It is written somewhere Speak II

Tao has been there all my life. He was my first kiss. We shared first peek at our different parts when our parts were still small enough not to be considered parts. He was the one that hid under the wagons with me when Mother found out I had used her favorite bowl for making mud pastries. He knew me pretty much from my birthmark down to the scar I got from Yas when I was trying to rescue Imke from those fangs. He has always been there.

He was there for the pick on Mezoo part of the evening too. Sky bless his little twisted heart. Cana's boys were darting from the bath wagon back to theirs naked as the day they were born. Sort of reminded everyone of when Tayran, the year keeper dropped his leathers pretty as you please and took a bath at the stream. Tayran had real parts and not small parts like Cana's boys. Yes, I had looked ... a little. I admitted that. Tao gave me one of those I know better looks and if I could have reached him without toppling over .... Seveya was talking to everyone else besides Tao so he began talking to himself or some invisible spirit that seemed to be talking to him as well. Who would have thought he would get all weird around girls?

Ogedaii, the sleen handler joined us. He's one of my cousin's new friends. I messed up pronouncing his name when I tried it and called him Oggie. He said he would rather be called Daii. That isn't going to happen. Like I said, I am used to Tao being the only person that that gets any where close so when Oggie pulled my braid, I frogged the meaty part of his thigh just like I would have my cousin. Seemed fair to me. Hey Oggie put himself in that position. Everything was going really well until Oggie had to up and tell Tao that his cousin was hot. I decided to ignore them then so when Kaeli brought her twins and I asked if I could hold her daughter. She looked so sweet and cuddly, I just had to. First lesson in life on the plains .. never pick up anything that looks all sweet and cuddly ... it probably isn't. Sheku is all tuchuk female. She got in a good hand smack that really stung, pulled my braid and pinched my arm. It was not fair, she’s little and I couldn’t fight back.

Tao and Oggie continued puffing up on each other and it ended up with my cousin telling the sleen handler he couldn’t talk to me or he would kick his ass. I was fuming by that time. Who is going to kick who’ tush if they talk to me? Tao said he would if Oggie tried, I was his cousin, it was written somewhere that he had to. The sleen handler only made it worse asking who my father was like he was going to speak to him about me.

Fonce was not helping one little bit either when he told me that holding the baby looked good on me then said he might end up pairing me and the sleen handler. I was beginning to see why Tao felt like he did about him but then I could see why Fonce was ready to grab Tao by the scruff too. I was just about at the point of going back to Mother’s wagon where there aren’t any men to puff and snort and paw dirt … nor any miniature Tuchuk beauties to best me in smack a hand.

Speaking of speaking, Fonce stood up and said, “Mezoo, a word with you.”