♦Chapter One♦
A DARK ORANGE hue was present in the sky. Even the trees and distant mountains matched its glow. Darker still was the sun, setting below the earth. As it disappeared, the cool summer breeze stilled and it was quiet. The pines stopped their dance, crickets ceased their chirping. Not a single firefly said farewell to the star.
Quickly it grew dark and all that was frozen suddenly came back to life. A harmonious song erupted from the woods as the wind relieved the creatures from the heat. Stars appeared in the inky sky, but it was not enough to see.
Before long, a bright moon rose into the sky. The stars stationed near it vanished once again. The light from the near-full moon set an eerie light on the land.
With enough light to see, I rose. Knowing my parents would be angry about my late appearance, I set my feet north. Under them little rocks littered the pine woods. As I moved onward, they gradually disappeared, just leaving the needles. With my bare feet they pricked me every few steps, causing me to cringe.
Once the moon was well into the height of the sky, my feet found a trail pounded hard by generations of footsteps. I increased my pace, now confident I wouldn’t stumble.
The trees soon thinned, revealing to me my village. Small huts blistered the packed earth, arranged in a neat circle. In the center of the homes a smoldering fire was left unattended until morning. The fire reminded me of my father’s temper and I dashed to my dark structure.
With careful movements I opened the door and helped it fall silently closed into its jamb. Quietly and purposely I spun my figure around. Only darkness met my stare. My breathing turned fast and my heart raced as my eyes slowly focused on the room.
Dark outlines of the room’s features gradually turned into focus. My parents’ dark doorway was to my right. In the center of the room stood our table. On my left side was the entrance to the room I shared with my brother.
Confident I could make it to my bed without waking anyone from my family, I crept across the room. My bare feet made only a whisper against the cool stone of our hut’s floor. With only a few strides, I successfully made it to my room.
Shinka, my brother, slept soundly under the open window. The silver beam from the moon shone on his pale skin. The soft breeze caressed his unkept hair. As he was a light sleeper, I moved my back against the wooded wall and inched to my own bed-mat.
Once in the comfort of the soft mat, I quickly fell into a dreamless sleep. I had entered my home without waking anyone from my family again.
Shinka shook me to consciousness. “Kifu!” he said urgently, “Wake up! Pa wants you in the Big Room.”
I batted my hand out, trying to push him away from me. Sleep pulled at me and I wanted to follow it. “Don’t touch me,” I mumbled and rolled over.
“Kifu!” Shinka begged. He pulled his hands from my body. “Pa needs you in the Big Room. He sounds mad.” A whine crept into his already high pitched voice. “Come on!”
“I wanna sleep,” I complained. Nevertheless, I pulled myself into a sitting position.
“Pa wants--no, needs you, though,” Shinka insisted.
“I don’t care.”
“Kifu!” Pa thundered. His voice was belligerent and it instantly woke me up. “Get over here right now!”
Gulping, I quickly pulled myself from bed and changed my clothes from the day before. That night I didn’t bother to change into bed clothes. Once fully dressed for the new day, I skittered into the Big Room and stood in front of Pa. His angry eyes caused me to drop my gaze to my feet.
“Yes, Pa?” I asked quietly. I was sure I already knew what he wanted.
“Where were you last night?”
Without looking up I answered, “Just outside of the village.” As soon as the words left my mouth I regretted them. A nine year-old was expected to stay in sight. I should have said, “In my usual place.”
“Exactly why were you out of the camp, Kifu? Look at me!”
I obeyed his order, but refused to look into his fiery eyes. I didn’t answer; I didn’t know how to.
“The Zodiac Tribes could have take you!” Pa warned.
Unable to hold my tongue, I retorted, “I know you made them up, Pa, just to scare us from leaving! The Zodiac Tribes aren’t real.”
Pa’s mouth opened, but closed again. His jaw muscles popped out.
Ma stepped up beside Pa. She had been leaning against the doorway to their bedroom. “Kifu Kaze! Answer your father: Why were you out of the village? You know you’re not supposed to be.”
I stares stubbornly at her face. “I don’t believe in the Zodiac Tribes.”
“There are bears and wolves that roam in these woods, Kifu.” My Ma’s stern tone made me shrink.
“But I didn’t get hurt.”
“You could have,” Pa interjected.
“But I didn’t!”
“Kifu, go to your room. This will be the last time you leave the village without an adult escort. You aren’t to leave your room until supper, do you hear me?” Ma demanded. Her matter-of-fact tone couldn’t be swayed.
“Yes, Ma,” I grumbled. I turned to head for my room, but my Pa grabbed my shoulder.
“Kifu, don’t tell anybody that the Zodiac Tribes don’t exist.” Before I could ask why, he left through the only door. Ma and I were the only ones left in the house.
Defeated, I left to my room.
I sat on my bed and looked out the window. A calm wind brushed the pines’ branches, causing them to gently tremble. The golden yellow sun shown down on the village almost from directly above. I slept through half of the day.
Sighing, I stood up and tried to peek over the tall ledge. The hut next to my family’s shunned me. Its dark shadow pooled between the gap between the two structures.
From the clearing I heard the laughter of the little children. I could easily pick out Shinka’s high cry. They sounded happy, free. I, on the other hand, was stuck in my hut.
Gradually the sun lifted itself into an arch and the shadows moved to its manipulation. The shadow grew black around my window as the sun began its descent to the other side of the earth.
My stomach growled. Because of my banishment to my room, I had missed the midday meal and games. The only thing I could eat was the sun-down meal, also called supper. I moaned as my stomach made another protest.
The sky began to darken outside my window. I refused to watch Ma cook supper in the Big Room, afraid I’d loose my control over myself and dash across to the food.
Finally, after an eternity, Ma called Shinka and Pa for supper. “Kifu, you may come, too.” I walked to the table, waiting politely. “Did you learn anything?”
I thought before answering. I knew this punishment wouldn’t stop me from going to my rock that overlooked the woods and far away mountains.
“Kifu?” Pa prodded, waiting for the meal to begin.
“I learned that…” I began, racking my brains for an acceptable answer without flat-out lying. “That woods are dangerous.”
“And?” Ma asked. Apparently ‘the woods are dangerous’ wasn’t enough.
“And that leaving the village was a bad idea.”
My Ma nodded, appeased now that I half-liked my way from more punishment tonight. “Normal rations,” she informed me.
First Pa took a bite and then Ma. Once they began eating, Shinka and I were allowed to begin ourselves.
Due to my day of punishment, I stayed silent. Ma and Pa took my lead, but Shinka chatted about the midday games. Today the adults sparred with hands and sticks.
I was always fascinated by fights, even if they were just play. I loved how the people moved so expertly and quickly. They hit with strength and ferocity. Even though I am female, I wanted to be one of the people who sparred when I grew up.
After supper I left to my room with Shinka. We lay in our beds and I starred at the roof.
“Shinka?” I asked into the dark.
“What?” he squeaked.
“Do you believe in the Zodiac Tribes?”
“Yeah,” Shinka said gravely. “If you be bad, they take you away.” He turned in his bed. “Kifu?”
“Huh?”
“Don’t be bad. Zodiac Tribes take you away.”
“Shinka, the Zodiac Tribes aren’t real. They can’t take me away. They’re just a story to make us behave.”
“Zodiac Tribes take you away,” Shinka repeated. “Be good.” Without further argument, he turned away and feigned sleep.
I didn’t fall immediately to sleep. I worried about whether or not I could get to my rock without detection. Ma said I needed an adult escort out of the village. I was almost sure she and Pa would keep a good eye on me for moons.
With a deep breath, I sat up. I let the moonlight wash over my body and the wind pull at my clothes. Taking another deep breath, I closed my eyes. I imagined myself at my rock only inches away from the wild, untamed land. I pulled more images of my place and took a deep breath. With surprise I smelt the pine trees surrounding me vis-à-vis the slightly meat-roasted atmosphere my house held. Startled, I opened my eyes and transported back into my room. I looked around just to make sure.
The soft support of my bed-mat provided me was still there, rather than the hard rock. Shinka slept soundly, his breathing coming lightly and regularly. With a little fear I settled down into my bed. How had I done that?
Before I knew it the sun stabbed at my closed lids. A translucent red registered in my brain. I rolled over before opening my eyes; I didn’t want to stare into the sun.
I pulled off my bed-clothes and put on some day-clothes on in their place. My focus rested briefly on Shinka’s thin form. He may be a brat when awake, but he looked precious when sleeping.
With a little hesitation I walked into the Big Room. Pa’s anger probably still smoldered like a nighttime fire, and I didn’t want to be caught in its center. To my relief only Ma sat smiling.
“Ohaiyo, Kifu,” she greeted warmly, handing me a bowl full of berries.
I took the fruit. “Ohaiyo,” I answered and added, “Thanks.”
“Eat well, honey,” she said and kissed me on top of my head.
“Yes, Ma.” I pulled a blackberry and stuck it into my mouth. It was a little too young and tasted tart.
Shinka then walked through our doorway and into the Big Room. “Ohaiyo,” he yawned to Ma.
“Ohaiyo,” she replied and gave him his own bowl of berries and kiss.
“Thanks, Mama,” Shinka said and sat next to me. His first pick was a blackberry, too. He made a face. “Ew…sour!”
“The blueberries and raspberries are good, though,” I informed him, popping one of each in my mouth.
He followed cue. “They’re okay.”
“No, they’re good.”
“Uh-uh. Strawberries best.”
“Ra--” I was cut off.
“Stop it you two!” Ma scowled. “They’re all good. Just eat.”
“Yes, Ma,” Shinka and I said in unison.
We soon finished our sun-up meal and were allowed to go outside. The sun began to dorwn on the clouds, whom threatened to rain. Shinka stared distastefully at them. I smiled at his reaction and followed him to the small group of kids his age. Every child in the village was around five, except me.
“Kifu?” Seiko asked. He was three years-old and lived in the village. “You play, too?”
I studied his anxious expression. The rest of the children, including Shinka, wore the same expression. “Sure,” I agreed. I was five years older than them all, but I was the only my age. “I’ll play.”
The group burst into cheers. Their exaggerated cry almost made me fall down with laughter.
Ringo, another five year-old, came up and touched my shoulder. “You’re it!” he cried and touched another three kids, each time saying, “You’re it!” I followed the group’s cue and didn’t yet move.
Once everyone was tagged, he stood in front of the fire in the center of the camp. “War,” he stated simply. “Not ‘it’, hide and stay away. ‘It’, find and chase. Not ‘it’ caught, go to jail.” I smiled at the simplicity of the rules. “ ‘It’ counts!” he cheered and ran off.
“How high do we count?” I asked Haruki, a six year-old who was also “it”.
“Ichi, ni, san!” he answered, calling loudly into the thickening sky.
“Up to three?” I cried incredulously.
“Yup,” Haruki said, confident. “Now we go find them.” He sprinted in the direction of the growling clouds in the sky. I had to admit the young people knew when to have a good game of hide-and-go-seek-tag.
I turned my head around and tried to find where the children disappeared to. After not seeing any after a few heartbeats, I took off in a random direction. I immediately saw Aimi. “Aimi!” I called. My call only made her run faster. With my longer strides I caught up to her and tapped her shoulder. “Gotcha,” I said triumphantly.
“Why’d Ringo make you it?” she pouted. As if she were in control of the weather, it began raining to her mood.
“Ringo was smart. He knew a storm was coming. He also knew I would make quick work of this game,” I bragged.
“Not fair.”
I pointed to the jail, where a four year-old already sat. “Is too fair. Jail’s over there, Aimi.”
She crossed her arms, and I thought she was going to protest, but she stomped over to the jail.
A DARK ORANGE hue was present in the sky. Even the trees and distant mountains matched its glow. Darker still was the sun, setting below the earth. As it disappeared, the cool summer breeze stilled and it was quiet. The pines stopped their dance, crickets ceased their chirping. Not a single firefly said farewell to the star.
Quickly it grew dark and all that was frozen suddenly came back to life. A harmonious song erupted from the woods as the wind relieved the creatures from the heat. Stars appeared in the inky sky, but it was not enough to see.
Before long, a bright moon rose into the sky. The stars stationed near it vanished once again. The light from the near-full moon set an eerie light on the land.
With enough light to see, I rose. Knowing my parents would be angry about my late appearance, I set my feet north. Under them little rocks littered the pine woods. As I moved onward, they gradually disappeared, just leaving the needles. With my bare feet they pricked me every few steps, causing me to cringe.
Once the moon was well into the height of the sky, my feet found a trail pounded hard by generations of footsteps. I increased my pace, now confident I wouldn’t stumble.
The trees soon thinned, revealing to me my village. Small huts blistered the packed earth, arranged in a neat circle. In the center of the homes a smoldering fire was left unattended until morning. The fire reminded me of my father’s temper and I dashed to my dark structure.
With careful movements I opened the door and helped it fall silently closed into its jamb. Quietly and purposely I spun my figure around. Only darkness met my stare. My breathing turned fast and my heart raced as my eyes slowly focused on the room.
Dark outlines of the room’s features gradually turned into focus. My parents’ dark doorway was to my right. In the center of the room stood our table. On my left side was the entrance to the room I shared with my brother.
Confident I could make it to my bed without waking anyone from my family, I crept across the room. My bare feet made only a whisper against the cool stone of our hut’s floor. With only a few strides, I successfully made it to my room.
Shinka, my brother, slept soundly under the open window. The silver beam from the moon shone on his pale skin. The soft breeze caressed his unkept hair. As he was a light sleeper, I moved my back against the wooded wall and inched to my own bed-mat.
Once in the comfort of the soft mat, I quickly fell into a dreamless sleep. I had entered my home without waking anyone from my family again.
Shinka shook me to consciousness. “Kifu!” he said urgently, “Wake up! Pa wants you in the Big Room.”
I batted my hand out, trying to push him away from me. Sleep pulled at me and I wanted to follow it. “Don’t touch me,” I mumbled and rolled over.
“Kifu!” Shinka begged. He pulled his hands from my body. “Pa needs you in the Big Room. He sounds mad.” A whine crept into his already high pitched voice. “Come on!”
“I wanna sleep,” I complained. Nevertheless, I pulled myself into a sitting position.
“Pa wants--no, needs you, though,” Shinka insisted.
“I don’t care.”
“Kifu!” Pa thundered. His voice was belligerent and it instantly woke me up. “Get over here right now!”
Gulping, I quickly pulled myself from bed and changed my clothes from the day before. That night I didn’t bother to change into bed clothes. Once fully dressed for the new day, I skittered into the Big Room and stood in front of Pa. His angry eyes caused me to drop my gaze to my feet.
“Yes, Pa?” I asked quietly. I was sure I already knew what he wanted.
“Where were you last night?”
Without looking up I answered, “Just outside of the village.” As soon as the words left my mouth I regretted them. A nine year-old was expected to stay in sight. I should have said, “In my usual place.”
“Exactly why were you out of the camp, Kifu? Look at me!”
I obeyed his order, but refused to look into his fiery eyes. I didn’t answer; I didn’t know how to.
“The Zodiac Tribes could have take you!” Pa warned.
Unable to hold my tongue, I retorted, “I know you made them up, Pa, just to scare us from leaving! The Zodiac Tribes aren’t real.”
Pa’s mouth opened, but closed again. His jaw muscles popped out.
Ma stepped up beside Pa. She had been leaning against the doorway to their bedroom. “Kifu Kaze! Answer your father: Why were you out of the village? You know you’re not supposed to be.”
I stares stubbornly at her face. “I don’t believe in the Zodiac Tribes.”
“There are bears and wolves that roam in these woods, Kifu.” My Ma’s stern tone made me shrink.
“But I didn’t get hurt.”
“You could have,” Pa interjected.
“But I didn’t!”
“Kifu, go to your room. This will be the last time you leave the village without an adult escort. You aren’t to leave your room until supper, do you hear me?” Ma demanded. Her matter-of-fact tone couldn’t be swayed.
“Yes, Ma,” I grumbled. I turned to head for my room, but my Pa grabbed my shoulder.
“Kifu, don’t tell anybody that the Zodiac Tribes don’t exist.” Before I could ask why, he left through the only door. Ma and I were the only ones left in the house.
Defeated, I left to my room.
I sat on my bed and looked out the window. A calm wind brushed the pines’ branches, causing them to gently tremble. The golden yellow sun shown down on the village almost from directly above. I slept through half of the day.
Sighing, I stood up and tried to peek over the tall ledge. The hut next to my family’s shunned me. Its dark shadow pooled between the gap between the two structures.
From the clearing I heard the laughter of the little children. I could easily pick out Shinka’s high cry. They sounded happy, free. I, on the other hand, was stuck in my hut.
Gradually the sun lifted itself into an arch and the shadows moved to its manipulation. The shadow grew black around my window as the sun began its descent to the other side of the earth.
My stomach growled. Because of my banishment to my room, I had missed the midday meal and games. The only thing I could eat was the sun-down meal, also called supper. I moaned as my stomach made another protest.
The sky began to darken outside my window. I refused to watch Ma cook supper in the Big Room, afraid I’d loose my control over myself and dash across to the food.
Finally, after an eternity, Ma called Shinka and Pa for supper. “Kifu, you may come, too.” I walked to the table, waiting politely. “Did you learn anything?”
I thought before answering. I knew this punishment wouldn’t stop me from going to my rock that overlooked the woods and far away mountains.
“Kifu?” Pa prodded, waiting for the meal to begin.
“I learned that…” I began, racking my brains for an acceptable answer without flat-out lying. “That woods are dangerous.”
“And?” Ma asked. Apparently ‘the woods are dangerous’ wasn’t enough.
“And that leaving the village was a bad idea.”
My Ma nodded, appeased now that I half-liked my way from more punishment tonight. “Normal rations,” she informed me.
First Pa took a bite and then Ma. Once they began eating, Shinka and I were allowed to begin ourselves.
Due to my day of punishment, I stayed silent. Ma and Pa took my lead, but Shinka chatted about the midday games. Today the adults sparred with hands and sticks.
I was always fascinated by fights, even if they were just play. I loved how the people moved so expertly and quickly. They hit with strength and ferocity. Even though I am female, I wanted to be one of the people who sparred when I grew up.
After supper I left to my room with Shinka. We lay in our beds and I starred at the roof.
“Shinka?” I asked into the dark.
“What?” he squeaked.
“Do you believe in the Zodiac Tribes?”
“Yeah,” Shinka said gravely. “If you be bad, they take you away.” He turned in his bed. “Kifu?”
“Huh?”
“Don’t be bad. Zodiac Tribes take you away.”
“Shinka, the Zodiac Tribes aren’t real. They can’t take me away. They’re just a story to make us behave.”
“Zodiac Tribes take you away,” Shinka repeated. “Be good.” Without further argument, he turned away and feigned sleep.
I didn’t fall immediately to sleep. I worried about whether or not I could get to my rock without detection. Ma said I needed an adult escort out of the village. I was almost sure she and Pa would keep a good eye on me for moons.
With a deep breath, I sat up. I let the moonlight wash over my body and the wind pull at my clothes. Taking another deep breath, I closed my eyes. I imagined myself at my rock only inches away from the wild, untamed land. I pulled more images of my place and took a deep breath. With surprise I smelt the pine trees surrounding me vis-à-vis the slightly meat-roasted atmosphere my house held. Startled, I opened my eyes and transported back into my room. I looked around just to make sure.
The soft support of my bed-mat provided me was still there, rather than the hard rock. Shinka slept soundly, his breathing coming lightly and regularly. With a little fear I settled down into my bed. How had I done that?
Before I knew it the sun stabbed at my closed lids. A translucent red registered in my brain. I rolled over before opening my eyes; I didn’t want to stare into the sun.
I pulled off my bed-clothes and put on some day-clothes on in their place. My focus rested briefly on Shinka’s thin form. He may be a brat when awake, but he looked precious when sleeping.
With a little hesitation I walked into the Big Room. Pa’s anger probably still smoldered like a nighttime fire, and I didn’t want to be caught in its center. To my relief only Ma sat smiling.
“Ohaiyo, Kifu,” she greeted warmly, handing me a bowl full of berries.
I took the fruit. “Ohaiyo,” I answered and added, “Thanks.”
“Eat well, honey,” she said and kissed me on top of my head.
“Yes, Ma.” I pulled a blackberry and stuck it into my mouth. It was a little too young and tasted tart.
Shinka then walked through our doorway and into the Big Room. “Ohaiyo,” he yawned to Ma.
“Ohaiyo,” she replied and gave him his own bowl of berries and kiss.
“Thanks, Mama,” Shinka said and sat next to me. His first pick was a blackberry, too. He made a face. “Ew…sour!”
“The blueberries and raspberries are good, though,” I informed him, popping one of each in my mouth.
He followed cue. “They’re okay.”
“No, they’re good.”
“Uh-uh. Strawberries best.”
“Ra--” I was cut off.
“Stop it you two!” Ma scowled. “They’re all good. Just eat.”
“Yes, Ma,” Shinka and I said in unison.
We soon finished our sun-up meal and were allowed to go outside. The sun began to dorwn on the clouds, whom threatened to rain. Shinka stared distastefully at them. I smiled at his reaction and followed him to the small group of kids his age. Every child in the village was around five, except me.
“Kifu?” Seiko asked. He was three years-old and lived in the village. “You play, too?”
I studied his anxious expression. The rest of the children, including Shinka, wore the same expression. “Sure,” I agreed. I was five years older than them all, but I was the only my age. “I’ll play.”
The group burst into cheers. Their exaggerated cry almost made me fall down with laughter.
Ringo, another five year-old, came up and touched my shoulder. “You’re it!” he cried and touched another three kids, each time saying, “You’re it!” I followed the group’s cue and didn’t yet move.
Once everyone was tagged, he stood in front of the fire in the center of the camp. “War,” he stated simply. “Not ‘it’, hide and stay away. ‘It’, find and chase. Not ‘it’ caught, go to jail.” I smiled at the simplicity of the rules. “ ‘It’ counts!” he cheered and ran off.
“How high do we count?” I asked Haruki, a six year-old who was also “it”.
“Ichi, ni, san!” he answered, calling loudly into the thickening sky.
“Up to three?” I cried incredulously.
“Yup,” Haruki said, confident. “Now we go find them.” He sprinted in the direction of the growling clouds in the sky. I had to admit the young people knew when to have a good game of hide-and-go-seek-tag.
I turned my head around and tried to find where the children disappeared to. After not seeing any after a few heartbeats, I took off in a random direction. I immediately saw Aimi. “Aimi!” I called. My call only made her run faster. With my longer strides I caught up to her and tapped her shoulder. “Gotcha,” I said triumphantly.
“Why’d Ringo make you it?” she pouted. As if she were in control of the weather, it began raining to her mood.
“Ringo was smart. He knew a storm was coming. He also knew I would make quick work of this game,” I bragged.
“Not fair.”
I pointed to the jail, where a four year-old already sat. “Is too fair. Jail’s over there, Aimi.”
She crossed her arms, and I thought she was going to protest, but she stomped over to the jail.