The Day of Thunder

Having continued to hunt her most recent quarry the for some of the past few days she was out among the forest. However, the tracks of her beast had gone behind the fog. A danger she wishes to avoid but did eventually commit to. Yet every time she entered she would inevitably lose the track, only to find the ones she has been following the day prior. Questions bubbled, answers were fleeting, and eventually exhaustion of the mind sets in.

There was a town nearby, she knew that much. So she.woukd venture there alone, and see what it was that people knew of this forest. However, tracking a beast for several days left a person sour and she would not enter town as she was. With this determination the young woman would approach the waters edge, her.Yumi still strung as she.observed for a time to.enshre all was safe.

Goju was walking along the river when he saw a mysterious woman near it. He called out. "Hello there." He approached cautiously.

Yumi raises herself up instantly as she heard the voice. Feathering of her closest arrow brushing against her fingertips until her eyes caught sight of the person approaching her. Calculation, clothing, appearance, the way in which he walks were all quickly put together. Yumi's alarm lowers, her bow resting down once more. While he was some steps away she merely gave a wave to show her acknowledgement and would wait till he approaches.

"May gentle flame have woken you, stranger," she would call out, when she deemed him close enough not to raise her voice too much. "What brings you to these woods?"

"Uh.... and you too." He bows. "I am Hisomu Goju. I was... invited. Are you a local?" Goju didn't remember seeing her, but it's not like he has the village memorized.

"You were invited into the forest?" she replies quick and with energy. "I am no local, but I was tracking a fearsome beast which lead me here. That is my presence in the middle of this forest explained."

"Your turn," she says raising her bow up slightly. Not enough that she was committing to shooting nearly yet but she knew better than to not prepare.

"The village. I came to the river to think. I am a man of the sea and a long way from it." He notices her bow. "If you are on the side of man and the Heavens, you can put away that bow. I would be more interested in hearing about this beast. It may have been slain by some of my comrades in the village. Or it may still be out there, and I would want to warn the others."

Goju does not say what would happen if she wasn't on the side of man and the Heavens. Probably him dying here like a fool if she was a good shot. Though he'd try to take her with him. For now, his hands are clasp in front of him to show he is not a danger to her while his feet subtlety falling into a stance that would give him some chance to dodge if this was a creature of Yume-Jigoku. Trying balance reassurance with caution.

"I do not follow the ways of your lords from elsewhere- but I know no other side than they and that of man," she says, but keeps her bow ready yet. A calming breath. "My hunt was for a lone wolf, a predator that some locals more north of here complained of slaughtering their working animals. Even killed one of their befriended. I have been hunting it for a week, but lost track of it beyond the.." she shakes her head, the mere thought of it still strange to admit.

Goju tries to think of how to phrase it someone as backwater as her. "There is the side of darkness. The one that haunts the dreams and is causing madness. If you are not on that side, then I am not your enemy." Though a little annoyed about her having bow out. Goju ignores it. He probably would be the same in her situation. "The wolf you seek is likely dead. A pack attacked the farmers yesterday, including a large monstrous one. Others killed them in defense of the villagers. Unfortunately, since I didn't see the beasts myself, I cannot give you more information about than it was larger any natural wolf was."

"Mine was a natural beast," she offers, her bow lowering to her side in a more restful stance. Though she keeps her eye on this stranger all the same. A calming breath breaks the tension in her muscles. Enough so that her mind can wander, and her free hand leaves her arrows side to grasp the necklace hanging around her neck. Brushing the stone at it's center with her thumb absently.

"What is this side of darkness which haunts dreams and causes madness?"

"We call it Jigoku. The Realm of Evil. I don't know what it was called in traditions before the arrival of the Kami. It digs in and corrupts the souls of mortals. It has been attacking people through their dreams the last few years."

Yumi's focus turns toward the stone hanging at her neck. Brushing it again in that moment of thoughtful remembrance but a spark ignites in her chest that pulls her away from any such melancholy. Tucking the stone away beneath her clothing she focuses her energy toward the man before her. Indicating a spot near her, a stone that was comfortably enough to serve as a seat, and claimed one for herself.

"I have had experience with such things before, but I do not have any name for it myself. You suspect such dark things lurk here?" she asks, but seems to answer herself by continuing, "Do you suspect that this has something to do with the fog that lines this forest?" she asks, and glances deeper within where she had come from.

Goju joins her in the other seat. "Aye. A wise man named Shinsei brought many of us here. He says there's going to be a confrontation with the darkness that's going to be a deciding battle of sorts. Others were brought here by destiny." He gestures with his hand indicating that he's assuming that's what brought her here.

"There's plenty in the village who can explain it better than me. Do you know how to defend yourself against the corruption?"

"Then I will continue to seek this village for more answers. Thank you for the guidance of my Flame," she says, and offers a slight dip of her head towards him.

Reaching up she digs out her necklace to reveal the dreamstone hanging from her neck, "My father gave me this years ago to defend me against lurking evil. It has not yet let me down."

Goju sees it and looks concerned. He fishes out a finger of jade. "Here. Take this. It's what we use. It does well at protecting those from harm. Can't hurt to have multiple protections the way I see it."

"Your Flame serves you and me, friend," she says, and offers her hand to accept the generous gift. Looking at it with some intent, thoughtful in her way.

"Strange, this looks as this stone once did. Perhaps they share a similar source," she ponders it for a moment and looks to the man. "What is this protection called? What is it meant to do?"

Goju nods. That's what he thought. "It is jade. It has purity of the Heavens in it, and it protects the user. The stone you have was once jade, thought its protection has likely been used up."

I suspect you still wear it like a charm to ward you?" she asks, pulling string from among her things and setting the stone in her lap. Working the string through her fingers she stretches it out to get a clear working of the material. "Had you not claimed it as a daughter of the realm of Heaven I would have suspected it come from Earth itself by the look of it."

"Aye." Goju nods as she ties it up. After her comment, coming from the earth, "My father told me they are Lady Sun's tears that fell to earth. So, I guess technically, both."

"My father told me there are those who seem to give credit to Heaven for everything. That some things can, and would exist without it," she says, gazing over the jade before her in that thought. Shrugging she offers, "But I cannot say what the truth is. Perhaps it is a mixture of Lady Suns tears and the Earth which bore them into fruit, refined them into being."

Goju nods. "That makes sense." That was something like his father said. He did want to correct her about what his father knows about the Heavens but managed to hold his tongue. For the best. It would be difficult to explain how his father was an expert on the Heavens.