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5

Graduation day had arrived at the dojo and everybeast was in high spirits. Today was the day they were going to be made full warriors of the samurai order. Jagee had spent the night in the infirmary with his injuries. The left side of his face now obscured by bandage dressings. The healer had said that he would never be able to see out of his left eye again. Akito Krinz was wrapping the katanas in coloured silk, each one was masterfully crafted from the finest steel of his own personal forge. As light as feathers and can cut through armour with ease; the most beautiful swords in the civilized world. His pupils were very lucky to receive such weapons. In the late morning all students in the senior class were asked to come up to Master Krinz's dormitory. There, surrounded by his students, the tattered hare sat cross-legged with his back to his prayer shrine, with an array of differently coloured silk packages each containing a katana and the shorter wakizashi swords. Krinz looked at the array of faces staring back at him. Like every graduation Krinz was so proud to have raised them yet sad to see them all leave. "Today, you are about to receive a distinctive honour. From today, you will have no more use for your bokkens. What lies at my feet are the badges of status that will elevate you above the levels of mundane warriors. But remember, what I am to give you are tools, not toys. Whether they can be used for either good or evil depends on the will of the beast who wields them." Krinz lifted the first sword and held it out in front of him calling out the name of the creature who would receive it. "Shinji..." a young squirrel rose from his floor and knelt in front of his master. Krinz placed the silk package into the squirrel's paws. Shinji then rose again and bowed to his master, thanking his teacher for the years of guidance. The old hare then followed suit with the others. "Masaru... Wataru... Ryu... Jagee." When Jagee rose to collect his sword, he turned and glared at Sandokhan. Krinz held out the package of silk. Jagee seemed to stare at it for a while before begrudgingly taking it from his masters' grasp. He then bowed like all the others and sat down. The squirrel Shinji noticed there were no more packages before their master. Shinji spoke up in concern, "Master, er, if I may? Sandokhan didn't get a sword." "Indeed he didn't, for I have something very special," with that the hare rose from the floor and opened the door of a grand wooden weapons cabinet. He produced a red velvet package embossed with the shape of a star constellation in black material. "Sandokhan..." The fox rose to his footpaws and approached his master trembling with anticipation. "You are to receive the blade that our first Shogun forged in the old days for the mouse samurai Kenji. I have never raised a family and I see great promise in you. Wield it with utmost and reverent pride." The fox unwrapped the package carefully. The Starfire katana was an object of beauty and sublime craftsmanship. The red scabbard was encrusted with seven small diamonds forming the shape of the constellation Ursa Major. The small oval hilt was made from gold, the velvet lining of the grip criss-crossed and overlapped making a row of rhombus shapes done its length, a fine weapon indeed. Murmurs and whispers spread like wildfire. "The rumours were true," "Yes, indeed they are," "Does that mean... he's..." Sandokhan looked vaguely at Krinz, "Master, I cannot accept this. This sword asks duties I cannot perform. I can't be the Shogun's Head-taker, there must be some mistake." "There is no mistake Sandokhan," the hare replied. "I didn't forge a sword for you for a reason. Take it." The fox looked distant for a second as he remembered Tin-Jin's advice, "Samurai are not bullies or murderers. They are protectors and you must be strong, for I see dark things in the days ahead." Sandokhan then tucked the sword into his waistband. "I accept this great honour," he said in a sturdy and confident voice. There was an applause from all others excluding Jagee, who was not at all moved by the scene. "One last thing, then you are all free to go," Master Krinz said raising his paw to silence his students. "Of all the things you remember after all your time here, remember this. Remember me and remember who you are." The hare then bowed to his students. "I wish you all luck and courage." * Afterwards, the graduates lounged around in the slightly overcast afternoon as they displayed their swords to the junior novices. All the young ones were in awe at the beautifully crafted blades. The rippling effect of the steel, the keen cutting edges and the comfortable pawgrips. However Sandokhan was not with the others, he was at the fringes of a bamboo grove on the other side of the river displaying his sword to Ritsuko. The vixen adored her friend's blade. "Is that really the Starfire katana? It's gorgeous, just gorgeous. I'd be so proud if I had a blade that magnificent. May I?" Sandokhan passed the blade to Ritsuko who unsheathed it in one swift motion. She balanced it in her paw while tracing the thin blood channel with her claw. She then hoisted it and the blade disappeared in a twirl above her head. Sandokhan was taken aback by the vixen's skill. She then squat into an attack stance and severed several bamboo stalks with ease. As the stalks fell with a loud creaking noise, she sheathed the sword back into its scabbard and passed it back to Sandokhan. "Where did you learn to handle a sword like that?" "My father taught me," "Your father was Samurai?" "Yes, but it is something I do not feel comfortable talking about," she replied. "Why is that?" Sandokhan asked. "After my own mother died, my father thought I should know how to defend myself. In the beginning, he would only teach me little things, some unarmed moves and holds. But as I grew older, he taught me the way of the sword. However, when he did this he was breaking our clan's code. A female must never learn the way of the Samurai. It will bring shame upon her parents, her mate and her children. "Then one day, some Samurai came to our house. Someone had seen father teaching me. The Samurai ordered that honour be restored to our clan. My father committed seppuku right in front of me. Before he drove that sword into his belly, he turned to me and said; 'Never look away.' Afterwards I was sent to live with my grandmother in the hills. After she died, I felt like moving on." "I'm sorry. I didn't know," Sandokhan said. "I've had my own share of sadness. My mother and my three brothers. All dead and gone." Sandokhan then thought to lighten her mood a little. "Speaking of fathers, I was just about to go and see mine. Would you like to walk with me a little?" Ritsuko smiled slightly, "All right." As they walked on the path westward towards Edu village, a township nestled in at the foot of hill, the pair conversed about Sandokhan's new position of status. "When is it going to be made official?" "Hmm?" "I mean when are you officially going to be made Head-taker?" "Oh. Er, tomorrow. Master Krinz and Tin-Jin are going to escort me to the Shogun's pagoda and also to make sure I don't make a fool of myself in front of his lordship." Ritsuko giggled lightly at her friend's remark. "Hehe. This is why I enjoy your company Sandy. You make me smile so much." Sandokhan blushed furiously from ear tip to tail and twiddled his paws awkwardly. "You don't need to worry. I'm sure you will do his Lordship proud." Ritsuko had departed from Sandokhan's company further up the path, saying she had to get back to her duties. Along the dusty streets the good creatures were busying themselves with their daily concerns. The fox was somewhat embarrassed with nearly every creature bowing respectfully to him as they eyed the katana. Sandokhan's father lived in a modest dwelling on the edge of the village. It was nothing more than a small cottage made from wood and dead bamboo stalks built on a foundation of stone. The fox knocked heavily on the door, there was pause followed by the shuffling of paws before the door opened. Sandokhan's father, Christos, was a venerable looking fox. His fur was still orange-brown but grey fur was starting to show in his roots. Sandokhan uttered one word, "Dad." Christos took some time to recognise the creature before him. "Sandokhan?" "It's me father, I've come home." Both father and son then embraced each other. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming home after graduation? I would've prepared your old room. Well don't stand out there until winter rolls around, come on in!" Once inside father and son conversed over supper and Sandokhan related his stories of growing up with Master Krinz. Sandokhan's mother, the vixen Nanya, died after his first year out of infancy and his three brothers had left the village to fight sea rats in the coast guard, but none returned. Christos examined his son's blade, his eyes brimming with tears of joy. "Head-taker? Your mother would've been so proud... and your brothers would have been so jealous! I take it you've heard about Jinkai?" "No, what's happening?" "Jinkai has fallen! The sea guard weren't able to hold them and now they're overrunning the entire island. Rumours are saying that Yoshino in the north is in no better state and that an army of rats were seen coming ashore west of here." At that point, Sandokhan remembered the night in the passageway with his master and he recalled the scent of blood. There was an enemy and war had arrived.