Ravenshook Cliffs slipping down, down, down

his laugh came easy when the boy told him about all the performing tricks, especially the anecdote about the rabbits. (govinda knew more likely than not the man was full of shit, but still had that childlike sense of wonder that allowed him to hold onto the illusion, albeit tenuously.) it was simply marvelous, the picture he painted. too bad they were missing--he was tempted to join up right away.

lucas, govinda repeated. bachcha means 'boy,' in my mother's tongue. if you were a girl, i would have called you bachchi. the mention of his mother brought something else to his mind, and he softened his eyes at lucas, head tilting slightly. was your family part of the troupe? your parents and siblings?

he couldn't imagine otherwise. then again, hadn't he been out on his own, and barely weaned? he had been lucky to survive. lucas, too, had been lucky to survive. but he seemed plucky, and furthermore, positive. nothing would easily beat this one down, that was for sure.