Although being done in shorter pieces per 'chapter' IE roleplay, such as this one, subtitled "Catrina wakes in a strange bed," this one's a powerful piece. There isn't a whole lot going on.. just a little focus on Catrina's recovering from her condition. Having been established as an 'evil race' earlier in this mission, this roleplay boldly challenges that new theory already!

Sliver.

There's no point in saying too much here, as he debuts below, and is fleshed out heavily in the next roleplay, which's part two to this one. After that, Catrina'll round things out with a co write (not saying who with yet), and we'll be on to the Finale set!

There's a few small details here that you might or might notice that won't make sense until you read a bit further into the series, and it's not totally explained then. See if you can spot those wicked details.

Catrina woke and felt the tatami beneath her, the cover over her, and wondered. The tatami, a thin mattress she knew from her home, was comfortable enough- at least to one used to sleeping on cold hard ground in camps if not for those used to the more luxurious accommodations of, say, the Weeping Tree. No, what made Catrina wonder was the fact the she was indoors at all.

She took the scent of the air and growled- the scent of Muri-dan was uncomfortably close by. She went to sit up, but stopped as the Muri-dan spoke to her, it’s- his voice genial, caring. Not what she had expected, especially after the events that had led up to this!

“Ah, I see you’re awake again- and more alert than ever. This is good!” She could hear his padding footsteps, and rose up a bit in the bed, growling a bit, her claws expressed. She could not make her mind up whether to attack him or not. Clearly he had rescued her after her fight- but to what end, she wondered?

He was smaller in stature than any of the three Catrina had just fought, being about half of Catrina’s height. But the way he carried himself told Catrina that this Muri-dan was well beyond what she could take on in her present condition. She withdrew her claws, which he noticed with only a nod- telling her that he had noticed. “Perhaps now you will be able to feed yourself?”

With this remark Catrina’s attention was turned to the bowl in his hands, as well as the pit in her stomach. He helped her sit up on the bed, then handed her the bowl. Normally Catrina would have distrusted food given to her from a Muri-dan, but his demeanor, the way he stood there, dressed in nothing but a simple robe, a pair of weather-beaten waraji on his feet (Catrina could see the bindings) reminded her so of the monks of her village that she accepted it, and took her first, hesitant sip.

The broth was beef-based, hearty and rich enough to make Catrina think of purring until she tasted a bitter undertone to the mix, and shot the strange Muri-dan a look. He frowned back at her. “My apologies, child. Up until now the only way I have had to get healing herbs into you has been to steep them in the broth.”

Catrina considered this, and then turned her attention back to the broth, downing it as quickly as she could, then setting the bowl aside and uttering her first word to the stranger. “Why?”

He looked at her, giving her a rueful smile. “Consider it an act to help correct a past wrong of mine.”

She looked at him again, seeing the care in his face, the gentle fire in his eyes. "What wrong?"

The fire in his eyes flared a moment with the emotion of a thought- but was tamped back down quickly. "That...that will be a tale of some telling, child- and you need to rest a bit more. Tomorrow, if you are well enough, your training will begin." With that he began to leave the room.

Catrina wanted to ask 'What training" but decided she would find out this, and other things, soon enough. Besides, there was something she needed to say first, something she had thought she would never say to one of his kind before. "I...Thank you for saving me, for your hospitality, for your food. I- I do not even know your name. I am Catrina, I am of the Whiteclaw clan."

He turned, and bowed low to her. "My name is Sliver. I have no clan, nor any who would call me beloved. As for your thanks... " he added with a chuckle "you will be cursing my name soon enough." With that he was gone, leaving Catrina to lay back into her comfortable bed and fell back to sleep.