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I woke from a slumber that felt too long with a sudden jolt. Was I late for something? I looked over feeling a warmth as it was Tasha at my side. She had bruises against her flesh, even in the darkness of her skin and the wagon I could feel the heat from the stained marks I left on her. I touched her thigh and she whimpered in her slumber. I must have come home ravished in arousal. I usually come to my wagons by early morning ready to just sleep. I barely remembered coming home. Ah that was right, I walked in late from a meal shared with a friend, Jaron, a childhood friend who we shared a patrol together. His woman was young, seeing the both of us, Jaron and I, were around the same age. I think he had me by a season. He would joke, if you couldn't find a good woman, raise one. They had no children yet, freshly mated, it was his third mate. The first, well, not sure what happened to her. Rumor was, she fell in love with someone else. I never asked, she gave Jaron five strong healthy children before, she was just gone one day. The other gave him one son, then a wild kaiila ate her. So this one, I felt bad for. Luck and mates, damn. She was fun, I had to say, kept him young. She was up when we got to his wagon, feeding us and pouring our paga as the wager was, who could drink and stake the highest amount of bowls. I have no idea who won. I don't even know what we wagered. The memories were slowly returning as I forced myself out of the furs and walked out bare to the platform. I expected to see Tori waiting for me with my meal by the fires. The fires were just a glow, and nothing was cooking. I really must have kept Tasha up. That is right, Tori was at the first wagons.

It was well into the afternoon, I went to bath at the stream. I had one of the other back wagon healers, Vanessa, take care of my morning rounds that Tori usually did. Just cost me one verr, but that was good, cause I had many verr to spare. The season had brought many births to my herd. My bosk seemed very fruitful this year also. I washed myself, watching some slaves and young girls doing laundry far down the stream. Women letting children play in the water, and Warriors watering kaiila. I reached over taking a hard cake of soap and rubbing it in a rep cloth to wash. A memory came to mind, of when I was young. I was bathing in the stream, having a hard time, a battle in my own soul over what I had just done. I had been barely a man at fourteen. I had earned my scar, which I would be getting that night, as I was trying to scrub the dried dirt and blood from under my nails. My Father walked up to me, sitting on the boulder that was still there. He knew I was struggling with what I had done. I hated myself, my body again. The start of my break down, that would only be my rebirth into a Tuchuk Warrior. He asked me, what I thought of my milk name. Ongel. I said I hated it. It was a name he made me bare since I was a child first arrived to the wagons. A name of the people who created me, but not of the one that raised me. I didn't know why they called me that, or any meaning behind it. I hated it as much as my skin. When it was given to me as my earned name, I didn't get it. It was a gift then, it took many days for it to sink in, as I healed not from the scarring, or my own self inflicted wounds, but of the beating not of flesh, but of heart my Father gave me. It was a gift from him. Not to forget who I was, or what I had become. My birth was for a reason, my parents gave it to me out of love, milk names were love names. To earn a name was one of honor and pride. He loved me enough to make me bare the name I was born with. I earned my right to keep it. It was the last personal thing I had beyond hazed memories of birth home. Ongel, never leave a quiva behind. I never have, never will. By the time shook out of my thoughts Tasha was there behind me running water across my back. Where had I gone? Lost in the past. Turning I kissed her shoulder. She whispered I had hurt her last night, she loved it. Brazen slut. Just the way I wanted her. It as obvious she was enjoying Tori being gone. My attention would rest on her alone. A treat for her. I would allow her to lock it away inside as her moment. Everyone needed a moment to remember that would make everything foul disappear. I had many, it felt good to give someone else, at least one.

I met with Vanessa, and we spoke of those she went to see. She said never again, not for a handful of verr. Most of the men she went to see were sitting in wagons naked. A few were hard of seeing, and hearing and thought she was Tori. She demanded to know what kinda of sick heated sleen bitch I owned?She had never been more disgusted in her life, the men would ask her to do what she did last time to make the nasty tea go down better. I had to laugh. That just made Vanessa more angry telling me to take care of my own patients and leave after saying, I should check on Tomas. He was a young man, barely seen ten years. He was born blind, and one of the best artist I know. He would paint from sounds and feelings. His wrist have started to hurt. His bones were starting to stiffen. Blindness wasn't the only issue he was having. This was different. Something not normal. I am assuming some weak trait brought over from his mothers side that carried barbarian blood. A turian woman Freed and mated. She only admitted her dark secret when her son was born blind. Her mother had been a bred slave, exotic, born from a Barbarian slave. They wanted a short slave. Some entertainers, they were strange people when the Caravans would dare across the plains. Needless to say the bred slave didn't come out as wanted, sold off and later Freed by some foolish Dweller finding her charming. Our secrets come out in our children, a fact of life. He was small, like some cruel fate set upon him. I didn't expect him to live another hand of years. He was slowly dying, but the love his mother and father gave, was amazing. I looked him over. Gave the parents Kanda for him to chew. Make him comfortable. On the good days I have him over to paint the inside of my slave wagon. It was just the course of time taking its toll.

Leaving Tomas, I checked on Hannah and Baby Bull. Both were looking good. Hannah had great color to her cheeks. I ended my rounds with one broken arm, five sets of stitches, letting a Mother know she was having twins, helping the Father come back after he fainted amazed by his own power, and a bosk with a cracked hoof, along with a broken clawed kaiila. My day was done. Sorta.

I went to check on Cana. I was surprised to see the Ubar pacing. Not surprised to see Tori running into my arms. I didn't realize how much I missed her until I held her, tight. Forcing myself to let her go to get us drinks. We sat around Cana's fires and spoke of things I found. I wanted to make sure they, his woman was there, were prepared for anything. I thanked the woman again for the Tart's she sent over when she thanked me for the flower I sent back for the kind gesture. I spoke to him about the trip to Turia I will make when things had more solid groundings around here. I had other things I wished to talk over, but not before the woman or slaves. He said we would speak of them in the future. I did a constant reminder for all talks to be kept positive around Cana. I knew a little about her from Tori, she was of the Kaiila clan, mother of 6, on her third Master, who the Ubar told me as I had learned prior, had been gone a long time. He was once Ubar, and I could sense the tone of worry even in the current Ubar's tone. I enjoyed watching the Ubar and his woman talk to each other. I had Tori at my side as I was pleased to hear about how helpful she has been. It made me proud. It was getting late, and I needed to get back to my wagon to rest. I would be doing the morning rounds. I leaned into Tori's ear and told her I was proud of her, and I missed her, but her being here and helping would bring me pride. I saw a tear at the corner of her eye I kissed away before sending her off.

I walked home with the woman Cana on my mind. Everything we spoke of at the fires. Emotions so strong to take down the will of a person were a dangerous thing. Where are you Cana? Searching twisted moons showing a kaiila trail to your man? I hope it would show you the way back. This Spex they spoke of that would find her. I would stay positive for them also, though to see looked grave enough. Perhaps I would meet her one day, on some plains of life.