The Great Currents

Watching the move I was reminded of the great currents of air that carry the clouds across the Sky. To see it .. from afar it seems as if some great hand of Fate is guiding the massive peoples. To be within it .. it is loud .. chaotic .. sweaty and you realize how much work it really is to orchestrate such a massive undertaking.

As I strode from Oren's wagons to my own .. which were still part of the First Wagons ... I saw the most beautiful woman. Young .. probably just a little younger than I am. Her beauty so striking I almost tripped over a cooking pot .. and the owner of that pot chased me off with a big spoon. I turned around to try to find the woman I had seen again but she was gone .. lost in the mass and press of humanity that stood on the verge of becoming mobile again.

I had never seen her before. I know I have not .. I would have remembered her. I would not be surprised to see her staked this year at the Love Wars. She was that incredible. With the currents of people moving and shifting .. our paths had crossed ... and might not ever cross again. The great moves brought people together .. mixed us up and tossed us around a little. I had to grin.

It was good to be Tuchuk.

I have painted my wagons again. I always do before a move. Always with great sweeping scenes of amalgamated color. Always a little scary .. a little dark ... but reflects how I see the world. How I see people .. without their skin.

I found Also staring at the pictures. I felt bad for a moment .. first time I ever felt bad about them. Perhaps they would scare him .. I did not want him to see things as I did. I did not want him to ever understand .. what I did. But when he turned to me I saw no fear in his eyes. He pointed to one of the flags that decorated the wagon. He wanted it. I grinned and nodded. Grabbing the railing I hoisted myself up .. balanced and swung higher on the ribbing so I could reach the flag. But it was not just one flag it was several in a string .. so I took them all and swung out letting go ... dropping to the ground near him.

I handed him the flags. But he was disappointed they did not fly as they had up on top of the wagon .. in the breeze. He tried .. and tried ... to make them catch the wind but we were too far down between the wagons for the flags to catch the currents.

I understood.

So I brought him over to the steps of my wagon and using some spare supplies I crafted a small kite for him out of the colored flags. I gestured him to follow me and I took him out just a little ways from the press of wagons that were being jostled into place .. and on the morning of the move I taught Also to fly his kite .. I taught him how to rein and ride the currents.

I was reminded of another time .. a time before the desert. When another man taught me about kites. Also is much better with them than I am .. I seem to be able to teach something I have never quite gotten the hang of. Also is quick to learn things. His fingers were easy and steady on the string .. he did not try to force or control too much but used the currents to his advantage. Just as his father had learned to direct and use the energy of the Tuchuk to orchestrate the massive move of the wagon peoples .. so his son put his mind into learning the very basics of that concept. Just as his mother knew the correct balance of strength to use on the reins .. so her son learned to use momentum and lift to guide control. I looked forward to telling Ba'atar about Also's natural talent .. and I looked forward to telling Cana that her son had the potential to rival her in her skills with a kaiila.

Yes .. it was good to be Tuchuk.