The sea hissed, frothing and reaching. She walked along the shore, taunting it like she always did.
She did not know she was doing it until the memory struck: a little girl, half her size, white wild locks flying as she ran.
The waves pushed and pulled. That child had chased and fled the surf, giggling. Another blink and the girl dove into the water, kicking hard at the shore.
Rinocco's gaze pulled back to the horizon. Clouds gathered heavy and dark. A storm? She needed to hurry, to do as her Master commanded.
At the dock she found the horn tied to a pillar. She tipped it to drain the water, pressed it to her lips, and blew. The air rumbled; her chest shook with the deep bellow carrying far over the waves. She drew breath, blew again, and once more before setting it down.
Her catch lay at her feet — fat fish, silver scales glistening. Her stomach growled. She thought of sharing them with her lord, maybe.
She slung the spear over her shoulder and climbed the grotto ladder. At the top she hauled the fish up with a grunt, tossed them onto the stone, and turned back toward the sea. The sails were coming in at last.
The salty wind hit her face. She opened her palm, flexed her claws.
"I need to get stronger… Should I ask Master to teach me to fight?" she muttered.
"Nice catch."
She spun on her heel. A pack of three boys circled her, bare-chested and grinning. One took up her spear, jabbing at the fish.
"I was starving. You saved me, Rinocco-teh,"
Mantok snickered, brows thick as his voice.
"Not for you," she snapped. "Don't bother me. Shouldn't you be tailing Akari?"
His brows tightened, tail swishing slow.
"Careful. Your fangs are showing. We might think you want a fight," another boy said.
"Best place's the pit. Fight us there."
"I don't care where — pit, sand, here. I'll beat you all bloody."
The boys traded glances. Mantok snickered again.
"Heh. Kolven, Kashna, you hear this? Thinks she's something just 'cause she's got a Titan behind her." His smile dropped. "Don't piss me off, Rinocco."
Her claws slid free. She took her stance.
"Oi! What's this?"
The voice boomed from the left. A tall woman, broad as stone, came down the path. Her shadow stretched long.
"Torjin-har said she's not to be touched," she barked.
"Hah? Titan's the chief, not you—keh! Not even Torjin. And he never said nothing about leaving his retainer alone." Kolven's tail lashed.
The woman scratched her wild hair, eyes flicking between them.
"I think she wants to fight too. Three against two, I can feel less bad now." Kashna chimed in, thumbing his tail behind him.
"Doesn't matter. Silk Mother wants her." Saal interrupted.
She stepped in, shoved past wiry arms, and grabbed Rinocco's wrist. Kolven and Kashna bristled but gave way.
"Piss off," she growled at them. "She's coming."
"We'll wait. Don't get lost, ladies." Mantok called.
Rinocco was dragged along, slipping through a crack in the grotto. The boys' mutters faded behind them.
The crack opened up to a narrow cave, dark and moist. Rinocco squinted, her eyes adjusting for a moment – just for a moment.
The walls began glowing in soft streaks from the silk worms, fat things sliding over each other, leaving light behind in sticky mucus.
The air was thick with something. Wet. It clung to her nose as the soft breeze tickled her ears, the cave seemed to breathe.
Rinocco ripped her hand from Saal's grip. "You bare claws too quick," she said without looking back.
"They asked for it." Rinocco's eyes stayed on the worms. "I would have given them the claw. I need to get my blade back from elder Koho."
Saal huffed. "You'll simply die."
Rinocco huffed back, "I'm the best when I have a blade in my hand."
Saal's scoff echoed, ending the conversation.
A melodic hum filled the caves and the glow on the walls seemed to intensify with the pitch.
The cave opened up.
Women sat low on stools bathed in soft blue light. Skillful, delicate hands pulled, twisting a glowing thread with one hand, feeding it into wooden frames and weaving with the other with a patient grace.
They hummed in synchrony while they worked, a repeating song that itched the mind and soothed the soul, like the earth itself breathing.
Rinocco eyed the spears by their stools with pearly white spear tips and shafts firmly wrapped in intricate silk. The women placed them between pillars, sparing glances at the two dangerously as if they were disturbing the peace.
They moved deeper. The hums became dimmer, the bright blue light grew faint, and the pillars denser, separating the cave like a maze where women gossiped in pockets.
Whatever Rinocco heard didn't matter, it felt like she missed forty years of story to begin to understand.
They also glanced at Rinocco — yet greeted her as if they had known her for years. While she had never seen their faces before.
"How's your father, Rinocco dear?" one woman asked.
"Don't answer that, Rin." Saal warned.
"Yeh!" she exclaimed, offended. "What's wrong with asking questions. You kids are so rude. Teh!"
They moved one deeper before Rinocco finally asked, "Where are we going?"
"To find Silk Mother." Saal replied.
"Oh, so you weren't lying."
"Huh? I was, bowl-head. We need Silk Mother to vouch for you so you don't die. We need to hurry and find her, I need to do something back at home."
The walls became dimmer. "She's usually back around here."
Their footsteps echoed and the walls closed in on them.
"Neh, Saal. Are we not getting lost?" Rinocco chided.
Saal paused, looking back and forth through the porous cave. Now the paths became a series of pockets of rooms. Dark and without song.
Saal cursed.
She clapped her hands, the light brightening for a moment before dimming slowly.
"This is not real." Saal muttered.
"Tell me you're joking, neh, Saal." Rinocco scratched her head furiously. "Tell me we were not lost!"
Saal cursed again. "I wasn't careful... argh, okay let's just retrace our steps." She grabbed Rinocco's hand.
Rinocco ripped it from her grip again. "Stop pulling me around like I'm a damn baby, it's pissing me off. Even forced me into these damn clothes."
"You are. I'm older and I need to look after you. Don't be like this." She snatched Rinocco's hand again.
Rinocco tried to pull away but could not this time. She screamed in protest as Saal pulled her along, her feet scraped the ground.
"Argh! You shit! Let go!"
Rinocco kicked her, and stumbled back as she let go.
Saal yelped, "You shit! You kicked my tit!" She huffed her hair from her face with a furious expression.
Rinocco quickly turned and ran, and Saal followed behind, stomping just behind her.
She pushed off walls, ducked a swipe. Saal crashed into a wall in front of Rinocco suddenly.
Rinocco turned on a heel and ran a different path. She felt a wet thing slap against the back of her head. She touched it as she ran, the fluids glowed on her finger.
The path was straighter, darker, and only the glow barely illuminated in front of her. She looked back to the empty passage and her foot caught on something.
She tried to catch herself, stumbled before smacking into a wall and fell back.
The wind was blown out of her, her temple numb.
A voice cut her groaning short, it was soft, comforting, and it carried measure — steel authority in its edge.
"What are you doing here, child?" But there was no love in that voice.
Rinocco squinted at the looming, pale silhouette. Her grey, long tail snaked behind her.
Her cloak cracked open, bleeding blue light as a worn, decorated pearly tip of a spear poked through. Under the silk hood her eyes, framed by grey hair, were wrapped in silk. Her aged porcelain mouth revealed no emotion.
"Huh?" Rinocco rasped.
The woman looked up from Rinocco, past her. "Saal. Come here."
Saal came out from the corner slowly. "Ah, yes... Silk Mother."
Silk Mother pointed beside Rinocco with her spear. "Stand here."
Saal obeyed.
Silk Mother took a harsh breath in through her nose. "I remember her scent but who is she? Saal, who is she?"
"Rinocco–"
"Rinocco... Rinocco, child of– yes. I remember the small thing. Now she's grown. She smells like a woman... and a killer."
"I'm a warrior." Rinocco snapped, "Those men deserved–"
"–I do not care, child." Silk Mother interrupted. "Gossip is for silk maids or the silk sisters if they wish." She pulled back her spear, shrouding the room in dim darkness.
"Why are you here?"
"Your will, Silk Mother. For Rinocco's protection in the clan." Saal asked, quietly bowing.
There was a long silence then:
"Of course. Yes, yes. Rinocco is my child. I held her in my arms as I did you, Saal."
Rinocco bowed as well, "Thank you, uh Silk Mother."
She nodded lightly, "What's that smell of dead silk worm, is it... in your hair, Rinocco?"
"N–ah... I need to go do something important. Could you tell us where to go."
Saal interjected.
"Right, children naught stray so deep. Follow the light." Silk Mother sighed.
She took a deep breath and hummed in the same melody, except it was otherworldly in how soft she sang, as if to put a baby to sleep.
The walls glowed bright but only in one path.
"Thank you Silk Mother!" Rinocco said before hurrying away with Saal beside her.
They glanced at each other, their smiles growing across their faces before they broke out laughing uncontrollably as they ran.
They stopped, out of breath, finally hearing the familiar hum through the caves of the Silk Sisters. The hushed voices of Silk Maids and the earthy smell of the silk worms.
"Next time I'll bite you." Rinocco warned, a wide smile on her face.
"I'll catch you next time." Saal retorted, shoving her.
"Good luck! You're never catching m–"
Rinocco's senses kicked in and she pulled back and a spear whistled where her head would be.
Rinocco's eyes locked on a Silk Sister, spear in hand. She raised a finger to her lips. She put the spear down and went back to working and humming.
They finally emerged from the cave, the boys playing a shell game. The wind rushed back, sharp and wet with storm. The sea had turned darker, churning something fierce. The sails bobbed with the waves, tightly bound to port.
"We were starting to get bored." Kashna grunted as he rose with his friend.
"Don't try it. Silk Mother gave Rinocco her blessing." Saal declared.
"You girls are so scared. Hiding behind elders like we're still children. Did you hear? There's a war coming and Titan is out." Mantok sneered.
They began to approach them slowly. "Silk Mother never comes out her cave," Kolven stated.
"And didn't you say you would fight us anywhere, Rinocco-teh?" Kashna added.
Mantok dashed forward at her, Saal moved to protect her. He grunted when his momentum was suddenly stopped, a firm hand gripped his arm.
Before he could say anything he was flung back into Kashna with ease.
"Why are my children?" Silk Mother declared, "Kashna, Kolven, Mantok. Why are you fighting your sisters?"
Their eyes widened, speechless.
"You, as boys, should be protecting them."
"Yes Silk Mother." They stammered in unison.
She sighed, walking away. "At least it's dark out now." She muttered.
"W-where did she come from?" Mantok whispered. "Why is she here?" Kashna mumbled.
The boys looked at Rinocco and Saal with accusing looks, then walked away.
"Now they definitely won't try now." Saal giggled.
Rinocco looked at the back of Silk Mother's slow walk, "Didn't the boys say something about a war, neh?"
"Yeah. Don't worry, the scout warriors always take care of it. I just hope no one dies this time." Saal replied.
"Yeah..."