Way up in the mountains, there's an enormous frozen lake. It's so cold and at such a high altitude that there are no seasons. At the center of the lake, there's an island, where the cherry trees are in bloom all year round. The thick forest shelters it from the wind, and there's a warm spring, the only source of heat on the whole lake. There's nothing but ice as far as the eye can see, from horizon to horizon. When you're standing on the shore, watching the powdery snow blow across the ice in the morning sun, it's the most beautiful thing in the world.

On warm days, the surface of the lake starts to melt. It's smooth like a gigantic mirror, where your reflection ripples and bends if you touch it. It's the kind of place that makes you feel all alone in the world. This is the place where I was born.

In Shenkuu, only the elite are selected to be Royal Guards. We are trained from the time we can walk, and even then, only the few who show both the talent and the maturity are chosen to be trained. My father was a proud general of the Shenkuu army and my mother was a warrioress. They were both very pleased when I was apprenticed to Ka'n, an old silver eyrie. I left my family as a cub to train with him.

We traveled all over the world together. I learned everything I know from him, from how to fish to how to brush my fur and clean my armor. Most importantly, he taught me not only how to fight, but how to learn to fight. We had been traveling for a long time when we came to the frozen lake. I thought the place was beautiful, so we settled there to train for a while, just him and me. I was very happy there. Ka'n. He was already old when he took me in. Soon, he was weakening in his old age. On the night of the Moon festival one autumn, we stayed up all night watching the skies. During the silver time, just before dawn, he suddenly grew quiet, like he was watching something. He smiled to greet death, and then he just faded away. It wasn't until later that I learned, for that whole night, I'd been talking to a ghost.

I stayed on the island at the frozen lake for a long time, perfecting the skills that Ka'n taught me. Eventually, I decided to return home, but many years had already passed without my knowing it. Shenkuu had changed. My family is long dead. And me? I'm not even grown up yet! There isn't a place for me anymore.

I started traveling again, this time on my own. That's when I met Springdragon, my owner. He's very nice, and offered me a place to stay and something that's kind of like a family. From now on, I'm going to do my best to just be a nice normal kougra girl. Cheers!