Moonsong Glacier avilaitkan (m)
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“We are all eaters of souls.”


Dan Simmons, 'The Terror'

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Your mother suspects you've made your choice. What do you think of that? Kilgitsuk asked of the woman, as he was home now and secluded with @Ariadne in her sleeping-place; he was agitated, but found comfort by burying his face in her neck, and as he spoke he teased with teeth.

I plan to go to Moonglow to settle your bride-price, but I want to help finish your altar first. He had not come back with the elk tooth. The dove that Chakliux had given him had gone instead to Kukutux.
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I should have told her, Ariadne replied, eyes bugging slightly and mind spinning; this wasn't how it was supposed to go! She should have told anaa while she'd had the chance! Her age was showing; she was embarrassed. Do you think I should go to Moonglow and tell her? Before you go? she asked, truly at a loss of how to do this.

His teasings were returned half-heartedly, her mind elsewhere.
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“We are all eaters of souls.”


Dan Simmons, 'The Terror'

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He eases, but does not stop.

Maybe. I must go there to speak with my son, and I can do both things. It would be good for you to... introduce her to the idea, I think. Better than for me to. He wanted to put aside the conversation for other things but knew it was not appropriate for now; Ariadne was elsewhere in her mind, and they had things to figure out together.

Shall we go together? That might be best above all options. Should I-- my son, should I tell him we are courting? Kivaluk had not told his father about his own bride, and they were not close enough for such things. Perhaps it would only alienate him further.

Kilgitsuk huffs and looks to the ceiling, and as he tips back to his usual stance his eyes close, his head snakes. The ways of your mother are complicated! He wished they could put aside all of this! To do things the proper way - the Tartok way.
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You are right, she agreed, thinking it over as she spoke. I will bring gifts to their hearth, sit her down, and I will tell her! Her eyes ablaze once more, she found herself able to resume the more pressing matters—that is ... until be brought up his son.

She softened, considering once more. I think it would be for the best, she admitted after giving it some thought, nosing the plush of his neck, preening and growling as she felt herself rev up again. Perhaps in you being open and honest, he will start doing the same with you? It was worth a shot, she thought.

When Kilgitsuk threw his head back and bemoaned Kukutux's ways, Ariadne grinned and arched a brow. They are, she agreed, standing and reaching up so that her mouth hovered against the base of his ear. But it will make it all the better when you get to do things your way—to unleash this frustration against my suitors. I cannot wait to see it.
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“We are all eaters of souls.”


Dan Simmons, 'The Terror'

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Even with the attention of Ariadne, Kilgitsuk cannot easily put aside the feeling inside of himself, or focus beyond these differences in their cultures.

She says my son is courting a girl; one she likely matched him to, in her way. And now expects my son to continue her ways as if my own are terrible! She expects a bride-price be paid and traditions be adhered to while shunning my own. Some of this might be hyperbole, or merely feeling. A lamenting. Kilgitsuk is frustrated regardless!

It would not be enough to fight off possible suitors; that was easy work! Kilgitsuk had to convince this woman that his ways were not dangerous or wrong.

For now he will put it aside, because it is easier to find comfort in Ariadne. Her scent, her presence, her body; lovely distractions from problems within his own heart.
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She felt his frustration; she'd not considered the differences until they were plainly laid out for her, and it made her think. It was unfair that her ways were normalized while his were made out to be barbaric; she would have to step in.

I will have a talk with anaa, she said, eyes flashing with determination. I will introduce her to that idea as well, and I will share whatever words that you need me to. She fell silent then, inviting him to explain his ways.
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“We are all eaters of souls.”


Dan Simmons, 'The Terror'

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His eyes flashed then, and he almost had words for her - but stopped himself. Kilgitsuk did not need this girl to fight his battles for him; but it was this that reminded him of being a husband, of his own thick-headedmess, and what had driven Sakhmet away. He would not repeat his mistakes here. Besides - of all the fights, this one with Kukutux needed every advantage.

Finally now he held her properly. When they weren't connected at the hips, he felt most comfortable being physical in other ways. He kisses her forehead, breathes to steady his thoughts, and relaxes with her.

Ariadne - I have a question for you. This was something different to think about, another distraction. One that was necessary too, and had begun to plague him. He looked upon her now with a smile.

When I became a trader, I took on the name Kilgitsuk to... separate my new life from my old. Before that I was Kigipigak; but within Moonsong - with you, for the future I hope we share together, I do not see myself as either. Why keep a trader's name if he was trying to settle? Why go backwards to a person he had not been in many moons?

The question now seemed obvious.

So, who am I now?
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The conversation veered from his customs to a more personal and vulnerable one. Ariadne softened, putting aside her offer of help with Kukutux for now, to assist him in picking a new name. She did not want to choose a word from her people's language, especially with their previous unresolved conversation, and she considered her options for a moment.

I may need your help picking out the actual name, she said, considering all she had learned about him. He was a dutiful man with a boisterous laugh, reliable and fierce; he had to have a word for it. She placed her paws on his and looked him in the eye.

You are a wonderful man who is duty-bound, reliable, and has the best laugh I have ever heard! Oh, how it always made her feel warm inside! But you are also tough, strong, and quite handsome—my perfect man! She laughed and kissed his cheek. I am guessing that there is no word in your language for all that?
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“We are all eaters of souls.”


Dan Simmons, 'The Terror'

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Her compliments made him laugh! And then he laughed harder, knowing now that she enjoyed the sound of it, finding his voice carried more than he meant; but then he knew what to call himself. He joked first, saying, I could call myself Kalusruk — for how much noise we made together in the ice caves that day! His laughter was a bellow; he imagined Kukutux hearing this and ran out of breath for all his laughter, belly-aching.

I think you are right, there is no word for everything you said. I fear I will bring down your ulaq with all my noise! His laughter did eventually fade, leaving his face rosy-cheeked and eyes watering. You make me very happy, Ariadne. I think the word you look for is Kaluktuk! The man whose laugh is thunder! And it was close enough to the humor of earlier that they would have a joke between them forever.
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Even though she didn't know what Kalusruk meant, from his reaction, she gathered it was something inappropriate. She lifted her brows and jabbed his arm, wanting in on the fun. Hey! Come on! Tell me what it means! she said, I want to have fun, too!

When their laughter died out and Kilgitsuk spoke, Ariadne felt warm and fuzzy inside; she couldn't remember when she was this happy! His choice was fitting, and she smiled fondly as she grabbed his hand. Kaluktuk, you make me very happy, too, she said, testing the name and liking it, I hope you continue to make me laugh for years to come.
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“We are all eaters of souls.”


Dan Simmons, 'The Terror'

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The word he found so humorous was something told between men, but for the sake of her reaction Kaluktuk leaned in close and said what it meant, his deep voice a rumble of thunder; better than telling her, he felt inclined to show her.

He grew further invigorated by whatever reaction Ariadne held after this, Kaluktuk pressed in close to make good on the title. He nipped and kiss, and already having been made excited, focused his attention upon her wholly, so that again and again the doe fur was marked with their scents.

Having spent so many moons out in the wilderness as a trader, mourning the life he once held, the renewed man felt entitled to warmth, goodness, and connection; he was starved for it, and would satisfy his appetites with Ariadne as often as she would allow.
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Thunder dick—now that'd been entirely out of the realm of possibility when trying to guess the meaning. She was caught off guard, laughter taking over her, and it only got worse as he moved to prove himself. Oh, yes, come to me, thunder dick, she nearly howled as tears began to spring from her eyes; he was never going to live this one down.

This coupling would be light and silly; simple and sweet. She covered him in kisses, giggling and holding him tight as the doe hide got christened again.
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“We are all eaters of souls.”


Dan Simmons, 'The Terror'

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In the aftermath, the enjoyment of one-another completed for the time being, Kaluktuk lay with Ariadne upon the pelt and thought of their future. The frustration and concern from earlier had eased from him as he'd found an outlet for his feelings, and now he could be more level-headed.

What do you want this village to be, Ariadne? Kaluktuk mused to her, watching her breathing become steady, catching her eye and smiling; What do you envision for us? He meant for the spring, and beyond. Was she eager to become a mother, or would she choose instead to drive Kaluktuk away when her time came?
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It took longer than usual for her breathing to regulate; the laughter lingered well into the act, adding to the exhaustion. Kaluktuk asked some questions as she recovered, and she felt herself grow warm again. Her desires for the village and them went hand-in-hand.

I want this village to be strong, thriving ... she hesitated, a coy smile playing on her lips, ... and full of our children. It was a risk to admit this; he'd already been a father, and she wasn't sure what his feelings were. What do you see for us? she asked in return, curious if he shared the same feelings.
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Dan Simmons, 'The Terror'

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If he had spoken his truth outright, she would run from him and he knew it. Of course she would want the village to thrive, and she would want children; she had been raised to want these things. Kaluktuk expected as much but had hoped her goals would be loftier; then again, he had been a father once before and had failed at it. He had been husband as well and that had not gone as planned, but this was something he chose to overlook. She had wanted a village and so she had set out and made one; now she wanted many children and had found a man to give her those too, strong ones, with northern blood. Kaluktuk found himself thinking about fatherhood.

What did he want of the future? I want you, more of you, all of you. And he'd had her now many times! Kaluktuk jested, kissing her cheek, nosing at her furs. A breath, a silence, and thinking. Are children all that you want? There is more to life than that. They could go places once her leg had healed, and see new things, or meet new people. They could hunt in the wilderness, or run to where the ice capped the world. They could live like seal hunters, or riverfolk, or see what lay further south. Children made things more complicated — but he did not say this. He smiles at her and with a conspiratorial vibe, comments, If strong babies are what you want, I will make sure you get them!

Deep in his heart he felt dread and doubt.
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Ariadne's upbringing had led to goals more aligned with those before her. Like Kukutux, like Sialuk, and like Samani, she had felt that it was her duty to start a village and then a family. Although the reception to her answer had been positive, her expression softened, and she now looked at Kaluktuk curiously as she found herself second-guessing herself.

What else is out there? she asked; her journals had been long ago, and her paws had grown tired of the mindless meandering she eventually did. She had had no direction, no purpose, and life on the road had felt lonely[mdashd]but, maybe with her lover at her side, things would be different.
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“We are all eaters of souls.”


Dan Simmons, 'The Terror'

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Now was the first time Kaluktuk could discern how young and inexperienced Ariadne was with the world; she did not know better than what she had been taught, and what she had been taught was limited from his point of view. If she had been born to one of the Tartok warbands in the north, she would have a strength of will rivaled only by the land around her; she would be keen to seek out more lands for herself, or more suitors, and desire strength above all. Instead she was born to the sunshine-people whose only goal was to mollify Kukutux' own ego and spread their backwards traditions.

Kaluktuk thought he could fix this. He thought maybe time would help the two of them meet in the middle, or if he continued with Ariadne he could convince her to shed some of her mother's limitations. He only smiled to her now, holding her close. There is much! When you are able, we should go on a trip in to the north. Maybe when the land is warm again, when it is not so dangerous — the land of ice and snow can be a frightening place when winter takes hold. He did not want to scare her from the idea, only warn. Besides, for now Ariadne was injured and in the spring, perhaps too fat.

I have been many places as a trader. There are places where a village does not stay in one place, but migrates with the flow of the ice! The women do not care to make furs or burrows, they find shelter in the snow itself and keep warm with whomever catches their eye. Kaluktuk told the story of these people with a tone of fondness, for it was a story of his own people; but then he moved on, talking of many hours of endless night when the sun would flee for months, and being led to hunt by the greenlight that danced between stars.

One day we will see it. I will show you!
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Starry-eyed and entranced, she listened as he talked about the north; she had never heard of such things! It was strange to hear of villages unlike her own, but she was nevertheless interested in learning more about them.

We will go when the world is warm, she agreed, placing her paw on his, And after you have filled me to the brim with your children. We will show them where theirntaataa is from, and their anaa will learn about the ways of the north. Then I will also show you how mighty I am! I will be a north-woman! She felt herself getting caught up in the fantasy, and she had to stop herself before she got too ahead of herself.

A fast trip, though—we cannot leave village Moonsong for long.
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“We are all eaters of souls.”


Dan Simmons, 'The Terror'

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He was overjoyed to know she would be carrying his children! He listened to her exuberance, and kissed her when she spoke of being filled with their future, again when she spoke of becoming a north-woman, so fervently that he might've started yet another round of lovemaking; but he caught himself, thinking of his sons and how they might react to being replaced by these younger children. How they might feel slighted in knowing Kaluktuk had swallowed his love for Sakhmet beneath the ice of his heart, and replaced it with this intense love of the woman Ariadne.

These were things that came to him suddenly and painfully, and Kaluktuk could not speak of them now; he put it all aside and focused on being physical with Ariadne, showering her with kisses and the pressure of his body, his voice a low suggestive rumble, I accept this challenge; should I start now? Hmm? He grasped at her with teeth, combing the fur, pinching roughly at the skin as he pressed in close.
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You should, Ariadne said; they fucked the rest of the afternoon away, enjoying each other feverishly.