Ouroboros Spine I can say that I have

Forward dated a day or two!

It was good to be home, but so much had changed in Nasamiituuq's time away. Anaa had a new husband, and now, new children. These were beautiful things. This was a happy time.

So why did Nasamiituuq feel like crying whenever she looked at anaa or her new children?

She told herself she didn't know, and she kept her mind on herbs and healing. She had learned much from watching anaa's labors — enough to be grateful now that she had not been allowed within the whelping den at Hearthwood. Yet she hoped that by the next season, she would be capable of assisting laboring women alone.

Not for any lack of love for @Kukutux or her instruction, of course! Nasamiituuq adored her grandmother above all else, and looked to her wisdom in all things. She only hoped to one day have her own wisdom. Her own village, even. Nasamiituuq did not know if she would ever be anaa, but she knew that she wished to help women become such.

As she gathered herbs under the midday sun, the girl fantasized about a village of her own. Some place by the sea. Saltshore come again, without the shadow of her father cast over it. Maybe anaa would be proud of her then.

He was still a little shell-shocked by the reality of finally having a family of his own. When he looked at his wife and his daughters, he felt sometimes as if he must be looking into an alternate dimension at some other man's family; a man who was like himself — only better. But he supposed that, if this was his reality, then he must really be that man.

Somehow, the thought was not a comforting one. Rather, his anxiety had skyrocketed. There was so much hanging on his capability and attention.

He was away from the den today to give Vairë a short break from his — admittedly — restless companionship. He would tire himself out on a hunt or something, and then return to her level-headed and calm once more. He could do this, right?

When he caught sight of Nasamiituuq, he veered in her direction without much thought. They'd never spent much time together; Valiant thought that she shared a trait with him that he also shared with Aiolos, and it was sort of funny, when he thought about it, even if it left things rather awkward.

"Hey," he said, a warm smile on his face despite his otherwise frayed and bedraggled countenance. "Wanna help me with something for your momma?"