Failed Story 2

[Ciata]

Events in this story, much like Star Trek, Enterprise, are not official story canon, characters mentioned here are not the same as could be mentioned elsewhere.

This is a revision of the Loran, Kang, New Ciata story that I worked on this week, got about 10 pages redone and I'm still in the start off, so I think I've put some more detail into it, as well as plot, which is a good thing, and changed the people and backgrounds, story, etc up a bit to make things match a master plot I thought up one night. Any comments of criticism is okay, just PM it to me.

[Ciata]

This I Beheld, or Dreamed it in a Dream


Journal Entry:

Now what? I went and now I’m a prefect. I’m too young for this, but there wasn’t really much of a choice. Either I did it, or Loran would be under some far off big city person, I was the only choice. I don’t know what to do, I just don’t know. I wish someone else had applied for the job instead of me, someone else get off their tails and have gone instead of me. What did I get myself into? I’m clueless, not even twenty-one years old, I don’t know how to govern a town, even one as small as ours. What the heck am I going to do? I’ve just got one more day to decide. I should have never gone to the capital, never have signed up for this new government. We never needed local leaders before, why should we bother with them now? It might be easier if I just forgot it ever happened. But I can’t now, last night I had another dream. So much worry and so many people relying on me, I can’t do it, but those dreams. I feel like I’ve got to help people, and maybe with this job I can, who knows. I’ve got to do something with my life here, and maybe this is it. All I ask for is a sign, something or someone to help me or to point the way. I just want to know the way to go.



The dawn rose, as it did every morning, revealing the dirt path near which the tired snow leopard slept, paws weary still from the days of walking and the sleepless night from worrying. Off the path some ten paces a thick woolen blanket lies stretched out underneath a withered old tree, its leaves fading to brown from a bright red in the late stages of fall. The blanket stirs and suddenly is cast aside, the waking form of a snow leopard, still dressed in his light blue long sleeved shirt and light brown pants, belt and wrist straps still done, but shoes off of his worn paws. He stretches his arms up against his head, arching his back. He unfurls his tail from around his curled feet and looks around, blinking his greenish blue eyes, showing his age, as feline eyes change depending upon age. A fully-grown, but not fully matured male of nearly 21 years. He took a few moments to fully wake up and get up, squinting his fairly round feline face, small black spots on his light gray face and scratched behind one of his ears, which were black on the back with white spots. He began to fold and roll up his cover blanket he used to keep himself dry from the dew, finally packing tying it with some yarn ropes to the straps he pulled over his back.
He turned to leave back down the road but turned around in his place. “Oops, almost forgot it.” He said in a soft, light tone. He went back to the tree and bent down to pick up the sword that he had left there, a straight sword, about an inch and a half wide and almost four feet long, still in its dark wooden sheath, the hilt plain steel with just the emblem of the new empire on it.
Reaching down for it though a stick rapped his paw, causing him to jerk his body and paw back in shock as it seemingly came from nowhere. He looked up slowly and saw at the end of the pole a large brown paw, and attached to that paw a large brown arm, and a large brown body of a bear, clothed in simple, ragged clothes. What he wore on his face concerned the young snow leopard even more, a dark rag covering all but his eyes, wrapping around his face from chin to ears.
The snow leopard’s breathing quickened, his heart begun to race and adrenaline was kicking in. He looked at his new sword, lying but three feet away against the tree, and back at the large brown bear and the thick pole he held in both his paws. They stood there, not saying a word, staring at each other. Finally, as his heart was about to beat out of his chest, thumping audibly in his ears, he dove for the sword and was met mid-air by the leg of another beast, hitting his upper chest with such force that it stopped his lunge and knocked him back on his back.
“I don’t think so…” The snow leopard turned his head towards the rough and cocky voice and saw the other attacker at his right, who had apparently snuck up on him while he stared at the first. It belonged to a hyena that was dressed in slightly finer green clothes, wearing just a dark cloth over his mouth.
The snow leopard groaned and held his thin chest, which was sending a shooting pain through his whole upper body, though his ribs saved him from serious injury.
“What…what do you want?” He gasped, the wind still knocked out of him from the kick.
“Depends, what have ya got?” The hyena began to chuckle, then howl at his own comment, the bear’s body barely shaking with in-audible laughter at it, having probably heard that one before. The bear stopped and walked over to the tree and picked up the sword, setting his staff against the tree.
The snow leopard started to get up but the hyena stomped his bare foot paw down on his chest again. “You stay put if you want to get out of this with your fur still on you.” The hyena smiled at himself again, revealing his yellow canine teeth in his gray and black striped muzzle.
“Hey! Let me see it.” The hyena kept his foot paw on the chest and stretched out his paw for the sword, which the bear grudgingly handed over. “Hmmm…not bad steel.” He looked it over, shaking it to see its flexibility, and then looked at the handle and the emblem on it.
“Ah, this is a government’s blade, better than the trash you’d find around here. This would go for something nice to the right person. You a dog of that new emperor?” The hyena sneered at the feline under his paw.
He shot back. “I’m the new prefect of Loran!”
“Ooooh, a prefect. Well it don’t matter who you are here, and this ain’t Loran no matters.” The hyena keeps looking over the blade as he talks. “One thing for sure though…to let you go, that would mean trouble for us, and we can’t have none of that.” He stretches back the sword above his body, ready to bring it down to kill the one beneath him and all the snow leopard was thinking was, *No, it can’t be over yet, I’ve just started, my job, life, it can’t end yet. Heavens save me!* He pulled up both of his arms to try and protect his face and thus missed what happened next. All he heard was a thud and then the weight was lifted from his chest, the foot paw removed, and then another thud of a body landing to his left in the tall dying grass. He heard the deep shouting roar from the bear, a snapping of wood, and another thud against the tree, the sound of cloth sliding against bark, and another body fall slowly to the ground.
He opened his eyes and slowly removed his arms from above his face and looked around. To his left the hyena lay face down in the grass, the sword about four feet to his left also in the grass. He looked in front of him and saw the large bear’s body limp leaning half against the tree sitting on the ground, his staff snapped in half and laying near his un-moving paws. He looked to his right and saw another snow leopard standing near him, looking at him lying there. He was dressed in dark navy blue pants, a white shirt like a training robe that overlapped in the front and tied at his right side, kept there by a sash that was also white. His foot paws were in cloth shoes and his legs wrapped with cloth halfway up his shins, tied with black strands of cloth over the light blue fabric. Around his neck were large, black prayer beads, indicating that he was a monk or holy beast. The stranger’s eyes were virtually pure white, indicating he was very old, though his form was thick, more typical of a snow leopard.
“Greetings, are you alright?” The stranger greeted him with a traditional paw and claw salute, the left paw clenched in the form of a fist, the other’s fingers extended in the shape of a claw, though he did not extend his actual claws, which showed peace.
The younger snow leopard staggered to his feet and he returned the greeting, bowing low with it. “Yes, thank you so much…” His body was still shaking from the fear and excitement he had just gone through. “I thought…I thought I was about to die.” He panted and looked behind him at the still body of his attackers.
“Your time has not come however, you are safe now. What is your name?” The older asked in a warm, though slightly aged voice, extending an open paw.
“Me? I’m Opalance Bin-Ja…I’m the new prefect of my town, village really, Loran, but please just call me Bin. Please, tell me your name.” Bin turns back to his savior.
“I’m Bei Yong.” He nods to him.
“Well thank you Bei Yong, thank you so much, but did you…you killed them?”
“Yes I’m afraid so, they showed no signs of stopping and they were desperate, as you heard, after attacking you they had no choice but to kill you or suffer the serious consequences.”
“Yeah…” Bin looks down and picks up the sheath of his sword and turns around and slowly walks through the grass and picks up his new weapon, lying beside the dead body of the hyena. He disobeyed his better judgment and looked over as he stooped to pick it up at the body. The wide, unseeing eyes of the dead striped canine met his eyes. Blood slowly trickled from his long open canine muzzle and several drops fell before Bin could tear his eyes away, turning around and slowly sheathing the sword.
“Your first time to see death?” The elder snow leopard asked in a concerned voice.
“…yes...I think so...” Bin stood there, eyes looking near the foot paws of the bear against the tree, trying not to look at him as well.
Bei Yong closed his eyes and bowed his head. “I am sorry then, for introducing you to violence, but I made the decision between their lives, and yours.”
“…I know, and thank you…it’s just not something I want to see...” Bin’s eyes looked up, trying to change his attitude and get his mind off of it. “But please, come to Loran with me, it’s but a day’s walk here and I’d like to thank you for saving my life, that is…if you aren’t doing something else.”
“Oh no, I’m a pilgrim. Wandering and traveling is what I do. I would be honored to visit your town.”
“We would be honored to have you, but…” Bin turned and looked over towards the bodies again.
“The bodies? Do not worry about them. The earth shall take them or their companions may find them and bury them themselves. Besides, you should leave this place.” Bei Yong motions towards the road and Bin nods, turning away from the bodies again and heading towards the road back to Loran.


It was nearly nightfall, the fading red light of the sun bringing out the shapes of the far off rounded mountains, poking up from the ground like black fingers of the earth. The small village was centered around a large tree in the center which was near a well. The small, humble houses spread out in about two and a half widening circles containing about 30 houses in all. They were simple dwellings, some of the newest ones were made from reeds while the vast majority were earthen dwellings, the walls made of clay bricks of mainly packed earth.
A group of people waiting, mainly the very old and the very young of the village, were gathered around the large, ancient tree whose limbs arched and stretched up to the sky and back nearly down to the ground. Its leaves matched that of the fading sun, holding on to its dark red in the late fall. They numbered a little over a dozen, 7 or 8 young children playing in the dirt and half a dozen elderly of assorted races as well, watching and mainly talking.
They were about to give up on Bin returning that day and send the children inside when a pair of little eyes spotted a pair of figures walking towards the center of town from the road.
A tiny gray paw pointed down the road and a small gray face with large round ears and long, pointy nose yelled out. “Hey look! There he is! There’s two of them!”
All the eyes look down the road and the small ones start running down the dirt path towards the returning snow leopard and his guest, a double excitement for the people there. The older ones slowly got up and called for the rest of the town to come out, slowly going to tell the rest while the youngsters rushed to meet the travelers. The stampede of tiny paws stirred up a small cloud of dust behind them as they rushed towards them, all screaming in high pitched squeals of excitement.
Bin and Bei Yong halted just before they arrived, bracing themselves for the impact. In an instant they were surrounded by a little mass of furry bodies in a variety of shapes. Mice, beaver, raccoon, lynx, a usual countryside mix of species in their miniature forms. Bin and Bei Yong moved slowly towards the center of town, the two snow leopards surrounded and being touched inquisitively by a dozen little paws, all asking questions, examining things with their paws and sometimes noses. Bin waded through with arms held up high, holding the sword above their reach and several were trying to leap up and grab it, to no avail. Bei Yong stepped forward, patting the small ones on the head, looking on them with an almost fatherly compassion and thus the smallest clung to his pants legs and long tail, embracing the stranger with the instant acceptance only small children usually have.
They slowly made their way to the group of older creatures in the center of town that had gathered by that time of some twenty adults. Many of them carried lanterns, lighting up the area as the last rays of the sun disappeared. They were headed by the town’s elder, an ancient mountain goat, his body bent and withered by age and his horns long and curving in shrinking circles, but his attitude not having diminished one bit. He leaned heavily on a cane that was similarly withered and twisted in shape and peered out from long white fur that also ran down from his chin in a beard going nearly his knees, bent over as he was.
A few creatures pointed out in excitement his white sash, which was the traditional symbol of a master. Before matters got too out of paw with greetings and questions, the elderly goat called out in a shaking voice, bellowing out. “Hoooold ooon! Llets greet the new one prroperly!” He teetered forward. “I am Hahm Sheerface, the elder of Loran. On behalf of our people, I greet you Masteeer…”
“Bei Yong.” The thickly built, though aged snow leopard greets the elder with the traditional paw in claw greeting and a small bow. “I was a monk at the Shuey Baw Monastery and now spend my days traveling as a pilgrim. I have no surname as I left that behind when I joined the monastery, so please, just call me Bei Yong.”
“Ah Master, you honor us with your visit.” Hahm returns the paw in claw greeting as best he could, meeting his left paw which was clutching the cane with his other paw opened up to it. “You must stay the night with us as it is already dark.” Hahm creaked out slowly and by the time he had finished that Bei Yong already had a half dozen offers of places to stay and argument and talk burst out in a general country accent of where he would sleep.
“Um…hello.” Bin waved his paw in the air, trying to get their attention to no avail. Bei Yong noticed his plight and remembered Bin’s mission he had nearly died over.
“Good people of Loran, I believe Opalance Bin-Ja has something to tell you.” They began to focus back forward. “Oh yeah, Bin.” Was the general phrase.
“Uh, excuse me. Yeah. I got there to the capital and they appointed me the prefect of the area of Loran.” Bin tried to yell out, though he could hardly manage to reach the back of the group with his timid voice. “I was on the way back when Master Bei Yong saved me from two bandits.”
“Aww, that’s good of him.” “What did he do?” “Was there a big fight?” The group erupted into more questions for Bei Yong, immensely interested in this stranger and his martial arts.
Bei Yong however referred the attention back to Bin. “What does your position mean Bin? How will it affect the town?” This finally got most of the attention of the group, who was huddled together in a tight mass of bodies, bumping into each other and talking amongst themselves.
“Not much really changes to be honest, not for us. I just need four people for a type of militia for the town’s security.”
“Oooohhh…” All the youngsters in the crowd awed and got excited over the idea of playing soldier, bouncing about and attacking Bin with a dozen little paws raised high in volunteering.
Bei Yong laughed at them. “The most willing are often the least able to help.”
“Yeah, I’ve already got a few friends in mind for it.” Bin tells Bei Yong, leaning in. Bin then tries to calm the little ones around him, his eyes a bit sad at their eagerness to be a soldier and also in disappointment that he couldn’t let them have what is good fun in their minds. “Come on now, only grown ups can be soldiers, you guys have to wait to get bigger.” Even with children Bin’s voice is soft and not commanding.
Bei Yong was in the meantime surveying the people and weighing their offers for whom to stay the night with. His eyes scanned the people, the families and species. Goats, beavers, raccoons, lynx, panda, pine martin, owl, opossum, some antelope species and mice. He smiled, looking at the mouse family. Mother, father, and four, no five, small ones or varying ages, all small, the father coming in at only about four feet tall. Bei Yong’s eyes met those of the father, a middle-aged gray mouse with honest and humble eyes and paws callused from long days working with plows and rakes in the fields. His children wore brighter, newer clothes while he himself wore simple tan pants and a brown shirt.
Bei Yong nodded in satisfaction and made his way to the back of the crowd where the father stood with an arm around his wife, little ones scurrying back to around their foot paws. He greeted them with a grin and the paw in claw greeting. “Sir, would you allow me to stay the night with you at your home?”
The mice looked taken back. “Why…of course! Yes, I would be honored to have to stay the night. Please, I’m Will Wheatson master.” He turned to his wife and whispered. “Dear, go get the place ready for the master.” She nodded and rushed off, holding her apron in one paw and waving for the older of her children to follow and help her with the other.

[Ciata]

The night drew on, the lanterns were hung in the sloping branches of the great central tree and the talk and news going back and forth between the isolated villagers and the returned and arrived travelers. First hand news of the outside and the new empire being established and the emperor, talk of the legendary Shuey Baw Monastery, bandits, and big cities went back and forth for hours as the people went one by one back to their homes as the excitement faded and the night went on. Bin finally returned to his home, his foot paws and his ears aching, and Bei Yong went to the Wheatson’s home to spend the night, sleeping in the parent’s bed at their demand, they slept with their children in the group bed in the manner typical of old country sacrificial hospitality.
Bin slept the night in his own bed in his own small house that night. It was on the outskirts of town, the newest house that had been built. The roof over his head was a simple grass roof made of long, dried stalks of meadow grass. The walls shielding him were wooden shingles on the outside and grass on the inside for insulation. The place he slept in was a bowl shaped bed made of large bamboo poles bent to make the main shape and filled with grass padding and quilts. As he lay under a couple of them, curled up, he began to twitch and his tail wave. He was having another dream like he had just had two nights ago.

*I’m floating in a river, ebbing along with its flow, floating and coursing along. It’s like the river has no banks, no bottom, and no end, just a constant never ending flow of water. How far, how deep, how wide it is? How long does it flow, where does it end and come from? I can’t tell. It’s as if…as if it’s getting bigger, no, I’m getting smaller. The river, I’m a part of it, I’m another drop of water like the rest. I can’t comprehend, where does it end? Wait, those around me, the endless flow, it’s life, the river is life. All this space, all this time, all these people around me, I’m just another drop, just another person. There are millions of them, uncountable numbers, coming going, rising, falling. So small, so tiny, so insignificant, what am I? What worth can I be? A single drop, a single drop is an endless river.*

Early the next morning, before the first ray of light touched the ground of Loran, light shone from the not yet visible sun, illuminating the sky and lighting the ground to the adjusted eye. The father mouse, Will, awoke, always being among the very first in the village to rise for work. After removing his smallest girl from on top of his chest where she had settled in for the night, he slowly and carefully climbed out from all of his family that was in the family bed around him. He tiptoed away from the bed, re-adjusted his clothes and located his work sandals, small and woven from grass stalks with a rope strap to hold it to his foot paw. He sat down slowly at their short table on one of their benches, holding his right knee with one paw, which ached from an injury with a plow he had suffered long ago. After slipping and tightening each of his sandals he lifted his head slowly, taking a deep sigh before getting up to go off to work again. His eyes stopped when they reached the top of the table.
Lying there in the middle of the plain, worn table was a wooden figurine about a foot long of an Asian dragon, long, thin, and serpent like, its long form waving and curving and its back lined with little ridges and the sides had tiny, intricate patterns carved into them. It had four small taloned legs, little horns, even tiny black rocks placed into little holes in the head for eyes and curved dried bits of grass coming from the face for whiskers. It looked as if it were smooth and polished and was made of a dark brown wood that had beautiful rays from the grain in it causing it almost to glow.
He sat there with his little gray mouth wide open, staring at it, its level of detail and quality being beyond anything he had seen before. Bei Yong came in from behind the curtain of the main bedroom, wide-awake and fully dressed. Seeing the mouse sitting there staring at the figurine, one paw reaching out to touch it, he smiled and whispered. “Go ahead, I made it for you last night.”
Will looked back and forth from the little treasure of art and the newcomer snow leopard in astonishment, almost forgetting to lower his voice. “This, for me? You made this…I mean, made it last night?”
Bei Yong reaches out a gray paw and pick it up from under the center of its belly and extends it to the hospitable father. “Of course, to repay you for your hospitality. All you need is a good sharp knife and a stick to make one.”
Will slowly reaches out both of his callused paws and took it gently from Bei Yong, nodding his head down in gratitude. “Thank you, thank you so much.”
Bei Yong simply waves it off. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing. If you ever have great need, don’t hesitate to trade or sell it if you need something. It’s just a piece of wood; it won’t feed you or warm you. I would be much happier if your families stomachs were full or their bodies warm than if they sat there hungry with nothing but a pretty statue to look at.”
The mouse nodded, his eyes still wide, looking at the work of art that was beyond his former thoughts to own as he worked hard to simply keep food and the table for his rather large family. Bei Yong had to motion with his paw towards the front door to bring his mind back to his work.
“If you would show me out Mister Wheatson, I’m sure you have more important things to do today than look at my handiwork.”
“Oh of course master, yes.” Will carefully sets the figurine up on a high shelf that also had their lantern oil on it and rushed to the door, opening it and holding it there for Bei Yong, following him on his way out.

The sun had risen into the sky and was about a third of the way to its zenith by the time Bin was given another rude awakening for the second straight day. A long brown tail waved back and forth in devious anticipation, a golden paw rubbed his right spiraling antler that went into a smooth point after bending out and then angling back in a little, up and down. A black paw attached to golden brown arms and to dark brown body, clutched a long and wide blade that curved slightly at the end and had a two-pawed blade wrapped in red cloth.
The three furred faces were masked by a wrapping a cloths around their various and differently shaped faces and dark shades of clothing. The smallest one that also had the longest tail motioned silently for the other ones to advance, and he took out a pair of wooden and rope connected nunchucks and eased them around the neck of Bin, who was at this time late in the morning, sprawled out on his bowl shaped bed, his left leg hanging out of one side and his tail also hanging over the edge. The horned form took his tall staff he carried and pressed it again Bin’s bare long white furred chest and the figure with the sword took it in both paws and held it above his head. With a nod from the long tailed figure, the horned one raised his staff and thudded it down on Bin’s chest, pressing it down to keep him there.
Bin awoke with a start, trying to jerk his head up after getting hit in the chest but having it stopped by the rope of the nunchucks around his neck and the staff on his chest. He waved his legs about, trying to get up, and trying to push himself up with one arm and the other paw grasping at the rope at his neck.
“Help! Gee…get off! Let go!” Bi cried out, his voice being partly strangled by the rope.
The figure with the large sword yelled out in a high-pitched voice and raised the sword high in the air and brought it swinging down.
Bin covered his face, having a horrible case of déjà vu, waiting for the end…again. But again, it did not come. Bin sat there, his breathing almost hyperventilating, his heart pounding, body tense, and then…laughter. Not from him to be sure, but from the “bandits.”
Bin recognized their voices and uncovered his face, which was now scrunched up in anger and frustration. “You! You scared me to death!” He struggles to get up from his bed, the weapons being drawn back away from him as the three continue to laugh.
The long and thick tailed one, who was less than five feet tall, un-wraps his face, a long eared, smiling face with a bit of a devious nature about his eyes and gray face but brick red shoulders. From his very large foot paws and ears plus a long, thick tail you could tell he was a kangaroo, though very short because he was a red kangaroo. His body was thick on the bottom half, his legs and hips being rather large with smaller arms and shoulders. It was also fairly obvious that it was his idea, as usual. He swung his nunchuck around his neck, letting them rest there, laughing still, and holding his sides now. Overall he had a pleasant, but devious look about him, obviously always up to something, plotting or scheming ways to get ahead.
The one with antlers by this time had gotten himself unwrapped, which took some effort because of how he had to wrap it around his antlers. He was smiling in a more innocent, genuine way, happy that he they had fooled Bin so well and gotten a good laugh which contrasted some with the black tribal clan tattoo he had around his left eye. Pukus, since they have virtually no makings to tell them apart, like some species, choose artificial methods of identification, like his tattoo, to tell each other apart. His fur was a more pure gold and he had a tall and thin body and long thin face, compared to his friend’s short and stout frame. He was a puku, or a relative to antelope as he was commonly confused as. He folded the cloth that he took off his face and polished his black swirling antlers, his bit of a vain streak that matched his clean, short, shining golden fur and lean body.
The last of the “bandits” uncovered her face as well. She had a strong frame, a healthy mix between the two other ones. Not as tall as her puku friend, yet nowhere near as thick as the little kangaroo. If not for her gruff demeanor and attitude, she might attract more attention, being the model of what a young female pine martin should be, but her beauty was surpassed by her ferocious anger and rage at times and a independent spirit, having grown up roaming and fighting with the boys. Her fur changed color many times all over he body, black paws, light brown under her chin and down her throat, dark brown on the top of her head and back. She had small round ears, much in the same shape as Bin’s and had small gold rings in both of them. She set her large sword, her “head chopper” on her shoulder and simply pulled down the cloths to around her neck and was grinning and shaking with held in laughter, as she tried to withhold from public display of most emotions.
Bin sat cross-legged in his bed, still holding his chest. *Dead…dead…dead* Bin’s mind flashed back to the lifeless stare of the hyena from the morning before. The blood, the fur seemingly devoid of life even moments after, the stare…the stare into the darkness of hell that was reflected in the eyes of the nameless bandit. His eyes glossed over as his mind was consumed by the memory and he phased out and Bin’s friends began to get worries about him.
“Bin? Biiinn, heeelloooo…” The puku waved his paw in front of Bin’s eyes, bringing him back after he looked around, realizing when and where he was.
“I’m sorry Ramses, I just…flashed back or something…” Bin scratched the back of his head and looked down at the edge of his bed and the green and tan quilt hanging over the side.
“See, Miquel? I told you it wasn’t a good idea to do this so soon.” Ramses the puku frowned at Miquel the kangaroo and crossed his arms around his pole.
“What? It was her idea!” The guilty looking kangaroo points at the pine martin, who returns the indication with a deadly glare that caused him to whither, cringing his face and covering his head.
“Oh please Miquel, don’t even try to blame it on Fae, you always are the one starting this stuff. You’ve been the mastermind behind all the stuff since before I even came here.” Bin shot back at Miquel, who at this added blame actually perked up, raising his ears straight up and grinning.
“Yep, the mastermind, that’s me.” He grinned, putting his paws on his wide hips and waving his thick dark red tail, raising his head defiantly.
Fae’s mouth went from a disdainful sneer to a devious grin as she waited for the right moment and then stomped on Miquel’s tail as it waved near her.
“Oooowww…” Miquel nearly jumped to the roof, grabbing his tail, coming down on his haunches clutching it. “You know my tail’s sensitive, why’d you go and do that?” He moaned, kissing the tip of his tail.
Bin laid down his chin on the end of his bed, his paws clutching the sides, watching their usual banter and fighting, just watching in silence.
Ramses, good-natured and peace minded as usual played the referee as he was often forced to do between the rather annoying and mischievous one, and the easily angered. He stretched out his staff between the two, separating them. “Come on now, let’s let Bin get dressed and all that. By the way Bin, the reason you got woken up like this so late is because mister Huo said that he’s going to give you the day off to honor your new position.”
Miquel added his own thoughts, as usual, not even bothering to stop sitting there and holding his tail. “It’s actually just because he got drunk again and won’t even trust himself with a saw.”
Bin glared at Miquel who mocked his employer. “Uh quiet, just leave the old guy alone…”
“Sure, whatever Bin, prefect or not, your still just a friend to us.” Miquel said back.
“And as a friend, we should respect what he says!” Fae Shot back at him, and would have kicked him again, or worse, if Ramses’ stick had not been between them.
“Come on now guys, let’s go.” Ramses urged them on to leave and lowered his staff, turning to leave. “Plus I can’t wait to get out of these ridiculous dark clothes.” He pulled at his mis-matched variety of dark clothing, greens, blues, browns, all three had the same strange mixture of dark colors since pure black was nearly impossible to make or get.
“Whatever…” Fae dropped it, for now, and turned around to leave. Ramses opened the door for her, which earned an elbow shove into the doorpost from Fae, never one to take chivalry sitting down. Miquel followed her out, giving a little grin to Ramses who was up against the doorpost with a paw to his chest. “Ta-ta.” Miquel waved goodbye and Ramses shrugged and left, shutting the door behind him.
Bin sighed; still leaning on the edge of his bowl shaped bed, and decided maybe it would be best just to stay in bed to avoid any more trouble that day.

[Ciata]

Bin managed to avoid more trouble for at least two more days, life in Loran beginning to get back to normal, as normal as life in the little town could be with a stranger around, especially a stranger like Bei Yong. The two mornings since the first he had both times left figurines, one of a fierce ornamental feral lion and the other of a majestic riding horse.
Reading through the laws though, Bin did notice that anyone claiming to be a master had to be officially tested, ranked, and certified to teach. This of course brought up the question of where he would get people tested, when, by who, etc.
Bin brought that matter up at the week’s end community meal that came on the evening of the holy day, which was also their day of rest from work. “Master Bei Yong?” He asked, leaning forward a little on the table that he, the other snow leopard, and a few other creatures were eating at in the center of the town around the great tree.
“Yes Bin, what is it?” Bei Yong gave him his full and undivided attention that portrayed, or at least made you feel like he really valued you and your time, though it was a bit of a challenge with all of the other creatures and talking going on around them.
“I don’t mean to like, offend or anything, but I was just wondering if you had taken the official martial arts ranking test, or whatever they call it.” Bin toyed with a chopstick he had been using, picking at one of the corners on it, slumping a bit in his chair.
“No I haven’t, it hasn’t been long since I left the monastery and I’ve avoided most main cities. I feel much more comfortable in small, personable settings like this.” He waved his paw around him to the families making up the small community all sharing a meal in a large clamor of talking and sharing food, little ones running around and old friends conversing.
“Well, I don’t blame you, I don’t like big cities either, that’s why I moved here. It’s just…in order to legally call yourself a master and teach other people and such, you have to be officially tested by someone.”
“I see.” Bei Yong nodded his head, not looking surprised really. “So what should I do about it then?”
“Well…” The others at the table were starting to get interested in the conversation, as it involved going places. “We’d have to think of somewhere we could go that would test your skills.”
A large male panda from across the square table, sitting beside a female panda, presumably his wife, both coming in at more than six feet and well over two-hundred pounds, spoke up. “The nearest testing place is in Bareholm, the capital of our state Kang, a little over a day away. Every capital holds the testing place with the heads of the state’s branch of martial arts in each of the three main categories, weapons, unarmed fighting, and special techniques.” The fully-grown, serious looking panda attempts to go back to eating.
Bei Yong however would let him off without introducing himself. “I don’t believe we’ve met before, I’m Bei Yong.” He greeted the panda with the paw in claw and a smile.
The panda almost looked annoyed, though you could gather that wasn’t an uncommon expression for him. He returns the greeting. “I’m Galahad and this is my wife Parah.”
Galahad was content to go back to eating, but his wife Parah was far more social and excited to meet Bei Yong officially. She leaned forward on the table, closer to Bei Yong’s side, almost causing the table to tilt up to her side as large as she was, though that was not entirely her fault as she was clearly late in a pregnancy. She smiled at Bei Yong, probably adding to Galahad’s aggravation. “So tell me, where did you come from, and where have you been? I’d love to travel, but I’ve never gone far from here since I was very small.”
Bei Yong politely returned the smile. “I spent most of my life at the Monastery, I don’t remember much before that or any family. Since I left Shuey Baw I’ve mainly just visited way shrines and holy sites, I’ve avoided major cities.”
“Shuey Baw is far in the north isn’t it? I bet it’s so pretty up there with all the mountains and snow. There’s nothing but hills in the south here, so dull. I’ve always wanted to see those northern lights in the sky too!” She gasped and slapped the table, causing the plates and cups to clatter.
Bei Yong leaned back away from the table, a bit apprehensive of her excitement and captivation.
“Dear, calm down and leave the poor guy alone.” Galahad scoops his rice back into his bowl with his chopsticks.
“I’m sorry, it’s just so rare to have travelers here to stay, and important one too, a master…” She keeps on in her excitement, fairly unhindered.
“Well that seems to be in question right now…” Galahad mutters.
“No, we just need to officialize it, or whatever.” Bin says while leaning back in his seat, trying to stand up for the one that saved him.
“That’s alright Bin, soon there should be nothing to cause dispute. I’ll go to Bareholm. There’s something there I’m interested in finding anyway, so it’s not problem don’t worry.”

[Ciata]

Bin laid on his back, paws behind his head, laying in one of the few still fresh green patches of grass around, it being on the hill near the well, overlooking the town. He sighed, lying there in just his brown pants, enjoying the feel of the lush grass to his back and the sunlight of the setting sun warm the white fur on his chest.
He gave a light sigh. “Aaaahh…this is the life. Basking in the sun and nothing to do.” His thick tail swishing happily.
He leaned up slightly, propping himself up on his elbows, seeing his friends, Fae, Ramses, and Miquel down in the middle of town. He shifted to his side, lying down to watch their antics.
Miquel bounced about a bit as usual, a bit hyper and cocky. Ramses was calm and laid back, tall and thin, a stark comparison to his best friend in most every way. The oly way they got along was because Ramses was so laid back he let most of what Miquel did slide. Fae didn’t let anything slide however, she was quick to reprimand Miquel and give him a smart whack or two. The only reason Fae never killed Miquel was that he bounced between being cocky and looking totally pathetic once he had done something to set her off.
From what Bin could tell right now Miquel was trying to provoke Ramses into a little sparring, which was really showing off in front of Fae, which never appeared to do any good. It was a natural male reaction though, and Ramses appeared to have had enough of Miquel’s taunting or whatever he was doing, crouching and wiggling his tail and bouncing around in front of him twirling his nunchuck.
It was actually easier to get or made one of Miquel’s nunchucks than a simple, straight staff. Straight and small trees were hard to come by in this area, as most were crooked and short. He had broken his several times and been forced to take the time to get another.
Bin enjoyed watching, sitting and observing was always a part of his nature. As the two went to their places, standing facing each other about ten feet apart, dirt and sparse grass between them, Bin flopped over onto his stomach, watching them with intent eyes and waving tail.
The two began their dance, Miquel moving first as usual, making a lunge step towards Ramses who countered with thrusting his staff from a standstill, straight towards the small kangaroo's face. Miquel blocked it with a twirling flick of his weapon, though he did have to duck out of the way to avoid getting the grin forcibly wiped off his face. Ramses recovered quickly and withdrew his pole again, keeping it moving through a circled grip in his right paw forward, then moving it with his left paw, making repeated thrusts with it, trying to nail his smaller opponent square on the nose apparently. Using his staff more like a spear than a blunt weapon, he actually made it easier for Miquel to spar with him, not having to block powerful, swinging attacks. Ramses kept on the retreat and thrusting rapidly, keeping Miquel on his toes and at a fair distance, using the superior reach of his weapon to his advantage. Ducking and bobbing out of the way, Miquel finally got close enough he thought, and faked a leap, instead spinning and sliding below Ramses' staff and towards his thin legs. Having fought with Miquel all his life, Ramses knew virtually every trick that the little roo could pull out, and brought his staff smashing down towards him. Miquel was just barely able to block it, lying on his back, the staff caught fast in the rope ties of his nunchuck.
Miquel grinned, and spin on handle of it around, wrapping it around the staff, then jerking at it and kicking Ramses' lead paw, knocking it out of his hooved paws, but using that opening Ramses also kicked, or stomped rather. Miquel tossed the pole behind him in the air and began to spin his nunchucks again, starting to rise.
Bin grinned from his view, knowing the outcome before Miquel did. Ramses waved a single finger standing above Miquel. "You lose."
"What? What do you mean I lose?" The rambunctious roo stopped his body and weapon, about to start an argument.
Ramses pointed down towards his leg, which as Miquel discovered, was right between his own, scarcely an inch from a very private, sensitive area. "...oh...I see."
"Yeah, you lose." Ramses moves of to go pick up his staff as Miquel starts it again, "But..." Which Bin knew would last for however long Miquel felt like it.
The two went to walk off, Fae, who had been watching the whole thing with arms crossed and her double pawed blade sitting on her lap, got up to leave with them and the sun reflected off her blade into Bin's sight.
When the blade flashed, something else flashed in Bin's mind. In that tiny moment of blindness, the entire world changed.

*What? Where am I?* Bin was lying down on a finely polished and smooth white stone floor, surrounded by white smooth stone columns and various ornate wall hangings on the sides of a large room with a vaulted ceiling and stained glass windows around the circular room. It was cold and there was almost no light in the room except that which poured through one of the windows that was tinted red. Then he noticed it was wet as well as bitterly cold. He looked at his right paw which soaked with blood, the dark red staining his white fur and over saturating it, leaking onto the floor where it was smeared and contrasted there as it did with the white of his fur. His garment was changed as well from just his brown pants to some sort of silken, vested shirt covered in almost glowing stitching and designed, and some type of pants that felt the same. The smell of blood and death were all around him as he became more aware of his other senses.
*What's going on?* "Gaaah! Bodies...creatures..." Looking around him there were similarly finely dressed snow leopards, all lying bleeding and their fine garments stained with blood and swords lying in or near the paws of a few of them of an odd, curved type he did not see in the south.
Something was running down the bridge of his nose, and wiping it off, he found that he was bleeding on his forehead as well. Touching his forehead he found there to be an almost two inch gash leaking blood down his white face and black spotted face.
He almost went into shock from it all, his eyes widening and head beginning to shake when something called him out of it. "HEEELP!" The voice sounded like the death cry of an angel, and yet...familiar somehow, though he didn't recognize anything else there.
Bin closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, summoning his strength to get up, and when he did he opened his eyes again to find them bathed in light and a warm carpet of grass beneath his paws. Looking at his paw and touching his forehead he found no signs of blood. Jerking his head around he found nothing out of place from the peaceful hill overlooking the quiet, now calm town that he was just ripped from and returned to.
"What...just happened?"

[Ciata]

"Something wrong Bin?" Bei Yong asked the detached young snow leopard from across the dinner table, which was a community meal for the group's going off.
He took a moment to come back to reality, blinking his young eyes a few times. "No, I'm fine...just worried a little."
Bei Yong just replied with a look, one that was hard to describe and place, like he knew what you were talking about and then some.
Miquel hopped over to beside Bin, leaning heavily on the table and picking off some tidbits of sweetened fruits that the carnivore seldom touched from his wooden square plate. "So boss, how long are we going to be staying?"
"We?" Bin automatically replied.
"Uh huh, don't you think you get away from this place to the big city and not have us along too." The little red roo kept his gaze on the food on the plate, picking out the choicest leftovers with a waving finger and snatching them away, free of resistance.
"We're just going to get Master Bei Yong registered or whatever though..."
"Uh huh, that's all you'll be doing, I've been saving up for a long time to head to a big town, got plans, things to do, things to get, things to see..." He snatches another small strawberry.
"Well...it's not like I could really stop you..." Bin resigns himself.
"Darn right you can't, be foolish to try."
"Yeah...I know..."
"So when are we leaving tomorrow?"
"I don't know, it depends on when he wants to." Bin nods towards Bei Yong, who picked up the implication of he, meaning him.
"We leave an hour before sunrise, at first sign of light."
"Eeesh...so early? Shouldn't you rest some before walking all day? Oh well, I'll get my sleep in somewhere I suppose." Miquel "Ah Ha's" in triumph at finding one last sweetened piece of fruit on Bin's plate, standing up to leave, his work done. "So we'll meet you tomorrow, dark and early." He winks at the dark part, and scurries off.
"That trio...they are nothing but trouble..."

Events in this story, much like Star Trek, Enterprise, are not official story canon, characters mentioned here are not the same as could be mentioned elsewhere.