Liang was at the edge of the grove, by the last tree that was green with leaves. She faced the desolate woods, feeling the cold brush her face and the warmth of the grove press her back. It was like the border between seasons, to feel both spring and winter coalesce perpetually where she stood.

It was getting dark. Ever since Liang stepped foot on Fukamori, she had been awake at night more than day and she had been involved with the very things she tried to avoid. In front of her, she saw a choice—to walk the night alone, cold and uncertain or to return to the grove at the company of others.

Had it always been this simple? Liang asked herself and contemplated her past decisions. Could it be that for twenty years she had been choosing the cold forest when right behind her was a place of warmth and comfort?

“I’m beginning to feel like a prisoner,” Liang said when she heard the squelch of footsteps approach her. She folded her arms and turned, “Bao, I was just finishing—” Liang stopped after seeing that it was not Bao who was behind her.

“Leaving?” asked Avolar Nami. She was covered by a single robe with a lace knotted on the waist. The sleeves were folded up to her elbows revealing skin like glass—without the slightest imperfection. She was a mystical healer after all and whatever injuries she acquired the night before had already been healed.

Nami appeared to have recently finished bathing. She was rich with the aroma of flowery infusions and her hair, though damp, appeared vibrant and lustrous down to the waist.

The sight of the avolar immediately made Liang examine herself and one quick glance at her scruffy tunic made her recede in embarrassment.

“I had been thinking about it,” Liang said after a while and turned her body sideways. “Lately, I’m not so sure whether I want to leave or stay.”

“You should,” Nami said. She walked to the tree and checked its trunk before pressing her shoulder against it.

Liang had to turn around to face the avolar. “That’s something new, I hear,” Liang said. “Ever since I got here, they have been trying to keep me.”

“You’re not an object.” Nami tilted her head. “And you’re certainly not a child. Therefore you cannot be kept, abducted or told what to do. Do you know what I think though? If you truly wanted to leave you would have done so already.”

Liang sighed deeply. “I owed a service to Bao after what I had done.” She looked down and caressed her elbow.

“I healed a deep wound on his back. He wouldn’t tell me what happened but it’s clear to me now that it was your doing,” Nami said.

Liang did not try to explain. She did what she had done and there was nothing more to it. “Why are you here?” she asked.

“When Bao told me about you, I thought Heaven was playing a nasty joke,” Nami said bitterly.

Liang felt a strike inside her chest. When she looked at Nami and saw her angry visage, Liang felt worse.

“Zhaohu—the Great Tiger, who wiped out your kind and village deities, who is so powerful that Heaven could only seal its gates—failed to kill you?” Nami scoffed. “Avolar Linio told me that an exorcist, especially one from the north, could command heaven itself and empty the plane of shadows with a single litany. You are not what I envisioned.”

“Well I’m sorry to disappoint you,” Liang forced herself to say.

“It’s not the fact that I don’t see you as an exorcist.” Nami raised her chin. “It’s the fact that for twenty years you were here all along and refused to do anything about the world’s tragedy. If Yachi never came across you, you would still be hiding like a rat.”

Liang gritted her teeth. Nami expressing her anger was a thousand fold more painful than Bao. Perhaps it was due to the fact that Nami was human and Liang’s sin was directly to the avolar.

“You know nothing…” Liang was panting. “And you, an avolar born after the war, have no right to condemn me when you grew up in riches and privilege.”

Nami raised her voice. “It was all a farce!” her cheeks turned red. “To have been fed lies growing up. To learn the world’s history told by fang bearers. Growing up in Tian Liang was a dream that was always meant to end.”

Liang averted her gaze and swallowed the harsh poking inside her throat.

“When the Tiger assigned me to be the Grand Avolar in Kumokage, I saw the world for the first time. Where the men toiled, their fields were barren. Where the Guren thrived was nothing but greens to the edge of their lands. I saw villages and learned its names which were not written in the texts of history. I saw children in moving cages hauled to the manses of noble lords whom I knew and broke bread with.”

Liang took a weak step back, almost faltering.

Nami continued. “It was when I first arrived at Kumokage had I realized that exorcists were not tyrants.” Her voice turned soft. “But I have always been sure they weren’t cowards… like you.”

Liang stepped back again, repelled by Nami’s rage. Liang was lying to herself about where the pain was coming from. She knew everything Nami said. When Nami told her story, Liang felt like she was part of it. And it terrified Liang that perhaps she was there during that time, jumping from one village to the next, ignoring the tyranny that played behind her. She stepped back again until she was startled by the crunch of snow under her boot.

Liang was embraced by the winter chill. She only realized that she was panting when her breaths were visible through the cold. She took a few more steps back, looking at Nami and the grove alternately until she was far enough to quickly turn and run away.

Twenty years ago, Liang told herself never to look back as she ran for fear that she might see Zhaohu’s face as he devoured her kind. This time, she ran again but it was no longer Zhaohu whom she feared she would see if she turned back.

~

Yachi prepared a makeshift table out of empty crates. He draped it over with a discarded tarp and took five square mats, placing each around the rectangular table. The last time he felt this excited was when he was preparing dinner for his family.

He went to the kitchen tent and had some of the children assist him with the trays of food. He pulled out a bottle of wine, thinking of Liang in particular, and had second thoughts if he should allow the exorcist to drink right before a mission. They were going to search for Makaskas after supper and he could not afford to have the exorcist drunk. On the other hand, one cup could not get anyone drunk. Yachi returned the wine and pulled out one that was half-empty then he placed it on the table.

Asagiri and Bao were the first to arrive.

“Have a seat.” Yachi smiled.

“Thank you,” Asagiri said and took a seat.

Bao sat across the fox spirit, back straight and arms folded.

“What of the exorcist and the avolar?” Asagiri asked.

“Nami is taking a bath. As for Liang, I instructed her to set a spirit barrier. She may have finally decided about staying and if she is going to begin teaching the children exorcism, we cannot risk getting seen. The spirit barrier should ward off pesky spies and other preternatural threats,” Bao said.

“I’m glad that Liang finally decided to stay,” Yachi said and regretted not serving the unopened bottle of wine.

They waited for a while and Nami finally arrived. She stopped right before Yachi’s improvised dinner at the sight of Asagiri but immediately seated beside Bao.

“Now let’s just wait for Liang,” Yachi said.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Bao got up. “I’ll get her,” he said, “You may eat ahead of us. I’m sure Asagiri is famished after refusing to eat breakfast and lunch.”

“In that you are correct,” Asagiri said. She grabbed the bowl of rice and twirled the chopsticks between her fingers.

Nami got up, not wanting to eat with the fox spirit who recently almost starved her to death but she sat back down immediately after Bao stepped out. She wanted to tell him and just now she was certain that she could do it but she was overwhelmed by fear.

“The chicken is cooked nicely,” Asagiri remarked. “And the fish.”

Yachi chortled. “All fresh ingredients most of which are stolen from the warden’s transports.”

Asagiri laughed. She pulled a cloth from under her kimono and placed it on the table. “May I take some of these? My children recently crossed and I want them to taste something delicious as their first meal. Knowing Sho and Kan, however, they probably hunted rabbits already.”

“Take as much as you like. There’s plenty more to share,” Yachi said. “I see you have twins.”

“Four hundred years raising them is enough to shed the fur of my nine tails,” Asagiri joked. “Children are obsessed with frolicking. Back when we were shadows, you would not believe the countless times I have to fish them out of the dens of eldritch kin. They see something fast, they just have to catch it.”

“There’s nothing amusing about the death of two children,” Nami said distastefully. She looked at Yachi. “And I thought you, serving the enemy. I thought you were better than this.”

“I asked the exorcist for pardon,” Asagiri defended.

“That exorcist does not have the right,” Nami retaliated.

“But she has the power,” Asagiri returned.

Nami got up. “I will not eat with her. I’m going back to my tent. Don’t tell Bao to come after me.”

“I doubt he would,” Asagiri said under her breath then took a large bite from a chicken leg.

“There are just some days when she’s like this.” Yachi extended a bowl of dumplings to Asagiri. “Don’t mind her. Here, have some more.”

Asagiri smiled wryly. “Thank you, Yachi. You’re truly kind. And that exorcist too although she’s a tad…eccentric. But she is the one who saved me from the dragon.”

“That’s a tale you must tell me someday,” Yachi said.

Asagiri paused eating. “Once I find my children, I’m going to ask the exorcist if it would be okay to stay with her for the time being.”

“Oh?” Yachi urged to continue.

“Although we’ve already crossed, I’m still afraid that…he could harm us. The exorcist is powerful. I sensed it and it would be safer for us to stay with her until I come up with an alternative solution in eluding him permanently.”

Yachi opened his mouth to speak but stopped when he saw Bao in the distance, jogging toward them. Asagiri followed Yachi’s gaze and they both waited until the snow leopard was right before them.

“Damn that exorcist,” Bao cursed.

“What happened?” Yachi got up.

“She left after setting up the barrier. She just…left.” Bao planted his hands on his waist and nodded his head disdainfully. His eyes looked like it could pierce the ground.

Yachi was disheartened. “I truly thought we were getting through to her. She made it even seem like she was going to stay.”

“A craven is a craven,” Bao cursed and kicked dirt.

“Well, aren’t you going to find her?” Asagiri interjected.

Bao had to look at Asagiri twice to make sure if the words really came from her. “Shouldn’t you rejoice now that she’s gone?” Bao asked.

“I need her to protect me and my children,” Asagiri said and got up, tucking a wrap of food inside her kimono. “Shall we move then?”

“No,” Bao said.

“Do tell me why,” Asagiri sounded annoyed. “Do you not need her? What’s stopping you then?

Bao dropped himself on the ground. “Because what would I tell her?” he looked at the fox spirit. “Do I simply drag her back here? From the moment I saw her, she had been wanting to leave. I was a fool for believing she would stay.”

Yachi agreed. “Some hearts are just far too discouraged to be changed.”

“If you’re not going out, I am,” Asagiri said. “You said she finished setting up the spirit barrier, yes? I’m going to find my children and we are going to stay here for the time being.”

“Don’t bother returning. You’re no longer welcome here,” Bao said.

“Your exorcist is not here anymore. I need this safe haven for me and my children and if you drive me out then I will take it by force.” Asagiri’s tails danced behind her like tentacles.

“Do you think the exorcist is the only one capable of slaying you, demoness?” Bao yelled. His fur bristled and his claws bared.

“Bao!” Yachi matched his voice. “Enough.” He looked at Asagiri. “Go. Find your children and return.”

Asagiri bowed to Yachi and trotted off to the edge of the grove, disappearing in the growing darkness.

Bao sighed exasperatedly and clicked his tongue. He got up, looking at Yachi. The leopard’s mouth opened once or twice as though he wanted to say something but stopped himself right before the words could come out. He nodded his head in dismissal and turned away, returning to the tent.

When Bao entered, he realized that Liang’s scent had stained the air around his quarter. He smelled her on his bed and the lids of the craters where she snooped trying to find viable items to steal. It annoyed Bao that his nose did not adjust immediately. He sat on the bed and caught a whiff of something else along with Liang’s scent. He smelled salted pork.

Bao got up and followed the smell to his working table where he saw the pouch still attached on Liang’s harness. Not only was it just the salted pork. Liang’s dagger, satchel bag and water pouch were all left on the table.

Normally, Bao would have just left it lying there but he found it odd that Liang would leave without her most essential items. Bao loosened the drawstrings of the salted pork. There was still enough for two days of travel. The water pouch was not yet refilled so it couldn’t have been that Liang planned to leave. She could not have forgotten her dagger at the very least since it was her only defense against humans. Without these things, she was completely vulnerable to the dangers of travel.

Bao took the satchel bag and opened it. Inside were rolls of clothes which when he unfolded were actually an inner layer of Liang’s clothes. Bao snuffed it once. It was unused. Liang’s departure was not clear to him—she left her travel provisions. Knowing Liang, she would have taken the entire grove with her if she could fit it inside her pocket.

Bao shoved the cloth back inside the bag and slung it over his shoulder. He took all of Liang’s belongings and rushed to the stables. She couldn’t have gotten far, Bao thought.

She couldn’t have.

~

Makaskas had stolen a damp shirt from the window of a bakery. It might have not been intended to be worn and was probably just a rag to wipe the tables. The cloth was faded and torn. The sleeves were loose and the fibers were unraveling. It was too large when Makaskas first wore it but he managed to fold the excess cloth and tuck it inside his trousers. At the very least, he was getting less eyes from the wolf enforcers in the village.

He was nearly at the gate when someone tugged on the sleeve of his shirt and when Makaskas turned, he saw Eika.

Makaskas released a sigh.

“You told me you were leaving but did not tell me where,” she said and immediately clung to Makaskas’s arm.

Makaskas pulled his arm free from Eika’s grasp but the white wolf merely held on tighter.

“I truly am in a hurry. Please let go,” Makaskas said calmly.

Eika ignored his statement. “Where did you find this shirt?” she sniffed. “It smells of flour and stolen things.”

Makaskas stopped resisting and looked down at Eika who would not release him. Her crimson eyes gazed back at Makaskas with curiosity.

“You may not know this but I’m a very, very, very old man,” Makaskas said. “Older than you can imagine and it’s not appropriate for a young lady such as yourself to be pursuing me.”

“Really? You don’t look that old to me. I’d say you’re about twenty years old…hmm, twenty-three at most.” Eika chuckled and before Makaskas could reply, she intercepted him. “I will not go fishing out suspicious cats by the riverbank without fully understanding what happened.”

Makaskas shushed Eika and looked around. Wolf enforcers were stationed by the market stalls. He jerked his arm away from Eika and grabbed her hand, pulling her between the dark alley of a closed market stall.

“Answer me truthfully, honestly.” Makaskas pressed Eika against a wall. “What do you know about the matters happening in Akako?” he asked. One of his hands was pushed against the wall beside Eika’s head and the other rested on the hilt of his dagger.

Eika’s eyes looked at Makaskas and on his hand readily placed on the dagger. She swallowed. “I-I see…” she said. “It’s a shame, actually.”

“Just answer the question,” Makaskas said.

“You’re one of the rogue clansmen.” Eika receded harder against the wall.

“Rogue clansman, bandit, rebel,” Makaskas enumerated, “Whatever else your lord Shinsou tells you.” A sharp clink resonated in the air. “Are you going to report me?”

Eika began hearing her breaths. “From what I see, I don’t have a choice. You’re going to kill me.”

Makaskas took a few steps back from Eika, letting the terrified wolf breathe. “How could I? You saved my life. If you’re going to act, do it now and do it fast.” He went out of the alley and paced hastily to exit the village. He looked around alertly for the wolf enforcers and expected any time that Eika would howl at the wolves to arrest him.

Makaskas walked faster until he was sprinting toward the exit. Two lancers blocked his path.

“Disrobe immediately,” said one of the guards.

They did not wait for Makaskas to follow their instruction. More of them appeared from the station and surrounded the clouded leopard. Two wolves restrained Makaskas’s arms while another tore his shirt off immediately.

“This one’s a clouded leopard, sir,” said the wolf from behind after seeing the pattern on Makaskas’s back.

The chief enforcer bent down and cupped Makaskas’s chin, forcing him to look up. “And first generation as well,” he said smugly, examining Makaskas’s facial patterns. “Now what might you be doing here in Yofune?” he asked rhetorically before commanding the other wolves. “Take him to the dungeons.”

Makaskas resisted but a wolf struck him behind the head. The last he heard was a ringing inside his ear before succumbing to darkness.