Ouroboros Spine atautsikut: all at once

The song of wolves woke Ipiktok from his sleep.

Moonsong’s chorus rippled through the night sky. A new sister pack was born.

The boy poked hit out of the ulaq and watched a gentle snowfall.

“Awwoooo!” he howled in response.

Woken from his deepest sleep by the sound of Ipiktok's voice, resonant and echoing within the den, Salaksartok flailed and kicked the air. He fought off the shadows as if they were somehow at fault, and when he opened his eyes it was to see his sibling's face raised, the barest light outlining them.

Shhhhshhhhh! He hissed, reaching for them. A paw found a leg, and pulled. Another kicked out and punched at something, wanting only to make them stop! Then he held tight to whatever part of Ipiktok he could, and aggressively cuddled.

Shhh, slee-time. Shhh.

Ipiktok’s celebration was cut short when his brother dragged him into a cuddle.

“Listen, Salak!” Ipiktok argued as he struggled against his sibling. Attuned to the distant chorus the child could not help but feel the need to respond!

Still caught against Salaksartok, a new howl practically burst from Ipiktok. “Awoooo!!!” he sang, practically in Salaksartok’s ear.

What!!!

Ipiktok wouldn't quit! The sound went in one ear and with a shriek of his own, Salaksartok reared back. The sound pierced something within the boy's inner ear and he didn't like the feeling of it at all. But after, there wasn't as much noise coming from his brother.

Still, it bothered him to be ignored so he reached out again to throttle Ipiktok, this time with more force because of the pain ringing in his head. Staaaahhhp!

At first, he laughed. “Leggo!” Ipiktok demanded when Salaksartok grabbed hold once again. He pushed one paw against his brother’s cheek to try and shove him away. Then, he became more serious, annoyed that his brother tried to control him!

“LEGGOFME!” Ipiktok shouted as he struggled.

The more he struggled the more annoyed Salaksartok got.

The louder Ipiktok became, the more belligerent the space between them; and when Ipiktok shouted, Salaksartok had reached his limit.

He frowned and sucked in a sharp breath, then unleashed a shout of his own: SHUDDUHHHP!

The boy flailed, kicking and shouting and making the den space a deafening place to be! He didn't think about how much louder things were with his own voice, only that he wanted to be asleep and he wasn't! And that Ipiktok was the problem.

Salaksartok’s mighty voice nearly pierced his brother’s eardrum! With his ears pinned against his head, Ipiktok gave a shove and twisted himself free.

“NEVER!!!” He shouted, angrily, back at Salaksartok’s face. Then, he quickly pivoted and ran out of the den to find someone else who would admire Moonsong’s howls like he did.