Role

Chapter 8

The shouting and screams of pain stopped around midnight, but I hid in
a tree and didn't come back to the camp until dawn. There were a few
other dazed and weeping survivors and they were building a fire to burn
our headless dead. I watched as Phreemour's father dragged Phreemour
to the pyre. He gave me the dirtiest look in the world when he saw me.
I went to my wagon. My Ma and Pa had been wanted for robberies for a
long time, so in a way, I was prepared for what I found, but not really.

I was sorta glad I'd been a weird litter. I wouldn't know how to handle
my distress if I had to comfort siblings too. I took one of the ribbons
off Ma's dress and tied Phreemour's ring around my tail, then I started
dragging my headless parents to the funeral pyre. I don't even wanna
talk about this.

Fire, cleanse the blood today
Take the fallen all away

Take them to the resting place
Take them in your warm embrace

Give your warmth to those remaining
Help them as their strength is waning

I never finished that poem. I just watched the fire die down and then
I ran to the city. I lost myself in the hustle and bustle of Galadon,
and I sort of found a home with the thieves, but I know there's got to
be something more...more me.

Phreemour was in love with me 'cause I could dance, and back then I
liked to. I wanna find the place I can dance for joy again. And if
the full moon says I'm supposed to be a poetess, I wanna find somewhere
my poems don't have to be about dark memories.