Page 64 of Xefe
A roly-poly female waddled over and patted my hand. She looked adorable with a garland of flowers atop her head. “No-wing? You hurt? No mad?”
I responded, not exactly sure what language I used. “No. I’m not mad.”
The matriarch grunted to the others. “She good. No mad.” She must have been part of the official welcoming committee because they came over, one by one, and patted my hand. No boys. Just the girlies.
“Uh, Hera? What is happening? Why are they swarming us?” Nieve lowered her arms but was still hesitant.
Querida had lost the death-glare and reached toward a smaller pango.
“Just go with it. They won’t hurt you.”
The female hooted and pointed at the two fighters. “Blood. Blood.” She jumped up and down on her short legs. “Blood. Blood,” The whole crowd chanted, and the repetition was pretty creepy.
Nheenya laughed as one of the females jumped on her shoulders. “They make me happy. Their hearts are so pure.”
“What the hell are they doing?” Nieve’s eyes were as large as saucers.
“They’re introducing you to the crowd. They really are nice, but you may have to make a donation.” I wondered where King Pango went.
Nieve grabbed onto Querida’s legs and peeked past her knees. “What is it doing?”
The female, whose flowers hung off her long ears, held out the tiniest, two-thumbed paw.
“She wants to say hello.” I bit my lip to stop the grin from creeping across my face.
“Oh, okay. Herepangito. Goodpangito. I’m a friend,” Nieve crooned.
The female darted forward, snatched up her hand, and bit down.
“Hijo de le gran puta!What thehell?” Nieve snatched her hand back. One fat drop of blood fell to the ground. “She bit me.” She turned toward me with fire blazing in her whiskey-brown eyes. “You lied to me.”
“I told you about the donation. Besides, they did the same thing to me and now we’re besties.”
The female pango spat and wiped at her mouth, having some sort of conniption fit. “Yuck. Not good. Bad blood. You Yuck.” She stomped off.
“Don’t worry. I don’t think they’ll ever bite you again.” I laughed aloud, completely tickled that Nieve tasted so bad.
A similar response occurred when another female bit Querida. The metal-wielder didn’t flinch as the little pango’s teeth sank in. The female pango screeched, “This bad blood. Sick. Sick blood. You Sick.”
“What did they say?” Nieve frowned.
“They named you. You’re Yuck,” I said to Nieve. “And you’re Sick.” I pointed at Querida. “And I’m No-Wing.” I heard a few more hoots and told Nheenya, “Your name is…Nice.” That was the rough translation.
“You are such a liar.” Nieve stomped her foot. “I’m delicious.”
“You taste likemierda… A big ole poop burger. What can I say?”
“That is so rude! Tell them I think they’re poop burgers too.” She rolled her eyes and faced the wall.
“Really? Why do you always have to be such a bitch?”
“Because,” she spun back around, and pushed her curls out of her face. “I want the pangos to stop calling me Eek. And… to like me best.”
Like her best? As if.“Your name isn’t Eek. It’s Yuck! Don’t you pay attention?” I had no patience for her need for attention.I blocked out theprincesaas she pitched a fit and lightly touched the female pango. “Where? Baby?”
An older female wearing a beautiful flower tucked between her wings walked forward. Maybe she was anabuelitabecause her dark fur was tinged in grey, and she had a slow gait. The grandma opened her arms and exposed my littlepangito.
“Baby?” I whispered. I recognized him immediately. Same mink fur. Same golden stripe down his back. He looked impossibly small when he wasn’t moving, his delicate wings too pretty to be real.
