The dragon let out a great roar, causing the Doctor and Windsor to evacuate the immediate area. Truman remained, frozen from fear and fascination. The fleeing duo noticed Truman's lack of mobility too late to do anything.
Suddenly a blur of motion appeared between Truman and the dragon, causing the dragon to peel back in pain. The blur grabbed Truman's wrist and pulled him away as the dragon fell towards the ground.
"He is only stunned," the blur said, its voice muffled from a scarf covering its mouth. "We must keep moving." Having no time to look the blur over, Truman complied and followed the blur deeper into the woods, the Doctor and Windsor in tow.
They found themselves at the mouth of a cave, into which the blur had entered. They heard the roar of the dragon behind them, and hastily entered. Inside was a makeshift campsite, complete with provisions, a fire, and a sleeping area. The blur sat by the fire, having placed the scarf it had been wearing aside to reveal the black haired woman underneath. Her eyes gazed sternly at the fire, as if she was scolding herself.
"I can't thank you enough for saving me," Truman said gratefully, approaching his savior with an extended hand. The woman eyed his hand cautiously.
"Why are you extending your hand at me?" she asked, her voice hinting at suspecting an ulterior motive.
"Oh that's a sign of thanks and respect where he's from," the Doctor said cheerily from deeper into the cave as he inspected the walls with an unusual amount of excitement. The woman nodded, and crossed her hand diagonally across her face.
"Where I am from, this is a sign of respect," she lectured, prompting Truman to respectfully mirror the movement. A small grin appeared on her face, and she gave him a slight bow.
"I am Kazuhira of the Senzi people and I welcome you to my home," she said, gesturing around her encompassingly.
"We're in Japan, right?" Windsor said, acknowledging his surroundings skeptically as he tapped his hand on his crossed arms.
"I do not know where this Japan is, but it is not here, Shitsureina," she said coldly, her eyes bearing into Windsor's with malice.
"She just called you disrespectful, mate," the Doctor said, smiling at Windsor. "Seems this planet does have some similar roots with Japanese etymology and culture." He approached Kazuhira, motioned the respect gesture and bowed slightly. "I'm the Doctor and these are Truman and Windsor, and we're here to help."
"You are used to women being in love with you aren't you?" Kazuhira asked bluntly, leaving the Doctor speechless. "You seem to have that air about you. Never a good thing for one to have."
"Madam Kazuhira," Truman said, bringing her attention towards him as the Doctor paced back and forth wondering aloud how he had given off that vibe. "Could you tell us where exactly we are and what that creature was we faced?"
"You are in the Senzi nation," she explained, sitting cross legged on the ground. Truman sat across from her, eager to hear her explanations. "And those beasts you have come across are Serpentines, the scourge of our people. They are greedy monsters, stealing from our villages and destroying out people. Our warriors are fighting a losing battle against the Serpentines because they are blind to their patterns." Truman nodded, and noticed the Doctor had recovered from his revelation enough to join their fireside chat. Windsor leaned against the cave wall scoffing at his misfortune of landing somewhere he didn't want to be.
"What patterns are those?" the Doctor asked.
"They are creatures of habit," Kazuhira stated. "They have routines and habits they continue to live out, as if they were once Senzi. We also have our strict rituals and schedules, something I was never able to abide by."
"You don't like following people's orders?" Truman guessed.
"I was never able to arrive to any event on time," Kazuhira spat, the venom in her voice showing how serious a problem it was. Windsor chuckled, but after a death glare from Kazuhira bowed his head gravely. "This is the greatest dishonor to my people. That is part of the reason why I live in this cave rather than with the Senzi."
"What's the other reason?" the Doctor whispered.
"I would not kill the Serpentines," said Kazuhira. "Although they kill our people daily, I cannot bring myself to slay them. My blade has never tasted blood, and I plan to keep it that way."
"Yes, I noticed you kept your sword sheathed when fending off the Serpentine," said the Doctor, a tone of admiration seeping into his voice. "I like people with those priorities." Kazuhira nodded, and continued.
"So I was expelled, forced to seek refuge in the wild lands a short way beyond the borders of the land. However, I still feel an obligation to my people, no matter how strict their laws may be. I protect the borders from new Serpentines that try to enter." Truman smiled comfortingly at her.
"So what do these dragons want with your people?" Windsor asked from the cave wall.
"That I cannot answer," Kazuhira admitted. "I have been trying to discover their hives or bases, but they have been able to elude me. Perhaps you three may be able to help me. I am not allowed to contact my people for assistance, but you might be able to give me the numbers I need to hunt them down." The Doctor looked at Kazuhira and nodded.
"We will help you on one condition: the Serpentines are not to be harmed or killed," the Doctor asserted. "They have just as much of a right to live here as you. We will try to reason with them and come to a peaceful decision." Kazuhira bowed her head in agreement.
"From what Kazuhira says, these are bloodthirsty beasts," Windsor mentioned. "If we can't reason with them something has to be done."
"We can't think like that," Truman interrupted, glancing at the Doctor to make sure Windsor's words weren't having an effect. "We must stress peace. They're a race of creatures, Windsor, not monsters."
"I agree," Kazuhira stated, picking up her sword from its resting place. "We must not antagonize them any more than we already have."
"Never tickle a sleeping dragon," the Doctor stated, a smile crossing his lips. "Well, shall we go discover their hiding place?" He charged out of the cave, leaving behind a confused Kazuhira.
"Is your Doctor always this foolhardy?" Kazuhira asked Truman, who nodded his head.
"It's part of his charm," he said as they followed him out of the cave. "He is the bravest man I've ever met, undoubtedly."
"How long have you been travelling together?"
"Not very long actually," Truman admitted. "In fact, I don't really know too much about the Doctor. He's very mysterious and wise, but there's something deep inside him that frightens me and awes me at the same time. I'm not sure what it is, but I just get this feeling." Kazuhira nodded, and then gestured to Windsor.
"And how long have you been betrothed? Your mate could learn some manners from you, Truman." Truman froze.
"Oh you think we're a couple," Truman stammered, shaking his head vigorously at Kazuhira. "No, just roommates. Honest!"
He continued stammering that they weren't a couple and were just friends. Kazuhira laughed in amusement, but did not give any indication that she believed him
"Don't worry, Kaz," Windsor interjected with a swaggering bravado, oblivious to the conversation Kazuhira and Truman had just finished as he swung his cricket bat like a swashbuckling swordsman. "If anything happens, I will protect you."
"Were did you get that cricket bat from?" Truman asked Windsor.
"Always keep it with me."
"Where, in your back pocket? The thing's huge!"
"While I thank you for your concern," Kazuhira interrupted. "I will ask you to have more respect when addressing me," Her voice rang with authority, causing Windsor to stutter step. "The women of Senzi were born warriors and leaders, and we do not suffer fools gladly."
"I respect you," Truman said in a small voice, earning an approving glance from Kazuhira.
"And I respect you. That is why we are equals," Kazuhira stated. Truman thanked Kazuhira and walked up to the Doctor.
"What did she mean by women falling in love with you?" he questioned.
"That's a long story. Long stories, actually," the Doctor admitted, the look on his face revealing his discomfort on the subject. He rubbed his head uncomfortably. "I went through a phase with one of my past lives where I acted… rashly towards women. I've been making a conscious effort to forget about that."
"Doctor, are you telling me you were disrespectful towards women?" Truman asked, astonished. "You know that without women we wouldn't actually be here right? Are you able to give birth to another being?"
"Funny story, that," he said. "I have done that before. Severed hand, regeneration energy, it's another long story."
"You'll have to tell me these long stories one day," Truman casually stated, trying to hide his urge to find out more about the mysterious Doctor.
They soon found themselves stopped in front of the place where they had first arrived. The Doctor glanced over the area and began worriedly pacing around the forest.
"Is your Doctor having trouble with something?" asked Kazuhira. Truman walked up to the Doctor.
"Doctor, what's wrong?" Truman asked, and the Doctor looked at him gravely.
"Truman, the TARDIS is gone."