Someone cleared their throat behind Standig. "Standig, aren't you going to introduce me to your classmates?" The voice was quiet and detached.

Standig stood up with a strained, "yes, sir." He looked at Huo Lohse trying to communicate something urgent. She got the hint to stand, and everyone in the pavilion followed her lead.

"Good evening, sir. I'm Huo Lohse Lang from the Wolf Tribe, and these are my six brothers," she indicated, trying to sound pleasant and cheerful despite a tightness growing in her stomach. She pointed to Et'zana, "and this is-"

"That's enough," the man cut her off, his voice barely above a whisper.

Lolo stole a glance at Standig, seeking some sort of guidance, but he had zoned out with his eyes fixed on a point a million miles away. She returned her gaze to the man standing in front of her and did her best to stand tall and confident under his scrutiny. He was tall, though not quite as tall as Standig, and good-looking with pale blue eyes. Something about him made Lolo feel uneasy-- perhaps it was the way he looked down his nose at her. He appeared youthful except for clusters of grey hair peeking out at his temples amongst otherwise very dark brown hair. Huo Lohse kept waiting for him to say or do something… anything, but the man simply continued to stare.

At long last, the man moved away to the front of the pavilion where he turned to face the silent group of trainees. "You may sit." They obeyed. "I am Tadellos Tragen, the Bear Tribe Leader.” So this was Standig and Philige’s uncle. “This summer, breakfast starts at seven. Lectures are in The Great Hall at eight. Lunch is at eleven. Your afternoons from noon to four will be spent on the sparring fields. After sword training, you may return to your rooms to clean up or join our early evening tradition of meditating silently in one of the gardens until dinner at half past six. Lights out at nine. Any questions?"

"I have a question, sir!" Huo Lohse raised her hand. Tadellos seemed surprised. It was clear his question was intended to be rhetorical, but Lolo pushed on. "Is there a place we, the trainees that is, could meet up to discuss the day's lessons and practice our swordsmanship after training without disturbing anyone?"

Silence.

Tadellos granted Lolo a small smile and said "we shall see." He then turned to the group again. "I will see you in the morning."

The pavilion remained quiet even after Tadellos left. Lolo turned to Standig to find him still zoned-out.

"Standig, are you alright?" He didn't respond. "Standig?" She prodded his arm.

"Lolo."

"Hm?"

"Don't engage with Tadellos."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, don't talk to him, ask questions, or give him any reason to single you out."

"Why? I don't think I said anything too weird," she teased.

"Lolo, I'm being serious. Please, just don't."

Huo Lohse had so many questions, most of them not yet fully formed. At any rate, now was not the time to be asking them, so dinner was eaten in contemplative silence.

***

“Has anyone seen Durfein?” Lolo moved quietly through the group asking everyone. No one had seen the badger prince. “Standig, you haven’t heard anything from Durfein, have you?”

“I don’t know any more than you do, Lolo,” came Standig’s whispered reply. “Did he tell you he was planning on coming this summer?”

“Not specifically, but it was implied when he left last summer that he’d be here. Do you think maybe something happened to him on the road?”

“I really couldn’t say.”

“Who would know?”

“My uncle, Matron, and possibly Philige, but you’ll have a hard time finding him. He’s on a diplomatic assignment to meet with Phoenix Tribe Leader Ukhaan.”

“You mean the Old Phoenix? What for?”

“I don’t know. But Philige has been sent on assignments to visit with various tribe leaders all year, as soon as last year’s exchange ended.”

“He did just graduate from the exchange as the Bear Tribe crown prince. Do you think it’s some kind of ritual or courtesy?”

“It seems more likely that my uncle is just finding excuses to get him out of the way. Philige and he don’t exactly see eye to eye.”

“Philige did tell me that certain elements of the Leader’s Lodge culture are… off.”

“That’s only part of it.”

Huo Lohse didn’t get a chance to hear the rest of it before The Great Hall doors opened at precisely eight o’clock, and nineteen trainees shuffled in to find seats. The Great Hall felt impossibly bigger on the inside than it looked from the outside. Rows of hard-backed benches with long desks set up in front of them circled the entire room and descended like bleachers to a large platform deep in the middle. Aisles of stairs, located by the front door and the corners of the room allowed the trainees to move about the hall. Taking their cues from Standig, the trainees followed the stairs by the front door down toward the platform and filed into the second and third benches from the bottom. The room made Lolo feel small.

Sitting unobserved on the edge of one of the benches across from them sat Bear Leader Tragen. Huo Lohse felt his presence before she actually saw him. As soon as the trainees were seated, Tadellos rose from his corner and moved onto the platform. What few conversations there were extinguished immediately. Though his voice was barely above a whisper, it seemed to fill the entire room.

“In the future, find your seats quietly.” Everyone except Standig seemed surprised by this comment as their only conversations had been held in whispers. “Now, let us begin.”

Three hours passed listening to the Bear Tribe leader as he lectured them on the merits of silence and meditation. He discussed at length simple meditation breathing techniques, but for all his discourse, it never seemed to occur to him to demonstrate any of them. Tadellos Tragen didn't entertain unsolicited questions or comments, so compared to the lively debates Huo Lohse was used to in the Wolf Tribe, this learning environment was miserably sterile.

Eleven o’clock came and they were dismissed for lunch. Standig seemed to be on autopilot back to the pavilion, and Lolo had to run to catch up to him and then jog to keep up. “Standig, I didn’t realize that the Bear Tribe spent so much time in meditation.”

“Mn,” Standig responded in the affirmative.

“I’ve only ever seen you meditate once,” Lolo pressed.

“I generally don’t if I can help it,” came his reply.

“It sounds interesting, though... meditation, I mean. I didn’t realize it was so technical. The Great Owl once tried to teach me and my brothers how to meditate when I was eight, but we ended up giggling too much. It just felt so silly sitting there with our eyes closed.” She laughed at the memory. “The Great Owl told me I was never very good at meditating, but I’m not sure what she meant by that. I assume she meant that I get distract-”

“Shhh!” Standig cut her off as Matron approached. He bowed cautiously to her, before he and Lolo continued toward the pavilion.

“Just a moment,” Matron stopped them. Lolo caught Standig clench fists before turning to face Matron. “Where are you going?”

“We are heading to lunch, Matron! Our lecture with Bear Tribe Leader Tragen just finished.” Huo Lohse answered with cautious cheerfulness on Standig’s behalf.

Matron narrowed her eyes. “And what were you talking about?”

“Oh that!” Lolo laughed. “We were discussing today’s lesson on meditation.” Matron didn’t seem convinced. “Perhaps you have some good pointers to share on the subject? I’ve been told that I’m not very good at meditating.” Lolo confessed in an effort to placate her suspicions.

“Of course I do,” Matron said, raising herself to her full height. “Do you have any specific questions?”

Lolo smiled. Standig looked utterly bewildered as Matron and Lolo entered an in-depth discussion on the breathing techniques his uncle had just lectured on.

“I see,” Huo Lohse said after a breakthrough with Matron, “so concentrating on breathing is less about the breathing and more about focusing your mind on something rhythmic and steady.”

“Yes, that’s right,” Matron said. “Your breathing is no more than a vehicle to achieve a state of relaxation and mental calm that will allow you to enter a meditative state.”

“No wonder I’ve always been so bad at meditating.” Lolo laughed at herself. “Thank you, Matron. You are an excellent teacher.”

Matron nodded her approval. “You two had better hurry off to lunch before your next class, or you won’t have time to eat it.”

“Actually, Matron, I do have one more unrelated question, if you don’t mind.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

“One of the trainees from last year is missing. At least, I haven’t seen nor heard from him. His name is Durfein Anam and he is from the Badger Tribe.”

“Ah, yes,” Matron recognized the name. “Durfein didn’t come this year.”

“Is everything alright?” Lolo asked, concerned.

“I believe so. Durfein wrote to Bear Tribe Leader Tragen a few months ago asking if he could be allowed to do an independent study of Bear Tribe art and artisanry instead of swordsmanship training. His request was categorically denied, so my understanding is that he declined the invitation to join the exchange this year.”

“I see. Thank you, Matron... for your lesson and for putting my mind at ease,” Huo Lohse bowed.

“Of course.” Matron returned the bow and took her leave.

“How did you do that?” Standig wondered aloud.

“Do what?”

“That! With Matron!”

“You mean talking with her?” Lolo was confused.

“Well, yes. It’s just that, I was certain we were going to get into trouble.”

“Get into trouble?” Lolo laughed. “Get into trouble for what?”

“Take your pick: talking too loudly, walking suspiciously, irritating Matron, any number of things.”

“I’m confused,” Lolo said, but she wasn’t sure how to explain her confusion as a full thought that made sense.

Standig laughed bitterly. “I’ve lived here for as long as I can remember, Lolo, and I’m still confused too.”

“What are you confused about?”

“The rules here are in constant flux depending on the whim of the adult you encounter. Same with discipline and punishment. Everyone here values silence and an existence free from distractions. Just talking with someone like you and I were doing when Matron appeared can get you into trouble.”

“What sort of trouble?

“Depends on the person you encounter and their current mood.”

“I-I don’t… I don’t understand.”

“Me neither.”

The pair walked into the pavilion, both ponderous. As seemed to be the normal in the Bear Tribe, lunch was a quiet affair. Lolo looked around; everyone seemed to be on tenterhooks.

“Standig, are you not supposed to talk during meals either?” Lolo whispered.

“It’s not a matter of supposed to or not. It’s just that you can get into trouble for talking no matter what the situation is,” Standing whispered back.

“So there’s no rule about talking during lunch?”

“Not exactly, no…. Why? What are you going to do?” Lolo stood up, her mischievous grin spread across her face. “Lolo, don’t,” he warned.

She didn’t listen. Walking right up to the cluster of new trainees seated at a table in the corner, she introduced herself. “Hi! My name is Huo Lohse, but everyone calls me Lolo. I’m from the Wolf Tribe. You must be this summer’s first years?” The four boys looked startled by her boldness, and maybe a little nervous.

“Huo Lohse, huh? Ulana told me about you. I’m Saikhan from the Phoenix Tribe,” said a young man with warm brown hair and dark skin. “I understand that you are an interesting person to spar with.”

Lolo laughed. “I enjoy a good sparring match, it’s true.”

“I look forward to crossing blades with you then,” Saikhan grinned.

“It’s a deal.”

The three boys Saikhan was sitting with fell all over themselves to be the next one introduced to Lolo. Haleit, the nephew of the Hawk Tribe Leader, was wiry with murky green eyes and blonde hair. He struck Lolo as a young man eager to prove himself, proud but insecure. The other two boys were both from the Bear Tribe and, consequently, were both tall and broad. Begrent was the son of Captain Starkam, the soldier assigned as the instructor for the trainees’ sword lessons. Ernkit was the son of Captain Starkam’s lieutenant who had died in a training accident several years back, leaving Ernkit an orphan. As such, Ernkit was the captain’s adopted son and, thus, Begrent’s brother.

“It’s nice to meet you all,” Huo Lohse smiled. Feeling comfortable for the first time since arriving at the Leader’s Lodge, the group became fast friends. With the exception of Standig, the entire pavilion quickly relaxed into a warm atmosphere of chattering youths. Quite pleased with herself, Lolo took it upon herself to provide introductions between the four first years and the rest of the trainees. Luck seemed to favor their budding relationships as they made it to the sparring fields without interference.

Captain Starkam was waiting for them. “Class, your attention please.” His voice was booming but pleasant, much like his appearance. “I am Captain Starkam, and I will be your swordsmanship instructor this summer. Before we begin, please pair up.”

Everyone paired up with their partners from the previous summer-- Qingchi being the exception and the odd man out as Philige had already graduated. Standig was quick to snag Huo Lohse as his partner, effectively warding off a feeding frenzy over her by the first years she had just assimilated into the group. Instead, the first years paired off with each other.

Once the trainees seemed to have settled, Captain Starkam continued, “I was told that we have an odd number this year. Who doesn’t have a partner?” Qingchi raised his hand. “You’re a fifth year, aren’t you?” Qingchi nodded. “That’s perfect. What is your name?”

“Qingchi, sir.”

“Ah! One of the Lang boys. Great, Qingchi, you’re going to be my assistant.” A little surprised, Qingchi stepped forward.

“Now, we are going to be working on correcting and perfecting our basic forms today. You will all be familiar with these forms, I am certain, but please don’t get lazy. Perfect form enables your attacks and deflections to be more precise and more powerful, and once they are truly mastered, the more complex maneuvers will be learned more easily.”

The first half of the afternoon was spent doing drills in which the trainees’ forms were critiqued by the captain and Qingchi. Without question, Fortus and Standig had the most technically correct forms while the Phoenix Tribe trainees were definitely the least technical. The second half of the afternoon was spent taking turns sparring with each other while the class critiqued the forms of those that were sparring.

“I want you each to develop an eye for what good form looks like and what it doesn’t look like. A conceptual understanding is the first step to practical application,” the captain explained.

By four o’clock, everyone was tired and sweaty.

“Well done everyone,” Captain Starkam wrapped the afternoon up. “Good improvement for one day. Make sure you grab some water, and I will see you all tomorrow.”

“Standig, wanna hang out?” Lolo was quick to ask as they headed back.

"I actually have something that I want to show you." He lowered his voice to a whisper. “Your cabin is at the very end of one of the north aisles, right?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Meet me just a little ways north of your cabin.”

“So, north, outside of the Leader’s Lodge?”

“Mn,” he nodded.

“Just the two of us?”

He gave her a funny look.

"Just the two of us it is. I’ll see you soon!” Lolo grinned and took off up the hill.