Moonspear Calm Water

Open to anyone. Tags for reference

The settling of the Sveijarn-Corten Ulaq was like punctuation at the end of the sentence. It affixed their place on this mountain. The end of one chapter and the start of another. Yet, every morning @Meerkat howled with @Sialuk and called to Swordfish. Njord watched the dawn in solidarity… the red alpenglow reminding the father of his son’s tail.

@Stingray had traveled to Moonglow on an errand for their leader. Njord was proud of his son, though he could not shake the worry which sprouted from trauma. He did not permit words to be given to the dark feelings… he had to have faith in the young man and in their leader.

Their leader! Sialuk’s village grew quickly. @Argent settled in and, soon, @Tullik would too. Others gathered like the way Mother Moon orbited Earth. It made Njord proud to be a part of something so grand. He felt trusted and, in turn, flourished for it.

He moved towards Sialuk’s Ulaq. Njord owed her many thanks.

just realized these two were "born" around the same time and also have very similar post counts!

Sialuk knew she must trust the bones. She had not yet seen Nasamik and Chakliux at Moonspear's doorstep. Perhaps they had not decided to take her offer. The starwoman had given them the opportunity, but she would not be made a fool to take them in without payment. She reminded herself that this was the way of things.

The decision still heavy in her heart, she fussed with things in the ulaq, rearranging until she felt they were satisfactory. Only then did she exit the rocky cave, only to be greeted by Njord's handsome figure.

Village brother! she beamed, happy to see him.

Sialuk’s warm salutations made a broad smile grow on the seafarer’s mug. His red tail waved with happiness – something it had not done in many weeks. Perhaps his heart was healing.

“Sialuk!” he responded. “@Meerkat an I ‘av found a bonnie ulaq on the East side of Moonspear. She’s laid down tha pelt that ye gave us…” his expression grew soft at the image of Meerkat nesting.

“Before ye ken it, our wee bairns will be here causin’ a ruckus…” he laughed, jolly, but then settled. “I’ve come tae thank ye, Sialuk. Sincerely… ye’ve given us a home.”

Sialuk's ears strained to take in all that Njord said, missing every few of his heavily-accented words. Was she making the same expression as many others did to her when she spoke? The thought amused her.

Moonspear is thankful to have you, she said, beaming with appreciation for Njord and his family. Meerkat has been a long friend of mine. Has seen me through many hard times. It is good to repay in your own hard time. Though Sialuk wished the circumstances were different, she thought this may be a new start for the small (and growing!) family.

Njord passed his leader a stiff nod of acknowledgment, of promise, that he would compliment Meerkat’s kindness and earn his place among Moonspear, just as she had once attained with Sapphique.

A part of him wished to know more about Meerkat and Sialuk’s history… but he wouldn’t pry into such private things. It sounded like the two of them had seen war together… and maybe that was all Njord would ever need to know.

“Ah must ask of ye another kindness,” Njord requested. “Meerkat hasnae been feelin’ well. Her pregnancy… it’s different this time. Maybe because of… of all of it.” His muzzle gestured broadly, accented by a shrug of his hale shoulders. Just as trust between the husband and wife healed, their lives went to hell in a handbasket. Njord knew Meerkat had been deeply affected.

“Ah ken she seeks ye for medicine tae help her feel well… but what more can I do for her? There must be somethin’…” Njord’s pelagic gaze pleaded for an answer. There was no stronger kryptonite that affected a husband than an invisible foe.

Meerkat's pregnancy had been more difficult that Sialuk had seen with her own mother, but perhaps that was due to the stress her village sister had endured over the past several weeks. It could not have helped. Sialuk nodded when Njord drew the same conclusion in his own way of saying.

Sometimes, it is the way of things to be difficult. Be there for Meerkat as often as you are able, and this will ease her mind, Sialuk assured him. If pregnancy is difficult in beginning, it is often not so in the end. The starwoman hoped it would mean a quick and easy birth for Meerkat and her new children.

It was not easy for the husband to hear that there was no remedy for his wife’s ailments. The answer was that this was just how things went sometimes. The man recalled the time he had explained this concept to a young Val when Shardik had first attacked Sapphique. Life and death were the currency of the living and, in that same concept, the exchange of pain and peace existed.

There could be no good times without the bad… knowing this did not make Njord’s pill easier to swallow

Yet, there was the silver lining that things might possibly get easier for Meerkat.

Njord’s expression was stern, but he gave a stout nod of comprehension.

He would always be there for Meerkat and, hopefully, his constant presence would help ease his wife in some way. “Aye,” he said in agreement with the raindrop’s prescription. “I willnae leave her side an’ make sure she wants fer nothin’.” Njord smiled and turned, ready to follow through with his promise and return to the Sveijarn-Corten ulaq.