by Paul Kidd
“I do not think that cutting strips from the monks will make us popular.”
“Well, if we can inspect them naked, it would help.” Sura frowned towards the window. “There will be incision marks from where the stolen skins were removed – possibly wound marks if the old wearer was violently killed.” The fox tapped her finger together. “Maybe if we saw them in the baths…?”
The rat blushed. “Oh dear! Fortunately, we may leave such tasks to Tonbo san and Kuno san.”
Sura sighed. She knelt down, smoothing out her robes and assuming the formal position for meditation and breathing – the mokuzo. She placed her hands together in a formal mundra, making a shape with her fingertips. She kept her voice in a whisper.
“Right! You guys can take a look around. I’ll keep up the cover here for a few hours in case they check in – or in case that damned prior is spying on me.” Sura breathed carefully in and out. “Here we go – a picture of peace and quiet.”
Chiri bobbed. She was about to leave, but wavered, ran back and looked at Sura. She made to say something – stopped, then stepped a little closer.
“Sura san! Your mundra…” The rat was a little pained. “When you take mokuzo – I see you form your hands into a little yin-yang.” The rat waved a paw at Sura’s resting hands. “Buddhists do not do this.”
“What?” The fox frowned down at her hands. “Well what do they do?”
“They ah – it can be more just making your hands into a circle…” The rat ran up and tried to adjust Sura’s fingertips. “Here – right hand’s fingers flat across the left. Now raise the last two joints of both index fingers to the vertical to meet your thumbs – making two circles.”
The fox complied, but was not happy.
“I am not comfortable.”
“But you look very Buddhist.” The fox still had a weird quintessential verve about her that a disguise never quite seemed to hide. “Well – to an extent.”
The roof beams led to the gutters, and the gutters gave access to the entire monastery. Chiri pattered over to the wall and climbed straight up a pillar and onto the beams. Bifuuko and Daitanishi whirred to accompany her. The little rat peered down at Sura from high above, whiskers glimmering in the gloom.
“I shall scout the buildings for clues. Good hunting, Sura san!”
“OK. Good hunting!”
The rat and her elementals disappeared into the roof. Sura gave a sigh and sat down upon her futon. The thing was so hard it almost bruised her bottom.
Outside in the courtyard, the sounds of clinking cups and bowls went on and on. Much laughter accompanied the wine. Sura took another look at her bowl of greens, tried to shift her backside to a more comfortable position, then sent dire thoughts winging in Tonbo’s direction.
“I am going to give Tonbo such a pinch when I get us out of here!”
A floorboard creaked out in the corridor.
Sura lit a lantern and settled herself down to meditate – making quite certain that her back was against a sturdy wall. She composed herself into the very picture of rectitude – back straight, eyes shut and breathing slow, pretending to meditate upon whatever whacky things Buddhists mused upon to pass their time.
Her fox ears listened out into the world around her.
There was a slight sound of movement outside her room: somebody stood out in the hall, silent and unmoving. Sura remained in supposed meditation, trying to look as cool and pious as she could.
After long minutes, the floorboards outside in the corridor creaked again. There was a sense of someone moving away – heading slowly off towards the stairs.
Sura rose, and on utterly silent feet, crossed to her door. She took a knife from her sleeve and slid it between the sliding door and its frame, twisting just a little – stealthily opening up a wider crack so that she could see off along the corridor.
The prior’s assistant stood at the far end near the stairs, staring at nothing. Finally, he stirred and walked back down the stairs.
Sura watched the man depart. She settled her hidden weapons, set her uncomfortable wig on straight, and decided to keep up her cover while the others went about their work.
As night fell, the Ishigi troops out in the forest set watchfires ablaze. They kept a tight, torch-lit guard upon the monastery. A few passing pilgrims had been turned away and sent down to the village. The woods lay quiet. At the nearby village, lanterns blazed as travellers and miners enjoyed the bath house and inns.
Over at the monastery, the great bell boomed out the hours. The moon sent long streaks of light glittering through the tree tops. But the space beneath the trees remained a void of deep shadow.
The night slowly passed. Inside the monastery, Kuno sat in the main shrine in quiet meditation. The prior, the bead-carrying monk and several other senior monks knelt in a row before the Buddha statue. They were all locked in silent meditation, never shifting from place.
From his position at the back of the hall, Kuno could see the entire meditation hall through slitted eyes. He could also see out into the main courtyard and the buildings beyond. Seated formally, sword at his side and his body still and serene, he kept a quiet watch as the old bell tolled.
In the monastery kitchens, Tonbo worked to help the cooks. He stood by the kitchen doors, splitting logs with a hefty axe – cleaving the logs with single, measured blows. He stacked the kindling carefully – making sure the kitchen was always in sight through the corner of his eye.
Two monks were at work in the kitchens. A pair of acolytes were washing dinner dishes over at a wooden tub. Tonbo had seen the men when he first arrived, sitting at the back of the meditation hall. Both had a watchful, arrogant air about them – quite definitely conspiratorial. The two men kept a clandestine eye upon Tonbo, making sure to look away whenever he walked into the room.
The cooks sat back with their work done. They had sakē bottles warming up in a pot of water over the fire. The two men waved to Tonbo, beckoning him over, digging some cups out from a shelf nearby. Tonbo gave a nod and wandered over to join them, hoisting a cup in gratitude.
The two acolytes took that moment to slip away into the yard – fading out of the kitchens as quiet as mice. Tonbo knocked back his sakē, nodded to the two cooks, and walked quietly off back to the yard.
In the shadows at the far side of the courtyard, the acolytes were whispering to one another. Tonbo stayed back out of sight, emerging from cover only when the two men walked on.
Huge and silent, he moved from shadow to shadow, carefully keeping his targets in sight.
There were other, more private places in the complex. The abbot had private chambers, with his own rooms for study, meals and contemplation. A group of very senior monks had filed into the building after the evening meal, and were now deep in discussion in one of the upper rooms. Chiri, Bifuuko and Daitanishi crept through the dark spaces of the ceilings and walls, peering through chinks in the woodwork, keeping everything under their watchful eyes. But the abbot and his men were all sitting together in a group, discussing Buddhist scriptures. None seemed to be acting strangely. None were carrying any strange, hidden packages.
It was still a long time until midnight. Chiri settled down to keep watch. Bifuuko clambered out through a gap in the gutter, whirring up to take position on a rooftop above. Daitanishi moved to peer down into another room, but found nothing to interest him. He came drifting back and nestled beside Chiri, keeping her company in the gloom.
The monks were clearly debating something of great intensity and interest. Books were brought forth and scrolls unrolled. Chiri watched it all unfold below, and gave a little sigh.
It was clearly going to be a long, long night.
As the last boom of the hour bell struck, Sura finalised her latest craft project in her little room. She had stuffed her robes with rolled up mats and set her wig on top, making a fair likeness of a woman seated in meditation. With the lamp wick trimmed down to the merest tiny flicker in a far corner of the room, the e
ffect was perfect. Sura chuckled to herself and rubbed her hands together. She stepped back and changed into her fox form, then trotted to the far side of the room.
Sura had carefully cut a slit into a shoji screen at the end of her room. She slipped through and out into the storage room beyond, nosing her way out through piles of stacked matting and old quilts.
The little room was pitch black – but it had a badly repaired door that led to the balcony encircling the upper floor. Sura cut an escape hatch out onto the balcony and peered through the paper flap with one careful green eye. Seeing the balcony utterly deserted she moved quietly out into the night.
The monastery spread out all around. There were small noises here and there as people stirred on quiet business. Sura padded along on soft feet, tail swinging behind. She made her way along the balcony to a small tree that stretched its branches over to the rails.
The fox jumped silkily into the boughs. Slipping silently down the tree, she crept out into the courtyard below.
The fox lay down amongst the tree roots, invisible in the darkness. Crafty green eyes scanned the guest house, searching for the slightest flicker of movement.
Some minutes later, a door slid open, spilling lantern light into the yard. The prior’s assistant came out of a room, then turned about, set down his light, and shut the door. Once certain the door was sealed, he turned to stare off into the night.
The man stood in thought. Finally, he picked up his lantern and moved slowly onwards, heading towards the rear buildings of the monastery. He took a last look up at the guest house, where the silhouette of Sura’s dummy could clearly be seen.
The man turned and walked on.
Sura let him pass, then slipped out of hiding and flowed from shadow to shadow, keeping him carefully in sight.
As she followed the man out into the grounds, Kitsune Sura glowed with pleasure at her own stealth. The prey was in sight, the prey was unaware, and the fox was on the job!
Chapter 4
Dawn crept across the hills with painful slowness. The early morning had a horrible chill. Freezing dew covered the forest, grass and monastery tiles. Eaves slowly dripped as water lazily formed into runnels here and there, trickling down onto the ground.
A cockerel crowed off in the distance. The creature managed a single cry in the cold, then shuffled back into the chicken coop to catch some extra sleep.
Still in rat form, Chiri made her way into the gardens, slipping carefully between tall stems of dripping grass. Daitanishi floated along behind her. Bifuuko rested on Chiri’s back, apparently asleep. The rat made her way along a bamboo fence, pattering quietly along until she came to Kuno’s side.
Kuno sat in quiet meditation. Sword was at his side, and hands in his lap, he pretended to be entirely engrossed upon his devotions.
The opposite side of the fence lined the courtyard by the meditation hall. Hidden from the others, Sura sat in grumpy meditation. Her back hurt, her bottom was numb, and her stomach growled. She was grainy-eyed from a long, fruitless night of snooping, peeking and watching.
Chiri settled into cover beside Kuno. The samurai spoke in a murmur – so softly only Sura and Chiri would hear.
“Friends – good morning.”
Sura gave a sigh.
“Kuno. Chiri…” She gave a little frown. “Where’s Tonbo?”
The man himself approached from the kitchens, smiling benevolently. Tonbo carried a lacquered tray that held a small covered bowl, a cup of steaming hot liquid, and a little vase with a tasteful spray of flowers. Tonbo held out the tray to Sura and gave a rich, grinning bow.
“Great sage! Noble lady! Here is your morning repast.”
Tonbo knelt and set the tray at Sura’s side. The fox glowered, then removed the cover from the single bowl.
The bowl held a pair of raw carrots, lying on a few strands of tastefully shredded cabbage. Sura was treated to one of Tonbo’s best, repressed grins.
She took up a carrot and glowered daggers at the man.
“You’re despicable!”
Sura reached out for the cup and took a sip. She instantly pushed the cup away.
“This isn’t even tea! It’s just water!”
“So as not to distract you, great lady.” Tonbo assumed a lofty air. “Sages at your high level of enlightenment have very minimal needs.”
The fox gave the man a dire, smouldering glare.
“I have no words for the feelings I am experiencing towards you. I can only express it in the form of interpretive dance.” She pushed the tray aside. “Could you bring me a pair of hammers?”
There was no sign of any observation from the monks. Tonbo knelt as though receiving instruction from Sura. He spoke quietly through the fence to Kuno and Chiri.
“I kept watch over the lower monks at night. Only two men left the main building. Both apprentices like myself. I followed them.”
Chiri peeked her nose through the fence.
“They did not try to escape the monastery?”
Tonbo gave a subtle shake of his head. “No. They merely went to the old woodshed.”
“In the middle of the night? What were they doing in there?”
Sura sucked at a fang. “Looking at old wood?” She shrugged. “Maybe they’re just gay?”
The fox gave a sigh.
“Right – well I followed the assistant prior. A total waste of time. All he did was check the locks on the granary doors and walk the rounds. Then he managed to head out to the latrines at least three times. The man just never seems to sleep!” Sura would have rubbed at her eyes, but she remembered her makeup. The damned stuff took half an hour to put on. “I couldn’t see any sign of the mirror.”
The fox cocked an ear at the fence behind her. “Kuno?”
On Kuno’s side of the fence, the gardens were still and empty. Fields of autumn vegetables grew peacefully row by row. The samurai made quietly certain that they were unobserved.
“I regret to say that I have also had no success. I kept the prior and the main body of monks under observation. They performed no suspicious actions. When they retired to sleep, Bifuuko watched over the hall. No man stirred.”
Chiri whispered quietly through the fence.
“The abbot and the senior men likewise seem perfectly normal. No one left the abbot’s hall once lights were out.”
Sura sighed. She was forced to drink her hot water, hating it. The fox made a face.
“The mamono might be being patient. They have no need to move for a few more days.” She frowned in thought. “There are too many monks to watch! We need to eliminate names from our list of suspects!”
On his side of the fence, Kuno makes a noise of annoyance.
“Sura san I did as you asked. I remained long in the baths in order to inspect incoming brothers.”
“And?”
“I received two very colourful invitations. I believe I shall not enter the baths again.”
There was movement at the edge of the garden. The prior’s assistant entered through a little gate and walked along the path towards Kuno. The man was apparently making an inspection of the fields, assuring himself of which crops needed attention. Chiri swiftly hid beneath fallen autumn leaves. Daitanishi and Bifuuko both plunged in beside her, helping to cover her tail.
Sura whispered urgently through the fence.
“Kuno! Try to cut his skin!”
Kuno looked rather aghast.
“What?”
“Go!”
Kuno rose, threading his sword through his belt and artfully draping the sheath-cords. He palmed the little flat kozuka knife that was attached to his sword hilt. Kuno walked back along the path towards the main buildings. He bowed to the prior’s assistant, then quietly walked past.
The monk bent to examine a row of daikon radishes. Kuno took his chance and slapped the man on the back of his neck, inflicting a little cut from the knife. The cut was most definitely exposed to sunlight. The monk jerked and clapped a hand to his neck, ma
king a squawk of pain and alarm. He looked at Kuno in accusation.
Kuno blushed, bowing in profuse apology.
“Please excuse me, brother!”
The prior’s assistant was quite outraged. “Samurai! What is the meaning…?”
Kuno bowed again, pointing off across the rows of vegetables. “Forgive me. It was a wasp.” Kuno held his bow. “My deepest apologies. I was too slow to save you.”
The little monk dabbed at his neck – there was blood on his fingers. He glared at Kuno.
“Samurai! You must know that we abhor the taking of any life – even that of an insect! The wheel of karmic rebirth means all men must be compassionate!” He mopped again at the cut. “I am bleeding! How big was this wasp?”
Kuno was deeply embarrassed. Untruth did not come easily to him. “Impressively large, brother.” Kuno shot an annoyed glance over towards Sura’s patch of fence. “Like most annoying creatures, it was noisy and red.”
The assistant prior gave Kuno a last look of disapproval, then went off about his business. Kuno walked back to his place by the fence and sat back down.
On the far side of the fence, Tonbo pondered.
“Sura san. Would a mamono be able to fake immunity to sunlight?”
The fox considered. “Hmm? Nope. There’d be smoke. Any exposed mamono flesh would burn. A cut like that ought to do it.”
Tonbo gave a nod. “Then we can rule out the assistant prior, at least.”
Sura nodded. She looked over towards the monastery hall in irritation.
“Well, I’m stumped! Come on you guys! We need a way to eliminate suspects, en masse, right now!”
Having finished with their leisurely breakfast – a meal that smelled absolutely tantalising a great horde of monks was being mustered out in the courtyard, all chasing each other merrily about. It all seemed to be done with much cheer and calling out of jokes A tall hatchet-faced monk waved on the laggards and called for order, forming them into two long lines.
Kuno watched from a distance, smoothing his moustache.