Ouroboros Spine of a longing spirit

While Rhaegal thought of her, she too thought of him.

Vairë, dressed in her fox coat, walked the shore of the lake she had languished beside what felt like years ago. No more was she broken, fitful girl, wanting and wanting what she could not have. Now, she was doe woman, to be wed to sea salt stag.

And where he wished to go, she would follow. Vairë had spent almost two years in the village, perhaps on and off again, but there. Waiting in the wings for something to happen, her cue to come on stage and come alive. Samani and Rodyn were wed, Kausuit was with the walrus hunters and briefly among their number, and those were her siblings that were her same age. Say nothing of Stratos, already bringing in two potential wives, or Callyope’s man she had heard talk of.

Yes. Perhaps it was time, she mused, to disperse out into the world before her anaa whelped in spring. And, she shyly, quietly hoped, she would whelp come summer.

shikoba had always felt like the spotlight was a fight between her and her siblings, though specifically, it was between her and her older brother. they both had wanted their place to be within the ranks with the adults as leader and chieftain, but truly there was only 1 heir to the clearing.

and shikoba was never soft-spoken when it came to demanding things in her youth. she spoke with fire in her tongue and refused to take no as an answer at times. and while this trait has gone away with age, sometimes shikoba thinks about her spitfire youth. and yet she was surrounded by wolves with teeth and kind words. her son was temperate and easy to get along with, not headstrong like his mother was at his age.

perhaps this was inutsuk's doing. perhaps mojag held more of his father than his mother. and for a moment, shikoba did not dare to think of such a thing. 

her paws carry her to the lake, and here she sees the deer child. once she was upon the borders searing with an infection and seemingly a broken heart. yet now the girl has danced with the other men and appears content. star hunter offers her a gentle greeting of a chuff.

"you seem happy, vairë." she says this with a smile on her face, "it brings joy to Moonglow to see this." 

Vairë turned at the star-hunter’s approach, and to her words she would smile.

I am happy. She said, slowing down to greet the woman with a happy wave of her tail. It was rather embarrassing to get caught daydreaming like that, she chided herself throughly.

It is good to see you, Shikoba. Last they had spoke alone like this, Vairë had been insensate, babbling and raving. Now, she hoped she was the exact opposite of such a creature.

confirmation of such a thought. shikoba was pleased to know that the village was full of content hearts and full caches. "and you," she would tell the girl gently, "did you meet someone that makes you so happy?" she asks for a moment, like an auntie who comes to Christmas just for the drama her nieces and nephews find themselves in. and while most would probably apologize for such a question, shikoba's social skills of realizing what is and is not appropriate to ask was still not fully installed.

after all, it was hard to not just pop the question after hearing of the courting that had come to be in the glen. shikoba was not there, but in a way wished she had witnessed the display of beautiful daughters and strong men. the growing generations reminded her of her age and almost regrets having to grow older with time.

Her smile was quick on her face, her tail wagging as she thought of her stag.

I did. And every time she thought of him, she warmed in her chest.

He is of the long salt. We met at the time of dancing, though anaa had met him before then. He was so very kind, respectful, I knew I was meant to be with him. The young woman reached up to tuck her paw over her nose in fragile embarrassment.

He wants children, and I do too. She admitted in the quiet, soft way she had taken up when it came to speaking of this.

she speaks highly of this man from the sea.

and when she tries to seemingly hide her embarrassment, the woman offers a fluttery laugh and comes to brush her muzzle against vairë's shoulder in a comforting manner. "he sounds special," she would come to tell her, "is he a hunter? or a trader?" his role truly did not matter much to shikoba, though she wanted to ensure that the girl would be well-cared for by this man.

when she comes to say her wish to bear his hearth, this intrigues shikoba. star hunter never imagined having kids when she was younger, as she was too focused on her work to try and inherit the village and care for her family. but with her life-changing trajectory, she has come to find herself bearing titles she did not expect to have.

wife. mother.

"it is a lot of work to be anaa," shikoba says softly, "you feel ready for it?"