Ouroboros Spine African violet

Once they had returned to Moonglow, Samani felt that the colors of the world had faded. She missed the sea in her heart. She knew that it must be time for her to speak to her mother.

It was with heavy paws that the young sea girl found the scent of @Kukutux and followed it. She had never believed she would reach this point in her life. She had thought that Moonglow would offer her everything she might need. Half of her was warmed by the sight of the familiar stone and snow. The other half of her – the half that the sun man had given her – was drawn to the water of the ocean and the smell of the salt upon the breeze.

Mother, are you here? the sweet sea child called out.

one daughter married.

and the next called to her now. kukutux looked up from where she was pulling a stag's pelt from the lake. "i am here, samani! come and help," the moonwoman laughed.

each day her sides grew with the newest nuiruk children.

they would lie the curing thing fur side down, skin side up, in the grass. she glanced toward samani then. "where did your path take you?"

Samani approached on swift paws. Her eyes danced as they saw her mother, beautiful and glowing while she worked the skins. The sea girl could only hope that she might end up as lovely.

Stepping to assist her mother, the girl mulled her thoughts for a time. The question hung upon the air. She wished to give it proper answer. She wished to tell her mother these feelings in a way that would not bring sadness on such a happy day. The wedding would be celebrated. Samani’s would likely come next. She could not help but feel that she wanted it to take place beside the water where her heart felt most at peace.

We went to the sea, mom. We saw a forest that had been burned away and is growing again. And we found a plateau that is… it is beautiful. Between the sea and Moonglow is where it sits. Close enough to hear the waters and smell the salt. Close enough that- her jadewater eyes grew wet. Samani had not planned to cry. It did not feel proper. Close enough that I might visit. Is this how she wished to tell her mother that she would be stepping outside of her home? Leaving Moonglow.

samani was leaving.

her heart hurt but she did not show this. instead, kukutux displayed her happiness, for that too was a true thing. 

kukutux moved to kiss the gentle tears aside.

"you were named for the sea, sweet-water girl. it is right that you go back to it."

her throat clenched, for she had thought samani might inherit the earth of moonglow.

but then she saw what sialuk had built, how vaire had married a man of the ocean, and now how samani heard too its call.

"your brothers and sisters," she said, motioning for samani to place her paw upon the swell of her growing belly, "they too call to the sea. i dream it."

her eyes too, running with tears.

It would not be Samani who inherited the beautiful place Kukutux had made. Callyope, though… if the white woman had voiced her thoughts, her sea daughter would have mentioned her sister. The young girl was inspired by the mountain and the rocks of Moonglow. Sialuk had gone to Moonspear. Was it not fitting that Callyope might take the mantle of the spine?

This was far more difficult than she had imagined it to be. Samani’s peachy snout buried into her mother’s soft white coat. There would be new life soon. She felt the kick of the puppies in her mother’s belly and she breathed out a shaky breath of delight.

They will be beautiful and good. I will love them with all of my heart, she promised. Samani could not wait to meet them and to kiss their soft faces. She knew that they would grow into happy wolves. Anaa was the best mother that could be asked for. How lucky those children would be to know her and to be loved by her.

I dream of puppies, mom. I have given them names in my mind. They have faces. The sea girl sighed.

Can we have my wedding by the sea?

"and they love you also," kukutux said softly, eyes following samani's movements.

her daughter dreamed of motherhood. a sunshine smile beautified moonwoman's face. "you will be a wonderful anaa," she said, knowing this to be true in her heart. samani was kind and had many thoughtful things to say. already she spoke with care and passion.

kukutux nodded. "tell me when. your taataa loves the sea. it is his home. he will be happy to return."

then, of the grandchildren to come! "what do you see in their faces, samani?"

Samani was so filled with love that she thought she might begin spilling over.

I see a small boy with dark fur and a brown nose. Little black bear boy - Aklaq, she answered and then her snout smiled. A girl who is beautiful and white like you. Her eyes will be sharp. I call her Tootega. I feel her spirit, even though it is not there. She is strong. She is fierce. She reminds me of Sialuk.

Was this foolish of her? She had imagined children and given them names. Samani had never felt quite so childish and so womanly. She breathed in the scent of her mother, and it grounded her. The sea girl knew that there was love all around her. Kukutux had made it so.

The last I dream of is small and round. He looks like a fox with warm top and white bottom. I call him Panuk. He is my sweet little island boy. In my dreams, his eyes are always full of love.

Would she grow so attached to these fantasies that she would find disappointment in the children she did have? The thought troubled her.

aklak. tooteega. a sialuk-sister. and panuk.

there was immense power in samani. kukutux thought she saw it now, shimmering around her sea-girl as she spoke of the children to come.

she spoke as mother already, and their features stood in stark relief for the woman who would be their anânsiak.

the smile never left her eyes.

"panuk is your spirit-son, my girl who walks always to the sea." kukutux paused to breathe. "it is time for you to know your spirit-name, samani. at birth, i gave you two names. but because you were twin, i gave you also a third."

"these names are for you only. do not speak them aloud again, even to rodyn." the jadestone eyes carried soft warning.

"your spirit-name is unnujaktuk."

oh! her heart felt many things.

"and your twin-name, samani, it is nakitâgutik. kausiut shares this name with you."

the moment felt as fire in her chest, to release samani as woman and as part of moonglow.

but it must be so.

it would be done.

kukutux was reverent with love.

"do this also for your children, so they will always know the kinship tie of villages moonglow and moonspear."

The girl’s breath was stolen.

Her spirit name.

Samani could feel it inside her. She felt it was right. She felt it was her. She knew it was a sacred thing, this name that her mother shared. Would she share the names of her little ones to them? The sea girl could not help but to imagine their bright faces. She had dreamed of them so often that they felt real.

Love poured out of her. The girl wrapped her arms around her mother’s neck and cried.

The names she had been given, the spirit names that were spoken to her then, they became part of her without asking. They were already, perhaps. She had only needed to know them. The girl could not gather words on her tongue to properly express the love she had felt for Kukutux. This decision to leave would take all her strength and fighting spirit.

We wish to call the plateau Moontide, she said reverently.

We wish it to be joined with Moonglow and Moonspear.

Their family – the sea, the mountain, the spine.

her spirit was bruised, her mother's heart not wishing for diligent samani to be departed from them.

she too wept, the younger and older nuiruk shedding tears for the change that must come for the good of a golden sunrise.

"moontide." another village named for their clan, and her heart raced with love for this new beginning, this new place for samani to journey.

"will you leave before you marry?" moonwoman wanted now to know the way of things. "your sister, vaire. i have the thought she means to leave also, with her husband rhaegal."

perhaps they might speak and come together into one village.

perhaps they might each build their own homes.

Oh…

The sea girl’s voice was soft upon the air. Vaire and Rheagal may leave, as well. She knew that her sister’s husband was a man of the water. She wondered if his heart longed for the brine as Samani’s did. Her mind thought of them with warmth.

Do you think they might wish to join us?

Samani had not shared many moments alone with the fair woman. She knew that she was lovely. She knew that she was a daughter of Moonglow. It was her own fault for not seeking out a closer relationship with the other girl. Here she was, wedding a man of the water, and Samani had not thought to offer them a place in Moontide.

Has she spoken of a place that her spirit longs to be?

"she has the wish to be with her husband," kukutux mused. "but he came bearing her bride price stained with blood and smelling of salt."

rhaegal would not go far from the long dark water, she felt.

"speak with your sister. speak with rhaegal. if you bind as one, here is already moontide."

four wolves and the children to come would make a fine beginning.

kukutux pulled samani closer, rocking her as she might have done when the girl was very little. "you will call for sialuk and i when it is time, daughter?" she could not bear the thought of samani delivering her children without a woman's circle.

Kukutux was wise in all things. Samani could not help but feel fresh appreciation for these thoughts shared on the forming of Moontide. If Vaire and Rhaegal were seeking a place near the water, the young sea girl would be overjoyed if they considered joining their fresh group. Close to home and close to the comfort of the ocean water. She was content to think of it, knowing that it would be her home.

When asked about her time, the girl looked upon her mother with wide eyes.

Of course… I could not do it without you, she said to her anaa.

The spirit names she had been given warmed her spirit. The light of this conversation had filled her up. Samani was ready. She had the support of her family and the love of a wonderful man. She knew that her future would be bright.

it would be done, then.

she hoped the doe-wife and her stag would go with the moonglow pair.

"do not forget to share words with your father. he will miss two daughters today."

but she smiled, in pride and knowing,

this was to be the way of things.

The girl nodded her head and stepped toward the pale features of her mother to kiss her cheek.

Samani had never felt her heart hurt so. She loved her home. She loved the village that her mother had created for them to grow in. It would bring her comfort to know that she and Rodyn would settle somewhere near. Sialuk was on the mountain. Kukutux was on the spine. Samani would be on the sea, where her heart had always belonged.

I will speak to him. Her words were spoken as a promise. She would find the time to meet with her father and share the news of their plans.

I love you, mom. The peachy girl smiled at her mother and slipped away to speak to Rodyn.