Ouroboros Spine apittuk ⦆

the days went on and sakhmet did not return.

kukutux brought @Galana out of doors with her and settled to a small pile of new deer-hides. "we will scrape them," she said to the girl, demonstrating with her teeth how to peel gristle from one side.

the boys tumbled and played.

"and then i will ask firsthunter and the husband of the starwoman to come and help me take these to the lake."

one day galana would know all these words. for now, kukutux spoke as if he did. and shortly moonwoman began a working chant.

where is the fox?
he hides in the forest
where is the deer?
he hides with the fox!
our hunters find them
our hunters chase
but the deer hides his antlers,
and the fox hides his face

tags for ref! also written super late so apologies now if the post doesn't make sense <3

while shikoba often busied herself with caring for her newest children, she decided to leave them in the care of @Inutsuk while she ventured out of the ulaq for a stretch of her legs. they were growing bigger and stronger with each passing day; their babbles turned into meaningful words and their legs carried them greater distances. after giving the 3 of them her kisses, the woman was off to hunt.

not too long into her journey, shikoba would make a stark discovery. it was what appeared to be an abandoned nest of goose eggs. 3 of them were left, with no traces of others. and when shikoba cautiously put a nose over them, they felt cold. she was no bird expert by any means, but she did know that geese were incredible parents and never left their nest alone when it has eggs.

she could only assume the worst had happened here. but opportunity raised its head, thus shikoba was quick to search for one of the caribou skins that was prepared long ago to place the eggs inside. it was by chance that she would see moon woman and Sahkmet's child outside of their own den with their own duties with deer hides. a muffled croon is offered to them as the little woman comes closer.

her tail happily wags behind her as she would come to place the skin down and allow for the corners to unfurl, revealing the 3 sizeable eggs inside.

it was perfect i loved it!

"star hunter!" moonwoman greeted as shikoba approached. her mouth watered for the eggs, for nursing four pups was great strain upon her body.

and yet she did not complain. "did you fight for these, sister?" kukutux jested a little, motioning galana closer to observe them also.

together they were mothers again, and the duck regarded shikoba with great affection as she shifted the hide-piles so they could sit as one.

"they were alone," she comes to say as she looks over her sister, "do you hunger?" shikoba knew the strain of nursing, though she has been lucky with her smaller litters. kukutux, on the other hand, was responsible for so many more mouths. she wondered if the moon woman preferred her eggs caught early or with a bird partially developed in it.

she would come to push the two largest ones closer to kukutux, though they were all sizeable enough to satiate the hunger of any wolf. and shikoba would come to observe the work over the hides while Galana clung to moon woman's side. "they grow stronger. i hope to bring chiteo and ajei near when they are big enough." her kids were still on the cusp of just too young; shikoba didn't think waiting until they were more stable on their feet would kill them anyways.

"how have you been, sister?" she comes to ask softly, "you have many to care for." shikoba could only hope that kukutux was taking time to care for herself besides her own children and husband.

"i do," and in gratitude kukutux took one of the eggs, mouthing it carefully so that she did not break it.

"that is good. my sons, they are rough. they tumble and shout." such times were not welcoming to the very young.

she punctured the shell of one egg next, the rich taste of yolk on her tongue.

"i am tired. but soon they will not need so much milk, and then i will call firsthunter to come and show them teaching."

all in the spine had become hunters after a form. it was one of their enduring strengths.

so sorry for the disappearance, things had gotten crazy again. but ready to write this girl :) hope you don't mind me jumping in late

she did not quite understand greetings yet, but little galana looked to the visitor with something akin to a smile. the interruption of her prized time with the moonwoman was duly noted, but she looked to shikoba with flattened ears and what she understood to be proper, friendly body language. her ears occasionally turned the commotion of her brother's behind her, interest arising; galana found herself to focused on the interaction at hand.

she moved forward to meekly observe the "eggs?"

❝egg?❞ out of all the words that piqued her interest, galana looked at the odd figure and back to kukutux.

shock was clear on her expression as the pale woman took one, gently cracking it. her head tilted and the ears formerly pressed backwards tilted forward.

<333

"they are quiet, my son and daughter," she says thoughtfully as she watches the little girl grow with interest as moon woman was careful with her meal, "little ajei is shy. i hope she will find comfort in your daughters." it was always difficult to be the younger ones, but thankfully there was not too much separation of age between the litters.

shikoba would come to take her own egg, following in the same path of cracking it so gently to ensure the whole thing did not spill. she could be heard loudly crunching on the calcium before lapping in part of the yolk. and at the sight of curious little galana, shikoba comes to press her nose against the egg while looking towards the girl softly. "eggs, from sister goose." and if she were allowed a taste, shikoba would push her own egg forward to see if galana had any desire to taste what the matriarchs ate.

"first hunter walks the path of a man, he has grown." it was not difficult to see in the way that kivaluk presented himself.

<33

"i think that she will. already she comes close. i keep her with me," kukutux assured, wishing her sister to know that ajei was safe when she was away from the star hunter's ulaq.

the duck watched fondly as shikoba introduced the eggs to galana, her face warm with encouraging light.

"soon it will be time for him to marry," she commented of kivaluk. the springjade eyes were wondering. "what is the way of your people?" she asked, wishing for the young hunter to know both things.