Three Koi and an Orchid

A low, crooning howl woke her. Before she even registered the sound, her heart started pounding against her ribs. Pia froze in place, not daring to move. The moon had drifted behind clouds and her eyes looked around wildly but saw nothing. Another howl came and Pia heard fast rustling noises in the grasses around her. Throat tight with worry, Pia clenched her hand around the knife she held.

Stretching her yi around her, Pia could barely sense any fire yi. The area was too dense with water yi. It had taken her manual effort to get her fire started earlier. There was only a small spark of fire yi in the air, not enough to draw on. Water yi wasn’t her best, but days of searching and pulling for water had improved her handle. It wouldn’t be much, but she could likely draw on it if needed.

The sound of rocks scattering came from below and Pia’s breath caught. At that moment, the clouds passed, and the moon peeked out. Light illuminated the ground below her tree and Pia’s heart seemed to triple its beat. Blinking rapidly to adjust her vision, Pia could make out the thick shapes below the tree.

Two wolves were sniffing around the base of the tree and up into the air. A third was sniffing around the spot where she’d placed her fire. Perhaps tossing the fish carcass down the stream hadn’t been a good decision.

A growl came and Pia looked toward the sound. On her right side, one of the wolves was staring right up at her. Its eyes glinted in the moonlight. She swallowed noiselessly. Her heart felt as if it’d fly out of her chest it was racing so quickly.

An excited yipping started and then suddenly the three wolves were circling the tree with excitement. Pouncing and leaping they let out strange barking calls to each other. Pia shifted carefully, wanting to pull her feet closer to her, to crouch in a better position.

Her legs were sore and numb from the awkward position she’d been in during the night. As soon as she shifted, Pia knew she’d made a mistake. Her arms couldn’t counterbalance the numbess of her legs. She was out of balance and slipping.

In that second, Pia made a decision. There was no time for panic. As she slipped, Pia shifted her hand on her knife, brought her legs up and leapt forward into a roll. Midroll, she sketched a hasty talisman in the air. Her legs hit the ground, and she staggered. Before her quivering legs collapsed, she managed to release her talisman.

The rocks dug into her knee as she fell, and she let out a hiss of pain. The wolves had turned to strike as she fell. The talisman released just as they lept and wind yi blasted them backwards. The third was still leaping toward her.

She shifted the knife and brought it up before her. It was her last defense. Reaching out toward the stream, Pia pulled at the water, praying it’d work. The water yi sprang up to meet her and Pia sprayed a bolt of water at the wolf coming at her. It yelped and shifted away. It dropped low to its belly, shaking its head, teeth snarling.

Scrambling to her feet, Pia turned to keep the wolf in her view. Her hands trembled but she forced them to settle. Her mind raced to think. What did she have to work with?

It was only a split second before a weight crashed into her that Pia realized she’d made another mistake. There were four wolves.

Pia twisted as she fell and, in her panic, pulled hard on water yi. Every channel of her body surged as she yanked too hard. A wave of water rose around her in defense. The wolf that had attacked snarled and bit down on her before being pushed away by the cascading water. Its teeth dragged across her shoulder, and she cried out.

Her momentum carried her into the middle of the water, surrounded by all four wolves. It had happened in seconds and her brain struggled to process it. Thankfully, Pia had landed in the shallow part of the water, and she was able to get her feet underneath her. Rapidly she stood, bracing herself in the streambed. Blood trickled from the bite on her shoulder, and she grimaced at the pain. Pia’s mind raced to find a solution.

Somehow, she still had a hold on her knife. Little good that it would do. The wolves trotted back and forth on the shallow bank, growling and yipping. She had no fire yi to call on. Even if she wanted to, her anxiety was too high to focus on it. Wind and water would be her only help, but she couldn’t think of what to do.

Should she try to blast them away? Already she felt drained and her yi channels felt weak and strained. She’d overexerted herself pulling on water yi. Could she try using earth yi to launch rocks at them? Pia shook her head, trying to force her racing mind.

Wolves hate fire. They also worked in packs. She had to find a way to make herself seem too much of a challenge to be worth going after. Pia kicked at the water as irritation grew within her. Her knee and shoulder pulsed with pain, and it helped to drive away her lingering fear.

Her anger grew, rising strong and hot, chasing away her common sense. Pia acted without thinking. Charging from the water, she began to yell and wave her knife. She sketched a quick wind talisman in the air and sent it flying toward the pack. It was weak and barely ruffled their fur. Yet, the wolves scuttled backwards; tails tucked between their legs with pitiful whines, and bolted away.

For a minute, Pia stood there stunned. She couldn’t believe her crazy lady attack had worked. Her breath was ragged and panting as she stared dumbfounded at the now empty area. Her breath was ragged and uneven in the night air. Her ears were pricked, listening for any further yips or howls, or even the sound of rustling grasses.

It took her a long time to realize she wasn’t alone. Her gaze snapped to her right and her mouth fell open in shock.

On the bank to her right stood three men. The one in front held a sword outward, low but ready. The steel of his sword caught the moonlight, glowing a bright blue. It hurt her eyes that had grown accustomed to the dimness of the night.

“That was some plan,” the man on the left said, humor clear in his voice. “Charge wolves in your underwear.”

“I’ll have to try that next time,” the man to the right said laughing.

The one with the sword drawn said nothing, merely taking in the scene.

Her hand holding the knife fell to her side, but she felt wary.

“Who’re you? What’re you doing here?” she asked, voice blunt and rude.

Pia couldn’t make out their features in the dark and it left her feeling prickly and defensive.

“Aho, not so polite to your rescuers, are you?” asked the man on the left.

“I didn’t ask for your help,” she said, voice rough with tension.

“But you got it,” said the man on the right, voice a bit chastising.

The man in the front sheathed his sword and came toward her. The moonlight lit up his face and Pia could see he was a man, perhaps in his late twenties or thirties. For a moment, Fewl’s face flashed through her mind. Quickly it faded. This stranger’s face was stern and cold, lacking the warmth that Fewl possessed. Her eyes flickered to his hair and Pia was surprised to see it braided back.

When he approached her, Pia backed away a step, not trusting his intention.

The man’s face twisted into something that seemed to be irritation, or maybe disdain. It was hard to tell.

“I’m Ruwe. Looking for my wayward apprentice,” he said, voice cool and monotone.

He reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her close and turning her shoulder to face the moonlight. She tried to tug away but his grip was unyielding. Instinctively, she swung the hand still holding her knife at him. It wasn’t planned, purely a response born of fear and wariness.

Before it even made it halfway towards Ruwe, her hand was knocked away. Pain throbbed in her wrist as the knife flew from her grip. Her eyes were wide as she looked at him.

He gave her a thin smirk. Fear lanced through her, leaving her mute and shaken. The reality of her situation hit her. Alone in the wilderness surrounded by grown men. How easily he’d stopped her attack.

“You’ll have to be faster than that,” he told her dryly.

There was no malice or cruelty in his matter-of-fact voice. Still holding her in place, Ruwe examined the bite on her shoulder.

“It’s not deep. You’ll be fine,” he said.

Looking over his shoulder Ruwe pointed to the two men, one at a time.

“That’s Haojie,” he pointed to the one on the left. “That’s Yijun,” he added, pointing to the other.

“Okay,” Pia said, still stunned and uncertain.

Haojie and Yijun chuckled.

“Introductions go both ways,” Yijun called out to her.

“Oh,” she said. “I’m Pia.”

“We know,” Haojie said. “But, nice to meet you.”

“You know?” she asked, confused.

Ruwe tugged her toward the grass bank and pushed her close to his two men. Crossing to the tree, he pulled her wet clothes and her pack down.

“We’ve been following you since you left Dwelling,” Haojie said.

Following her? Why would they be following her? Her brow furrowed in confusion. The situation felt so surreal. What was happening?

“Why?” she asked, voice thick with suspicion.

“You’re his apprentice,” Yijun said, pointing at Ruwe.

Pia let out a strangled sound, it might have been a laugh. A feeling of weakness came over her and she walked over and took a seat on the grassy bank beside the two men.

“You’re wrong. I…” she paused and her face flushed, realizing she was about to lie again. “I have an apprenticeship with Yinye,” she finished.

Haojie and Yijun both laughed, but Ruwe just stared at her quietly.

“Amazing,” Haojie said. “Since Fengye is about three hundred miles in the opposite direction.”

Cheeks flushed with embarrassment; Pia stayed quiet. She didn’t want to admit she’d failed her test. Even to strangers it was mortifying.

“You failed your test,” Ruwe said, crossing back to them. He tossed her robe and pack to Yijun who caught them with ease.

Her head lowered and she bit her lip. Denial was on her tongue but instead she nodded, avoiding anyone’s eyes. The heavy shame that had weighed upon her in Dwelling returned with a vengeance. It smothered her in its depths.

The men said nothing for a long while, only the soft sounds of breathing filled the air.

Letting out a sigh, Ruwe bluntly said, “You didn’t. It was a test.”

Confused, she looked up at him. Pia had thought she couldn’t be more confused. It turned out she was wrong.

“A test?” she asked.

He nodded.

“You wanted me to think I failed?”

Ruwe shook his head.

“No. I was tasked with taking you on after you left Dwelling.”

“By whom?”

It was here that he stopped answering her questions. He brushed past her and walked up the bank.

“Our camp is this way,” he said, then walked away.

Pia wanted to scream after him, to demand answers, but she didn’t know where to even begin. Instead, she sat there trying to absorb all the information. She didn’t fail? A surge of emotions rose within her. Happiness, anger, confusion, even hatred. Someone had made her think she’d failed. A feeling of sickness grew in her. Her head dropped onto her knees.

A hand clapped on her shoulder, startling her and she jerked warily to the side.

Haojie had dropped into a crouch beside her. His eyes scanned her face and then nodded.

“Glad you’re not a crier,” he said, grinning at her.

In the moonlight it was hard to make out his features, but Pia could tell he had an impish face. His eyes crinkled with his quick smiles.

“I was only thinking,” she said defensively.

Haojie grinned and stood up, offering her a hand.

“Come think by the fire. No one thinks well when cold and wet in their underwear,” he said.

Something about the way he smiled and the way acted reminded her of Conch. Conch had often checked on her, hiding kindness through jokes, and in warm smiles. Pain pricked her heart. She missed her friends dearly. A lump lodged in her throat, but she accepted his hand, letting him pull her to her feet. Her wariness remained but some of her fear of them had slipped away. The sense of familiarity to her friends and the curiosity of Ruwe’s words chipped away at her defenses.

Yijun waited for them, and he smiled at Pia as they walked to camp. Everything ached as she walked, and her boots sloshed with every step. She was thankful it wasn’t far to reach their camp.

They’d cleared a section of grass and even set up two tents. A fire was going strong in the center and Ruwe sat beside it, feeding it another log.

He glanced at them as they came near and pointed to a spot beside him.

“Sit,” he said, in a voice that told Pia her meant her.

Remembering how easily he’d overpowered her just moments ago, she meekly obeyed, crossing to sit beside him.

After she sat, Pia used the light of the fire to examine her knee. A rock had sliced the skin, but not deeply. It would bruise but heal quickly.

The warmth of the fire made her realize how cold she was. Her startling awakening had shot adrenaline through her body. The coldness of the water and the night air hadn’t registered. Now, in the warmth, shivers wracked her body.

It also made her realize how underdressed she was. Her cheeks flushed, from the warmth of the fire and the awkwardness of the situation.

“Yijun,” Ruwe called out.

The two men exchanged a glance before Yijun headed into one of the tents. He came back carrying a blanket. He brought it to Pia and tossed it over her shoulders.

“Thanks,” she muttered, pulling it firmly around her.

Yijun and Haojie sat on the opposite side of the fire. Haojie pulled out his knife and began whittling a piece of dry wood. Yijun stared into the fire, seeming lost in thought.

Pia thought she’d never be able to fall asleep again. Her shivers gradually faded and her body drooped as exhaustion hit her. Soon, her eyes slid closed, and sleep stole her away.

Haojie looked at the girl and laughed.

“You owe me five dol,” he told Yijun. “I told you she’d be out in front of the fire.”

Yijun shook his head with a wry grin, but he pulled five coins out and passed them over.

“Give me her pack,” Ruwe said, gesturing to the bundle.

Yijun brought it to him, crouching beside Ruwe as the man unfolded it.

Ruwe eyed the bundle of tattered robes he pulled out with dismay.

“Put it in the fire,” he told Yijun.

Yijun sighed but obeyed.

Next, Ruwe inspected the daggers, a few were chipped, but they were clean and well taken care of. He placed those beside him.

From her bundle Ruwe unfolded a collection of fine bones. A few were carved into the shape of needles and others into sharp spear heads.

“Smart kid,” Haojie remarked, seeing them in the light of the fire.

“She managed almost two weeks in the wilderness alone. Pretty crafty, I’d say,” Yijun said, slight bit of admiration in his voice.

“Barely managed,” Ruwe said coldly.

“Still did it,” Haojie reminded him.

The two men shared a look over the fire. Haojie looked away first.

“Put her in my tent,” Ruwe said finally, looking down at the bedraggled girl at his feet. “Give her my blanket too.”

Yijun hid a grin as he picked up the girl. He was looking forward to seeing what the morning brought.