dAseniors

Previous Kullitja finished sewing the rock into Crow Princess’s chest. Her ears swiveled back at the light chopping coming from the kitchen. Mam had just started preparing rats for supper. Kullitja shook the doll. The black ribbons on her arms flapped and her long tail with its dark tufted tip streamed behind her as she crossed the clouds. “Ready for your mission,” she said, heading for the bedroom window. Three stories below the older kids were playing Through the Stilts. Cousin Jiddik was Thrower. They said she was too young to play, but how was a troll to work on her aim without a moving target? She leaned out the window and held Crow Princess over Jiddik’s bald head. “Kullitja!” Mam’s voice shrilled from the kitchen. Flicking an ear in annoyance, Kullitja put Crow Princess back on her bed and skulked to the kitchen. “Down ta the root cellar for some more mandrake,” Mam said, sweeping heads and feet into the bin. Kullitja got her sack and climbed down the ladder. She stepped