Sanctuary

Bai Ye named a myriad of new herbs to me as we passed them on our way, stopping every now and then to let me feel their texture, sniff their scent, and sometimes taste them. I recognized a few of those from books I had read before, though most I had never even heard of.

As I committed the new information to my memory, all our past trips where we shared moments like this rushed back to my mind, and I remembered how peaceful and fulfilled I had always felt every time, surrounded by the serenity of the woods and his patient guidance. It was a feeling that I hadn't experienced for a while, and I wondered if it was because my ventures into the wilderness were too long overdue, or because my recent obsession with swords had shadowed my true passion.

Maybe he was right. Maybe medicine was meant to be my path after all.