Ouroboros Spine nukatpiak

Kigipigak had been on his way to find @Kivaluk, as he wished to see how the boy settled among his kin and within the village, and he had not seen him in some days. As he crossed from the lake's northern edge to the east, to seek out the ulax and perhaps cross paths with the boy, he heard chanting that was powerful, yet distant.

For a moment he slowed, stopped, and watched. He was too far to see where or who it was. Along the horizon line to the south he could make out the distant trio of trees, the three sisters. It sounded as though the women's circle gathered; so he would keep away.

His hunt resumed for his son soon after.

the chanting had initially grasped kivaluk's attention; ears twitching atop his head as he tries to make sense of the womens' words but he does not dare draw any nearer than hearing distance. he is curious but something about the language and the way in which the words lifted from the womens' throats to the winds warns him away.

not meant for him.

there was decidely less excitement in this more concrete stay in moonglow than the last time he'd been here: the absence of his firebrand mother and sullen brother felt like a keen wound that festers.

he will wallow yet for a while.

but he does not wallow idly. he spends his time hunting and sparring and patrolling.

the metallic taste of blood from his most recent kill — left in one of the more barren food caches — still lingers upon his tongue as he cuts his way towards the borders. it is on his way there that his path crosses with his father's own. he lopes closer to his father, letting out a low chuff to announce his presence just in case.

He did not get far the second time. Kivaluk came upon him from behind, having gained ground while Kigipigak was idling and watching the horizon most likely; he chuffed, and Kigipigak swung his head to look upon him.

At once he saw his wife in the darkness of his face, the tapering of his young body. Kigipigak did nothing for a beat of his struggling heart. When he responded it was with a chill he did not know he possessed, with the sharp edge of a wounded animal.

The women have gathered. He remarks, as if the boy has not already noticed. He does not say why, though he thinks he knows the reason.

This segues in to a simple question for his son: How goes your settling in?

if not for the fact that kivaluk could still hear the chanting in the distance he might've been a bit confused by the statement about the women having gathered that his father made. it was not the words that grasped kivaluk unkindly by the spine like cold, dead fingers but tone in which his father had spoken to him.

and though while kivaluk is confused by this behavior he does not question. at least, not yet. not while he is unsure if his curiousty would be appreciated or seen as prying. moonglow was family — his pack now — but there is still that level of habitual caution.

the following question lingers between them for a moment; a small lift of kivaluk's chin is given as he tries to decide where to give the answer he assumes his father wishes to hear or the truth. the truth was: not as well as he'd have liked. he felt too keenly the absence of his brother and mother and that it would take time for him to fully intergrate himself as apart of moonglow.

as well as can be expected. is how he answers instead: not a lie but not the complete truth, lest he make himself look weak in his father's eyes.

Yes, that was how he felt as well, but did not voice it. As well as to be expected. What was expected of them now? The village was gone. Sakhmet was gone. They made new homes among the kin that Kivaluk did not know well, and for that Kigipigak ached as readily as he did for his wife. In time the boy would learn his place among his family here; he would grow here, as he had been by the river.

The boy was guarded. Kigipigak didn't know how to continue the conversation after that, so he let it falter and then the topic felt stale, and the air dead between them. If he had been a better father perhaps he would have reached out to touch his son, or to hug him, to comfort him; but that had never been his way, except for Sakhmet. It felt too strange to start now with the physicality. Kigipigak was a warrior and wished for other men - his son included - to see him as such, which meant putting aside the softer things.

I expect your training to continue here, he offered as a continuation, as his mind was upon the women's circle and Tulukiri who might have been among them. Provided all went well the girl would remain with them, and so Kivaluk would have the benefit of her skills as that had been the initial plan. Either with Tulukiri or another. Did you meet the sivullik during our shared hunts? Shikoba. It would be wise to seek her out for training also.

It felt like a business arrangement rather than a father-son moment, which to Kigipigak felt right. He chose to put aside the memory of his own father as he communed here with his son - knowing fully how that relationship had ended (bloody).

of course, kivaluk replies diplomatically. though he has spent more time than he'd have liked settling in and sorting thru the wreck of his emotions: trying to process what felt like an unwanted theme in his life he has, admittedly, been slacking. a lack of action that would end today, he was determined. the best way he's discovered thus far to getting out of emotional ruts was to push on thru them.

dwelling on it wouldn't mend akkuma and it wouldn't bring sakhmet back. so long as his brother was ...unwell, at any rate.

i know i haven't been focused, he admits, a small lift of his chin given. a brief crack in what he thinks is a viable facade. i will seek her out as well. he promises, though he cannot help but wonder why, here, his father does not oversee his training. i understood in natigvik why you didn't oversee my training, for no doubt leadership was a demanding and taxing toll. will you not oversee it personally here in moonglow, either? asked with soft curiosity.

kivaluk listens to his father’s answer and then with a small, firm nod departs to check the caches at kigipigak’s word of dismissal.