Firefly Glen tunngak ⋔

kukutux smiled, springtime flush covering her new scars. "he has the name of aiolos. he was chieftain in island village yuèlóng, with empress huā for many moons." the words were said as well as the duck could make them, their pearlescent edges clipped by the roll of her own accent.

"we have known years between us. he has the memories of moonspear. of the ones that i knew. before this, i and aiolos lived in a place with the name of courtfall, in mountains."

she motioned toward her flank. "when i carried my son and first daughter, aiolos was protection. but not in the path that men make when they have eyes for another man's wife. aiolos was ... safe. good."

the duck, all so sentimental, felt that her eyes had become wet in the telling. a self-deprecating, soft laugh as she wiped tears away and faced toward the sea — "and so it is like a circling."