Captain Tash:

  "Deep breaths. Closed eyes. Calm your heart."

  Hōkō's voice soothed her mind as his Saniya crawled through her nervous system, mixing and twisting the signal it emitted back to her brain.

  When she commanded her left arm to move... her tail shifted instead. Interesting...

  When she willed her tail to spin in circles, her right leg obeyed in its place. When it was her right leg, her neck moved. The captain formed a mental map to decipher the scrambled mess that became her motor functions.

  Left arm - Tail

  Tail - Right leg

  Right leg - Neck

  Neck - Left ear

  And so on, so forth. In less than twenty seconds, Tash succeeded in throwing a punch by commanding her right toes and spine to clench and lunge forward. Calling this an alien experience was an understatement.

  "Good job, Captain!" The elder cheered as his Saniya expelled itself from her brain. "Your decipherment of the Body Scramblement technique is polishing with each attempt!"

  The captain opened her eyes, basking in the beauty of Hōkō's glade. The rows of blue begonias, gracefully dancing with the breeze's guidance, had a soothing effect on her mood. They reminded her of her simpler pup days when she paid attention to the white Wolf's teachings while her head was filled with ambition.

  "It is still not fast enough." she gazed at her paw before clenching it. "Yuki-onna is swift and cunning enough to use that time to incapacitate me." She turned to the elder, eyes burning with resolve. "Let's do it again."

  Hōkō shook his head, bearing a concerned look. "Child, your determination is admirable. However, you can only push your mind so much in a day before irreversible damage is done." A root sprouted from the ground and wrapped around a green teacup engraved with the drawing of four dancing Wolves on top of a rock. "The Body Scramblement is a highly potent technique that cannot be used recklessly, lest you turn the target into a living corpse," he said before taking a sip.

  "Damn it." Tash cursed under her breath. "I have long since reached my physical limits." She glimpsed her arm. While skinny compared to the male Wolves and other Monoke species, a defined, rugged set of muscles hid behind her grey and black fur. "I suppose only Saniya cycling and strengthening my mental defenses are left for me today."

  The elder nodded before entering into a long period of silence. The captain knew him enough to understand he was speaking telepathically to someone. Comprehending the sheer radius of his influence, it could be anyone inside Pantsti's territory.

  Tash paid him no mind and then entered a meditative stance, starting to conjure and cultivate her inner energy as well as she could. Perhaps she could refine her techniques tomorrow. Hell, she could finally complete that lightning spell where she used two fingers to create a drilling effect (name still a work in progress), now as a projectile.

  Mmm... In theory, there was no limit to the size of someone's Saniya pool if they committed to digging and filling the metaphorical hole deeper with their energy. The problem lay in the gaping disparity between Monoke species' lifespans, not to mention how its improvement rate relied somewhat on natural, individual talent and absolute dedication. The latter was practically impossible for the majority of Monokekind because, you know, they have lives of their own. Yuki-onna had four thousand years of experience, a gap not merely filled with hard work alone.

  ...

  ......

  Fuck. How was Tash supposed to concentrate with such thoughts weighing her down?

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  "Psst. Captain?"

  She sighed. Now, Hōkō decided to chime in?

  "What is it, Elder?" The captain gave up on her cultivating endeavors, returning her gaze to him.

  The white Wolf's averting eyes betrayed his discomfort. "Someone is looking for you near the training rock."

  She cocked an eyebrow. "Who?"

  Hōkō deliberated for a few seconds too long. Were they her brother? By Tizohi's-

  "The Human." His eyes locked on hers, widening in realization. "Stella."

  After this, there was no doubt that he knew The Silver Knight's identity... What was left to ask was-

  "Why have you kept his secret?" The captain crossed her arms. "Is he as noble as he says he is?" She tapped her foot impatiently.

  The elder hung his head down. "Everyone has some black mark on their soul, Tash. You are no exception." His eyes then fixated on her, serious. "What will you do with that girl once you're alone with her? You realize she was born long after her ancestors' crimes, correct? It is doubtful she had a hand in Weth's disappearance, either..."

  Her body tensed. Then, her knuckles clutched so tightly that her claws drew a few drops of blood that stained the grassy floor. "That slithering... intrusive... bastard..."

  "You can accept the Yūrei's offer, but what then? It could tarnish Lien's opinion of you for the rest of her life."

  Tash gazed at the red sprays on the green canvas. "I-I..." She took deep breaths so her desperation wouldn't take hold of her. "I don't know..." She looked at her own paws, marked with darker, reddish smears. "I can't just... forget that all happened!" she snarled, her voice cracking with pent-up emotions. "Every time I look at her, I'm reminded of how I lost my sweet boy! And no one seems to even CARE! Then, I discovered that Lien was buddies with one of them long before that brat! We were lied to, working with a fucking Human for a year, and NO ONE is bothered by it but ME!" Electricity crackled through her entire body. "That is fantastic! Why would I ever be mad?! It's always the grumpy, bitchy Captain Tash that has to ruin everyone's fun, right?!" She slammed her lightning-laced hand on the grass, creating an ear-piercing sound and a scorching crater, defiling the meadow.

  "And what about you?! What the fuck were you doing when Weth crossed the border?! When Lien crosses it every week or so?!" Her eyes locked on Hōkō again, her voice screeching and powerful like thunder. "YOU KEEP SLACKING ON YOUR FUCKING JOB, AND YOU DARE LECTURE ME ABOUT MY LIFE?! SHADOWS TAKE YOU, YOU SENILE BASTARD!"

  Her words pierced the older Wolf's heart, his head slowly retreating in shame. "I know," he whispered. "I have failed your family years ago." He sighed, a glint forming at the corner of his eye. "But please, you are not as alone as you think. You might be pleasantly surprised if you start sharing your thoughts and feelings with the ones who care for you most."

  Easier said than done. The thought of scratching the surface of the storm that tortured Tash's mind each waking and sleeping moment was terrifying. No one would ever want her around if she dumped this baggage onto them, yet she felt entitled for someone to carry it without asking. She didn't make sense even to herself.

  "Besides, Lien is a different case. Not only does she not intend to flee from Sayama, but she should have become an eira months ago if not for your pleading for the other elders." Hōkō chastised her. "Lien is one of the most talented pups I've ever seen, lack of attention aside." He raised an eyebrow. "Something she obtained from you."

  Great. Another lecture...

  The elder pleaded. "You don't want to hear my words, that is fine. But don't push your daughter's feelings aside because of what happened when she couldn't even open her eyes properly."

  Tash... considered his words, begrudgingly. She silently stood up and walked towards the village.

  "Don't murder the child, please!"

  Tash waved lazily at him, its meaning unknown even to her. Maybe it would become more apparent as she walks to her destination.

  It didn't.

  Captain Tash entered the clearing where the training rock resided. Where a... obnoxious, furless child waited for her. The less time this would take, the better.

  The Wolf stopped, face-to-face with the Stella. The Human child's mouth hung open as if she was about to speak, but the captain's eternal scowl paralyzed her face with sheer dread. Must Tash do everything around here?!

  "Speak." The captain's eyes narrowed as her tail swished with impatience. "You called me. I'm here. Now speak."

  Stella stumbled on her words, taking a few steps back. "I-I've finished the task you gave me..." She forced a smile.

  Tash growled. Did this pipsqueak seriously disturbed her for-

  "I know who Weth is, now."

  Oh...

  Luminous drops of sweat formed on the girl's forehead, yet her eyes did not break contact with Tash's once. "He went outside Sayama, didn't he? This is why you detest me so much?"

  The captain was mute, her muscles stiffening with expectation. How did the Human learn of him? What would she do with this information? The unpredictability of it all was petrifying.

  Stella's eyes saddened. "I'll take the silence as a yes." She took a long, deep breath before... taking a fighting stance?

  "W-What are you doing?" Tash asked, still appalled by the situation.

  "I know Lien's blindness doesn't come from you." The Human's fists clenched tighter. "Fight me. Right here, right now."