I was ready at my perch when dawn broke. The leaves of the ash hid me from view as I readied my charcoal stick. As usual the humans came out in force with the sun’s light.
A cry came from one of the tents, a woman was carrying a new bundle. The past few days she had been hidden away, dealing with her swollen belly. That morning, the swelling showed to be greatly reduced. She held the bundle close. It required milk frequently.
I looked at the bound stack of leaves in my lap. Dates tallies and symbols littered the pages. I flipped to a new leaf and scribbled the date. Dutifully, “+1” was added as the first note of the day.