A Scent of a Woman

by Shaolin Kitten

Part 11

Kwai Chang Caine approached the deserted farmhouse. This area felt quite familiar to him. He knew he had been here when he was a boy those many years ago when he and his father had first arrived at the Shaolin temple in America.

*****Flashback*****

Their first day after arriving was strange and familiar. Familiar in that the temple had a very similar layout to their temple home in China. Strange because many of the priests and students were speaking a language that only his father, Matthew Caine, would use on occasion in private. The strangeness of the place had made Kwai Chang feel homesick. His first night there at the new temple was filled with fear and uncertainty. He and his father had been settled into a large room together. Matthew seemed to adjust quickly to the new surroundings. Kwai Chang, however, was plagued by nightmares and dreams. He kept seeing the soldiers taking his friends and his father barely rescuing him in time as well. When he woke from the nightmare, it was still night. Kwai Chang remembered how he had crept out of his bed and filled a small pouch with food and little else. He'd hidden the pouch under his bed with some of his clothes. He did not know what he was going to do but he knew, at that moment, all he wanted was to go home.

It would be a few days before Kwai Chang would get his chance to leave. His father was busy trying to fit into this new life. Since Kwai Chang was considered too young for formal training by the priests of this temple, he had been dismissed to his new rooms. He went back, grabbed the pouch of food, and found his way to the temple entrance without being seen.

It seemed simple enough in his young mind. All he had to do was make it to San Francisco, board a boat bound for China, and he would return home. Kwai Chang, however, did not know of the daunting task that lay before him. He set out on what turned out to be a warm early spring day. He remembered his father telling him if he always wanted to know which direction he was facing, to look at the shadows. He then headed in the opposite direction of the little town that was over the hill from the lake. He knew if he was going to do this, he could not go along the road, and instead he set out through the woods. He had only been gone for an hour, when the weather changed. A cold wind came up from nowhere and Kwai Chang tried his best to ignore it. It was one of the things that his father was trying to teach him. The mind, when focused properly, could control the body's responses to many things, including heat, cold, pain, pleasure, and injury. Although an apt student, it was not always easy for him.

As Kwai Chang continued to walk, snow began to fall, and he stopped and watched for just a moment. It was the first time he had seen the white lacy flakes. There had not been any snow at the temple back in China for several winters. His heart for the moment became gay and he wished that his father could see what he was seeing, but then he realized why he left. He was angry at his father for bringing them to this new place. So, he stopped admiring the now thickening blanket of white and pushed on. It wasn't long before the snowfall became heavier. The day became grayer and it was becoming more difficult to walk. It was hard to distinguish distance, and when Kwai Chang looked back, the trail that he had left behind was quickly being re-covered. Kwai Chang was realizing that maybe this was not such a good idea. It was at that moment when he was deciding to turn back that the wind again picked up. Snow blew into his face, obscuring his vision. Instead of turning around and heading back in the direction he had come, Kwai Chang, without realizing it, turned more easterly. He kept walking for what seemed hours but was only 15 minutes. By this time, Kwai Chang was regretting his hasty decision. His feet were becoming numb, as he had chosen to wear open toed sandals rather than the boots that his father had Master Yun make for him back home. Not only was he not wearing proper foot attire, he had neglected to bring a jacket to protect himself from the cold wind that was penetrating the robes that he wore.

It wasn't long before Kwai Chang could barely make out the shape of a building in front of him. As he came closer, he could see it was a house of some sort. Kwai Chang quickened his pace with the hope of shelter and maybe help, only to find that the house was empty, it's rooms long abandoned. Kwai Chang, however, settled down in a corner to make the best of it and to wait out the storm. At least he would not go hungry. It was several hours later when his father found him. Kwai Chang had fallen asleep from the cold. He woke to the warmth of strong arms and deep concerned eyes looking down on him. They never did speak about that day. His father must have figured he had learned a valuable lesson. In truth, Kwai Chang had nearly succumbed to the cold. If another hour had gone by, Matthew would have lost his only son.

*****End Flashback****

"Nnnooooo!"

Kwai Chang was brought out of his remembrance by the sudden terror of Laura's screams. He quickened his pace and headed for the back of the house. He did not wish to come upon them too quickly and risk making too much noise. His Shaolin training called for stealth. Kwai Chang made his way through each of the rooms until he could see what was going on. The man had tied Laura to a chair and was looping a rope over an exposed rafter. As soon as he was done, he looped one end over Laura's head and tightened the noose. Kwai Chang suddenly reacted. The silver star came out of the dark, sudden, sharp, and swift; severing the rope at the point of contact with the beam, making it useless. He usually preferred no weapon, but for expedience sake, required it.

The man turned at the sudden noise and the dropping of the halved rope. Kwai Chang Caine stood in a cat stance with hands in a crane's beak position, prepared to defend himself. Seeing the priest, the man was filled with rage. He charged the priest only to find himself suddenly forced back by the blows of a double flying kick. The man did not fall but shook off the attack. This was unlike anything he had experienced. Kwai Chang Caine circled so he was in between Laura and her abductor. The man came at Caine again and, for the second time, he was forced back, this time by a solid blow to the chest with an open hand punch. The man was knocked to the floor and he landed near a pile of rubble. Kwai Chang turned to help untie Laura from her bonds. Tears shone brightly in her eyes as she smiled at her rescuer. Suddenly, Casey was there. He tried to bring the two-by-four he had grabbed down across Kwai Chang's back, but Kwai Chang turned and brought his arms up to protect himself from the blow. The board broke and a large piece of it fell hard and caught Laura across her shoulder, knocking her out. Deep pain and remorse filled Kwai Chang at the injury that had been done to Laura Carradine. The man raised the board again but didn't finish the movement. Suddenly he pitched forward, a gold throwing star was sticking out from between the man's shoulder blades. Kwai Chang looked toward the direction from which the star had been thrown. In the doorway stood Master Dao and Master Ping Hai. Kwai Chang Caine again turned toward Laura and finished freeing her from the chair. He examined the injury and discovered the damage that had been done was minimal. There would be some bruising and her shoulder would be painful for a few days, but she would recover. After examining Laura, Kwai Chang examined the man and found him still alive. Ping Hai came forward and handed Kwai Chang his large brown pouch after he removed the throwing star from the man's back. He then pulled out a smaller pouch and applied herbs to the wound.

"Why are you giving him help?" Contempt laced Master Dao's voice. "He tried to kill her. He should have died for what he did. Why did you not kill him?"

"You know it is not the Shaolin way to meet out justice with a life for a life. Even though my grandfather did so, thus bringing dishonor to the name of Caine, I do not wish to add to it. It is my wish to remove that dishonor someday. This man needs help just as much, maybe more so. He, too, is in great pain."

"We shall take care of him, my friend." Ping Hai stepped in before Master Dao could counter. "You must return the young lady to her home."

Master Dao watched as Kwai Chang Caine placed his pouch over his shoulder then gently picked Laura up in his arms. It should have been him. Confusion and hatred warred within Dao. It had not been the first time he reacted to save the life of a fellow priest. Nor was it the first time that he had thought to take the life of another because of that duty. But this time, he had just saved the life of his hated enemy and rival, and he found it disturbed him greatly. He also found that he had not been aiming for the man, but for Kwai Chang Caine. The man had just conveniently gotten in the way. When he re-played the words that he said to Caine, he realized he actually felt that way and it scared him. The Shaolin in him was appalled at his own behavior, but the man in him continued to slip deeper into the dark. It would seem the path that Dao was on was becoming more clouded while Caine remained. If he did not do something about it soon, a fellow Shaolin was certainly going to die, and it would not be him.

End of Part 11