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shrugged as if to say it was over, then turned his attention to the dancers and the drums and let the beat flow through him.
     

 

Chapter Five
     
    In the ensuing days, Tyhen threw herself into the festivities and only Yuma knew why. She was making memories, and in a way, also saying good-bye to a way of life she would leave behind. While his heart hurt for her, there was a part of him that was ready to leave. He wanted to go home, even though he accepted that what was there would be unrecognizable to what he’d known. But he wanted to breathe the air and walk the land, and he believed he would feel the connection in his soul. He ached for the chance to help his people, the Cherokee, escape Firewalker’s wrath.
    The third day of the festival was the day of games, and teams had been practicing for weeks. The traditional stick ball games were for the men and always a popular one to watch, but it was the thing the New Ones played that Tyhen liked best. They called it called baseball and she’d grown up playing it with the children her mother taught. Although she was a child no more, it didn’t matter. The game was played by people of all ages. They hit a ball with a stick, then ran around designated places on the ground they called bases. It was easy to hit the ball. The hard part was running around all four bases before someone threw the ball back. She had long legs and she could run. She wanted to play ball again, to run with the wind in her hair and the sun on her face and know the only thing to worry about was beating the throw that would put her out.
    She was digging through the trunk that held her clothing, looking for one particular shift. It was comfortable and old and easy to run in, but she hadn’t had it on it in many months.
    As soon as she found it, she stripped out of her other clothing and pulled it over her head. It was a little tighter across the chest, but that was because her breasts had grown. Even more disconcerting was the fact it was now at least a hand’s width above her knees. She pulled a little, trying to stretch it and then shrugged. It didn’t matter. She was only going to play. She was wearing sandals to walk down to the city, but she would play ball in her bare feet, and was so excited to be going that she was almost bouncing as she left her room.
    Acat caught up with her in the hall and made noises about the less-than-ceremonial style of her clothing, but Tyhen just laughed and waved her away.
    “I go to play ball,” she said.
    “You do not go alone,” Acat said.
    Tyhen frowned. “I have before.”
    “But this is festival and there are many strangers in the city. It might not be safe.”
    Tyhen sighed. She hadn’t thought of that. Already, the glow had been taken off the day. She was still standing in the hall, trying to figure out what to do next when Yuma came around a corner. The moment he saw her he lengthened his stride.
    Tyhen’s heart skipped a beat. Just watching him walk made her belly ache. His face was pleasing to her eyes. She’d seen him without clothing plenty of times, but all of a sudden the thought of standing before him without her clothes seemed daring, even shocking. Heat rose within her, flushing her face.
    Before she had time to gather her thoughts, he was talking and she had to concentrate to catch up on the conversation.
    “... are you going?”
    “What? What did you say?” she asked.
    He smiled. “I asked, where are you going?”
    “I wanted to go play ball with the New Ones, but Acat says I cannot go alone.”
    He glanced at Acat. “I will take her and stay with her until the game is done.”
    Acat nodded, confident she’d done her part to keep Tyhen safe. She was still uneasy that she’d let Tyhen get away from her in the market the day the big bird tried to take the baby, and didn’t want a repeat of that incident or something worse.
    “Can we go now?” Tyhen asked.
    “Yes. I just need to deliver a message to Singing Bird on the way