Ch. 9: A Lingering Frost

The Black Warrior took care to try and avoid Snowshoe the next morning, not because he was upset with her, but because he thought that his presence would pressure her into doing something she’d regret. Instead the moment he woke, he dressed himself and went outside, traveling through the woods and coming to the clearing where they met the night before.

He looked around at the place that had become so familiar to him over the past week. Now he wasn’t sure when he would have to leave it all behind. He was at a moment’s notice, waiting for his final farewell to the hills of Jiang-lao. So he sat, wanting to drink in all of these memories before they were gone.

The morning passed slowly, until the sun eventually crossed the sky and sank towards the horizon.

Aspect sighed and remembered how Isu had forgotten his warning, and his ears bent back with indignation. I’ll give him a piece of my mind.

With that he turned tail and rushed back through the forest, heading for the palace again.

The moment he returned, Todokii came out to meet him. “Sir!”

Aspect paused and glanced at him. “What’s the matter?”

Todokii looked embarrassed, and scuffled at the ground with his feet. “Well… I just wanted to say… Thank you. For all the work you’ve done in these parts.”

The fox dipped his head. “No problem. Do you happen to know where the Shogun Isu is?”

The tanuki cocked his head, thinking. “...Last I saw him, he was in his room, speaking to Snowshoe,” He replied. “But I would take care not to bother them. It seemed… intimate.”

Aspect growled. “I’ll see to it that I have my voice heard.” He pushed past Todokii and continued on.

Todokii stared at him worriedly as he walked away. “...Oh, I do hope he doesn’t do anything brash,” He mumbled half to himself.

The black fox entered the right room at last and saw to his dismay Isu laying on a lavish couch, with Snowshoe by his side. The tiger hadn’t noticed him yet and was murmuring softly into her ear, purring loudly. Snowshoe looked like she was about to throw up.

Suddenly Snowshoe turned her head and saw Aspect staring at them. She must have noticed the look of disgust barely concealed on his face, because her eyes widened and she cleared her throat uncomfortably.

Isu turned and saw him as well, and he sat up abruptly. “Ah! Mein! What would you like?” The tiger’s face flushed red with embarrassment as he brushed aside some blankets with his tail.

Aspect couldn’t help but glare at Snowshoe for a moment before turning his fiery gaze to the Shogun. “...You disregarded my advice,” He spoke finally, his voice quiet with anger.

Snowshoe looked surprised, and she mouthed at him: What advice?

Aspect ignored her and fixed his glare on Isu. Isu shrugged sheepishly. “...I felt that I was making her lonely,” He replied. “And she is my future wife, after all. You never said to leave her alone entirely- all you said was to give her space.”

Aspect was about to reply, then paused. That much was true. Who was he to take away Isu’s time from Snowshoe? Besides, he wasn’t the one in charge here- Isu was.

He bowed his head, angry that the tiger was right and he had no reason to be upset.

But as he turned, Snowshoe cleared her throat again. “Isu, may I speak with him for a moment? Alone?”

He glanced over his shoulder and saw Snowshoe staring at the tiger expectantly. Isu sighed. “Who am I to not allow you this, my little fox? Alright, you may go. But don’t be long!” He called as she got up. “We still have some… love making to do.” His eyes narrowed to slits with satisfaction as he purred tantalizingly after her.

Snowshoe motioned for Aspect to follow her as she led him outside. Aspect couldn’t help but stare at her as she strode, this time unburdened by her kimono or armor.

He found that she was leading him up the hill to the clearing where they met the previous night, with her flinching from the thorns that grasped her bare fur.

She sat down with a huff. “You saved me just in time!” Snowshoe panted, her face blazing red with embarrassment. “I thought I was no longer just going to be a… maiden, if you know what I mean.”

Aspect stifled a gag. “You’re good,” He whispered, feeling out of breath.

Suddenly Snowshoe turned to him, looking desperate. “I’ve made up my mind,” She replied. “Isu told me that before tomorrow, I had to make my choice: To either marry him and live here forever, or to decline and return to Thawe, where he would punish me fiercely. I feel terrible for Isu, but I can’t bring myself to love him- I just can’t. And with the moves he was trying to pull in there…” She shuddered. “I had to pretend to like it. It was horrifying.”

A long silence passed. “...What do you want to do?” Aspect asked gently. “You don’t have to follow me, you know. I can save Fire myself if it’s needed.”
“What can I do?” Snowshoe sighed morosely. “If I leave, I’ll be giving up everything I had lived for. I can’t ever return to Blacklai, much less speak to Isu or Thawe ever again. I’ll become a Renegade.”

“‘Renegade’?” Aspect cocked his head curiously. “What do you mean by that?”

Snowshoe let a small smile cross her face. “You don’t know what a Renegade is?” She asked playfully. “It’s what I’ll become if I come with you. A Renegade is a person who runs away out of bounds of a Shogun’s control, where they are no longer under their rule, but at a cost. They lose their dignity and their social status, and usually end up becoming thieves, outcasts and such. The Shogun whose duties they have left behind become forever hostile towards them, unless they repent of their ways and return to their master willingly.”

“So that means I’m a Renegade,” Aspect murmured thoughtfully. “When Fire died, I left my former master, Shogun Ziro of the Narabetsu province behind. I swore to never return to civilization until I avenged my brother’s death, but now I have been freed from that vow and entrusted with a new duty.”

Snowshoe looked at him endearingly, her eyes wide with a sudden sense of comfort. “We’re not so different, you and I,” She murmured softly. Then before Aspect could react, she suddenly pressed up against him, her head nestled in the crook between the black fox’s head and shoulder. “You’re a great friend, Aspect. I know I’ve known you for only a week, but you’re already my closest ally.”

Aspect caught his breath, hoping that the beautiful Blacklai Fox couldn’t see his deep red face or feel the rapid racing of his beating heart. Then he breathed in deeply. The scent of vanilla wreathed around him, and suddenly he felt like he could just melt away into a feeling of safety, sitting beside the lovely princess-warrior forever.

“...The… the feeling’s mutual.” He sputtered after a moment. What should I do? What should I say?

Then Snowshoe leaped to her feet and turned. “Aspect, I know what to do now!” She trilled. “Go get your horse and everything you need, then meet me back here by nightfall.”

Aspect stumbled to his own feet. “What are we going to do?” He asked, surprised.

Her eyes flashed with conviction. “We’re going to save your brother, that’s what. And I’m coming with you. I’ll never have a chance like this ever again if I stay here.” With that she turned and dashed off, yelling triumphantly, “Adventure, here I come!”

Aspect stared after her in a daze. When the last traces of her voice faded away into the distance, he shook his head slowly. “If only confidence came that easy to me,” He murmured.

But inside he was livid. His heart soared as he suddenly felt much more hopeful than he had only an hour prior. His only worry now was whether or not Snowshoe could come back without being caught.

He smiled and, turning, began to head back to the palace to pick up his things from his room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The moon rose in a cloudless sky as Aspect returned to the clearing, riding a tall brown stallion and wearing his trademark blue cloak and straw hat. Unease crept up on him until he saw with relief that Snowshoe was already waiting for him, perched on her own horse. She wore her samurai armor and her eyes gleamed from under her helmet.

“I see you came!” She grinned. “Ready to head out?”

Aspect glanced at her awkwardly. “...Are you sure this is what you want to do?”

“Positive.”

“Right, then.” He swiveled his head and looked around. “...Which path do we take?”

“...I’ve heard that Dragonscale Ridge is beyond the plains, so we should go… south!” With that she turned her horse and began to pick her way through a partially hidden path up the hill.

“Wait!” Aspect rode up to her side. “Doesn’t that lead north?”

“We’ll get caught if we ride on the main road,” Snowshoe replied deftly, “So I figured we should ride up to the top and go the long way around. That way nobody sees us.”

Aspect shrugged. “I don’t know my way around here, so… you lead the way, I guess.”

He followed her, up the rise and then to the top of the hill.

They stopped for a moment and stood there silently.The lights of Jiang-lao shone below them, but to the side a path continued upwards. Snowshoe took the path confidently and Aspect stalked behind cautiously.

The path rose higher and higher, until they came to a stop, high above the valley. A chilly cold wind blew from the northern mountains, ruffling Aspect’s fur uncomfortably. But Snowshoe seemed unbothered by the wind. Rather, it seemed that she relished the feeling of a frigid wind blowing between her little black horns, and she took off her helmet to bask in the night coldness.

The lights that were so bright before were now very dim, like little dots of light in a vast meadow. The valley flattened out into the plains, but the passage from there was enclosed in a small forest at the edge of the city.

“See that road?” Aspect followed Snowshoe’s gaze and saw the path lead down from the hilltop, before becoming enveloped in a tangle of weeds. It opened back up a little farther down, but fallen trees lined the path. “Nobody goes along there anymore, since it’s generally much easier to go on the main road. We’ll be safe from prying eyes.”

Aspect dipped his head, hiding his concerns about the barely concealed weeds and saying nothing.

Before he could continue however, Snowshoe stopped him. “Wait.”

He turned. “What’s wrong?”

Snowshoe stared out into the distance, a sudden conviction in her sapphire eyes. Then she sighed. “If I’m to be a Renegade, then… my name is no longer Snowshoe. That’s not who I am anymore.” She unsheathed the sword at her side and lifted it behind her head, while scooping up her long hair.

Before Aspect could ask her what she was doing, she drew back the blade and cut her hair, letting the long blue strands float away into the night sky.

Her face became somber. “I am no longer under the influence of a Shogun. I am my own warrior now. Snowshoe is no longer me. My new name… will be Frostbite. Frostbite, Samurai of the mountains.”

With that she picked up her helmet and put it back on her head. The lovely warrior had a new air about her now; she looked a little uncertain, as if she still didn’t trust her choice. But a blaze of ambition still shone within her as she stared off, waiting for her journey to commence.

“Nice name.” Aspect complemented her. “Should we continue?”

She nodded after a moment, and followed him down the hill.

A few strands of delicate blue hair could be seen resting on the ferns as the two warriors trekked on. A new ally, a new adventure, a new name.

Finally Aspect’s quest could truly begin!