When Kazran made his way into the temple, he wasn't concerned that someone else may have been inside, but the last person he expected to see was Karra, who was standing at the top of the temple shrine.
The air fell silent as the two students locked eyes. The only sounds that could be heard was the faint crackling of smoldering ember. As a moment passed, Karra dropped her chin, closing her eyes as she stepped down from the alter to walk passed Kazran. As she did, Kazran observed her in silence. The moment she passed him, Kazran numbed the silence.
"Karra," he spoke.
Hearing her name, Karra froze by the door. Kazran turned his shoulder to look at her.
"About the fight earlier," he spoke hesitantly, "You did really well. I just hope you know that I don't find you weak. If anything, I consider myself lucky," he told her.
Hearing Kazran's words, Karra didn't know how to feel, but a small resentment had begun to fester. Her feelings of hopelessness began boiling into anger again, as she tensed her face away from Kazran, gritting her teeth. She clenched her bloodied paws into fists as she made a sound of disapproval, and without saying a word, the temple door was opened as she stepped through it.
Looking down where Karra was standing as she left, Kazran noticed the resting droplets of blood on the ground below; a new look of concern appearing on his face. As he stared at the blood, he clenched a fist as a fit of worry grew over his heart.
"Karra..."
Back in Kenrir's private quarters, Alena had lept back as she was panting heavily with exhaustion, her eyes sharp with instinct. Kenrir stood before her, barely breaking a sweat as he held the strand of yarn. He was amazed by Alena's limitless determination, though he saw it as little more than a stubbornness, as they had been going at it for longer than he could have ever expected.
"I don't understand this stubbornness you have. I've already told you, you need to rely on more than your instincts if you want this silly thing. Look at you, you're practically warn to the bone. How can you possibly keep going like this?" Kenrir asked her.
Finally, Alena has had enough as she closed her eyes and dropped to the floor. Alena hung her head in defeat as her legs parted outward at the knees.
"Who-oo... I'm so tired..." she complained, whimpering.
Alena looked up to Kenrir with a sad desperation in her eyes.
"Please, may I have it?" she asked tearfully.
Kenrir closed his eyes to let out a deep sigh. He could see that he wasn't going to get anywhere with Alena's training this day. Giving up, Kenrir relinquished the strand of yarn to Alena.
"Fine, it's yours," he answered.
As Alena finally got her paws on the yarn, she was filled with a new sense of energy as she began nuzzling it against her cheek.
"Yay! Mmm~ Thank you!" she exclaimed joyously.
She giggled to herself, mouth closed as she rubbed the yarn rhythmically along her cheek. Kenrir had an expression of disappointment on his face, but it wasn't an expression directed at Alena.
"We'll pick up your training tomorrow, the same time after class," he explained to her, "For now, you are free to roam the temple grounds. When you are ready for some rest, you can find the dorm you'll be staying in across the front courtyard gate. You are dismissed."
Kenrir bowed to Alena, and began to walk away to get some air. In catching site of Kenrir leaving, Alena was briefly surprised, before she glanced down at the yarn in her grasp. Right at that moment, her eyes dilated back to normal, and she blinked at it curiously. At that point, Alena rose to her feet, and cupping both paws around the strand, she went off to change back into her clothes before making her way towards the exit. Elijah, who was cozied up in the corner of the room, popped his eyes open when hearing Alena on the move. He rose up, following closely behind her. Elijah meowed at her, as if to say, "Don't forget about me!"
Arriving outside, Alena's eyes scanned over the courtyard, seeing the trees and other individuals passing by. She looked to her left, where the ground's bordering archway could be seen, then to her right towards the temple. Out of curiousity, Alena decided she would first explore the temple grounds before heading off for some rest. Elijah contentedly brushed himself across her ankles as they headed off. As she carried on through the center of the courtyard, Alena silently admired the surrounding sakura trees that lined the courtyard's inner border. Before long, her and Elijah arrived by the temple, and were taking in the architecture, when they saw Karra exiting the building. Alena, as innocent as she was, was thrilled to see a familiar face, and ran up to Karra who was coming down the temple steps; elijah following behind her.
As she stopped in front of Karra with a smile, Karra was caught off guard, but was too upset to kindly acknowledge her.
"Hi! My name is Alena! Yours is... Karra, right?" Alena asked her enthusiastically.
Karra scoffed at her greeting, looking away.
"Why do I keep running into you people?" she muttered under her breath.
Ignoring Alena's interaction, Karra walked passed Alena, struggling to deal with the hopeless anger inside herself. Alena's happy-go-lucky composer fell off as she turned her attention with Karra's departure. As she watched Karra walk into the distance, she tilted her head in curiosity.
"Is she okay?" she thought to herself. Elijah meowed at Alena, patting his paw on the side of her shin to get her attention as he was propped up on his hind legs. Alena looked down to Elijah and nodded at him.
"You're right, we should keep moving," she relayed back to him. As she looked ahead, she examined the temple door. "I wonder what's inside there," she thought aloud.
The two of them made their way up the steps, and peeked inside.
Hearing the entrance creek, Kazran who was standing up the shrine steps in thought, turned to see Alena and Elijah peeking their heads in. Alena's eyes were scanning the room.
"There's no one else in here. You're free to come in," Kazran announced to them.
These words caught Alena's attention, as she looked up to the boy she hadn't noticed.
"Oh," she giggled nervously, "Is it okay for us to be in here?" she asked, as her and Elijah stepped inside.
"The temple is for all of us," Kazran answered, as he turned away to move to the shrine.
Alena, examining her surroundings again, ran up the steps with Elijah to follow behind the boy. Up the steps, she saw Kazran walk up to the shrine, and kneel to his knees in front of the basin. She curiously followed suit, lowering herself to her knees beside him.
"I'm Alena," she said to the boy.
"Kaz," he replied in an introduction without looking at her.
Kazran was occupied with his thoughts, and picked up a stick of osenkō, examining it.
"What is this place?" Alena asked curiously.
"People come here to pray," Kazran explained, as he lit the osenkō.
Alena, watching him, decided to repeat his actions — picking up an osenkō and lighting it as she held the yarn securely. Kazran closed his eyes and held the osenkō before him as he took a deep breath. Alena, still watching, turned her head to examine the lit stick in her hands. As Kazran sighed, Alena looked back over to see him opening his eyes and placing the incense stick into the sand-filled basin. Doing the same, Alena then held her strand of yarn out in front of him.
"Do you like yarn?" she asked Kazran kindly, as Elijah propped himself up on Alena to look at it. Kazran's eyes fluctuated, as he tried to maintain instinctual control. He turned his gaze to Alena, and gave a simple nod. Alena, as sweet as she was, handed the strand over to him.
"You can have it, I had my fun with it already," she said kindly.
"Thank you," he replied, as he held the yarn in his paws. His eyes continued to fluctuate as he looked at it, until his eyes settled, successfully resisting his urges.
"So your cat," he began to ask, "you two are here together?"
Alena gave a positive hum, "We're family!" she told him, "We go everywhere together!"
Elijah sat down and licked his paw before giving a meow of agreement.
"Have you been to the temple grounds before?" Kazran asked her.
Alena shook her head. "This is my first time," she answered.
At that moment, Alena stood up.
"Do you want to play?" she asked Kazran.
Elijah too stood up, and began fanning his tail in anticipation. Alena offered her paw, and Kazran looked at it for but a moment before taking it to be helped to his feet.
"I appreciate the offer, but I have to get back to my studies," he replied, "Thanks for the hand Alena, and welcome."