Uuni could hear the accusations now. You taught my daughter how to wound herself? What the actual ******** is wrong with you! Not to mention all the summons she'd probably be getting after that. Still, if this small cub grew up to know her and believe in her, perhaps even respect her, she was likely to bring others with her. There was so much security in having mortals believe.
She would be more powerful than she already was, and that was never a discomforting thought. Not when there were gods of the sun who may as well have been puking ego they were so rich in power.
"Here. Pay attention."
The goddess unsheathed her first few nails, letting them stretch outward. They hovered just before the ground, then began to dissolve, stretching into a thick, dark red mucous of blood that spread where she willed it. Though she did not have to, she followed a specific pattern with her paw until one of her toes had completely gone and there was part of another missing.
In its place, on the ground, was a bloody rune which glowed gently upon completion so as to be seen.
"This is a summoning rune." It was, more specifically, her summoning rune. Or, one of them. It would be strong, for she had taught it.
"It does not take much blood, but it the rune is done wrong, it may take much more." Or, the consequences could be dire. This was rare, however, and usually only happened to meddlesome types that completely mutilated a code and invented something that had not yet existed instead.
"If you still want to learn when you are older, use this. But remember, there is always a price." The goddess vanished then, without so much as a goodbye. The rune vanished with her, only a trace of a memory, but she did not abandon the cub completely.
She'd watch, make sure it got back to its parents safely. Uuni just wasn't interested in holding the darn kids tail through the whole process. Maybe she'd forget about blood magic and grow up to be a happy, healthy, normal seer. Hah. And she was going to give up men.
NovaCracker
