***
“Then the Tribe agreed, Mom?” asked Kanna.
“Well, yes, but probably not as quickly or cleanly as we say the Tribe did. They were awed, but they were also confused, and argued with Jezhei. Even after they initially agreed, they needed to make the pact more solid and clear. Some of them could not change and left. Nearly all chose to place Jezhei as Kiritru’s voice until they earned the right to speak to Her again in dreams. But that is why raising two tauzak is so crucial, especially for you. It has been more than seven generations since Jezhei’s time, and we have paid off our debts to nearly all the villages.”
Kanna nodded quietly as her mother continued, “Kiritru’s teaching held more merits than merely earning the friendship of our neighbors however and staving off the wrath of other deities. The young tauzak we don’t give away might be sold when someone raises a second or even third pair of them, bringing the Tribe what it needs. Keeping the herd from growing too large lets us stay on the Roof in peace, free from the conflicts that often fill the lowlands now. If the herd or the People grew too numerous, it would be more than the Roof could support.”
Silence filled the tent for a moment as Shari finished inspecting the last of her bags, ready to take her shift with the herd. Kanna cocked her head sideways. “Mother, has anyone ever raised three tauzak for their rite of passage, instead of two?”
Shari blanched slightly in the cold. “No. That would be a horrible challenge for an inexperienced herder.”
“Then I shall be the first, if there are enough births. If Jezhei could learn to ride and raise tauzak in only a year, then I should be able to do it after learning for my entire childhood. When Kiritru feels I’m ready to speak to her, she will be proud of what I’ve done.” Kanna stood up and rushed to the flap of their yurt.
“I’m sure she will, my Kanna, just as she was with Jezhei the mother of our line, so many years ago.”
About William Lenoire
William Lenoire is constant reader and occasional know-it-all from southern New Hampshire where he lives with his girlfriend and their two cats. He's been caught on multiple occasions fencing, hiking, and engaging in that most unspeakable of habits: gaming.
William is available by email, and on twitter.
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