Ouroboros Spine oakspine

will post w kuku after! <3

the gravity of what they'd discussed finally settled on the young moonthorn woman, who rubbed her belly absently and stood with a groan.
"it feels like it hasn't been any time at all!" she murmured to @Kivaluk, leaning against him as they made their way to find moon woman.
she would be near vaire, chickadee expected, and found herself nervous, wondering if kukutux would be upset at their plans for the future. the pale woman welcomed the young wolves with a warm word, opening her embrace to them both, and chickadee looked to her mate, hoping he would do the talking.

soon, they will be here. the knowledge of which hastens his step.


in truth, he was less nervous about bringing their plans to kukutux than he had galana, believing that she would understand: that it wasn't goodbye, that they would still visit, and that this was the best. for the young family, for brecheliant and moonglow.

he returns his mom's greeting with an affectionate nudge to her cheek.

hi mom, he greets, retreating back to take a seat beside chickadee. he draws in a breath, steeling his shoulders, fixing the moonwoman in his silvered champagne gaze. steady. strong.

chickadee and i've decided to move to brecheliant, he doesn't beat around the bush, not good at building it up. he was the sort that would rather rip the bandage off then try to gently coax it. after some discussion, we think this is the best decision. she can be close to her family while she prepares to and eventually gives birth.

his heart thrums in his throat, sure that he was doing this all wrong.

he wants to sing praises of moonglow, of her, of everything she's done for him and chickadee ... but he hopes such exaltations don't need said.

she had not expected this.

chickadee was quiet before her. kivaluk spoke definitively.

kukutux felt a brief sorrow, a brief insult. maia had rejected her overtures of allyship between moonglow and brecheliant. now her daughter returned, and with her firsthunter.

brecheliant would gain much in this.

but she chided herself. a daughter returned to her mother. was this not the way she had always felt?

"very well, my son." the words were soft in arrival. "you are not married yet," and her emerald gaze swept between them. "will you seek this now? or later?" her eyes were on chickadee now; a smile touched her. "your mother will be happy to have you home."

she had many grandchildren around her. perhaps healing might come when maia saw she did not begrudge the same for the caldera woman.

she couldn't tell how kukutux felt. the older woman had been silent, and then acceptant. but the gamma worried and it showed; she inched closer as the alabaster wolf looked at her now.
"you've been a family to me, to — to us. all i love about kivaluk i think was nurtured here," she said softly, earnestly. "and i want our kids to know you too. we won't be strangers, moon woman."

there is sorrow steeping low in his heart; this is the only home he's ever known and kivaluk did not harbor the penchant for abandoning as his parents before him. but he hoped this would help both packs and perhaps cement an allyship between them — because he could not imagine living in a place where moonwoman was not able to visit him or his children.

a look is given to chickadee — his wife in all ways except in the tradition of the moonpeople — and then his gaze goes to the swell of her belly.

later, when the children can be apart of it. he is already nervous about time and wants to make it to brecheliant before she gives birth. perhaps we can make an event between both packs. he suggests, though he would not speak for brecheliant's leadership.

they would not be married now, kivaluk thinking of the children to come and the blackthorn family who had given chickadee life.

at this, kukutux nodded. she did not miss the way that her son looked his wife with admiring adoration, and this pleased her heart no matter the grief that might later take hold.

"walk with sedna," she said at last, embracing them each once and then together. "we will sing you there."

she would handle the matter of firsthunter; for now kukutux only wished for these young wolves to be happy in their choice.

she accepts their decision — his decision — to move, to hold off on the wedding with grace.

his smile is soft and a little bit sad as she embraces them again, individually then together.

love you. i'll come get you when the kids are born. because it was important to him that they knew their grandmother, for kukutux might not've been his blood but she was the only mother that mattered. she was the one that had stepped up, that had been a constant in his life.

it felt like a closing of a chapter and starting a new, uncertain one. in a new pack, a new father and husband, but had every intention of doing the best he could.

chickadee wasn't sure how to read the moon woman. she came gratefully for the hugs but looked mostly toward kivaluk. if anyone knew what kukutux was feeling, it would be her intended.
"yes! please come!" she urged her mother in law with a laugh. maia was welcome and would be a great help, but chickadee couldn't pass up the chance to have two grandmothers at the birth of her children! how lucky for them.

one returned, and so it would be. chickadee had been destined to come among them and to marry since she had met stratos. the red son would not have left his home, but would he have been a good match for chickadee, or she for him?

"daughters return to their mothers," moonwoman clucked in winter tongue, holding the girl's eyes and then nodding to her son. "do not forget that they need spirit names, kivaluk," kukutux murmured, "whispered once into the closed ear, and then once more to their open ear when they come of age, years later."

but that was all, and her smile let them go.