Ouroboros Spine lights

If you have time! No worries if you don't <3

Kigipigak had stayed with Moonglow, and Stratos sought him out. His encounter with anaa beneath the stars had left him thinking. And though he'd thought to go after Ariadne first, he turned to his brother- in-law in the end. 

They had both tried to hold their little village together, though more often than not, they had been in their own ways hunting for provision or tending the children. Perhaps he could have done even more - but they were only two men, he reminded himself, and they curls only do so much. 

Stratos tossed his head back and called for @Kigipigak . An invitation to a hunt.

With Amalia's perpective fresh in his mind, Kigipigak returned from his excursion and went to check on the children. He would have typically brought a gift to them—a new toy, some food—but this time he was without, although both of his daughters appeared very excited merely in seeing him; his son was once again, lost in his watching of the trees outside of the ulaq. He greeted each of them and spent some time with whoever was interested, and then left them in the care of their mother.

It would be best to stay busy, he thought. As much sense as Amalia had spared him, Kigipigak remained reluctant to confront the issues in his marriage and chose instead to be of use, at least giving Asivaq some space, and allowing his hawk-eye guardianship of the children to wane, a little bit.

It was both fortunate and foreboding to Kigipigak when he was summoned on the wind; needing the distraction, he stowed any misgivings he held and went to intercept—Stratos? Hello.

The man was down the Spine, away from the sleeping places. The trees shook against a warm breeze as if to herald Kigipigak's arrival, calming as he drew closer to his brother-in-law. Their time spent together in the Sweep had afforded some familiarity. You called for me—what can I do for you?

Kigi! Stratos greeted his in-law with a grin. If they had been closer, he would have brought him into a wolfish hug. But though they were brother in name, he did not think they had bridged the gap of brother in arms. Perhaps this might still be amended.

Not for me, he chuckled, With me, I thought! A hunt, maybe. Or a patrol. The former afforded a greater thrill and often a more immediate return for their labour - but the latter would give them space for the deeper reason he'd called him here:

I also thought we might talk, from brother to brother.

This is so outdated now LOL let me know if you want to present-date this in light of everything that's happened!

Oo present dating it would be rad.

He had some time before he would leave the village outright, although with each passing hour that Kigipigak's anger reduced (transmuting from one powerful emotion to an equally potent self-shame) he felt compelled to descend the mountain and away from unwanted attention.

He huffed, and commented pointedly: Brother no longer, Stratos. But... A patrol would be fine. He welcomed the other man to escort along the path, and at the very least Kigipigak's final acts within the village could be of use, protecting those within.

If Stratos had come to admonish him, Kigipigak was prepared to listen. The whole of Moonglow was probably aware of the rift between he and Ariadne by now.

Of all he had expected, he had not expected this. Brother no longer meant only one thing.

What?! Aya, Ariadne! What have you done? She has left you? There went the hope of catching them both before either of them broke up the family they'd set out to make. The thought that Kigi might have ended things hardly passed his mind; his sister was the one who hurt from the cold ways of Tartok, not the other way around.

He  moved when Kigi moved, but the pursuit of good hunting fell by the wayside. It is over, over? Surely something can be done?

As much as he had frowned upon Tartok man's lack of regard for their sunshine ways, Stratos had never wanted this.

The way Stratos reacted showed he had been unaware of the change, and it was refreshing to have a man's opinion on this. It felt as though all of the women of Moonglow were one unchangeable hive mind; and as Stratos reeled, Kigipigak saw he was different.

It was her decision, but even as he said this Kigipigak knew the willful wife he had tried to support had never existed; she had fallen to the strength of her mother's influence and of this he was certain.

Our ways are too different. I am still welcome to visit the children but I will not be living in the village. Although, it brought a good question to his mind: was there anything that could be done? Kigipigak did not think it right to break from his traditions.

Perhaps fighting for his family was what Ariadne wanted? But any further upset would only place the rest of the Sunshine People against him. He did not know what else to do, except what he had been taught.