"Helen Lan, it's an honor to receive your guidance," said Lord Ali, the kangaroo chief shaman, with a dose of insincerity as he faced his much younger opponent.
"I am but a novice, and it's my honor to exchange knowledge with you, Lord Shaman," Helen replied with a shy yet enchanting smile that caught even the seasoned shaman by surprise.
The Base Dragon obediently lowered its body, and Helen daintily stepped from its snout and, leveraging its head-raising motion, gracefully leapt onto its broad back.
With a "swoosh," Helen pulled off the cloth covering the war drum, revealing a large Beamon-style General's drum tightly secured by thick leather straps to the back of the Base Dragon. The bulky black cowhide drum revealed only one drum surface, bordered by layers upon layers of black and white crane feathers.
Helen picked up two hollowed-out Kui Niu bone hammers, adjusting the wind chimes attached to them by two silver chains.
