Ky smiled, hearing the emotion in his voice and glad that she had been able to give him at least some measure of happiness, however small. “I’m glad you like it, Ruh.” Turned out ‘Mark’ hadn’t even been remotely close to correct. “Is there a way I could see you again? If I… sat at a fire and you stayed in the shadow? Or if I brought a deer with me so you didn’t have to be too hungry? You’re also very kind.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"I eat before I come, just in case." He picked up the poultices and backed away. "You safer in tent, but I not eat you tonight."
Not tonight, Gaius thought. But if she kept playing with fire he might. His promise was sincere, he could tell even as he lay in the tent. But that didn't mean the Marrow Man would always be able to control himself. Surely he realized that, after six hundred years?
"The artist deals with what cannot be said in words. The artist whose medium is fiction does this in words. The novelist says in words what cannot be said in words." --Ursula K. Le Guin
“Okay,” she whispered, a little sad that this meant this was truly the last time she’d get to talk to him again. “Thank you for bringing me the bear, Ruh. I’ll remember you always.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"I tell you all of name one day, maybe. Maybe I remember new sounds, then I tell you. But I always stay close now, keep you safe. No one killing you while I near." He rose. "Thank you for gifts. I wear this always and maybe remember no eating childs."
"The artist deals with what cannot be said in words. The artist whose medium is fiction does this in words. The novelist says in words what cannot be said in words." --Ursula K. Le Guin
“Thank you,” she murmured. How did having Ruh on her side somehow feel even safer than the thought of Serpent Keep? He was a monster. He could maul her — eat her alive, as he threatened, although she was starting to doubt he’d actually do that since he said fear made the meat bad. And because she refused to be believe that he was really as terrible as everyone claimed. “I appreciate all you’ve done for me.”
And everything he’d continue to do. Ky doubted even Pratik could outrun or out fight Ruh, if a white bear couldn’t manage it. She was safe now.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"I go now. You sleep good. Take bear and be warm." He limped toward the woods. "Spiders here, but they not come down from trees. Taste bad, but think I want eat them. Stupid spiders."
"The artist deals with what cannot be said in words. The artist whose medium is fiction does this in words. The novelist says in words what cannot be said in words." --Ursula K. Le Guin
“Stupid spiders,” she agreed with a smile. “Be well.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"And you be well, Ky Ruiarc." His footsteps faded away.
Gaius's heart was still racing; he got onto his knees with a pained grunt and listened, straining again to hear which direction the Marrow Man was headed.
"The artist deals with what cannot be said in words. The artist whose medium is fiction does this in words. The novelist says in words what cannot be said in words." --Ursula K. Le Guin
Ky smiled to herself, settling back against the tent and forcing herself to take a deep breath and wait until Ruh was far enough away it’d be safe for her to come out and get the fur. He said he’d already eaten so it was probably fine, but she wasn’t going to push her luck… any further.
She looked over and Tadaaki, as to be expected, was awake and giving her a quizzical stare. She still hadn’t decided how she’d explain this to him. She’d hoped he wouldn’t wake up, but she knew he would. It wasn’t a good survival strategy to not be a light sleeper in Aleth’s home. She shook her head slightly. “Long story… get some sleep.”
He looked at her another moment, everything within him wanting to push the matter. But that would risk waking his family up. And if Ky didn’t want to explain it to him, then it was certainly not a weight that should be placed upon Aashi or Tasia. He could ask tomorrow. Or, with any luck, quell his curiosity and let her have her privacy. He laid back down and tried to relax his mind.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Gaius laid back down with his family, though he was sure he wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight. He'd heard the Marrow Man speak, and he'd heard him walk. He was real. His accent was fascinating, too. Definitely an early form of Nortung. Perhaps if he ever met the Marrow Man and survived they could have a talk about linguistics. He wondered if the Marrow Man would understand modern Nortung, or if it had diverged too much.
"The artist deals with what cannot be said in words. The artist whose medium is fiction does this in words. The novelist says in words what cannot be said in words." --Ursula K. Le Guin
Ky waited what she honestly believed to be twenty minutes, when in reality it was probably only eight or nine, then she slipped out of the tent. The fur was bunched up outside the tent, a little dirty and with bits of debris stuck to the underside, but otherwise perfectly cleaned. He'd been meticulous. She worked on folding it up, careful not to grunt even though it was heavy and a little hard to manage on her own.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
(It does have a few holes where his fingers dug in and the spot where the neck and stomach were broken into are a little ragged but he's done his best to patch it up)
Gaius listened as Ky emerged. He wanted to ask her about it now, to see the fur and touch it, but he stayed quiet. She needed her space, after all.
"The artist deals with what cannot be said in words. The artist whose medium is fiction does this in words. The novelist says in words what cannot be said in words." --Ursula K. Le Guin
As she kept folding it she realized that it wasn't actually as perfect as she'd originally thought -- there were slight tears across it, but it was still perfect to her. She'd have been satisfied with a swatch the size of her pinky that she could tan and keep as a reminder. The fact that she had an entire pelt was a bit excessive. But she'd cherish it always. She kept working on folding it.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
The Marrow Man returned to his meager campfire, which had gone cold in his absence. The remains of the elk he's hunted and devoured lay nearby, blood already frozen on the bones. He sat himself down against its ribcage and raised his wrist, staring in awe at the little leather bracelet that hung from it. It was the most beautiful thing he'd seen in centuries, and it was his. He stroked it carefully with his fingertips, plucked at it gently. It was a gift, the first gift he'd been given since taking this monstrous form, and that made it all the more important to cherish it and keep it safe. He'd keep Ky safe too, keep her out of harm's way if he could. No child that sweet ought to be put in danger. The Marrow Man wiped at his eyes; they were getting blurry with tears. She reminded him so much of his family, that simple pure kindness and her chipper voice coming out of the tent. He could only hope he would meet her face to face again so he could tell her his name, once he remembered. It was coming back in pieces, as were other fragments of memory he hadn't thought about since gods knew when. He'd tell her everything about himself the next time they met. It felt like the bear pelt was an inadequate expression of his gratitude--she could never understand what she'd done for him. He'd have to find her other gifts.
"The artist deals with what cannot be said in words. The artist whose medium is fiction does this in words. The novelist says in words what cannot be said in words." --Ursula K. Le Guin
Ky finally managed to get it folded, and then had the much harder job of trying to carry it to the luggage to get it packed away. It was at least half her body weight, and probably more, she couldn't be sure. If she didn't have her farm girl muscles -- enhanced with her recent swordsmanship lessons -- she never would have managed it. It hurt her arm, but was worth it. That was just proof, well, suggestion, that this was real and not just a dream. She couldn't wait to tell Gaius. He had to believe her now. To see she wasn't crazy. Wasn't lying. That she was friends with Ruh now. She'd have to tell him that, too. That his name is Ruh and not Mark.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
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