Just Another Day

"That's what happens when you eat the neighbor's spice garden!" Dai laughed and patted Sage on the neck. "You don't have a normal name either, Shanku."

"I was named after my great-great-granddam. She was a magnificent huntress," Shanku boasted proudly. She cocked her head to the side in curiosity and asked, "Do you have anybody like that in your family?"

"Well, my grandfather was one of the first to breed the Urych that I'm watching over," Dai said simply.

"Where is he now?" Shanku asked. They had arrived back at camp. She remained atop Sage as Dai dismounted and removed the buck.

"Knowing Grandpa he's probably flirting with an angel. He was never very reverent. Grandma was always fussing at him to mind his manners in life," Dai said wistfully.

"No kidding," Shanku mumbled, eyes wide.

"How about your grandparents? How are they?" Dai asked.

"Um..." Shanku paused and remembered back to one of the last meetings she had with her grandparents. Her mother's sire never seemed to remember she wasn't male and was always warning her to never marry as "dams are nothing but trouble", with her granddam all the while scolding him and reminding him that his opinion was very different when they were courting.

"As well as can be expected, I guess," Shanku muttered. "So your grandsire raised those things? What about your sire?" She asked before Dai could ask about her family further.

"He helped Grandpa with the herd until he passed on, and I helped my father with the herd until he also passed on. Likely my son shall continue the tradition with me," Dai said as he gutted the buck.

"The herd sounds more like a death warrant than a tradition," Shanku shuddered then suddenly sat up. "Wait, you have a cub? Do you feel sick?" She asked worriedly.

"Don't worry, it's not my time to go yet," Dai laughed.