Just Another Day

Dakota was brought out and adorned similarly in a decorative long coat. The high priestess performed the ceremony with song and blessings as she danced around them. Then she took out a long string. They tied the knot, literally, and per tradition remained bound together by the hands until they retired to Huata's home where they both were to live together henceforth.

Shanku watched the village celebrate the union and indulge in the wedding feast. She rather enjoyed watching her friends get married off. The thought crossed her mind that she might one day be a bride, but she chuckled and shook her head. Who could ever want to travel the world with her? Well, aside from little Innugati. She smiled warmly down at the dragon and stroked her back before joining in with the celebrations.

After the ceremony, Shanku of course needed a new place to stay. It wouldn't have been proper to intrude upon Dakota and Huata's honeymoon! With permission, Shanku chose to stay in the cave where she had originally bumped into Dakota.

Then came the day Shanku didn't enjoy as much as Dakota and Huata's union. Bidding the sun farewell. Shanku was reminded of how the Heyen clan broke camp and went to the forest since it was much the same thing. A large meal was served, songs were sung, gifts were exchanged, and then it was time to disassemble their homes. During the winter, the Imnek packed up their belongings and left their cliffside village to go further east to the coast since they took mostly to fishing while the large game on land was further south.

The singing was quite unlike anything Shanku had heard before. It was deep, growling, and very primal, accompanied only by drums. It sent chills through her that even the cold wind wasn't capable of doing, and invoked a feeling in her she wasn't quite sure what to make of. The men and women also had different ways of singing. The men were more guttural and more bestial, often reminiscent of animals calls. The women were more melodic in their growling, seeming to mimic the rolling of the wind and sea. Together, they told tales of various animals living in the cold north. The progression of the grandest song started with the Imnek in their natural form and ended with all in either their feral or final form. The grand finale resulted in the clan joining in a howl. Shanku couldn't resist and tilted her nose to the sky with them.

Shanku was rather quiet when the festival had finished, feeling a strange sense of belonging she hadn't felt in a long time. She helped pack sleds and also helped pull one to the winter settlement.

"It's dark," Shanku remarked some days later after they had created their winter camp.

"Of course, it's night," Huata's sister, Yakone, replied.

"Five months!?" Shanku asked with great concern.

"Five months," Yakone nodded.

"Ow!" Shanku yipped as she banged her leg against a rock. She sat down on the ground and rubbed her sore leg. "Shoulda made shin guards yesterday."

"You'll get used to it. Starlight's not so bad," Yakone laughed.

"I prefer moonlight," Shanku grumbled. Innugati trilled in amusement. Shanku gave her a sideways glance and continued. "So, how do you know how much time passes?"