gentle flex of her toes at the earth.

She felt ready to leave, but not without some sense of approval first.

A little late but, yes! Probably after we know how the conception thread goes. ;)

 

I think that I might. He spoke when she mentioned gathering first hunter and his second for the hunt. Aiolos would bring any of Moonglow that wished to take the venture to the coast and hunt and hoped that Sakhmet and Kukutux would be among them. Kausiut also came to mind, who hunted with the walrus. He would love to see his daughter's knowledge of the coast in action.