The Day of Thunder

[Makime]

Makime, again armed and armored, made her way to the home of Chouri and again made a polite knock on the door frame. She took a step back to wait for the headwoman to make her appearance. The Lion's expression was unreadable but her hand rested on her sword hilt given the incidents of last night.

[Anjing]

Makime, again armed and armored, made her way to the home of Chouri and again made a polite knock on the door frame. She took a step back to wait for the headwoman to make her appearance. The Lion's expression was unreadable but her hand rested on her sword hilt given the incidents of last night.

Anjing stood beside the Lion daimyo, her expression dour. The day had been off to a poor start already and seemed unlikely to improve.
Now she found herself returning to the estate. "This woman lives better than I do."

With a quiet sigh she rolled her neck and shifted in her armour. It was going to be a long day.

[Makime]

"She lives better then half my village governors." Makime frowned, "Why someone bothered to build so big a manor for so isolated a village is beyond me, but I gathered that it was here before they were. But you see now why I proposed it as the foundation of any defense."

[Wu Dai Lu]

Chouri opened the door, curious at the many visitors on a day usually for family and contemplation. Seeing Makime and Anjing, she smiled. "Please, come inside. I'll get the liaison. You're welcome to the herbal tea I have on the hearth."

With that, she heads inside.

[Wu Zhe]

It just so happens that the liaison was setting a platter of food near the hearth

He quirked an eyebrow when the armored women entered the home and bowed

"Good afternoon. Have you already eaten? I have some more on the kitchen, if you desire."

[Makime]

Makime follows Chouri inside, "I do not have a need to speak to the Imperial's liaison. My business here is direct." Her eyes fall on the Dragon, "...Wu Zhe I presume, I believe you spoke with Kenji-san yesterday. He has informed me of your comments."

She shifted her focus back to the headwoman, "No tea. No food. I am here for two key matters. First we are going to begin building earthworks near your home, and at least planning on fortifying the compound." The Lioness holds up a hand, "No intent to occupy it but if the situation requires we intend to use this place as a makeshift fort to hide and defend the villagers in. A smaller earthworks fort will be sited up the hill to protect from attack coming from that side."

Makime glanced to Anjing. This was the easy part, but the next bit was likely to get more heated.

[Anjing]

Anjing nods politely at the heading woman and makes sure not to track any dirt inside, always important to be polite about a home.

"No, I haven't eaten yet, but it is polite of you to offer young man. Would you happen to have any cheese? I would be happy to trade for some tea from my own lands, bracing stuff."

She looks around, it was a little easier to get an appreciation for the place now it was less crowded, nodding along as Makime outlined the plan.
"This location is important to the safety of all gathered here, as Makime has explained." Her tone was warm by Anjing standards.

[Wu Zhe]

He gave a nod "I do have some from my home or, if you prefer, I have some fresh curds. I can add spice for flavor"

[Wu Dai Lu]

"Ah yes, pardon me. My people's food isn't to your taste, I recall," Chouri said with a placid smile. It didn't change as she listened. "I see. Has this plan gone by Jiyo-sama or Shiba-sama, those whose protection we accepted?"

When Anjing spoke, she nodded, not sure where she was going with this. "Yes...?"

[Makime]

"Yes." Makime nodded, glancing at Anjing. "I have no intention of having your people fight in the open in a battle. Your home is sturdy and large, it would be the best makeshift fort."

[Wu Zhe]

''Have you spoken with Aoyama about the protocols in case of attack?'' the dragon added to the conversation

[Anjing]

He gave a nod "I do have some from my home or, if you prefer, I have some fresh curds. I can add spice for flavor"

"Ah! I hear they have a most potent flavour if fresh, that sounds like a wonderful trade, thank you dear."
Anjing smiles and nods before turning her attention back to the discussion at hand.

"Indeed, if an attack should come, and we have already seen great wolves prowling the outskirts, then this estate is the most sensible refuge. Just a matter of getting everyone organised to come here quickly if the worst should happen, making sure there's no panic."
Looking between Chouri and Wu.

"You two seem best placed for that. I think Aoyama has been looped in."

[Wu Zhe]

Zhe gave a genuine smile to the Crab Daimyo and excused himself to go prepare the cheese in the adjacent room

[Wu Dai Lu]

"It is indeed. I'm glad we've already set up for that, then," she said, pulling over a piece of parchment and writing something down. She heads to the door, sending it out before coming back. "Well, there was an attack by wolves. They certainly haven't been seen 'prowling the outskirts' until now."

"My people can defend themselves, but I won't disagree with focusing them in defending our people here," she said with a nod. "I will send a message to let you know once I have everything confirmed."

[Makime]

"In the mean time I will begin construction of the earthwork defenses," Makime nodded, "Hopefully it remains merely a precaution."

"Have there been any other attacks or strange occurrences recently?" She crossed her arms, "Besides the wolf attack."

[Anjing]

"Very kind of you."

As Wu goes to fetch the supplies Anjing removes a small pouch of strong tea from her pack, couldn't have too much caffeine in the village these days.

"I recall that one of the wolves was larger than a horse, such a thing would be quite disturbing in most other parts of the empire. Hopefully there was only the one. But I am also curious if anything else strange has occurred?"

[Wu Dai Lu]

"I heard there was some violence in the Sleeping Garden this morning, but I don't know much about it yet," she said, looking concerned. "The graveyard and the nightmares are a little more active than usual this year, but everyone has been weathering the latter all right, and they know not to go near the former this time of year."

[Anjing]

"I heard there was some violence in the Sleeping Garden this morning, but I don't know much about it yet," she said, looking concerned. "The graveyard and the nightmares are a little more active than usual this year, but everyone has been weathering the latter all right, and they know not to go near the former this time of year."

"Ah, so this is not wholly unusual? The nightmares and the curses and so on. What do they look like on a typical year? It would be useful to know how things have changed?"
Anjing seems quite curious what the baseline was.

[Wu Zhe]

The dragon made quick work of the seasoning on his curds, making it back to the room before as the discussion was on going

[Makime]

"And the issue with the graveyard, what precisely is happening." Makime added, tapping her fingers on her arm.