"Glass,.James.C.-.Shanji" - читать интересную книгу автора (Glass James C)

"Why, Ma? Did we do something wrong? If I did a bad thing, would
you make me live by myself?"

"Of course not. You're my child, from my own body, and I would
never abandon you for any reason. But we are Tumatsin, not
children of the Emperor's people. They call us changelings, and
the people we came from went away a long time ago. No more
questions, now. You will learn more at the Festival of Tengri, and
see his eye that watches over us until our ancestors return. There,
I'm done, and I have a little gift for you."

Ma put a loop of yellow metal over Kati's head and around Kati's
throat. A pendant hung from it, two pieces of metal forming the
outline of an ovoid shaped like pursed lips. "So you will remember
Tengri's eye after you've seen it," she said.

"It's pretty," said Kati, fingering the pendant and smiling at her new
treasure. "Now I have jewelry like the other women."

Ma hugged her from behind. "You are my little woman. Now, eat
some soup and have tea before we leave. Only one cup of tea,
though. We won't stop until mid-day. A bowl and cup are on the
stove for you."

Kati gobbled her food too quickly, and seared the roof of her
mouth with hot tea. Ma took Baber by the hand, and led him
outside, so Kati hurried to get her place. She dumped bowl and
cup into a bucket of cold water, put on the little pack containing her
horses and dolls, and picked up the wooden dagger Da had
carved for her. She shoved the dagger beneath her waistband, as
would a man. Grabbing her cup, she rushed out the door and
nearly ran into Ma, returning to close up the ger. She looked
frantically for Baber. Horses were lined up many paces in two
directions, and she found him perched on Ma's chestnut, dozing.
She sprinted to the head of the line where Da sat on black Kaidu,
talking to other bahadurn of the Tumatsin. "Da!" she cried.

The men turned to look at her, and smiled as she rushed to the
black flank of Kaidu. "Look at her belt," said Kuchlug. "It seems
your flower has grown a thorn! Her eyes might yet turn green,
Temujin!"

The men laughed, and Kati held up her arms to her mounted
father. "Da, I ride with you. I ride like the wind on Kaidu!"

Temujin picked her up, hoisting her high to sit in front of him on
Kaidu's hard back, and she squealed with glee. She was at the
head of the line, ahead of all the other children, sitting on the
fastest horse in the ordu, Da's warm chest at her back. She leaned