Ki-lin
One night 16 years ago everything changed.
It had rained earlier, necessitating a checking of the shrine grounds. My daughter had volunteered and been gone far too long.
I found her sitting below the Sacred Tree, her ribbon gone, hair loose about her face as she appeared to meditate.
"Papa?"
Her voice startled me. She sounded shocked. Afraid, I went to her to help her to her feet and back to the house, but stopped. The ground around her was dry and warm and pressed into the earth were cloven hoofprints.
"A Ki-lin was here."
Nine months later my granddaughter, Kagome, was born.
One night 16 years ago everything changed.
It had rained earlier, necessitating a checking of the shrine grounds. My daughter had volunteered and been gone far too long.
I found her sitting below the Sacred Tree, her ribbon gone, hair loose about her face as she appeared to meditate.
"Papa?"
Her voice startled me. She sounded shocked. Afraid, I went to her to help her to her feet and back to the house, but stopped. The ground around her was dry and warm and pressed into the earth were cloven hoofprints.
"A Ki-lin was here."
Nine months later my granddaughter, Kagome, was born.