Twilight of the Wolves by Edward J. Rathke Page B

man touched his own chest and said Yuske and then said it again. He touched Sao’s chest with the flat of his palm but Sao said nothing. The man touched his own chest again and said Yuske then touched Sao’s chest and waited.
    Sao, said Sao.
    The man smiled and clapped his hands once. He picked up an apple and said a word then repeated it until Sao repeated it. He repeated the process with everything in the bedroom, smiling. When Sao repeated the Garasun word for bed for the third time, they laughed, together.
    Heart, Yuske’s hand pressed against Sao’s chest, warm against his skin.
    Sao put his hand on Yuske’s, Hand.
    Yuske kissed his cheek, Moon.
    Moon.
    Where did you come from, Heart?
    Tree.
    Yuske pressed his face against Sao’s chest, nose in his armpit, voice muffled, You smell wild, like an animal.
    Sao’s eyebrows lowered and he touched his cheeks, hot.
    Yuske put his cheek against Sao’s chest, You’re like a man from another planet, another world, locked in time, in tribalism. Do you know what the world is? You don’t. You know nothing of this place, of civilisation, of power, of money, of possession.
    We not words for me. No, he trailed off.
    Pronouns.
    Ng, there not have I or you.
    There was not, not there not have.
    Ng.
    I love that.
    Ng?
    That. That noise. Ng. It’s so primitive, not even a word, but it means everything, conditionally. Tell me more. What is your village called?
    Not mine. No name. Mm, it, mm, Sao, I different from others. White not brown, black not red, blue not black. Sao mean star. Eyes.
    Fantastic! You are a star, you know. You’re radiant, electric, and so warm! I’ve never felt skin so hot, it’s like lying against a furnace. I can barely even take it sometimes. Like last night, it was so hot, I lost myself and, well, you know. I came too fast, but you ravage me! Even when I’m inside you, I feel that you’re the one possessing me rather than me taking you.
    Sao’s eyebrows flicked and he closed his eyes.
    Do you understand?
    Ng.
    Sometimes I think you’re just pretending to be ignorant of Garasun. You look like a Garasu, that’s why I stopped you and brought you here. I thought they had mistreated one of my countrymen! They’re a bit savage in the Federated States here. They vote and allow everyone a say. They even allow women to rule if they’re elected, which is all the time. There hasn’t been a male Minstru in years. Can you believe that? Oh, probably not—he ran his hand over Sao’s stomach—you don’t understand politics. How could you? You’re my savage woodland creature, my wildman.
    Sao not yours, Sao rolled over.
    Yuske’s voice failed him and his mouth hung open, No, Sao, please, come on, a joke only.
    Not funny.
    Sao, Sao, my dear Sao, forgive me, he touched his shoulder and grazed his fingertips over his arm, I would never demean you so.
    I am caged by language.
    Then I shall set you free.
    You cannot.
    Yuske reached over him, touched his cheek, and pulled him face to face, Then we shall. You and I.
    Sao will eat not more meat.
    But you love meat.
    Will eat not more.
    Why, Heart?
    It changes Sao. Makes me no man. Full of hunger and and and, he trailed off, looked at his hands.
    It’s okay. What would you like then?
    No meat, he whispered and touched his cheeks, burning.
    Sitting in the garden, he breathed as the dawns broke over the horizons. Eyes closed, legs crossed, in through his nose and out his mouth, he breathed slow and deliberate, disappearing into himself. Yuske found him at midday and told him to come to the Twilight Games, but he did not respond.
    Yuske stood beside him then lay down, watching him. He traced the point of his jaw, the arch of his brows, the curve of his lips, and the lines of his neck.
    When the suns switched horizons, Sao opened his eyes and smiled at Yuske who slept. He threw grass on his face but he did not wake so he kept throwing it on until he did. Yuske squealed and laughed and threw grass at Sao, rolling him