Hannah’s wings had fascinated me. Each wing was divided into three sections. At each transition point


    was a fleshy barb. It wasn’t nearly as hard as the ones the adult women had, I hoped that changed with


    age.


    By her third moon I could appreciate the changes in Hannah’s wings. Over time Hannah had learned to


    control the spans of flesh and she now moved them with ease and assurance. Except for their smaller


    size they looked much Like the older women’s wings.


    I talked to her about the amazing ces her wings could carry her. Reminding her of Nu-reeh’s stories,


    I hoped she would also see wonderful things. The conversation usually infuriated Hannah.


    She told me she had no need to see this world. Land was Land, mountains were mountains, and the


    sea was the sea. It didn’t matter if it was somewhere different. She always went back to ying with


    her toys and refused to talk about it further.


    That’s what she said and I heard her, but it wasn’t how she acted. Hannah stared at the sky when we


    passed openings in the mountains. She explored the Limited world she had voraciously. I saw her true


    desire even though she tried to hide it.


    Hannah grew rapidly and she fed from me frequently, much more than a human child would. I produced


    enormous amounts of milk, but I feared it was barely adequate. Hannah stood the height of an average


    toddler, but Nu-reeh hadmented she was small. I ate and drank frequently to have enough energy


    to make enough milk.


    I’m sure it didn’t help my overall health when I started to menstruate again. Those days I felt as though


    energy flowed from me in every direction. It made me tired, cranky and hungry. Despite how hard I tried


    I could barely keep up with the demands on my body.


    Hannah’s rtionship with Damien and his Brothers was always strained. She harbored arge


    amount of anger toward them and nothing I could say seemed to quell it. I still tried, though.


    Ang’s Library


    Every day I talked to her about the importance of treating men well. I feared she would treat her own


    men poorly when the time came. That would just make things worse.


    One day during her fourth moon I even told her my suspicions about the way the women could control


    the men. I advised her that she probably had a great deal more power over men besides just strength.


    This was new information and Hannah pondered it.


    I reminded her of the times it seemed Like Nu-reeh had controlled the bond. Hannah had those


    memories also and understanding lit her face.


    “I wonder how she did it,” Hannah said and I had to shake my head.


    I wasn’t sure either.


    “Perhaps,” I said, “one day when you are older, you could ask. I’m not sure I should know.”


    It wasn’t much help, but it’s all I could offer her.


    Hannah and I still took our afternoon walks around the caves. She was incredibly curious and


    explorative. She would climb the walls and and crawl deep into crevices to examine things if they


    interested her. It was during one of those walks she discovered she could fly.


    We walked to an area where the floor just dropped way. Hannah wanted to see what was on the other


    side of the pit whose bottomy at least twenty stories below us.


    “I’LL crawl down, Mama,” she told me and scurried toward the Ledge. While I Liked to encourage her


    curious nature, this was too dangerous. “No,” I told her sharply, “it’s not safe. Come back here.”


    Hannah pouted and stomped her foot while backing away from me. The loose gravel she was on


    shifted and she tilted back over the edge of the precipice. I screamed as she fell backwards


    I rushed to the edge and looked over screaming her name. Hannah fell for a mere moment before


    righting herself. Her wings spread wide and I gasped as she flew. She soared across the pit to another


    Ledge andnded clumsily on it.


    “Did you see, Mama?” she called to me excitedly. “Did you see me fly?!” My heart was hammering in


    my chest. I’d apparently seen my child fall to her death and I couldn’t stop shaking. My voice trembled


    as I spoke.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    “Yes, d-d-don’t do it again, Hannah. Stay there, let me get someone to help you!”


    “Why?”


    “Hannah, you could get hurt,” I said getting exasperated, but calming down slightly.