“What on earth are you doing?”

Zhane looked up from his careful packing, which was no more than tossing his few possessions into a worn cloth, to see his mother waddling toward him.

“Mama! Why are you here?” There was no hiding what he was doing, so he sat upon his things, crossing his legs at the ankle.

Vadoma’s dark stare bore through him and his shoulders slumped. Hands on her hips, “Leaving are we?”

“We? No, well yes, Pali and I are leaving,” he turned to tie up his bundle. Pali, having heard his name, strode over, shaking himself from tail to snout.

Pali nudged Vadoma’s hand and whined. She shook her head, “Be sure you take this mutt a bone. God knows he’ll need it.”

Zhane looked at her incredulously, “That’s it?”

She smiled sweetly, “Should there be more? You are a man now. Seventeen. Gypsy must roam. But remember, Te den, xa, te maren, de-nash.“

Confusion clouded his face.

She sighed heavilly. Then answered, “When you are given, eat. When you are beaten, run away.”