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Dawn was just breaking the horizon of the Eastern Lands when she landed soundlessly atop the thatch roof, not that it mattered to her anyway, for the thick canopy above ensured little sunlight passed through and hit the lower levels of the rainforest below. No one would see her in this insufficient light. To think that an entire community could live in this constantly dim environment had at first boggled her mind until she heard constant complaints about the chilly conditions of the North. Having grown up near the Northern-most belt of that land, Hei-Ran had gotten used to the unforgiving conditions there. Thinking back, she shouldn’t have been all that surprised. Every race of Tu were an adaptable sort given the opportunity. A quick sweep of her eyes over the scattering of wooden huts and various-sized plots revealed that no one was yet awake. Or even if they were awake, they weren’t yet out and about. Perfect.

Padding her way to the south side of the rectangular house, she leaned down to peer over the edge, seeking the flutter of the curtain through an open window. Her trained eyes caught the slight movement of dyed brown fabric and with a single backflip, she swung through the opening. However, she didn’t let go of the ledge immediately, for doing so would result in a light thud of soles against wood, and asleep as he was, her target wasn’t dead to the world. So with tight control over her abdominal and arm muscles, she lowered herself carefully until her toes neared the floor. The moment she was inside the room, Hei-Ran headed straight for the bed and the single occupant slumbering upon it. Deft fingers slipped beneath the pillow to retrieve the expected dagger, which was placed on the floor, out of reach. Her left hand clamped firmly over his mouth as her right index and middle finger extended to press against his jugular. The man shot awake instantly, scrabbling for the blade no longer hidden beneath his pillow. First option gone, he tried to bite her hand.

“Stop that right now, Jia Wen, or I wouldn’t hesitate to choke you.” She hissed, words slightly muffled by the half mask.

The man stopped struggling, abruptly going limp. Satisfied he would remain compliant, she removed her hands and stepped back, closing the bedroom door and drew the curtain close before coming back to stand over him.

“What in the name of the Dragon, Hei-Ran! You can’t just barge into a man’s home and threaten to kill him!” Jia Wen croaked, rubbing his abused throat. When she didn’t say anything, he glanced up, wincing at the glare. “Let me guess, the traitor escaped again?”

“No. It’s worse than that, Jia Wen. He wasn’t even there in the first place.” Hei-Ran replied, voice deceptively calm and even. “Your information has always been good, but not this time, apparently.”

His hand fell away from his throat, and this time, it was the Jin’s turn to glare. “The rumour held a grain of truth. I told you to wait until I uncovered more, but you went ahead anyway on a wild goose chase with only a speculation on my part.”

“Never have you sent me on a wild goose chase and your speculations were valid. You used to be able to discern truths from gossip. You are slipping.” She ploughed on relentlessly, frustration from a fruitless endeavour spurring her on. “All of you are slipping. Whatever happened to the oaths you took when you became a Scorpion? The promises you spoke to continue fighting against corruption until your last breath? May fortune or disaster befall you, you shall not falter. Did you forget all that when Sil-Sung died? Did you – ”

“I am not one of you anymore!” Jia Wen yelled, yanking the loose shirt from his body to expose his left collarbone. Where a black scorpion should sit was now an ugly burnt patch of skin. “Everyone scattered after that night. I left my old life behind. It is dead and gone. Buried. I gave you information because I owed you – owed her – at least that much. But two years of watching you run yourself ragged…no more, Hei-Ran. Stop trying to chase him. Let him come to you, because he will. Sometime in the future, your paths will cross again. But not before the time comes. And if it never comes, maybe he is dead and good riddance.”

“So you gave me false information to stop me from becoming obsessed?” Hei-Ran managed to keep the outraged snarl from her face, fighting to remain calm because as infuriating as this situation was, she could see the logic in his words, could understand the reasonings behind his actions. But it didn’t stop the sting of mistrust from hurting. “How long have you been leading me astray?”

The reply was immediate, his gaze steady. “This time, and twice before. The only apology I will make is that I didn’t think this one through as thoroughly as the previous two.”

Hei-Ran whirled on her feet, wrenched the curtain to one side and hopped up onto the sill. Because what else was there to say or do? Ranting at him wouldn’t change anything, and threatening to kill him wouldn’t get him to talk if he truly hadn’t bothered finding more leads. She would just have to find someone else, she supposed, as information gathering wasn’t her speciality. Other than sitting around a tavern to eavesdrop on people’s conversations, she knew no other ways. So it would either be her trying to find a lead, or have her coins encourage people to talk. 

“Go North.” Jia Wen’s resigned voice made her pause in the middle of clambering back up to the roof. “The best lead I currently have points that way. Dark ki have begun to manifest and grow in the northern most parts of that region. If the traitor is anywhere, I wouldn’t put it past him to be there.”

“Another rumour you happened to overhear?” 

“Believe what you will.” As Hei-Ran disappeared out of the house and onto the roof, she heard his parting comment. “Don’t come looking for me either.”

‘No promises’, she wanted to say, but settled for swallowing her words before they could pass her lips. As she moved steadily from tree branch to tree branch, she frowned, casting her mind back to Jia Wen’s information. The way he said it convinced her he wasn’t lying, but some things didn’t quite add up. There was nothing up in the northern most parts of the North besides the Takata Fields, the Iron Tortoise School and a few isolated towns on the other end of the Fields, one of which was Yuen, her home. She couldn’t see any feasible places this Dark chi users were gathering at, seeing as there hadn’t been talk of an entire town being overran and even if there was such a thing happening, she couldn’t see the Grandmaster of the School letting the corrupted run wild. Still, there was no harm in traveling north, if not for something to do, then to check in on the residents of Yuen. 

Fortunately for her, the Forest of An Ling laid relatively close to the East-North border. It wouldn’t take her more than a day to enter the North if she took the Mountain roads of the northeast, where the pine forest dwindled into cold-tolerant shrubs and grassy mountain gave way to rocky grounds with random patches of spiky grass. The dramatic changes apparent with every step forward marked the North-East borders. No village nor towns settled a mile in any direction along this border, for rocks embedded itself deep into the ground, making for terrible foundations. The land on one side was too barren to produce sufficient crops and the other side too steep for ideal living arrangements. The first landmark one would come across after the first few hundred steps into the North is the Twin Hills preceding a large lake beyond. Here was the first obstacle, for giant heu-goms roamed, protecting their territory from trespassers. The heavily-furred, four-legged beasts were generally peaceful beings as long as one doesn’t come within a hundred feet of their young or their caves.

For hours, as Hei-Ran made the trek North, across the damp forest floor or up in the trees above. She couldn’t help the fond memories springing forth as she stopped for a quick break in the cradle of a branch. Memories of her childhood spent in the bosom of the North. Harsh, treacherous and bleak it may be compared to the others, but it was the very grounds that nurtured her, that forged her to be the woman she was now. One with a spine of steel, tested and yet unbroken. Beneath her mask, a slow, sorrowful smile formed. [i]A little premature, but I’m coming home.[/i]