One Tail at a Time

An Unsettling Introduction

Life on the mountain for Xiaobai has not been an easy transition for her because the change in routine is dramatic and far removed from what she knows, but then, my students all had to acclimatize themselves to the strict regime that I run here, so I know that in time, she will too.   And she is a hardy girl, so I do not worry too much about her in particular, my thoughts are more on the boys who I have had to put on watch in regards to what they say around her and what they do.

They are all a lively bunch and the hilarity can sometimes get out of hand, especially when it comes to Zi Lan who likes to pull pranks and take liberties with his brothers possessions.  In fact, this Disciple is the one who could make or break her if he gets it into his head to cause her mischief which I know he has planned well before her arrival, and it is this reason why I have placed her chamber directly next to mine along with her own bathing chamber and a ban on all of them from entering.  It is also why I have placed her sprite with her rather than wit the rest of the boys.  He might irk me the majority of the time, but his sole concern has always been her well being and being her protector with the biggest mouth on the mountain, I know he will not stand for any shenanigans from them either.

 So after one long hard talk, I have them all realizing right from the start, that Xiaobai is out of bounds to their kind of fun and their kind of talk which can at times become bawdy.  But with a little girl on the mountain and one they are all responsible for, I make it very clear, that they are not to sully her mind with their boyish ways.

And for added security, I give her a white dress to wear instead of the standard Disciple robe which the boys wear.  She also wears ribbons and decorative pins in her hair, and though they are kept simple so as to understate rather than shine, there is no doubt in their minds that there is a girl among them.

Though the rules for her have had to be altered, and this was brought to my attention by Liang who had found himself breaking one of their own rules which to be honest, I had completely forgotten about.  The rules they live by were created by my father, and I did not change them, because they were more than adequate to keep the peace and decorum at all times.

However, they are all suited to boys, so sitting down with Xiaobai at the Knees of Contemplation, we discuss some of these rules seeing as she is becoming tearful at what she sees as favouritism.  She has it in her head, that she should abide by the same rules as them if she is to fit in, only several of them pertain to certain behaviours that are not applicable to her.

One of those things, is the discharging of semen which she passionately demands to know why she doesn't have any and what it actually is.

Well I must say, I am far more ready for this kind of discussion from our last talk,  though the embarrassment at suddenly being forced into it without warning is still high.  But being new to the mountain is a big step forward for her, and I can see that the rules she is finding  hard to comprehend, means a deeper talk on reproduction which I think she needs to know now that she is here among us.

And this time, I do not think about her mother when I explain to her exactly what semen is and why she doesn't have any while also revisiting our last talk to expand on the lessen in reproduction by introducing real body parts and that being the penis where the semen is released from and what creates a child.

And it is here that I reiterate personal space,  decorum and appropriate behaviour when around her brothers which I also expect from them while adding my expectations of what I deem an apprenticeship that follows these strict rules, and that is, men and now girls do not have relationships while undergoing tutelage on the mountain, and they certainly do not allow their moral judgements to be affected by unholy thoughts or actions.