By Night

Nights were cooler as the Sky fell backwards and opened up to let the stars escape and fill in the space left. They seemed to spark like sharp snow flakes that never fell.

During those few days upon the arrival in the Northern grazing grounds I ate briefly with my own wagons .. renewing my friendships with those of my own wagons. Pacu .. Astar and Oren as well as the younger ones. We shared many stories and songs of our adventures and experiences during the move. I had Beo and the girl child come and share our meals for there was still much I wished to learn of them .. of the village. She called him papa. And he called her Valerie. They existed very well in each other's space. I became suspicious. But I did not let my suspicions detract from our time or stories around the bosk-chip fire of my wagons. Though my dark gaze studied them both with something of a more direct focus than before. I listened to Beo's stories for clues. My suspicions found a path that explained some things but left others unexplained without a place to fit them yet ... seemed that was a common thread in my life.

Later after I would sleep for a few ahn came my favored time .. riding with the bosk. Long after most Tuchuk slept within the warmth and safety of their wagons I was singing softly as I rode the edge of the bosk ensuring them that all was well and they were safe. My thoughts were free to fly to whatever heights I allowed and given rein to chew on and devour whatever problems I had faced during the day. The Sky .. the pressure ... eased for those few hours of blessed darkness and I did not feel the rage of frustration with it. The emptiness above me allowed the line of my jaw to ease and relax and the songs gave my low tone something to toy with as I took deep breaths that expanded my lungs within my chest .. and it too ... was good.