Sholin Temple

Chapter Two

Within hours of entering the temple, Syrsha had asked to see the great cats. Yao-Tzu had politely explained that the cats were not meant for the eyes of novices, apologizing often as he did so. Had Gregorr not been beside her, she might have argued, yet the fennidi's glance warned her into silence. Later, she learned that only those who had earned their fifth ranking were permitted to interact with the animals. To that, she did complain, asking why visitors were welcomed and permitted to offer tribute to the great cats, but she was not.

His eyes downcast and staring upon stained toes, Yao-Tzu had reminded her that she had not come to Sholin as a visitor.

That discussion was nearly a quarter moon past, and she still had not been allowed to seek out the cats, which roamed freely in the large, fenced inner courtyard. After her first night in the temple, the cats had ceased growling, yet she could hear them each night still. Had she been stronger, she would have time-walked to them, yet she had promised the others that she would not attempt such for a full moon.

Instead, Yao-Tzu had placed Otieno, Liang, and herself in a class with other new students; most had not yet seen their sixth moon year. Aldric spent his days with Sharron and Gregorr, who studied with a Tiannese healer, learning of the needle-care used in Tian. Each night, for they all shared the same room and used their sleeping rolls, the group would talk of the day's activities at the temple. Otieno complained more than the others, for he was ill-suited for the hand combat favored in the East. Liang, who had trained some before her marriage, had begun with some skill, but Syrsha soon passed her.

For the other children, a test would be given twice a moon year, and only those who excelled would move onto the higher level. Had she been like any of them, Syrsha would not have been able to reach fifth rank for over two moon years. Yet their sansei quickly realized her abilities and called for a shihon to join them. The shihon was unlike anyone Syrsha had trained with, for he reminded her more of Aldric than of Otieno. Master Ru, as everyone at the temple called him, wore wire-rimmed glassed and stood tall and thin. He looked more like an acolyte than a fighter, although it had not taken long for him to show her that he was both.

And neither, as he was fond of saying. But it was the blackened stripes across his upper right cheek that marked him as more.

In the western wing of the temple were the anjin rooms, or mat rooms, as Liang told them. Across the bamboo-planked floors lay rolled mats, no thicker than Syrsha's finger. Twice daily, before the midday meal and after the evening meal, the group would roll up the mats and sweep the floors clear. To watch Otieno push the straw-edged broom often threatened to make Syrsha laugh, yet she dared not, for fear of Master Ru's punishment. Ru's hands were as fast as any that she knew, and his whipping stick was never far from reach. On several occasions, her knuckles stung from his strike, even though he never took joy in the whipping.

The midday meal had just ended, and the group walked quietly back toward the anjin. Syrsha and Otieno both dressed as the children did, in loose-fitting, gray pants and a matching tunic. With each step up in rank, colored patches and sashes were added, until one became a master and wore the bright robes like Master Ru. It had been strange to strip off her leather, especially since she had worn the wolf-cuirass since her days in Sythia.

Yet what was most odd was seeing the diauxie without sword, for he had punished her sharply many times over for just such an offense. He now walked just behind her, and, unlike Liang and the children, his steps were loud across the hardwood, despite the soft-soled shoes he had been given.