The owls are gathering

Uncertainty, was this really what Father wanted? After their mother had left Asahi had been even more despondent about leaving the confines of the Bamboo. She smiled when he puffed his chest out to show how strong he was and how far his horns had come in. She didn't inherit any of the protective qualities of their family. A little Plain Jane among a family of beautiful and strong siblings.

She wasn't the type to complain and after a few hesitated steps she followed her dark and silver brother. She liked that he didn't push her to speak, and they understood each other well enough, she felt he understood her even better than the others did most days. She liked that he talked to her without expecting her to respond. She was at least happy to see what kind of herbs they could bring back home. The pack's stores of arnica and jasmine were dwindling.

Her eyes lit up as the vast garden came into view, the flowers and plants abundant and lush! She had seen the stranger before Jiro did and she slunk behind him as he greeted her in the common tongue. He had a lot more practice with the language than she did. Her hiding in the bamboo and skipping many lessons didn't do her much good. She took the arnica flower he passed to her and placed it in the basket they had carried from the pack, side-eyeing the stranger.