“The other men,” he said passing out servings, “are terrified of the child. That sound, it keeps making, puts them on edge.”


    Kein leaned in and spoke quietly to me, “Did you see the women appear when the child called out?”


    I shook my head no, so he continued to talk.


    “The men said each time the child cries the womene around. There was one stalking up and down outside our apartment allst night.”


    Evan took his te and reced Kein talking, “Just now three women appeared at the entrances to see what was happening.”


    “They’re proving a point,” Damien said as we all leaned in to listen. “The women want us to see them watching the child.”


    “There’s a bet that Archen’s family will try to touch the girl,” Evan said. “I heard it in the sorting room.”


    “Didn’t they see what the women did?” I asked. “Why would they risk it? That is monumentally stupid.”


    Christof loaded my te with food and ced it in front of me. “They were Warriors, like us, from anotherpound. None of them like it here, they’re trouble makers.”


    “Like you all were,” I said ruefully starting to eat.


    Everyone at the table chuckled before Damien answered affirmatively.


    They were still concerned, though. The family they referred to were powerful Warriors and their anger made them unpredictable. Archen’s family was a force to be reckoned with and my men feared for my safety around them.


    Hannah switched breasts and Christof fed me so I could eat, also. Once Hannah was done, she asked to taste what was on my te.


    “No teeth yet, Baby Girl, you can’t eat it without teeth to chew,” I said scooping a little gravy on my finger, “but you can try this.”


    Hannah sucked at the gravy and wrinkled her nose a little. “It’s better roasted over an open me,” I told her.


    “The best,” Kein said, “is wrapped and stuffed with tami leaf from the red mountains. We only had it like that one time and it was amazing.”


    Hannah looked at Kein for a moment before she spoke, “I want tami leaf,Mama,”she told me inly.


    “Baby Girl,” I said looking up at Kein, “I don’t know tami leaf and I don’t know how you get it.”


    Kein answered me, “Traveling men sold it to my Brothers and me. They said it came from a tree found in the red mountains. It is rare to see any avable to buy here but we enjoy it a great deal.”


    ttering talons got our attention two women entered the room. They came near our table and Hannah hissed loudly at them. The women just looked at her.


    “Why do you wrap her?” one of them asked me.


    “It is the custom on my home, Mistress,” I said clinging to Hannah and trying to cover her with my arms.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Nu-reeh entered and I was, for once, thrilled to see her.


    “Show them the child’s skin,” Nu-reehmanded and I unbundled my daughter with shaking hands.


    “Ah,” one of the new women said, “it did happen too soon. The baby fur should have grown in and the wings are without definition.”


    Nu-reeh exined that I had been hit in the head and the stomach. She had obtained knowledge that such a violent act could cause an early birth in a human.


    “No lines,” one of the new womenmented, “very poor camouge.”


    Nu-reeh stiffened and told the other women it would not matter once the fur grew in. That seemed to settle the debate.


    “We have another family,” the woman told Nu-reeh changing the subject, “that we can bring from apound. I believe they will do better than Runen and his Brothers. Those men do nothing but create trouble wherever they go.”


    Nu-reeh agreed and the women left as a group. The hall was mostly silent starring at Hannah and me.


    “What was that?” I asked very quietly.


    “They owned the tutors who were med for harming the child,” Christof told me.


    Understanding made my gut clench. Those women had skinned five men in punishment for potentially hurting this female. They must have wondered if she was worth it. I hoped they would continue to think she was.


    The hall slowly went back to normal after the interruption.


    Hannah napped after her meal and I finished my te with Christof feeding me.


    “We have a mating this afternoon,” Bane said as we walked back to our apartments. “They won’t let us walk with you in the caves.”


    “Can I let Hannah sleep some first?” I asked looking at her resting peacefully.


    “No, walk while she rests,” Damien said quietly.


    “Of course, you’re right,” I amended, “Nu-reeh said to walk her.”


    “Only in safe ces,” Bane added.


    “Yes, only in safe ces,” I saidkissingeach of their cheeks.


    I made adiaperbag once we were in the apartment. At least, I made the Paterian equivalent of adiaperbag. It had everything I would need for a long uninterrupted walk.


    In the back of the closet I found a long run of cloth, I’m not sure what my men wanted to use it for. I used it to tie my baby to my chest. She restedfortably in the sling and my arms were free.


    I strode confidently out of our apartment with my head decidedly down. No reason to ask for trouble that wasn’t being offered. No one osted me or even noticed me for that matter.


    I stepped into the main hall and the men just walked past me like I was a stone dropped in the tunnel. It began to feel like I was invisible.


    I had to look up asionally and the men seemed blind to me. Literally, they looked right through me. It was like they didn’t know I was present.


    “They don’t see me,” I whispered as another group walked past oblivious to my presence.


    The women had no fear the men would bother me, because the men were under their control. Except Runen and his brethren, who had attacked me. It made me wonder. Had the women skinned them because they assaulted Hannah or because they were able to override themands?


    “Hannah, I don’t know what I’ve gotten you into,” I whispered to my sleeping baby.


    Nu-reeh must believe Hannah would be powerful. That’s why the women worked so hard to teach and protect her. Clearly, my daughter was ted to take her ce among the women once she was grown.


    I walked through the caves and eventually Hannah woke up. She wanted to see what was going on. Holding her in my arms I showed her the world from the openings in the mountains.


    The men never bothered us as we walked. If we were loud and boisterous the men looked around like they heard something. When we were quiet and stood still, they seemed not to see us. It soon became obvious to me that with enough incentive the men could break free of the women’smands.


    I had no urge to get in a confrontation with any men. Hannah and I talked, but I did nothing to rile the few families that strolled by. The women had made it easy and I just stayed under theirradar.


    As the sun dipped in the sky I walked back to our quarters. I didn’t look down, because there was no need. The men didn’t see me even if I stood right in front of them. I did not exist.