Alena, Elijah and Kazran soon set foot into the dojo's entrance hall—and as expected, Kenrir was present.
Turning left just meters from the entrance, Alena and Kazran approached the sliding door to Kenrir's private quarters.
Kazran knocked on the door, and moments after, Kenrir could be seen as it slid open.
"Sensei!" Kazran exclaimed as he immediately bowed to Kenrir. "Alena and I have arrived with a request." Alena too gave a bow following, one that was more quick—still unpracticed.
Kazran glanced over the three of them—as Elijah was standing over Alena's shoulder in his usual perch. Once Kenrir made eye contact, Elijah had meowed at him, and Kenrir's eyes slightly tensed—more serious in nature. That's when he looked over Alena, fully understanding this request was an important matter for them, just from hearing the calm seriousness in Elijah's communicative voice.
Being what he was—being what they all were, Kenrir too understood Elijah, where other species outside their kind wouldn't.
Alena was meeting Kenrir's gaze—her eyes wide with a deep hope bleeding through.
He soon returned his glance to Kazran however in a matter of a single moment.
"What is your request?" Kenrir asked in firm authority.
Alena tiptoed forward, grabbing Kenrir's attention.
"Please Master Ken, can I have a book? I would like to further my studies..." Alena asked in her soft, hopeful voice.
Hearing this request, Kenrir immediately knew it must have been one of the many books that he purposefully kept locked away, being that two of his main focus students had come to him for such request.
"Which book?" Kenrir asked Alena.
"The one for talking with your hands...?" Alena requested hopefully, her paws clasped together over her chest.
"Human sign language?" Kenrir asked, verifying his new disciple's request.
As Kenrir asked this question, Alena's ears perked up—and she also blinked to attention.
"'Human?'" Alena repeated in surprise.
Around every corner, it seemed as though the term "human" was continuing to become more relevant in each passing day. The first time she heard it was still fresh in Alena's mind. It was the moment she had left the seamstress's home with her father, after the two of them had their very first and most recent encounter with the boy who had risked his life to save her—the one named Isaac.
As Alena repeated this word, Kazran turned his head to read the surprise on her face.
"Why do you want this book?" Kenrir asked, picking for further reasoning.
Alena blinked to attention once more, as her mind was redirected to her teacher's—Kenrir's—question.
"I... read one just like it with my friends long ago. It's been... a treasured memory of mine, and I wanted to re-experience that memory, and refresh..." she struggled to answer. It wasn't easy for one such as young and inexperienced at expression for one such as Alena to describe—and yet, she pulled through.
Kenrir sighed deep, keeping his eyes locked on his disciple's attentive gaze as she explained to her absolute capability. It seemed evident, that with those around her, she really was learning quite quickly. That was when Kenrir redirected his vision to Kazran, as he went on to casually beg a question.
"How is her training progressing?" Kenrir asked him.
Kazran's attention perked up in a serious-toned, and determinedmatter.
"She has made consistent progress, and I believe she deserves some time to refocus herself," Kazran answered both vaguely, yet maturely. "I believe this will only do good for her disciplinary training."
Kenrir kept his eyes locked on Kazran. He hadn't yet fully looked to his own student in the same respect as a teacher, but he recognized Kazran's capabilities, and was heavily considering his way of expression. Kenrir after all, had allowed Kazran to help train Alena, so he weighed the possibilities of outcome within his mind.
"If you can guarantee this will help her as my disciple, then I will allow you to collect this book—but it is not to be returned to me damaged in any way," Kenrir declared.
"I understand—sensei," Kazran replied instinctively—his expression tensing in a mixture of shock blended with opportune fright, as he bowed once again.
This detail caught Kenrir's attention, as his student Kazran wasn't usually this expressive. It seemed as though his student was collectively adapting new personality traits—just being around those he likely paid no mind to before.
"In such a short time, are you being influenced beyond how you've always been known?" Kenrir questioned internally.
It was nothing, but at the same time is was clearly so much more, as Kazran in the past was as serious—if not more—in nature than Kenrir had publicly portrayed even himself.
Alena had immediately taken another step forward, drawing Kenrir's attention once again; she couldn't come much closer if she tried, 'less contact was made of course.
"I won't damage it— I promise I'll keep it safe, for as long as I have it," Alena answered her master. "—So please... may I?"
Kenrir, who locked his eyes on Alena's, took but a moment to consider the words in response to his demands. Being his disciple, a certain amount of trust had to be given—as it was important for their disciplinary bond regardless to carry on.
"I will loan you the key on one condition," he said to Alena.
Alena's ears immediately shifted back.
"You are not to touch any of the other books locked inside. Break this condition, and I will not allow this upon you next time," Kenrir sternly added.
Alena's ears shifted nervously. She didn't understand why Kenrir would think of her going after anything else, and now, their very trust was on the line.
"I won't..." she answered back in more quiet genuinity.
"There is something else," Kazran interrupted. "What's that book about 'The Cats Of Our Realm'?" he asked curiously.
It was strange, as Kenrir never took Kazran for once to be interested in such a subject. Normally, if he ever did read anything, Kenrir would catch Kazran scanning through books on traditional combat; not other worldly wonders.
"Why do you wish to know about that one?" Kenrir asked him calmly, his attention diverted to Kazran.
"It just seemed out of place, being something about cats."
It was true, but there was a reason for the in question—of all things—to remain locked away.
Kenrir took a moment to process the detailed concern read on Kazran's face. It was critical, and honest.
"That book is very old," Kenrir answered, evading the full details of reasoning behind it.
Kazran wanted to argue. Wasn't it just simply a cat book?
The question in mind caused him to wonder.
"So... I can have the other book?" Alena asked again, pulling the attention back over from the two of them. She still held her pose, her paws clasped together hopefully over her chest.
Kenrir straightened his composure, and in the following moment, he turned around without another word. Walking over to his high risen chest of drawers, Kenrir opened a small, decorative box that laid on the surface. Inside, he picked up one of many antiquely designed keys, and slowly returned to his door.
"You may take the one book, but don't forget to lock back up and immediately return this key to me," Kenrir insisted to Alena, as he handed her out the key.
Alena's paws, which had been clasped together over her chest spread out, tilting forward to bare her palms. Her eyes followed the key, and Kenrir set it trustingly in her paws.
"And be careful, this key is very old. There isn't a spare," Kenrir explained, letting go.
Kazran's eyes fell upon the key in Alena's mitts, and they locked onto it momentarily before looking to Kenrir once again. Kenrir stepped back, and Alena clutched the key in her paws as her large eyes looked back up to Kenrir.
"Thank you..." she muttered quietly, to which Kenrir nodded slightly in return.
Kazran soon bowed, paying his respects to his teacher.
"Thank you sensei," he faithfully replied.
He then turned to Alena, and rested his paw on her shoulder.
"So, shall we go?"
Catching Alena's glance, her mouth hung barely open in slight surprise—still processing this treatment. That's when her whole face lit up, she gave Kazran an excited nod.
"Yeah! Let's go!" she answered back in complete thrill, as she giggled—a bright smile peeling across her face.
Alena took a deep breath, and she turned to Kenrir gratefully. Her bright personality shined through.
"I'll be right back!" she exclaimed, as she gave Kenrir a deep bow—Elijah gripping his claws to hold on tight—before the three of them turned away and set back off for the library once again.
Kazransmiled.
"I'm glad," he thought internally.
When they arrived at the library, Alena and Kazran hurried over to the locked panel together—Elijah still perched in his harness.
"You ready?" Kazran rhetorically asked.
Alena gave a silent nod toward the compartment, her eyes locked on the book she was after.
Without hesitation, she brought the key to the lock mechanism—and as she turned it over, a soft click was heard.
Alena slid the decorative window pan open, and immediately reached in to grab the book off the shelf. It was finally hers—even if just for a time.
As Alena got ready to shut the panel, Kazran reached up his paw to stop it.
"Hold on," he interrupted suddenly, "I just want to check one thing," he said, as he slide the panel more open.
"Eh?! But Kaz, Master Ken told us not to touch any of the other books!" she exclaimed, protesting nervously.
"It'll only be a moment," he insisted, as he moved over to flip over the book he had his eyes on just enough to read the back.
Kazran's eyes jolted wide. Mana. It was the final word, transcribed on the back, and the idea blew up within his mind.
"Mana?" he thought internally, "...But doesn't that mean...?"
His eyes shifted over. Not at Alena, but just over her shoulder to Elijah.
"So does that mean... that sound from earlier was...?"
Kazran's internal thoughts cut off there, as he reset the book to it's previous position, and slid the panel closed.
"See?" he began, "No harm done."
Now he wanted to look into the journal even further, but he didn't want to upset Alena by snooping more than that.
Alena muttered in uncertainty, and lowered her jaw as she spoke.
"I guess... you didn't open it..."
She wanted to complain, but as far as she could tell, there was no harm done.
"Come on, let's get that key back to our teacher," Kazran insisted, pressing ahead.
Alena's glare softened, and she nodded to Kaz in approval, a delicate smile turning up.
She immediately set the key to relock the mechanism, and with that, the two rushed off from the library. Alena kept the book of sign language carefully tucked in her arm, as they proceeded forward.
Elijah, who had noticed Kazran's very clear glance, kept his attention locked on him as they made their way to return the key as promised.