Ferocious Beast

(No that is not the image of a sleen but you have to admit .. it worked)

Well this certainly explained the noise that had been heard from the wagon all those nights in the north. The air filled with pleadings that half bordered on whining and for once it just made me grin. Can I keep him? Can I keep him Linna, pleeeeease? Oh yes, I extricated those devout promises .. You have to feed him, see him trained, take care of him or is it a her ... and ... by no means is it sleeping in a wagon .. no not yours, not mine, not anybodies. It wound up sleeping in his but only for now and that scent! Winds.

If I'd known we were going to be the proud new owners of a young sleen, I would have wagered for a pen and some chain and .. what all does one need for a sleen anyway? I was already scouting around for a cage for urts. Well all that is left is a few verr, I guess and I'll have a complete menagerie. I did have to ask just what was he going to name the creature? The answer was more than suitable ... he would have to earn his name. Sounded good to me.

When the wagons slowed the following eve, I was ready for conversation with someone older than fourteen, make that seventeen. It was good to see Ramza. I had been worried about him since the storm. I worry, it is a given. His limp was noticeable but he assured me it was nothing but a bruise and a scratch. For as good as the Tuchuks are at bragging, they hold title rights to understatements too. I picked on him a little about not getting a word in edge wise with all of his chatter. He speaks to me more than most I guess but that isn't saying a lot. That pun fit well didn't it?

We talked of the damages the storm had brought. His girl was seeing the sewing of his canvas and he would see the painting on mine was redone when we reach the south. Then I spun the tale of the ferocious beast in the next wagon that had attacked a kur .. might have been a stuffed one but it was my story. About that time, the sleen tracked me to the fires dragging the stuffed kur along with it. It wasn't long before Me Too followed. I thought that was supposed to be the other way around. For a moment I watched to see if the insolence would bow up again with the warrior. It did in its own way. It came in announcing the bragging rights he had earned, 'Rusty said that I was doing good with the bow and maybe soon I could have my first scar'

I couldn't help thinking that both of them rarely talked but they seemed to have no trouble communicating between them. Especially when the warrior told him that he was sure one day he would be a great man. Made me all misty eyed. There was that moment that Me Too stood there silent, studying Ramza's features, putting them to memory before he grinned and told yes, He would be .. watch and see.