Hoshor Plains saumik ⋭

bear brother! hunt mother!
we see and wear your hides
milk sister! shadow other!
you have one face for us to wear!

the song was repeated in rounds. moonglow camp was a din of overlapping voices, the smells of fresh fish and dried meat brought from the spine. soon they would have bloodied flesh and great piles of fat, and she thought wildly of a way she could bring even two of the great bones back with them!

at length, kukutux glanced up, seeing an approaching figure move close to the oak trees.

I'm assuminggg this isn't meant for anyone specific <3

With a hushed invitation for @Boone to join her if he wanted, Reverie picked her way through the crowd toward Moonglow's camp, slightly awed by the sound of singing. She meant to speak with Kukutux, her mind crowded by thoughts of the plans she'd made with her husband for the coming spring. Children. Pregnancy. Out of place here, surely, but when would she next find this opportunity?

Hello, She greeted softly when she found the pale woman, tail swaying gently. Do you um, do you have a moment to talk? Reverie cast a glance around to be certain no one else was looking for Kukutux's attention just then.

nope! ty for joining <3

kiaranatuuk returned.

kukutux sensed more behind the soft words.

"come. sit with me," she invited, shifting on deerskin to invite reverie closer. "tell me the thoughts you have."

Kukutux was a warm and maternal presence, as she'd been when they'd first met. Reverie smiled, letting some of the tension fall away from her as she sat beside the woman. She hesitated only a moment before she began.

Well, I - She let out a small breath. I wanted to ask for your help - if you can. And - whatever you might want in return, I can give it. I - I want to try to... have more children. But after the first time - I was so sick... I almost died. So I was wondering if - if there's anything you could do to help me avoid that. Any knowledge you could offer, or - even if you might know someone who could come to Hearthwood to help.

I was trained as a healer, but I - have a hard time treating myself, Reverie confessed, ears lowering a little in shame. It was just different when it was her own health, her own body. She hoped that Kukutux might understand, but could not shake her guilt to have even asked this of a woman she hardly knew, who surely had her own life and responsibilities to tend.

reverie asked for moonmother's wisdom, and offered trade for the words.

kukutux felt that the hearthwood leader held much respect. "it can be difficult to understand what it is you yourself needs."

she thought of the red tea she had made for ariadne, but until she knew more, she could not advise. "how were you sick the first time? stomach sour or blood? and your children, how many did you bear?"

to almost die in pregnancy was one thing. to die in childbirth was another. did she not know this? "how many women are in your village, reverie?"

Both, but mostly blood, She answered quietly, shivering a little as she said it. Reverie was grateful that Kukutux seemed to want to help, but she dreaded it, too. She dreaded pregnancy. While I was pregnant, and - after, too. I only had one daughter, but I - I bled so much while having her, it almost killed me. And then after that, I just... kept bleeding, every so often. More every time. I was - too young, I know that. Only a year old. But my mother had a difficult time with pregnancy, too, so I don't know if I'll have more problems.

There are only two others - both young, She added. Reverie did not think either of them had experienced a similar anomaly.

reverie's story caused a twinge of fear in kukutux to remember her sea-dancing-girl and to think of ariadne, so young and yet ready to become anaa herself.

she wondered sternly who had laid with reverie in such a time. it did not sound as if she had been formed enough to fall pregnant the first time, and she agreed within herself that a second time might harm the golden sparrow further.

she considered the large man often close to reverie, her husband if moonmother must guess. "i can prepare a tea for you, to take when your time comes and to take after. but you will need rest for the many weeks you grow your children. and you might consider in your mind to wait another hand of time, another twelve moons."

Reverie nodded with an immediate and desperate gratitude not unlike a drowning woman reaching for an offered hand. She had assured Boone otherwise, but she truly felt that pregnancy might mean her death. Any potential solution, then, was a welcome respite from this fear.

Thank you, She said softly, hesitating a moment before she added, Do you think - you could speak with my husband, too? His name is Boone, and he - he's the one I want there when I - for the birth. If - if there's anything I can give you in return, just name it. I can't tell you how much this means to me. The familiar heat of tears threatened her as she said it, but Reverie held them back through great effort.

kukutux nodded slowly. "i will say these things to your husband, but listen to me, kiaranatuuk. you will need women for this."

she thought for a moment, studying the sober and lovely features of reverie. "if i prepared a place for you in my village, would you think to bear your children there? there will always be someone to watch over you, and when your little ones can walk, we will bring them home to hearthwood."

"if this is not for you, i say that i will travel. many have need of me. maybe hearthwood will send a healer, to be trained." a thought was taking root in her mind, one that she would share with @Aiolos, @Vairë, and @Shikoba.

if sedna did not bless her again, kukutux would become irnisiksiiji and keep a moving camp in the wilderness. she was not yet slow, her teeth ached but she could fish for herself. her mind counted the young women she thought would bring forth new young; vairë, sialuk, ariadne, chickadee, and reverie. in moonsong there were two other she-wolves she had not yet met. in moontide there were two young women as of yet unknown to her, and two she knew in passing to be the wife of the prolific, bawdy seal hunter man, chakliux: tullik and marina. and now reverie was among them.

and perhaps heph would be also, along with shikoba.

there was much life to be guided. she considered an apprentice from each moonvillage to travel with her, and perhaps when they had gained their own expertise she would send them alone.

she had many things to consider.

Tag for ref!

Reverie considered this for a long moment; to be pregnant and away from the home she and her husband had made for themselves, for their future. She trusted Kukutux — and the woman was right, of course she was right, pregnancy and childbirth were matters of women. No man could hope to truly understand. He might be sympathetic, he might be supportive, but how could he ever understand? To give all of yourself to the creation of life, to feel it like a disease written into your bones, to call it a blessing anyway because the love is equal to the suffering.

It was the most vulnerable time in a woman's life, she felt. In Moonglow there would be others, there would be Kukutux with her gentle wisdom and her healing knowledge. But it would not be home. And Boone — he would be alone among the willows for those long weeks, alone and wondering each day if the promise of his future had been lost to him somewhere far across the mountains. But maybe this was her best chance — their best chance.

Reverie was uncertain.

She did not want to ask Kukutux to travel, but neither did she think that she wanted to be away from her newly-formed home for so long. It's kind of you to offer, but I - I don't know if I want to be away from home, She confessed after a small silence. The first time - I was in a new place, and my ex-husband - he left me there. And Boone, he - he wants to be there for me. But we can't both be gone from Hearthwood for so long.

I hate to ask you to travel, but - I would appreciate it. Hearthwood does have an aspiring healer, @Reina. I'm sure she would be happy to learn from you. I would be happy to learn from you, if I didn't have so many responsibilities back home, Reverie let out a soft breath, wondering for a moment if Kukutux might have become something like a mother to her in another life, as Gunnar had become her father.

Perhaps, Reverie thought, Kukutux could be grandmother to her children nonetheless. If she wanted such a title. If she could help give them life, and preserve Reverie's own — did that not make her as essential and beloved as any grandparent? Reverie hardly knew her, and already she held the seed of admiration and affection for the woman in her heart.

reverie considered, but wished to remain in hearthwood. her sharing of past events and the stalwart nature of her second mate drew an understanding nod. kukutux would not have delivered her children anywhere else than the hearth she and aiolos had built together.

"then when i return home, i will speak to my village about my traveling this spring. i will see many places. and i will train reina at my camp, if you will send her. when you are not so bound to home, come and learn from me also."

movement in spring. rest in summer.

the seasons went on. 

"when will i share words with your husband?" kukutux murmured gently.

When you are not so bound to home.

How could she tell Kukutux that this would never come to pass? Boone would never want her gone for so long. Reverie only smiled faintly, but she suddenly felt starved for air.

Maybe - maybe when you come to Hearthwood? She answered in hushed tones, turning thoughtful now. When I'm certain I'm pregnant, I'll - send someone to Moonglow. To tell you, and travel with you if you want. Will um... will you be bringing others from Moonglow? Reverie would need to know if they were meant to host more than just Kukutux; it meant more preparations, finding sleeping places and filling caches.

"i think nasamiituuq will come with me. she is the daughter of my own daughter," moonwoman explained, then nodded to reverie.

"i will come as soon as i am able, when your message travels to my village."

her paw was gentle atop that of reverie. "i will bring all my medicines."