Yinse Shen was seeking out help for one of his lessons, going to a fellow student of his instead of a teacher. It was a bit about history, but part of him just wanted a break, too. There weren't very many non-lions around, and a deep part of him wanted to talk with one. That new student was a wild dog, though she was well aged and very smart. Yinse knew that she would probably work her way up the ranks as far as she could, or at least become a great teacher.
"Tàiyang Nǚshén," he called out to her in greeting. "Do you think you could help me a bit?"
"Mmmmm?" the white wild dog raised her head up from her studies, as she had been quietly reciting things to herself. It was interesting becoming a student among so many youngsters, but part of her felt younger when she spent so much time with them. "Ah, Yinse. I can help you with anything you need," she replied, pleased to see the troubled student come to her. She felt sorry for him, that he struggled so much. It wouldn't surprise her if he ended up quitting his studies at some point. He didn't have what it took to teach....unless perhaps he could be a teacher of hunting or something.
"Ah, yes, well, I know you're new, but I think you understand some of this history better than I do. Do you think you could go over yesterdays' lesson with me again?" He flushed, feeling a bit ashamed, but determined to try to understand it better. History was probably the one thing he really enjoyed, but he still struggled keeping it all straight and linear.
"Well, perhaps you should be paying more attention to the lessons than that pretty lioness you can't get your eyes off of," Nushen teased, her smile widening as she remembered. He was completely in love with her, and yet she couldn't see anything past her lessons. Now that there were even more males around, competition for her affections might grow difficult!
Yinse flushed. "B...but...how would you know??" He felt himself blurting out the words before he even meant to, but out there were. If she knew, did everyone else know? Were they all laughing at him?? Now he was horrified about what else everyone knew...and if she knew, what would she think?
"My dear boy, it is pretty obvious. She hasn't noticed because she's so in tune with her studies, but I know that there are a few who can see that you're smitten." The wild dog sat next to the large lion, her small frame looking a little silly next to him. She patted his paw, shaking her head. "I'm not all that skilled with love, as all I've got with me left is little Issun, but its hard to ignore it. You need to either be honest with her, Yinse, or you need to hide it better."
"I'm screwed. I just...I can't." He didn't know what to do, and all he could think about was how much of a failure he was as a student. How could he try to court someone who cared so much about knowledge? He'd just have to admire her from far away, like a flower.
"Perhaps your sister can talk some sense into you," Nushen said with a shake of her head. "You're giving up too easily, and that is enough for her to ignore you. Be nice, strike up a conversation. See how it goes, then start to prove yourself to her. Ah ah ah," she exclaimed, cutting him off from interrupting her. "You never know. Perhaps you just aren't meant to be a student. If you haven't yet found what it is you enjoy learning, it may be time to switch careers. There is nothing shameful in just becoming a guard. We do not have many here, and though some of us know how to fight, the strength isn't there after spending hours and hours studying."
Yinse looked a bit troubled, but also contemplative. He had never considered being anything else but a student, but it was clear that he would never move up. He wasn't good enough at anything to become a teacher, let alone a scholar of some sort.
"Just think on it," the white wild dog stated with a firm nod. With that, she trotted off to go find her annoying hare Issun, most likely lamenting the fact that there were many other hares around, let alone female hares! Sigh, what was she to do with that silly little bun?
Yinse watched the wold dog leave, still feeling mixed but confused. Did she really know that much about him already? It made him fearful, if he was really that easy to read. If she knew, the lioness who had captured his heart most likely knew as well. The real question was...did she care?
Oh, what to do. Yinse decided that the best thing to do was to go get a long drink of cold river water, and go talk to his sister. She seemed so much more put together than he was. If she didn't have a good answer, perhaps he could ask of leave to go visit his parents in the Central House. At the very least, his mother would know what to do. He doubted that his father would discuss much about it; Yinse had learned that it was his mother who had chased after Father, anyway. She'd know what to do!
Then...then maybe he could tell her. Hopefully he wouldn't be too slow, and someone wouldn't beat him. Yinse didn't know what he would do if Qiúzhī were to marry someone else. Run away. Change houses. Cry. Ugh. He needed to find Yanran Mei right now and come up with a plan. With that idea in his head, he scurried off to search for his blue sister, probably acing another test of her's while he failed to advance. Perhaps becoming a guard would be the first step in trying to make himself better, and more husband material.
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