Ouroboros Spine foxfire

witch.

it was more than he had said to her, and more heavy than his previous words. pale ears cupped backward, but not from hurt for herself. she ached for him, for whatever had corrupted him in such a way. "the dead cannot be replaced. i would not give them the insult. or you," she added more softly, for she had struck some chord within him, and it removed them again to the wall that had first been there.

the boy's face changing, and yes; she saw it true as the light of the sun, and dropped her eyes to still a reaction. who else could nuak be save for her true clan, the hidden son of an angry trader, and later the forgotten boy who had wandered back as if drawn by spirits. a boy left behind. for that was what the grey brother had done, in all the time that kukutux had known him. 

he had left her, in the end.

"i have insulted you." gentle. an observation. she rose, unfurling, suddenly weary with the fear that he would leave, the boy she had only just found. "i will not speak it again." a flick upward of her gaze. "if you are hungry, i will set aside a portion for you at the ulaq."

she did not think he would stop her, and so the duck turned to pad into the forest, and when she was alone the tears came again, for the trader, for her son. 

for his.