Book 7: Chapter 3: Surprises

Book 7: Chapter 3: Surprises

Sen didn’t quite know what to make of the scene that greeted his eyes. The foxes, who he had just assumed were going to be the problem, were still sitting at the table where he’d left them. Of course, that didn’t mean they hadn’t caused the problem. In fact, he found it odd that they hadn’t gone somewhere else. Sen didn’t imagine that Laughing River really wanted to discuss the secrets of transformation in front of mortals. However, after he thought about it for a second, Sen realized that Falling Leaf had probably proven unwilling to go somewhere private with the immensely powerful nine tail fox. Sen didn’t think the fox would have tried anything. Especially not with Sen holding the spatial treasure hostage. He couldn’t fault Falling Leaf’s caution if that had been the reason, though. Only a fool offers their hand willingly to a predator’s teeth.

By all appearances, however, it seemed that the ghost panther was the source of the trouble. There were bodies scattered everywhere amid the wreckage of shattered tables and splintered chairs. A quick scan with his spiritual sense revealed that those people were still alive, even if some of them were probably thinking they’d rather be dead. The thing that truly captured Sen’s attention was Falling Leaf. She had a foot planted firmly between the shoulders of a man, keeping him pinned face down on the floor as he thrashed. Meanwhile, she had seized the robes of a man nearly three times her size in one fist, while savagely beating him with the other fist. Sen couldn’t even tell if the man was still conscious or if the ghost panther was holding his unconscious body up to continue the punishment.

Frowning a little, Sen picked his way over to the small bar and peeked over the top. The inn owner was crouched behind it looking like he believed that the end of the world had come. The man looked up, saw Sen looking down, and flinched like he’d been struck. Before Sen could get a word in edgewise, the inn owner started babbling.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t know she was a cultivator. I didn’t know!”

When it became clear that he wasn’t going to get anything useful out of the inn owner until after the fighting was over, Sen made his way over to the foxes. He had to step over some groaning, battered people to do it. He sat down at the table and gave the foxes an expectant look. Laughing River started to chuckle.Read latest chapters at novelhall.com

“I expect you think we did this somehow, but we didn’t. This is all on the mortals.”

“Oh, is it?”

Misty Peak quickly nodded. “We were minding our own business. Then, that pack of idiots came in here. One of them decided that Falling Leaf was too pretty to sit with us and should sit with them.”

Sen suppressed the groan he felt coming on. He could guess what happened, but he gestured for Misty Peak to continue. The fox woman glanced over to where Falling Leaf was still administering object lessons.

“Shouldn’t you stop her?” asked the fox.

“Not until I know the whole story,” said Sen.

“Alright,” said Misty Peak a little uncertainly. “Well, she said no. She was quite firm about it. The man didn’t like that, and he grabbed her. I think you can put together the rest.”

She gave the destroyed common room a halfhearted gesture. Sen nodded before he glanced over at where the inn owner was cowering.

“Why is he so afraid?” asked Sen, hiking a thumb at the bar.

Laughing River shrugged. “He didn’t do anything to stop it. He probably figures that once she’s done with them, she’ll turn her attention to him. Or maybe he thinks that you’ll burn the place to the ground because he let it happen.”

“Oh. I guess that’s not an unreasonable assumption,” said Sen.

Misty Peak got an interested gleam in her eyes. “Are you going to burn it down?”

“Whatever the honored cultivator wishes,” cried the inn owner before he fled toward the kitchen.

Falling Leaf nodded to herself and returned to the table. She sat down and picked up a cup of what had to be cold tea. She took a sip before she turned her gaze on Sen.

“Did you save the tree man?” she asked, all signs of violence gone save for the blood on her hands and speckled across her face.

“I think so,” said Sen.

He retrieved a piece of fabric and a water gourd from his storage ring. He wet the fabric and handed it to the ghost panther.

“That’s good,” said Falling Leaf.

She took the cloth and wiped at her face and hands.

“I’ll check on him in a few days to make sure,” said Sen. “Sometimes, these things are trickier than they look at first. I wish Auntie Caihong were here. She’s better at reading injuries than I am.”

Falling Leaf nodded. “The Caihong has great talent in healing.”

Sen took no small measure of amusement from the increasingly baffled look on Misty Peak’s face. Laughing River did a better job of controlling his expression, but Sen could tell that the elder fox also wasn’t sure what to make of the conversation he was listening to.

“So, I heard someone tried to grab you,” observed Sen.

Falling Leaf glared at the unconscious men she’d left in her wake. “They thought to force me to sit with them. Force me. A ghost panther. The fools,” said Falling Leaf before she sat up straight and gave Sen a concerned look. “You must teach the kit to protect herself from such as these. She has no claws. She must be shown, as you were shown.”

“Kit?” asked Misty Peak and Laughing River in unison.

Falling Leaf eyed the startled foxes warily before she glanced at Sen. He lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug.

“Sen has taken in a lost human kit,” announced Falling Leaf.

“He did what?” demanded Misty Peak.