The Day of Thunder

[Anjing]

Anjing slowly makes her way around the camp checking in with those on watch. Even with the sun in the sky there was no telling what evils might come bounding out of the forest, but remaining ready after so many sleepless nights was hard. Caffeine and jokes where shared with the occasional quieter moment of reminiscing about family and friends left behind. Never hurt to remind people why they were fighting.

But the time she finishes her rounds she figures that Hakka boy should be stopping by any minute. He didn't seem like the sort of nice young man who'd be late for a meeting with an auntie.

[Haka Tae-soo]

Indeed he wasn't. Less than 20 minutes after the messenger had been sent, not one, but two youngsters arised on the corner of the farmlands-turned-wall garrison. They seemed to be walking leisurely, both looking to one side and the other curiously as they examined the rather well-organised camp - although judging by how quickly they turned up, their walking leisurely was surprisingly fast.

The older of the pair bowed as he spots Anjing, even before taking the last few steps to reach her. The younger one seems less eager to do so, eyes moving from one side to the other, but finally does so as well and moves to stay directly behind Tae-soo.

"Anjing-sshi.", he says, bowing a bit again as he comes closer. "...Hope you've had a good day so far?" That was said a bit hesitantly - usual greetings and all, but they seemed a bit out of place with all that was going on. "You'd sent for us?"

He then fetches a small cloth bag hanging from a cord around his waist, offers it with a small smile. "It's not much... but we thought you'd like something to share as we talk"

[Anjing]

Snip

"Tae-soo, it's good to see you. I appreciate you coming."
Anjing nods, her expression curious as she glances at the younger one behind him.

"My day has been long so far, but that is hardly unusual lately." She smiles slightly, accepting the bag with both hands. "What a well mannered young man you are, come, sit by my far, I will find something suitable in exchange. And who is this with you? A sibling perhaps? I did not realise you were not travelling alone."

She gestures for the two to join her in the camp where food and drink has been laid out.

[Haka Tae-soo]

Snip

A nod at her first words suggests the long days were not exactly unknown to him either. "We had the luck of being too tired the first few mornings, but things have been taxing, ne?"

"Oh, I completely forgot Ha-yeong wasn't with when I first met you, Anjing-sshi.", he then says as she mentions the young'n, making a gesture as if suggesting they should bow and present themselves properly.

They do just that, if a bit hesitantly and warily. "This one is Ha-yeong... Haka Ha-yeong, ajumeonim. One of Tae-soo's younger siblings"

The way Tae-soo purses the corner of his lips and looks at the young one when they say that suggests they weren't expecting something in the presentation, but in the end he just nods. "...And a young Mosu spirit-caller too, if all goes well", he finally adds.

The awkward tone is soon gone, and a small smile shows as he looks to the bag now in Anjing's hands. "We hope Anjing-sshi likes cherry trout? It's one of the big ones this morning gifted us"

[Anjing]

Snip

"Fresh fish?" Anjing claps her hands together. "Now that has been far far too long. Yes, an excellent gift indeed. You will of course have to share it with us, you and Ha-Yeong."
The centre of the camp is well organised but homely and Anjing can point out a basic food preparation area.
"We can get started getting it ready right away, and in the meantime."
She turns and bends down before re-emerging with a bowl.
"I have some snacks. Dried fruit of my own and nuts from my niece, I expect you both to eat up, you look famished."

The bowls are thrust forward into their hands.
"And while you eat you can tell me about being a mosu spirit-caller, hmmm?"

[Haka Tae-soo]

Snip

The snacks are received with some surprise, and a wider smile - particularly from the younger one, who seems enthusiastic about the prospect of trying it. "Let's start working on getting the food ready, then!", he says, a knife suddenly already on his hands to scale and gut the trout.

"Spirit callers... I... sometimes feel I'm not proper worthy of calling myself one. I'm not wise and knowledgeable as Halmeoni- grandma - was." This time he remembers to stop and explain the word in the more usual terms used across the Empire.

"But halmeoni said I was ready, the village accepted me as one. And now both Halmeoni and the others in the village are no more... I hope we can keep that alive, so the Mosu may have us when we rebuild". The words have the telltale signs of hope without any certainty, but they're said with a small smile.

"We talk to those who have been the village's companions and friends for so long. We let them know we are thankful, ask them for help, ask if they need help. We share our happiness, talk about our suffering... we make sure the river, then rain, the soil, the wind know we remember them, respect them, and appreciate them." A small smile and a nod as he looks at Anjing. "As one would one's family and friends, geureochi?"

Then, looking at the younger teenager. "Dongsaeng-sshi has been learning well, ne? The signs, ways to have your voice reach them. And some rituals... although..." his lips curl a bit, and Anjing can see Ha-yeong looking at the ground, then turning around and pulling their hood closer, rather literally clamming up.

[Anjing]

Snip

Anjing chuckles at the enthusiasm. Frankly in her opinion someone young and not hungry was at best unwell, at worst deranged.
"Okay, you can use one of our boards to start preparing, we'll get the fire ready and we have some herbs and spices if you need."

Shaking her head slightly she turns and listens to Tae-soo with interest, nodding as what he described sounded familiar. "Ah, you are wise men? Spirit seekers? Like Tai? That is a rare talent, but important. Your people will be in your debt if you can manage the spirits. I suppose they certainly are a family of sorts." The analogy clearly works for her.

A slight eyebrow raise. "But it is not an easy path, otherwise there would be less purpose in walking it. I'm no wise woman, so I can only say to take your time, not too fast, not too slow. You can't force spirits, not without hitting them a whole lot anyway. And you're both too nice to be doing foolish things like that."

In a motherly tone. "You two have been safe? No troubles with food or monsters I hope? I am told you are camping down by the river."

[Haka Tae-soo]

Snip

Tae-soo nods, still somewhat hesitant at first about the hospitality, but soon getting to work and allowing himself some trust. Ha-yeong keeps quiet, but eventually joins Tae-soo and starts helping get the fish prepared for the meal.

"Forcing spirits... I guess Halmeoni told us some stories about that. Mostly cautionary tales... can you force the rapids to just cease their flow? Can you force the rain to fall upwards?, she'd say. Our ways had always been those of the flow, and grandma went to great pains trying to teach me to 'harness' it, maybe 'guide' it instead of trying to force it..."

A shrug. "But I suppose folly and pride are always way too near, geureochi?" A very small grin, maybe somewhat self-conscious, but another shrug and it's soon gone.

"We have been... ok, I suppose. The River has provided, even suffering as it is. We've gone to the village for water, choosing to respect the village's taboos, probably caused by that hurt. But the Stream told us its bounty is not affected by whatever hurt it. So we have kept to that, and haven't bothered the villagers for their food."

He then stops, as if thinking about something. "Monsters, though... there was something very strange two nights ago. I woke up in the middle of the night, and..." he looks at Ha-yeong. He hadn't mentioned that to the young'un yet. Should he?

He turns to Anjing. "May I ask why the question, Anjing-sshi? Did something happen to you, or your people? Well... other than the monk yesterday, of course..."