soul, but about as addled as they came. He was young, and therefore unimportant. He was a commoner, and therefore expendable. He was honourable, and therefore gullible…
…and there lay the beginnings of a plan. King Latikai looked at the boy and rubbed his hands together.
“Torvara my love, we need the makin’s of a very special Jiteng team; a team designed to lose! They must play their blessed little hearts out, never even suspecting that they haven’t got a chance.”
The King eyed the vapid youth who fluttered off into the trees.
“Aye, a brand new jiteng team - and I think we’ve just found ourselves a captain…”
***
Rain spilled down through the leaves, spattering the ground with countless stars of light, and the ïsha of the forest seemed to take a grateful breath. Shadarii looked out upon the holy Mother’s face and gave a smile.
One week later, and still the stranger’s kiss burned on her lips; a week of dreaming, and still his eyes shone in her mind. Had it really happened? Sometimes the memory seemed so unreal, and then she would see those eyes before her - feel the warmth of him against her tingling fur…
He had been real; he had to be!
How to find him? Where had he come from? The whole village buzzed with gossip about Zhukora and the raiders. Now Zhukora had taken her angry followers far off into the forest, and her absence had only made the days seem sweeter. Shadarii no longer cared about her ruined lifepath. Worry melted in the face of her beautiful new dreams.
A voice droned somewhere in the background; young Kïtashii and a clutch of other pre-pubescent girls sat listening to deportment-mistress Teenahu. The teacher smoothed her perfect hair and shot a dark glance at Shadarii.
“… The secret of the ‘wandering brightness’ school of flower arrangement is simple enough in principle. Like all true arts it is the interpretation that adds depth to the meaning. The seemingly random combination of sharp edge and softer texture… Shadarii, are you paying attention?”
Shadarii idly rolled her head to view her teacher, blinking dreamily. Teenahu wrinkled up her muzzle with a snort.
“Shadarii, this is for your benefit as much as anybody elses! Since you know so much, perhaps you can show us how it’s done!”
Hmmmm? Shadarii reluctantly dragged herself back into the present, reaching out towards the pile of fresh cut flowers. Unseen by the others, a blossom simply floated up into her hand. Shadarii buried her wet black nose within its fragrance and breathed in the sweet perfume.
Teenahu huffed impatiently.
“Shadarii, wake up! What’s the matter with you girl? You’ve been acting like a dizzy fool all week!” Teenahu’s long white hair glinted. “Now do you know how to make the flower arrangement or don’t you?”
Shadarii moved without any hurry; her hands dipped amongst the flowers, plucking out a strange array of blooms. Finally her slim black fingers fell away. The flowers were perfectly arrayed in simple, subtle patterns; it was an utter masterpiece.
The girls sighed in wrapt appreciation, and Teenahu’s ears fell down flat.
“Hmph! Yes, well innovation is alright in its place. In any case, I see you have grasped some of the basics.”
Shadarii buried her nose deep in the bouquet and sighed; for once the world of worries seemed so very far away. She rose and danced out into the rain, her face turned up towards the gentle sky. One by one the deportment class came out into the mist to watch and marvel.
Kïtashii stared at Shadarii with adoration in her eyes. Teenahu gave an impatient snort and flipped her wings.
“Go back inside girl, there’s lessons to be learned. What can you be if you don’t study?”
Kïtashii sighed in rapture, her eyes fixed upon Shadarii’s flowing form.
“I want to be a dancer! I want to be beautiful. I want to be like her!”
Teenahu merely tossed her head and turned away, leaving Shadarii to her own affairs.
Far off in
…and there lay the beginnings of a plan. King Latikai looked at the boy and rubbed his hands together.
“Torvara my love, we need the makin’s of a very special Jiteng team; a team designed to lose! They must play their blessed little hearts out, never even suspecting that they haven’t got a chance.”
The King eyed the vapid youth who fluttered off into the trees.
“Aye, a brand new jiteng team - and I think we’ve just found ourselves a captain…”
***
Rain spilled down through the leaves, spattering the ground with countless stars of light, and the ïsha of the forest seemed to take a grateful breath. Shadarii looked out upon the holy Mother’s face and gave a smile.
One week later, and still the stranger’s kiss burned on her lips; a week of dreaming, and still his eyes shone in her mind. Had it really happened? Sometimes the memory seemed so unreal, and then she would see those eyes before her - feel the warmth of him against her tingling fur…
He had been real; he had to be!
How to find him? Where had he come from? The whole village buzzed with gossip about Zhukora and the raiders. Now Zhukora had taken her angry followers far off into the forest, and her absence had only made the days seem sweeter. Shadarii no longer cared about her ruined lifepath. Worry melted in the face of her beautiful new dreams.
A voice droned somewhere in the background; young Kïtashii and a clutch of other pre-pubescent girls sat listening to deportment-mistress Teenahu. The teacher smoothed her perfect hair and shot a dark glance at Shadarii.
“… The secret of the ‘wandering brightness’ school of flower arrangement is simple enough in principle. Like all true arts it is the interpretation that adds depth to the meaning. The seemingly random combination of sharp edge and softer texture… Shadarii, are you paying attention?”
Shadarii idly rolled her head to view her teacher, blinking dreamily. Teenahu wrinkled up her muzzle with a snort.
“Shadarii, this is for your benefit as much as anybody elses! Since you know so much, perhaps you can show us how it’s done!”
Hmmmm? Shadarii reluctantly dragged herself back into the present, reaching out towards the pile of fresh cut flowers. Unseen by the others, a blossom simply floated up into her hand. Shadarii buried her wet black nose within its fragrance and breathed in the sweet perfume.
Teenahu huffed impatiently.
“Shadarii, wake up! What’s the matter with you girl? You’ve been acting like a dizzy fool all week!” Teenahu’s long white hair glinted. “Now do you know how to make the flower arrangement or don’t you?”
Shadarii moved without any hurry; her hands dipped amongst the flowers, plucking out a strange array of blooms. Finally her slim black fingers fell away. The flowers were perfectly arrayed in simple, subtle patterns; it was an utter masterpiece.
The girls sighed in wrapt appreciation, and Teenahu’s ears fell down flat.
“Hmph! Yes, well innovation is alright in its place. In any case, I see you have grasped some of the basics.”
Shadarii buried her nose deep in the bouquet and sighed; for once the world of worries seemed so very far away. She rose and danced out into the rain, her face turned up towards the gentle sky. One by one the deportment class came out into the mist to watch and marvel.
Kïtashii stared at Shadarii with adoration in her eyes. Teenahu gave an impatient snort and flipped her wings.
“Go back inside girl, there’s lessons to be learned. What can you be if you don’t study?”
Kïtashii sighed in rapture, her eyes fixed upon Shadarii’s flowing form.
“I want to be a dancer! I want to be beautiful. I want to be like her!”
Teenahu merely tossed her head and turned away, leaving Shadarii to her own affairs.
Far off in
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