At the first gray light of dawn, Black Snake heard He Ning's voice.
Following the sound, he came to the stone terrace outside the Mountain Gate.
He Ning carried a bundle on her back and held a steaming wrap in both hands, savoring it in little bites.
"Master wants us to go down the mountain on an errand."
Still eating, she explained the situation in a single sentence, then set off down the mountain with Black Snake. The early-spring morning was still a little chilly, but once she had finished her hot wrap, the walk gradually warmed her up.
Over the years, they had occasionally gone down the mountain to deal with things. None of the tasks had been difficult, and there were benefits, too.
Sometimes they received reward money, which He Ning exchanged for eggs. Sometimes they received no money, but something would change in ways they could not quite perceive.
It was hard to explain. Perhaps only the Abbot knew.
Given a choice, Black Snake preferred that special sort of reward, because it seemed to make his mind a little clearer.
A cuckoo's call drifted from deep in the woods. He Ning smiled and said its song was lovely.
Black Snake turned to look at the dense forest, planning to catch one for He Ning when he had time.
They first stopped in the village at the foot of the mountain, where He Ning led out a donkey. It was an exceptionally stubborn creature, reportedly prone to biting the village dogs. It even dared to kick at Black Snake. Only this donkey could accompany them; other cattle and horses would be frightened away by him.
The donkey carried He Ning across a little stone arch bridge, its hooves clopping.
The murmur of the stream beneath the bridge lay