Kuruhi

Kuruhi parried the guard's bamboo spear, the ancient sabre singing a low, mournful note in the cold mountain air. The weapon was older than any building in The Great Panda City, its balance perfect but its purpose unfulfilled. It was one of a pair. Kuruhi carried the blade; their sibling, Hihana, carried the ornate sheath. They were meant to be presented together when they came of age. But Hihana was taken during a border skirmish years ago, leaving Kuruhi with only the naked, unsheathed steel. Every journey, every map scrawled on parchment in their pack, is a search. The Panda Council sees a rogue with a dangerous relic. They don't see the promise Kuruhi made to their reflection in the polished metal. The captain's hat is a disguise, the mask hides their grief, but the sabre in their hand is a vow that refuses to grow cold.