This had happened before. The scars were telling.

Kettara flattened her ears, but her grip on the blade never wavered. She had bled before, been cut before. Once, she had even been kept in a cage. This would be a small pain in comparison. If she endured it with honor, her ancestors would be pleased. Surely they were watching over her. Surely they would grant her guidance for what was to come.

There was no point in stalling.

She lifted her chin. "Ancestors watch over you, human."

And she began to cut.