Taking a deep breath and shivering inexplicably among her furs, K'takka waited. She turned her silver eyes on K'deiki, the woman who had always been a better hunt, more well-loved by the Nunh, more popular. But K'takka had thought she had at least managed to out-do the woman in progeny. K'takka's sons were a Nunh and fire-dancer, her grandson another Nunh, whereas the bloodline of K'deiki was tainted with troublemakers and exiles. She stared at the other Elder for several minutes, trying to imagine her thoughts, trying to pity her, because at least K'takka's children were present.
However.
K'takka lurched out of her furs once more, like a skeleton from a soft cairn. She still held the pillow to her chest like it was the only thing keeping her heart in. Weak steps took her past K'ailia as if the girl were unimportant, as if she were a stranger, as if she had left the tribe and the family of her own will and was adult enough to accept everything which that meant.
She paused in front of K'yohko and said, "Your blood is not strong enough, Nunh. Thicken it before you lay with any more huntresses. Would that there were more Tias with the courage to keep you sharp." She flicked her ears in agitation. "Take the outsider and have your moment. Do not be long."
Then K'takka moved on a few steps and stopped in front of K'nahli. She bent forward, then let her knees bend until she knelt in front of the young woman. K'takka lay the back of one hand upon the girl's head, between her ears, watching the blue hair shift under her touch. The old woman exhaled, watching the way that K'nahli's young muscles wrapped her bones, holding her in place, controlled and trained. So much like her father, but so different.
Turning her gaze away from K'yohko and K'ailia, K'takka moved her hand in a very slight motion. Almost imperceptibly, she pet K'nahli's head.
However.
K'takka lurched out of her furs once more, like a skeleton from a soft cairn. She still held the pillow to her chest like it was the only thing keeping her heart in. Weak steps took her past K'ailia as if the girl were unimportant, as if she were a stranger, as if she had left the tribe and the family of her own will and was adult enough to accept everything which that meant.
She paused in front of K'yohko and said, "Your blood is not strong enough, Nunh. Thicken it before you lay with any more huntresses. Would that there were more Tias with the courage to keep you sharp." She flicked her ears in agitation. "Take the outsider and have your moment. Do not be long."
Then K'takka moved on a few steps and stopped in front of K'nahli. She bent forward, then let her knees bend until she knelt in front of the young woman. K'takka lay the back of one hand upon the girl's head, between her ears, watching the blue hair shift under her touch. The old woman exhaled, watching the way that K'nahli's young muscles wrapped her bones, holding her in place, controlled and trained. So much like her father, but so different.
Turning her gaze away from K'yohko and K'ailia, K'takka moved her hand in a very slight motion. Almost imperceptibly, she pet K'nahli's head.
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