heroborne (opening excerpt)hot, dry summersong swept across Nhaama’s face as
twinned newborn calls echoed cross the Steppe:
yellow hatchling, umbral infant—chocobo, au’ra,
delivered of the shells and blood of their mothersthe Horo cheered at Azim’s rise to welcome the
homegrown tribe—feathered chick, scaled Xaela,
each named by the rushing khaal yet gorged
from mountainmelt like a Horo-sent bride-to-bePeace-Ponder, son of Pluck-Sky and Sugar—
Hendrix, daughter of Hosoyo and Muunokhoi—
Horo-borne fates braided betwixt the lives
of birthshared babes by the Sea of Blades


~~~


shattered eyewayward child chittering like a yol
suckling ripe candyfruit in secret
away from mama’s sharp eyes
and ever sharper tonguewayward child stalking like a gedan
fumbling feet in grazing grass
unseen by kin yet watched by
dark and hungry gazewayward child, listen!
wayward child, watch!
wayward child, sense!a flash of teeth
the baras pounces
to taste of Xaela scales
and auri fleshwayward child screaming like a gulo gulo
thrashing tiger in desperation
hot blood stains young scales
as claw rends eye asunderwayward child crying like a dhruva
watching her kinkept paladin rush
with iron will as his giant arms swing
sword upon sabertooth skullroegadyn arms bring safety
carrying child to mother’s care
stunted depth of the steppe
a caution told over baras pelt

~~~

in praise of kumisAzim praise the aurochsen strong!
deft auri hands worship thine teets
so swollen with liquid mythrilAzim praise the chocobo swift!
milkful leathers strapped to saddlebags
churn the promise of delightAzim praise the Xaela proud!
thick cups of chilled kumis
with soured bite of joy

~~~

mother plantersi asked where i came from one spring as i watched a lamb birthed from one of our ewes. i looked to my mother, Muunokhoi, and sought answers in her verdant eyes. afterbirth still on her dexterous hands. steel chakrams ever present at her hips.“i planted you with romance,” she said, “during the coldest winter known. the whole khaat was frozen solid for months and months.” the old auri tongue lilted from her lips in the awkward manner of words summoned from memory. “i danced to keep warm. mama needed to keep warm, too. and so we planted you for summer harvest, my little chickweed.”the next day, as mama pinched the buuz dough shut, i asked where she had planted me. Her nimble fingers stumbled as she laughed in surprise. “you were planted in my belly. you grew for nine moons by Nhaama’s blessing. i craved zagas khaal so much, Abaqa Bear had to fish almost everyday at the frozen khaat!” the Xaela words dripped from mama’s lips like honey.that night, as Uncle Bear drank mugfuls of kumis, i asked why zagas khaal was the best fertilizer for me in mama’s tummy. the roegadyn’s red cheeks deepened redder. “Seven hells, girl, what are you on about?!” He bellowed in the common tongue.mother and mama erupted into laughter. it was music Muunokhoi could dance to, if only she weren’t doubled over in a fit of giggles.as moons passed, i watched the lamb grow handsome wool. i whispered in the little one’s ear: “i’m happy my mothers grew me like a Raen-tended garden”

~~~

winter on the Steppeheavy snow drapes the world
yawning from eastern dawn to
western dusk, a weaving of cold
more fierce than primal Shivathe livestock herded as one mass:
penned aurochsen-chocobos-sheep
the Horo huddled as one iloh:
yurts clustered warm-waiting-welcomeNhaama’s splendor shines best
in the frozen nights; a kinsman sings
to stars above with words of love
as a fiddler begins to play