The Ring of Earth - Chris Bradford [29]
‘Yet the best place to hide, as you know, Jack,’ continued Soke, ‘is above – in a tree or on a roof. People seldom look up.’
Soke now addressed the whole class.
‘But we can’t hide all night. So a ninja must learn shinobi aruki – stealth-walking. Miyuki, please demonstrate.’
Miyuki sank low and began to cross the glade in short, prowling steps. She made no sound at all, even as she passed through the long grass.
‘Notice how Miyuki keeps her foot pointed, placing her toes down first. That way she can feel for any obstacles. Her weight then gradually shifts on to her toes, thereby ensuring she makes no noise. Lastly, she lowers herself on to the side of her foot, until the heel touches the ground and she’s ready to take the next step.’
Miyuki entered the stream and Jack was amazed. She barely made a ripple.
‘When dealing with water crossings,’ Soke explained, ‘not only must your foot enter straight like a spear, but remember not to drag the back one. Lift it high and clear before placing it. Now I want you all to practise this. Find a partner and try to steal up on them without being detected.’
The ninja paired up, very obviously avoiding Jack. He got the impression he wasn’t exactly welcome among their ranks. Once again, he was in the position of having to prove his worth, just as he’d had to as a gaijin samurai at the Niten Ichi Ryū.
‘Do you want to train with me?’ suggested Hanzo.
‘That would be good,’ said Jack.
‘I’ll go first. You wait on the other side of the stream.’
Hanzo ran off to the edge of the glade and waited for Jack to take up position. Turning round, Jack listened intently for the boy’s approach. He didn’t expect Hanzo to get very far. Sensei Kano had taught Jack how to hear sound shadows. But there was no reason to tell Hanzo about that skill. Not yet, anyway.
The glade was quiet, the stream too lazy to make much noise. This would be easy. ‘Ready when you are,’ Jack called out.
‘Your turn!’ Hanzo replied, his grinning face right next to him.
For the second time that morning, Jack almost jumped out of his skin. How on earth had Hanzo crept up on him like that? For a brief moment, he thought the boy had cheated. But Hanzo’s trouser legs were clearly wet.
Shaking his head in disbelief, Jack crossed the brook for his attempt. Sinking into a low back stance just as Miyuki had done, Jack lifted his front foot and took a step. His toes touched the ground, but as the rest of his foot made contact there was a sharp snap of a twig.
‘Heard you!’ said Hanzo. ‘Try again.’
Miyuki gave Jack a sorry shake of the head.
‘You need to feel with your toes first,’ observed Soke. ‘Then transfer your weight little by little. That way you can stop if you begin to make a sound.’
Jack warily tested the ground ahead. He edged slowly across the glade, the other ninja passing in silent speed. Halfway across, his leg muscles began to ache. He wasn’t used to such painstaking movement. As he entered the long grass, Jack lost his balance and his lead leg brushed against the seed heads.
‘Heard you!’ cried Hanzo. ‘Last chance.’
Jack now felt the pressure. Everyone else was watching him. Concentrating on each foot placement, Jack somehow managed to reach the stream without further mishap. But as soon as he stepped into the water, he made a loud splash.
‘Heard you again!’ said Hanzo, turning round. ‘You’re not very good for a tengu, are you?’
‘Tengu are better at flying,’ Jack retorted, much to the amusement of the others.
‘It wasn’t bad for a first attempt,’ said Soke. ‘Shinobi aruki takes time to master. Practise your stealth-walking in the paddy fields every day until you can cross them without making a single ripple.’
Soke now summoned all the students into a circle.
‘However refined your stealth techniques are, sometimes you’ll be discovered. Other times you may need to deliver information quickly. In those instances, escape running is essential. This is where we combine the Ring of Wind and the