One Tail at a Time

Peaches and Maps

The next few manuscripts cover more language lessons and Mo Yuans pitiful attempts to  copy the facial expressions which really isn't possible for a human to convey without looking sick, but what I actually dida the time, was learn his facial expressions while also associating them with the corresponding words, so in effect, we were both learning from each other.

Bypassing several more books which detail my healing and endless hours of attention I stole from my brothers, I eventually stop to read yet one more event I had fogotten about, though it comes back to me the more animated his descriptions become.

I am in the garden of antiquity otherwise known as the Hammock Garden which my very lazy students have renamed.  And with me is Xiaobai who I have named for her pure white coat, and her sprite along with several more childrens books filled with all manner of new words for me to learn and I am learning much faster now that I have a good grasp on what position my throat needs to be which is half closed for most words and almost closed for the expressive words.

Though right now we are learning foods which include vegetables and fruits.  I know it is the long way off from learning where she is from, but I have always firmly believed, that if one is going to learn anything, then learn it properly, and that means from childrens books before graduating to higher books.

Only it isn't until we reach a picture of a peach, that my little Xiaobai becomes exceptionally excited and in a few minutes, I determine that the peach is significant to her only her excitement followed by a definite denial that it has meaning to her, instantly confuses me not to mention angers me when the sprite starts cackling between a rush of grunts and snorts so fast, that I can't keep up with him, but I do hear the word peach many times, so I am not sure if it is meaningful to him rather than her, but seeing as Im not interested in anything he has to say, I turn my attention back to Xiaobai who's looking a little disheartened.

And it is here that I suggest she return to human form.  I can sense something about the peach has affected her deeply, but I cannot help her unless she openly speaks to me, only she quietly shakes her head while looking out into the garden lost in thought.  The despondency truly affects me when she is sad, and it is sadness that I feel only the moment I reach out to pick her up, then she is suddenly on her feet and racing towards the other end of the garden.

The excitement from before is once again high as I call out to her and the sprite takes off after her hollering at the top of his lungs whic of course also has me on my feet and giving chase.  I can feel her unsettled energy as if it is my own and the moment she stops in front of a small group of peach trees, then we are back where we started.  The peach is obviously the clue to her family, so I am alert to her every move and word, though for a moment, my mind does meander to a certain grove where these trees had come from.

Only her howling soon drags my attention back to the way her paw is now thumping against the roots of the tree while her eyes are imploring me to understand.  But I really don't, and my ignorance is only upsetting her more along with the sprite who is becoming exceptionally irritating.  He is not only fluttering about my head, but he is yelling and I am so close to swiping him out of the air, but the fire in his eyes and the desperation to make me understand is all that is keeping my hand to myself.

And it is then that he dives at my head and snatches as at my hair which he pulls sharply.  I really don't know how I keep my temper under control, because no one in this world or any other would have lived a second longer, only as I mentioned, he is becoming desperate to make me understand so not only am I allowing it, I am now running to catch up with him.

And it is straight into the library that we find ourselves after a rather hectic and dizzying flight through the back corridors and to the far wall where he is hovering over a map.