Ouroboros Spine you are the moon

"sister," shikoba would whisper in a weaker voice from surviving this winter, "many things are in my mind this spring." she had called for @Kukutux in this sharing of her words, for her ears only. shikoba would not bear such pain to her kin, she wants her memories to only be of light.

family. her sons, her daughter, her husband. 
star hunter was growing tired. and it was time that she shared this burden with the others, so that perhaps when the unforgiving action occurs, they might be ready.

"i know my time is coming, and i do not fear the end as i once did."

shikoba's eyes would be gentle upon her moon woman. she takes a breath, and perhaps kukutux would see the greying that has occurred over shikoba's mottled coat. 

"doe daughter has risen; i am proud of her. as i am for all of your kin, and my own children as well. ajei-- i hope she will remain under your guidance especially." shikoba had shed her tears in many silent nights, and now did not wish to cry anymore.

"my people do not linger on death, it is my hope that this village will not either."

for kuku when you have time!

amorphous place in timeline <3

always, always, so much to be done.

but nothing in moonglow stood now between moonmother and her step to the ulaq of the ailing star hunter who had kept the village while she had been away.

soft jadestone eyes traveled over the ashen places upon the wondrous pelt; she wanted to weep, and her throat clenched.

for a long moment she remained silent, holding shikoba's paw between her own, thinking of how long they had been companions, been sisters.

"ajei's place at my hearth is forever, anikatiga." 

kukutux did not forget that she had wished to carry on shikoba's ways; her eyes brimmed and she brushed at the falling tears with a small laugh, saying, "if you are not afraid, then i cannot be either!"

her chin trembled.

"tell me first what your people do for a girl who is to become a woman. i will help you do this for ajei." the duck would not even envision that she could do this alone; the girl must have her mother for this. "and i have the want that your way is done for all the next daughters of moonglow," kukutux murmured.

she was hesitant to say the next, and yet, hoarsely; "and then tell to me what your people do for death, and i will do these things for you." did shikoba not wish their death songs? the duck was unoffended; she wished to treasure the ways of her sister, and would put them aside if this was desired. 

but kukutux sought ritual in all things, and so she hoped that the star hunter would want some rite, some word; she felt a chill rush through her at the bleakness of contemplating shikoba's empty place among them, and her eyes heated again with tears.

she could see it, and shikoba lets her shoulder carry the weight of her sister's grief. and even here she would press a tender kiss to her temple, one to offer her strength and compassion during this conversation. "we have nothing to fear, precious sister." shikoba's voice is nothing but a whisper.

for many years, shikoba wondered of what her death may be like. and the thought always remained so scary because it felt so unknown. but the years have given the old woman time to think, nights to ponder. and she's been slowly letting go of her fears as she sleeps better than she has in years.

"the Kinaaldá is a 4 day process, to welcome a girl becoming a woman," she tells her sister with a thrum of pride, "each day, she will run into the east, to ensure she grows strong and powerful. there are songs, and offerings to be made during the last evening to honor the spirits who watch over her, to help guide her."

it was a long process, and shikoba would be without some of the essential aspects of the tradition. but she would make do with what she could, and provide ajei with all the knowledge of her people and history so that she might always remember where she came from.

but as for shikoba's mortality?

"bury me with what has been in my ulaq, my people fear that ghosts become hostile to the living." shikoba could never see such a thing occur, she knew that whatever lay ahead, there would only be acceptance for the shedding of the mortal realm and flesh. "there is a spot in the grove, where our sister löte had buried my children who did not breathe when mojag was born." shikoba ponders. "i wish to be near them, so they might know my embrace at last."

she would show her, in time. she looks to her sister with a soft look. "i know that your people have your death songs," she tells her, "i welcome moonglow to practice what you have taught them, too. the spine has been my home, the cultures have shaped me of both my history and yours." shikoba would give the duck that sense of peace, and to let her grieve and process as any strong woman from her clan would.

by the grove she means aumauttak grove right? ;; <3

you are my sister.

she held the ailing hand; she kept her eyes from spilling their rivers of desperation to keep shikoba here.

"tell me all of this that you know. after ajei has done it, then @Galana will make the same path, and @Nasamiituuq. the young women of village moonglow will remember your name when they run the trail of the sun, anikatiga."

now the springjade vision did blur; she breathed in and pushed away the sobbing that wished to be given voice.

let the spirits of this star-woman dance among their own, guide the children of the villages. let her songs and her prayers be wound together into the singing of moonglow to the dancing lights. it must be done. it would be done.

"you will lay in the grove with what you have known, with your children. and we will sing you all to the dancing lights."

a catching pain in her side now; to have the name fade, to have the name of star-hunter go from the mouths of moonglow; no; no. no. she must remove this taboo from her people.

and something cried out within her, to think of

samani.

"tell me when to call ajei to your side. i will go and bring her myself, shikoba."

yes! tags for vis
shikoba would come to gently explain the tradition, to the best of her own memory. the 4 days to represent the seasons. ajei will run to the east each day, twice or thrice if she must, to ensure she grows to be as strong as her anaa. kukutux would be tasked with symbolically molding her each day of the 4, letting her touch run along the shape of ajei; this is to ensure she is shaped in the vision of the leading women of her village. ajei would only eat the simplest of foods, no seasonings of any sorts, just the flesh of the animals and the harvest of the land. on the 3rd day, ajei will have to hunt on her own, to bring something back for the village to eat, she must bury and store the kill. she would then have to bring it to her village on the 4th night, where they might finally welcome her as a woman of the tribe, and kukutux will shape her once more before seeing ajei no longer as a child, but as a capable adult-- starhunter's successor.

there is a gentle sweep over her heart, to know that her culture would not die with the clearing and not with her own death, but live within the hearts of the girls here. this was how shikoba would live on, and she leans into her sister as she must blink away her own tears.

"i will call," she murmurs softly to him, and she thinks of her wayward sons, of @Mojag and @Chiteo and her @Rodyn. "send word to moontide, to the ears of rodyn and mojag, and even if chiteo is somewhere to be found."

and let them know that they are so loved.

<33

"i will send word, sister."

it would be done. oh! her eyes gathered a thousand more tears, and she knew each day hence meant to be the same. but ajei was now given these songs, this rite, the words. and kukutux repeated them as shikoba gave each, treasuring every sound as if it had come from the spirits themselves.

perhaps in a way it would.

"your name will go on."

they would not forget it.

now kukutux held her sister closer and told her those more humorous stories of their time together, the tales of motherhood and of the stars high above, and her voice did not stop until the next light had come again.