Ouroboros Spine xlvv. before he gets there

Much transpired; Kigipigak did heed the words of AIolos, learning that this was a time of birth for one of the women of the village, and so he kept watch and tried to stay out of the way. It was not an event he had ever been privy to. He did not know what to expect or what was expected of himself, only that Aiolos stood watch and so he would as well. The women flit in and out of the mother's space as things progressed - until Sialuk emerged, the smell of new life upon her and the sounds of mewling behind her.

Kigipigak listened. It felt wrong for him to be there, though. He wondered if Aiolos was the father and that was why he had come, or if someone else was meant to be there; by then Sialuk was asking one of the women to stay and protect the mother and this brought Kigipigak a new thought: two mothers? Perhaps that was the way of things.

He would linger if asked to, but showed a distinct apprehension once the events had concluded. He watched Aiolos for social prompts; if he was needed somewhere, to do a particular task, or to be dismissed. His attention drifted as he thought of his own mother and the village that he had left behind, a year ago at least, by now.