Watching Master Feng have the same argument with two different people felt a little bit like a strange dream to Sen. It was made even stranger because the two people had such different motives. Sen knew that Uncle Kho objected because the old cultivator was actually fond of him. Ma Caihong had objected because she thought the plan was stupidly dangerous, and that it was wildly inappropriate to subject someone at Sen’s level to that kind of danger. Sen had kept out of the second argument just as he kept out of the first one. He might, might, have considered saying something during the argument between Master Feng and Uncle Kho. He was on good terms with both of them. Just as importantly, he had a long track record with both that let him know they wouldn’t just kill him out of hand if he annoyed them.

He didn’t even entertain interrupting the argument between Master Feng and Ma Caihong. He didn’t know her at all beyond some casual comments by Uncle Kho, which meant he couldn’t predict how she would react to anything. If she was on a similar level to Master Feng and Uncle Kho, any error in judgment on his part could prove instantly lethal. That was a kind of gambling that Sen preferred to avoid. Although, he supposed that Master Feng’s plan for him to go out on the mountain wasn’t much better of a gamble on balance. Still, interrupting was a chance he didn’t have to take, so he chose not to say anything.

Of course, just because it was the same argument, it didn’t mean that Master Feng reacted the same way. With Uncle Kho, Master Feng had been, Sen searched his memory for the word Uncle Kho had explained. Earnest! Master Feng had been earnest. With Ma Caihong, he seemed resigned and maybe a little frustrated. It probably didn’t help that Ma Caihong had started peppering her arguments with vulgar terms to describe Master Feng. Sen got the feeling that this argument was about more than just him. It was like Master Feng and Ma Caihong were picking up some other argument that Master Feng didn’t want to have, but Ma Caihong did.

“And one last thing, you reckless jackass. He might be your student, but he’s a guest in my home. That means he’s under my protection. And I will drag you by the ear through the thousand hells before I let you just send him out there! I will evaluate him. If I decide he has a real chance to make it back here alive, then we will discuss the best way to handle that, unlike with Cai Yumei. Do you understand me, Ming?”

Sen watched as Master Feng’s expression went from slightly shocked to darkly angry and then a kind of blankness that made Sen shudder. For a moment, Sen thought that Master Feng and Ma Caihong might burst into violence. Instead, Master Feng pressed his fists together and gave a formal bow.

“Of course, honored hostess.”

Without a word or a backward glance, Master Feng swept out of the room. Sen stared after the man, unsure if he should follow or give his master some time to gather himself. He glanced back at Uncle Kho and Ma Caihong. Ma Caihong looked like she might be feeling sick to her stomach. Uncle Kho was staring at her with an expression that hovered on the border between horror and disbelief. Sen felt very out of place, but he didn’t dare move. He wasn’t sure what he should do in the face of so much he didn’t understand. Cai Yumei, he thought. Who was Cai Yumei? Sen felt sure that something bad had happened to her and that Master Feng had been involved, somehow, but he doubted it would be wise to ask any of the people here about it. It was Uncle Kho who broke the silence.

“That was cruel, Caihong. Far crueler than he deserved.”

Ma Caihong seemed to shrink in herself as if the anger draining out of her was deflating her body.

“I know,” she whispered. “It just, it just came out. I didn’t mean to say it.”

As a tear slid down the woman’s cheek, the uncertainty that had plagued Sen only moments before crystallized into the absolute certainty that this was a conversation he should not be hearing. He jerked a little at that knowledge before he dipped into a hasty bow.

“You must be very tired from your long journey. I will leave you to rest,” said Sen in a tumble of words that may or may not have been understandable.

Then, he fled the room as fast as he could.

***

Sen searched the house for Master Feng, checking the usual spots. The old cultivator wasn’t in the library, or the kitchen, or the small room he used to cultivate. Worried that he might run into Ma Caihong or Uncle Kho by accident and face a very awkward conversation, Sen went outside. There was no sign of Master Feng in the courtyard. Yet, he thought he knew where the man had gone. In the distance, he heard sounds like thunder. Sen wasn’t sure exactly what Master Feng was doing, but he suspected there would be a lot of damage left in the wake of that storm. Sen sighed as a vague feeling of guilt settled over him. He hadn’t meant to cause any of this and part of him knew he wasn’t actually at fault. The plan to send him out onto the mountain wasn’t his. The bad blood between Ma Caihong and Master Feng wasn’t his fault. Yet, he also felt like, if he hadn’t been there, the argument might not have happened.

Abruptly, there was a large, warm presence pressed up against his leg. He glanced down and saw Falling Leaf staring up at him with concern in those feline eyes. He smiled at the ghost panther even as parts of her seemed to fade in and out of existence. He found it strange that this magical beast was the closest thing he had to a friend. For all that he respected Master Feng and Uncle Kho, he couldn’t really see them as friends. Master Feng was his teacher, so there was always a distance there. Uncle Kho was friendly and kind, but also so much older and so different from Sen. If anything, Sen thought that Uncle Kho treated him like some kind of distant relative. In that moment, Sen felt very alone and very desperately wished he could sit down and have a meal with Grandmother Lu. It wasn’t that he thought she could do anything, but maybe she could help explain some of what he’d just seen.

In some little corner of his mind, Sen knew that just wanted someone to comfort him for a moment. He knelt down and wrapped his arms around the big cat. She rubbed her face against his cheek. It tickled enough that he let out something that was halfway between a laugh and a sob. The cat licked his cheek with a huge tongue, and Sen really did laugh that time. He stood up and took a moment to rub between the cat’s ears the way she liked. Her eyes slid almost closed and a rumble issued forth from her chest. He gave her a smile.

“I’m glad you’re my friend,” he told Falling Leaf.

The big cat stretched and then yawned. It had taken Sen a while to get used to the sight of the massive fangs in her mouth. Now, it was just part of the day. The cat sauntered away and stretched out in a patch of sunlight, almost immediately fading out of sight unless Sen concentrated. Unwilling to go back inside, Sen did the only thing he could think to do. He started training. If nothing else, it would let him fall into that state of non-thinking. He decided that he could do with fewer thoughts until things calmed down a bit. Plus, the familiarity of the motions calmed him. He started with the first things that Master Feng had taught him and worked his way forward.

Sen thought that an hour or two had passed when he heard someone come out the front door. He turned to face whoever had come out. It was Ma Caihong. He glanced behind her to see if Uncle Kho had come with her, but the man didn’t appear. Falling Leaf, on the other hand, materialized at Sen’s side. Ma Caihong came to an abrupt stop, her eyes wide and fixed on the cat. The big cat didn’t do anything. She just stood there. Yet, even Sen could understand her message. Walk with care. With a sudden, bright smile, Ma Caihong let out a peal of laughter.

“So, he wasn’t making up stories. Hello, little sister,” said Caihong, giving the cat a small bow.

Sen couldn’t point to what changed, but he could feel Falling Leaf relax. Groping for something appropriate, Sen bowed to the woman.

“I greet you, Ma Caihong.”

The woman’s eyes shifted to him, and she started to say something when a rapid series of those thunderous noises drifted through the courtyard. Caihong visibly winced at each sound. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then bowed to Sen.

“I greet you, Lu Sen. I fear I must beg your forgiveness.”