"My birth mother lives in a different village. Ainu, actually. I believe that she weaves there. Baskets and such. I do not get to see her much. But I was raised by my village. Everyone took on the responsibility of caring for me, as they did with all of the children born there. So I suppose that you could say my family does a bit of everything."
Stepping under a heavy branch, Nakeli pulled it back and held it there to allow the shaman to walk through unhindered. Once they had passed that spot, she took her turn to ask questions.
"How did you come to be a shaman? Is it something that you must be born into?"
She slowed her pace until she was beside the shaman, smiling at him and walking so that he wouldn't have to make too much effort to keep up with her. It was nice to feel relaxed, she thought, despite the danger that might be lurking just out of sight.
