3/13/2026, 6:27 PM
its perfect! sorry for this text wall lol <3
their breath mingled, coalesced into heat which sank down into elk charm's guard hairs. she still found it incomprehensible that he was here. acutely aware of samo's body next to her own, of his weight and warmth and breath, she found that the reddening under her cheekfur would not abate for anything.
he was thinner, not depleted as she thought herself to be. but the travails which he now described stood upon his face, or maybe she only saw them there through the vulnerability of his thoughtful eyes. this thought that she wished to touch him, to be embraced -- it returned in force and dissipated as foam upon waves.
for ten days he had traveled with the seal hunters, and he described the sea in its powerful expanse of beauty. elk charm, who could not remember the last time she had glimpsed the great water, found her mind colorful with the images he created. the hunters, leaping into the water, seals swimming before them. and he among them, not one of their clan but willing to swim these swells all the same. proud. yes. she was proud of him, a pleasant little flicker which elk charm put aside for the present.
whales.
why had chakliux said none of this?
a storm rose. she could hear the encouraging voice of that seal-man. samo had wished to continue hunting, only to be caught in the storm and drawn bodily away.
her brow furrowed. once she had fallen into a shallow stream, but the water had been deep enough to enter her mouth and nose. a child, elk charm had cried and screamed after being pulled from that place, and had not gone back for a long while. to sink within the sea -- ah! he had almost drowned, and her paw almost twitched toward his own in this. instead she remained as she was, cheek pillowed on tucked forepaws, rolled toward the aedui man as he said these things.
black sand. cold waves. elk charm shivered then, for all she could think was muradoii. he had stayed away, and
i remembered you, elk charm. even with his bearings lost and his mind gone, he had known her face. it was not surprising to the sharadoii that tears pressed against the back of her eyes now, that her throat had become raw and full. he had restored his thoughts and come back, for her. she argued with herself that he had tried also to find the seal hunters, but truth was not denied. it also limned his cheekbones and the set of his jawline.
but there was more to tell. he had not used his voice often. had he feared -- ? what, exactly?
in the darkness of that quick-lodge, she managed a moment of bravery and placed her paw upon his own, swallowing somewhat at the sinewy strength of that.
kuy'aa had said it must be chakliux, for militsik. she had gone with them to the sea, and perhaps she had sent back the seal hunter before the man before her had been lost.
but he had come back. he had come back.
firstrite. it was not something she had remembered since meeting him again, but --
she too, had a longer story.
but then she had found samo again, and all that seemed set had risen in unsurety once more.
silence now, save for their breathing. she discovered a steadiness inside herself, and asked,
he was thinner, not depleted as she thought herself to be. but the travails which he now described stood upon his face, or maybe she only saw them there through the vulnerability of his thoughtful eyes. this thought that she wished to touch him, to be embraced -- it returned in force and dissipated as foam upon waves.
for ten days he had traveled with the seal hunters, and he described the sea in its powerful expanse of beauty. elk charm, who could not remember the last time she had glimpsed the great water, found her mind colorful with the images he created. the hunters, leaping into the water, seals swimming before them. and he among them, not one of their clan but willing to swim these swells all the same. proud. yes. she was proud of him, a pleasant little flicker which elk charm put aside for the present.
whales.
why had chakliux said none of this?
a storm rose. she could hear the encouraging voice of that seal-man. samo had wished to continue hunting, only to be caught in the storm and drawn bodily away.
her brow furrowed. once she had fallen into a shallow stream, but the water had been deep enough to enter her mouth and nose. a child, elk charm had cried and screamed after being pulled from that place, and had not gone back for a long while. to sink within the sea -- ah! he had almost drowned, and her paw almost twitched toward his own in this. instead she remained as she was, cheek pillowed on tucked forepaws, rolled toward the aedui man as he said these things.
black sand. cold waves. elk charm shivered then, for all she could think was muradoii. he had stayed away, and
i remembered you, elk charm. even with his bearings lost and his mind gone, he had known her face. it was not surprising to the sharadoii that tears pressed against the back of her eyes now, that her throat had become raw and full. he had restored his thoughts and come back, for her. she argued with herself that he had tried also to find the seal hunters, but truth was not denied. it also limned his cheekbones and the set of his jawline.
but there was more to tell. he had not used his voice often. had he feared -- ? what, exactly?
in the darkness of that quick-lodge, she managed a moment of bravery and placed her paw upon his own, swallowing somewhat at the sinewy strength of that.
i am so glad that you lived, samo.
kuy'aa had said it must be chakliux, for militsik. she had gone with them to the sea, and perhaps she had sent back the seal hunter before the man before her had been lost.
how much fear must have been inside your heart to go under this water.
but he had come back. he had come back.
firstrite. it was not something she had remembered since meeting him again, but --
my heart, it -- goes fast, to hear you say this.
she too, had a longer story.
i was not alone. i stayed in the singing hills with grey shrike, the brother of my chosen-sister, cloud lash. i -- wait.the accent broadened, and she wanted to fidget, but did not withdraw her touch.
chakliux came back. he and the others left soon after. i only -- stay because i afraid to go.in the hushed light of their shelter, elk charm shut her eyes.
but i leave. trade with northfall. skies become black. land changes. i go and go and i meet nate-ronan. he brings me to blue flame and others. is where i meet chakliux. now, we are clan. group. he went to find a new place. i am going to meet him and those who follow.
but then she had found samo again, and all that seemed set had risen in unsurety once more.
silence now, save for their breathing. she discovered a steadiness inside herself, and asked,
tell me the other story?perhaps in his telling she would find the strength to describe the end of militsik.