It became a pattern and we tried to break Aiden of his habit. He found comfort with his hands wound in my hair at night. I assumed he’d clung to his mother’s fur in the darkness and this sensation was familiar. He just couldn’t sleep unless he was wrapped around my head.

After a few days we gave up trying to change him. For being an orphan Aiden was adapting very well. If he needed to sleep that way at night, I would not begrudge him. Evan just used a brush and detangled my hair every morning as I nursed the boys. The solution was simple enough.

It took a moon for the boys teeth to come in. For that one moon they were mine to care for full time. My entire world revolved around their needs and they were absolutely consuming. I was Mama and they were mine. The time seemed to blur for me and went by much too quickly.

At the next gathering I felt myself tearing apart inside when my boys found their three Brothers the first day. It took all my strength and fortitude not to break down screaming. Jonathan and Aiden seemed thrilled to be playing with these other children. If I acted upset I was sure it would be disconcerting to my young ones and they meant everything to me. I stood stoically and buried my nails into my palms to distract from the mental anguish.

The women watched them during the gathering. They were fierce boys who liked rough play and movement. Nu-reeh commented they would never be content in a shop all day. Despite my weakness, my Little boy was a Warrior like his father. That’s how he would be raised.

The design for the tattoo was created by a group of women. There was far more information in those marks than even Runen and his brothers understood. A woman finding a lost man would know exactly who he was when she saw his mark.

I watched solemnly as the boys were tattooed. The women took them into a room and distracted them as they marked the children’s skin. One Brother at a time received the distinctive tattoo. The pain was spread out, so the Little ones barely noticed.

This was important, it was a point of pride to decorate their lodgings distinctly. The women knew the men Liked this

liked

a deep red color, but something about the light blue appealed to my son. The other boys had no real opinion. I saw

blue, no wonder that shade called to him. No matter what happened

room. I was to be permitted to be present for this as long as I made no trouble. My tears dripped silently down my face, but I made no sound. Nu-reeh had been clear that she would not tolerate outbursts from me. It was an honor to see my son

gathered and discussed the boys. Nu-reeh and her cousins sold my son and his family as Warriors. They would be raised to be

far from here. Jonathan’s compound would be the one we associated with the red mountains. Not that it mattered, I felt like I would never see

sales floor and walked out to a large opening in the mountain. The boys were all wrapped warmly in coats and matching mittens. I noted that Jonathan’s was made of that

up waiting to take the children. The men driving were all armed and obviously Warriors. Tosu explained the transports took the children most of

realized there were so many of them, but still so

I knew this was not enough children to populate an entire planet. Something was very wrong. The community hospital at home had delivered more children than this in a

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