Firefly Glen iktsuarpok ✥

"@Rodyn," kukutux said quietly, waiting until the bear-man had heard her before turning away. she meant for him to follow.

she had not brought hides today, only an otterskin filled with morsels which might tempt rodyn's appetite. for now she set it aside, wading into a small stream.

splashing water along her dust-stained forearms, moonmother glanced at the quiet man with his contemplative eyes. "callyope is ready to marry. she has asked me to gather names. already yours was among them."

a brief pause followed. "i will not say this is sure to be done. i will not make a promise where there is not one. but," she went on, pulling from the stream to gather the otterhide, "she has asked also that i set her bride price." and only one man had ever paid it in the proper way.

There was a quet seriosuness to the moonwoman today. And Rodyn quickly followed unsure and a little worried. She had much pain lately. And he would not add to it by being a bad son in law.

Rodyn blinked surprised at her words. He thought of their interactions. Callyope had seemed as friendly as always. There had not been an undercurrent of anything else.

But too, he was twice her age. It was entirely possible if he were to marry her. He would leave her alone. And having lost a spouse. His chest hurt at the thought of the pain he would put her through.

And yet Callyope had a spirit similar to his. He enjoyed their interactions. He loved her as family and she was his friend. It was better to marry a friend and let it grow he supposed. And he could love her eventually, possibly already had a small fondness for her. He had been happier in their recent interactions than before. And he felt ready again.

When he had been given Ariadne's name it had made him wary for she was a sister, that also looked more like Samani than Callyope did. And he had been fearful he would have done her an injustice in that regard. Not to mention he had not been ready to set aside his grief.

Rodyn shifted. You are asking me to gather a bride price in case she should choose me?

He furrowed his brow. Callyope is sweet and kind and she has a good spirit. She is also a dear friend. My only fear is our age difference. Eventually moonwoman I will leave her alone. And that is a very painful thing.

He shifted and took a breath. But if she can accept that. I will gather a bride price for a chance to be her choice.

thoughtfulness moved across his face, and kukutux was patient. the words he gathered would each be held with care. 

"yes. you are older. you have seen more. for all that she has traveled, i do not know that she has gone far. but before we shared these words, once before, she had spoken of a long courtship." kukutux recognized her hypocrisy in this, thinking of the winterhawk as she had not in some time. there were great differences, she told herself, foremost being that rodyn would not carry callyope away from the sunshine people. she was young, but another year had added to her wisdom.

"aya! do not ask that you gather anything. i am the one who is gathering," she teased with a small grin. "first i collect these names. then i make meetings. then it is to he and to her, to make this choice."

her eyes were warm upon him. "she has waited. anaa was hers to be this year. wife also. she did not seek these things. instead she builds in the name of her sister, and has come to love your son as samani might have done. callyope does not fear time."

of her own accord she had become his family. in the duck's mind, such things were already half-done. but perhaps it was not meant to be more. "i have said all this. but i will say another. when the great hunt has begun, and we have started our feasting and our dancing, rodyn, do not hold back. laugh with others. show yourself to the women. yes. this too is a dance. nothing yet has been decided."

she was his law-mother; kukutux could not suggest that rodyn allow himself to be drawn into the forest by pretty faces. by more than one. that callyope too must see this, must pursue him or enjoy herself till another time. they must come together in desire, not only arrangement. 

his heart ached. she did not want any memory driven from it, only that the names she collected for him too would be fitting.

Rodyn was a thinker. He always had been. He thought more than he spoke. And he usually chose his words with care. For he would not harm another with a misplaced word. That was a cruelty.

Truth be told Rodyn had only be far for a year. Once he came to the teekon he had only stayed near. He nodded. Long courtships he could do, he preferred them. Even he and Samani had been long, for much of it he had been gone. Only returning on and off to greet her.

He chuckled and nodded. Very well. Though he had thought once before that she told him men gathered and then the choice was made. But perhaps his thoughts were murky and his memories lost. It was possible grief did strange things to you.

Rodyn smiled at the mention of his son and his late wife. Though as always the light was dimmed for he would always miss Samani. But it didn't hurt as bad to talk of her. He could remember her without pain now in most cases.

Rodyn almost choked. Moonwoman. I have never been a man to put myself on display. If I cannot be accepted in my quiet. Then the woman is not for me. but

He sighed. I will speak with them. I will introduce myself to more. I will do my best. I will talk. I will laugh and I will hunt.

A bemused expression, even a sadness. Rodyn could not change his fur or his personality. He was not one to make grand gestures of romance to many. He would make them to those that he cared for, pursued. HE was not a man to roll with a woman in the fields just because he found them desirable. He did not blame others for doing this. And sometimes aye he wished he was this way. But he was not. He was the steady stream that flowed every constant.

"no. i know you will not dance in this way, rodyn." she wished he would! "i mean only that you show yourself to be ready of such eyes upon you."

it seemed now as if they understood one another; she stood beside him in quiet contemplation. 

"it may be that you both choose another but remain close in this way. my heart would be pleased by this."

walking on, she began to rearrange hides here and there, lost for a moment in much thought as he felt he might be also. this was an undertaking.

but if she was blessed, her efforts might bring several new brides among the sunshine people.

Rosyn chuckled a small little embarassed laugh. A clearing of his throat. He was not a man who spoke so freely of things. Sometimes he hated that he couldn't.

I will do this. Perhaps if you do a gathering for fun I will join in.

I can be her friend 3ven if her heart goes to another, moonwoman I promise.


There were many changes coming for Rodyn and the moon wolves.

there was newness upon the wind. 

"i know that you will, rodyn. you have always stood truly before me."

kukutux felt more and more with each day that her path had been set firmly, in the direction she must now walk. to draw lines for those young now; to create a path for sons and daughters to marry.

teach them the old ways, tooteega whispered, and the duck closed her eyes for a moment, for the green light within her was singing, singing.

"now. i have decided this: moonsong and moonstone will be dowries for the young men and women of our clan who seek mates before the snow is melted away." who might resist a handsome nuiruk with land to call his own? bah!

"i wish to see three more villages rise before i am called by sedna," kukutux revealed, sharing with this good-hearted man her overreaching ambition, to have the name of nuiruk stand for the very length of all time.

A small noise of agreement. But he said nothing more. It felt to close to boasting and that was not something he did. He was not a boaster. Though he had realized some young men did it, but not in malice.

She was quiet for a moment as she thought of something, but what he wasn't certain. So he stood in quiet fellowship and waited.

Surprise colored his expression, but he also knew that she would have thought long and hard over this.

I am pledg3d to help moongrove set borders. Would you like me to do the same for moonstone and moonstone? Carry their trades and words on my next trader journey?

you should have said nothing of callyope and rodyn! look how sedna has already moved them in close step!

amused at such fulfilments, kukutux nodded once to the bear-man. "it will be good to build wider trails between our villages. and between us there are many youth to aid you in this thing. call upon them, rodyn."

now the greenstone eyes admired in a sweep the fall of the glen, the camps set and slowly readied. "how many skins of dried meat might moonglow prepare? i have two elk. let us dry their meat into hunting-food. that way, while the first day and night of arrival is settled, no hunter must spend their strength in a stalk. all saved for our great chase."

Rodyn didn't know what the future held for him and yet anoulther nuiruk daughter. But he was willing to wait and see.

A small nod. I will seek some out. Who are the sons you wish to claim the land? He would meet with them first.

Rodyn hummed softly. There are many packs invited. At least 3 pledged to definitely come. Not counting moontide and moonspear and moonglow.

"ipiktok and salaksartok, sons of vairë . there is also
lómion, her brother, but i am not certain he is prepared."

at least three. that meant seven to start, if she did not miscount.

it was a very good start, and she looked to rodyn with an expression of encouragement. "are you resting in all this, bear-man?"

He listened to the names. Could only put baby faces to the names. For so long he had been grief bound and had not sought others out. He would make sure to learn their faces.

Rodyn nodded his head. When I have a moment. Yes. I promise. But I enjoy thr busyness.

"it gives much to your mind and to your body," kukutux commented, for she too had come to appreciate the heaviness of needed tasks.

"only do not forget yourself." her voice was quiet, and then a sigh of finality; "will you make a path with me, back to moonglow? there is more i wish to bring here."

and much to consider.