Sakura watched silently as the man collapsed. The wind carried the scent of blood throughout the grove, a sharp and metallic tang mingled with the crisp morning air. From the edge of the bamboo forest, she waited for several minutes, ears flicking, eyes fixed on the clearing as she searched for any signs of danger. When none came, her curiosity overrode her caution. Whatever battle had brought this man here was long over. Still in her fox form, she slipped silently out from the cover of bamboo and cautiously surveyed the area.

  The clearing opened wide beneath a cloud covered sky. A stream flowed gently into the large pond, in its center rested a small landmass, barely large enough for the walking path that crossed it. At its edge stood an ancient willow tree, its long, weeping branches trailing down to touch the water’s surface. A narrow wooden walkway, time-worn and smooth, led to a small arched bridge half-covered in moss, a quiet testament to the age and reverence of this place. Not long ago, this grove had been vibrant, filled with the songs of birds and the chatter of small animals. Now, it was silent enough that she could hear the soft brushing of willow branches as they caressed the water.

  Sakura padded toward the man at the water’s edge, light glinting off her silver fur. The tips of her four tails, ears, and paws shimmered in dark red, a stark contrast to the rest of her pale coat. As she drew closer, a different scent drifted to her, faint and unnatural. Beneath the blood, a lingering scent that was sickly sweet. She stopped at the man’s side, her gaze drifting over him with quiet intent. He was tall and slender, his dark hair tied back with a simple cord. Closer to six shaku than five, he was clearly a warrior, yet he barely clung to life. A deep laceration tore across his ribs, and bruises bloomed dark and swollen across his face. His clothes were shredded and soaked in blood. But it was the wound at his side that caught her attention again. That sickly scent drawing her gaze once more. Leaning in, Sakura narrowed her eyes. The skin around the gash was inflamed, discolored, and beginning to decay. A faint black webbing spread beneath the surface of the flesh, veins twisted and branching like dying roots. The blood that still seeped from the wound had turned sluggish and dark.

  Staring down at the man, Sakura thought, He’s not bad looking… what a shame. I wonder if he’ll survive the night. Mist began to gather around Sakura. At first, it clung to the ground, swirling gently around her paws. As it thickened and rose, it veiled her form in soft white tendril. Moments later, the mist slowly drifted away on the breeze, revealing a new figure.. Instead of the mystical silver and red fox, stood a beautiful and lithe woman. Sakura in her human form had an athletic build that was just under five and a half shaku. She wore a pale peach kosode with short sleeves that was embroidered with the images of wild herbs. Draped over the kosode, she wore a sage haori, lined with several pouches stitched inside. Her hakama was an earthy brown that she had secured tightly with a plum colored sash. Tied at her waist was an herbal pouch and a finely crafted folding fan that was longer than the tanto secured by her sash. Her red hair was tightly braided, small glass and wooden beads woven through the strands, clinking softly as he moved.

  Sakura crouched beside the unconscious man and whispered, “What kind of life have you led? How did you end up at the edge of the Hoshime Clan’s territory?” She gazed down at the man and felt her expression softening. Beneath the blood and dirt, was a handsome face, his features sharp, but not cruel. His beard was pointed, tracing his jawline with a trimmed mustache. Although unconscious, he emanated an aura of quiet strength and coiled danger waiting for a call to action. The corner of her lips curled up into a slight smile. “I wonder what father would do if I came home with a lost puppy.” Decision made, Sakura’s deminer changed as she stepped into her role as a healer. The look on her face shifted from whimsical to analytical.

  Back straight, Sakura stood and began assessing the wounded warrior as she mumbled to herself. “Laceration on the ribs… signs of infection,” she murmured. “No—it’s more than that. This wound is corrupted.” Her brow furrowed. “What could’ve caused it? A spirit beast? No, the edges are too clean. Hmm, could a poison…maybe? If so, I don’t recognize it. Either way, I can’t really do much for that here. Perhaps a cursed blade?” She gently examined his face and limbs. “Trauma to the skull… fractures in the leg… broken ribs…” She shook her head, as if trying to shake away the stream of thoughts and focus on what she needed to do.

  From one of the pouches in her haori, Sakura Retrieved a small ceramic jar and a lacquered wooden box. She placed them next to the man so she could retrieve them when they were needed. Closing her eyes, she circulated her qi. With a deep breath, she gathered energy into her hands, allowing the warmth to pool into her palms. She crouched down and lowered her palms to hover over the man’s chest. A soft light, faint even to her keen sense, shimmered from her skin as she pushed the gathered qi guiding it into the man. The qi circulated into the man’s body gently mending what it could and speeding up his natural healing. His breathing gradually steadied, growing less shallow with each breath he took. Opening the wooden box, she removed a single cleansing pill and placed it in his mouth. To her relief, he instinctively began to chew. She uncorked the ceramic jar next and held it to his lips. He drank slowly, swallowing the essence-recovery elixir reflexively. Seeing that he was settled deep in unconsciousness, she removed his dirty and bloody tatami-dō as carefully as possible. Setting it aside, she kept the obi to used as a makeshift bandage. After opening his torn kosode, she bound his ribs tightly with the hopes that it would stop the bleeding wound on his ribs.

  Satisfied with his immediate condition, Sakura tucked the box and jar back into her haori. She lingered for a few more breaths, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest. Then, with a flicker of light and mist, she returned to her fox form. Evan with the temporary treatment, she knew time was precious. She casted one last glance at the wounded man before dashing back into the bamboo forest, silver and red vanishing into the shadows. As she ran, she took mental stock of her home, already calculating which herbs and tools she had ready… and which she would need to gather before nightfall.

  She followed a small stream that fed into the main river. The river ran through the forest and branched into three different directions. Sakura followed the path that led deeper into the bamboo, where the sound of the flowing river gradually gave way to the low murmur of village life. The trees and bamboo slowly thinned as it revealed a bamboo valley shrouded in mist. Laying peacefully in the center of the deep valley was the Hoshime Clan’s river village. Built in a in the shape of a four ringed mandala, the outermost ring consisted of farms and housing arranged in a graceful curve, creating the outer rings. Passed the houses stood the protective bamboo palisade, a sturdy, living barrier, with its main gate still opened, allowing villagers unobstructed passage into the interior rings. The large braziers next to the gate burned brightly, holding the growing night at bay.

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  Before reaching the guarded gate, Sakura slipped into a tall strand of bamboo that hid her from sight. Focused, foxfire rippled over her fur and once again revealed her human form. After adjusting her clothing and checking for dust, she stepped out from the bamboo and headed towards the gate. The two militia guards posted at the gate greeted her with respectful bows. “Welcome home Lady Sakura. I hope you were able to find the herbs you were looking for,” one said. Sakura offered a faint smile and returned a slight bow. “Thank you. I wish I could stay longer but there’s much I still need to do.” Mind focused, she continued into the inner circle without slowing down. The sounds of metal on metal echoed nearby, the village blacksmiths already hard at work. Following the path towards the village’s healing hut, Sakura increased her pace

  It wasn’t long before she saw the pale wooden frame of the healing hut nestled between two stone fox statues, its outline softened by the bamboo that leaned protectively against the side of the building. Though aged, the structure was maintained with care, each joint sealed with clay and reed, each groove brushed clean of dust. Latticed windows, woven from dark willow reeds and shuttered from within. A small fox shaped wind bell stirred as Sakura stepped onto the raised wooden threshold, chiming with the fresh breeze. After pausing for a moment, she gently pushed the door open. The air shifted immediately. The scent of woodsmoke, faint sting of dried ginger root, and comforting scent of lavender and balm leave, met her as she stepped inside. Bundles of herbs hung form the crossbeams overhead. Sprigs of sage, coils of mulberry back, dried orange peels, all aging slowly in the cool shade. Their aromas mingled with the faint scent of crushed earth and lingering ash from last night’s fire. Softly closing the door behind her, the sound of the outside world fell away. In the center of the hut stood a low tatami platform. The platform was usually where patients lied or sit for treatment. Wove straw mats were placed nearby within easy reach for patient and family members. A folded blanket and water basin rested nearby with a damp cloth draped neatly across its rim. The far wall was a collection of glass bottles, ceramic jars, string bound boxes, and an assortment of tools organized on rows of shelves. Each labeled with Sakura’s delicate brush brushwork, bold s brush works for antidotes, soft thinner strokes for sedatives, and a deep red for restricted and volatile ingredients. Bundles of fresh herbs were arranged and bound in silk ribbons.

  Instead of walking straight to the shelves, Sakura walked to the platform where she knelt and retrieved an empty and well used satchel. The straps were reinforced with vine cord and one corner had a faded charm tag. She stood for a moment, centering herself, as she felt the weight of the task before her. She moved with a renewed sense of purpose she strode over to the side wall where a tall wooden cabinet stood. The doors were painted with a faded fox motif and wrapped in a thin strip of red cordage. Sakura unfastened the door with swift and deliberate movements. The cabinet door opened to reveal a multitude of drawers, each one labeled. Dried roots, pressed leaves, grounded powders, clay pots holding rare pills, and prepared bundles of various herbal mixtures were prepared for various purposes. Hesitating slightly, Sakura mentally ran through what she needed. Her hands moved with confidence and speed, opening the various compartments. She removed gotu kola, chuanxiong, and white willow bark. With practiced familiarity, she continued to collect her ingredients and material, Sakura added a packet of powdered jujbe and a small vial of yunnan baiyao placing them in her satchel. Moving to the back wall, she gathered her volcanic stone mortar, pestle, spirit water bowl, and a lacquered wooden box. Grabbing everything she needed, Sakura placed everything on the tatami platform. An old brazier rested in its stone cradle, the fire in it was little more than smoldering embers. She whispered a short protective mantra, “Ancestors guide me. Mend the broken in good faith. Let the pain recede,” and then bowed three times.

  Sakura added a small bundle of cherry wood, coaxing the embers into a gentle flame. With quiet reverence, she sprinkled camphor wood shavings and a sachet of dried herbs bound in fox hair string. A sharp, clean medicinal scent wafted out of the brazier, the smoke curling around her. She inhaled deeply, letting the warmth and fragrance cleanse her lungs. After slowly exhaling, her thoughts quieted, breath deepened, and her hands grew steady. She unwrapped the prepared herbs and arranged her tools in front of her on a cloth. She placed the Gotu Kola leaves, sliced Chuanxiong, and White Willow Bark into the mortar. With rhythmic and precise movements, she crushed and ground them into a fine powder.

  Sakura sifted the powder through a bamboo sieve, letting the blended powder pour gently into the spirit water bowl with a soft, nearly imperceptible whisper as the grains settled. Using a small copper ladle, she added a spoon of lotus infused wild honey. Carefully, she stirred the blend with a wooden spoon and watched as the powder started to bind into a fragrant paste. Focused she murmured, “Every motion, breath and action must carry intent.” As the paste became soft, pliable, and no longer tacky, she rolled the mixture into pearl sized spheres. With each sphere she shaped, she rotated it seven times in her palms as she infused the pill with her qi as she whispered, “The gate of clarity, opens one’s perception. The gate of voice, brings balance between expression and breath. The gate of heart, draws upon emotion and will. The Gate of Harmony, brings balance to the inner rhythm and qi flow. The Gate of Stillness, stabilizes the foundation of spiritual power. The gate of Movement, provides direction and reveals one path. The Gate of Roots, serves as foundation and anchor between the earth and soul.”

  After the last pill was molded and imbued, Sakura exhaled a slow deep breath and sat up, stretching her back. She placed each pill on a ceramic stone tile etched with the Seven Gate sigil. She arranged the pills in a spiral pattern that moved inward towards the center of the tile. From a lacquered wooden box, she selected a small ceremonial tile engraved with the sigil for Return. She placed the delicate sigil tile directly in the center of the spiral, completing the formation. Reaching into a nearby pouch, she took a pinch of sandalwood and fox flower powder that she scattered into the brazier’s coal. A soft amber smoke rose curled around the formation tile that she had placed on a small stand next to the brazier. The smoke slowly settled around the pills. Pulsing her qi, she whispered, “With the end of pain. Foundations of earth and fire. Dust returns to life.” The smoke rotated, following the spiral formation as it created a small cyclone before being absorbed into the pills.

  The healing pills needed more time to stabilize. Sakura sat cross legged in a lotus pose and meditated to restore her spent qi. After a time, she rose and walked to the back wall. She retrieved a shallow black clay jar and kneeled next to the brazier. She wrapped the finished pills in a strip of cloth and placed them into the jar. Picking up her writing brush and ink, Sakura took a thin strip of rice paper and wrote Kaisei-dan, the name of this type of healing pill. She pasted the label and sealed the jar with wax. Before the wax cooled, she pressed it with a small metal brand shaped with the Hoshimie Clan’s crest. She stared at the sealed jar that was in her hands and thought, He’ll need these soon. She checked the brazier, ensuring that the fire was banked, it wouldn’t do any good to let the healing hut burn down due to carelessness. With that done, she put her tools and ingredients in their designated places. I may as well gather more ingredients while I’m out. She collected a few different items and placed them in the satchel. Bandages, antitoxin powder, small herb scissors, and a travel mortar and pestle went into the bag. Pulling the door shut behind her, Sakura stepped back into the awakened village as she began her journey back to the bamboo grove.