The Day of Thunder

[Shiba Kumori]

The long journey was finally at its end…

Han-Hei walked the last mile before the town with cold toes and fingers. She didn’t know what to expect once she got here… she was only told to be here.

She looked up at the mountains a short distance off as the morning mists still hung out over their peaks. All the ambiguity on display in beautiful splendor.

She looked back at her companion and gave him a quick look over. She’d refused to talk to him the last day and a half or so… But now it looked like more than grunts would be necessary as they approached a gathering collection of tents.

“I think this is it…”

————

(OOC: Expecting but it’s an open space and am open to folks joining.)

[Bayushi Norikage]

Norikage was standing just behind his companion, had watched the road ahead and behind them. Had watched the snow and barren trees of the cold land to the sides. Watched every bit of this cold land lightly wondering if anything monstrous was going to emerge from the snow and try to kill them.

Again.

He kept his mask up over his nose, happy for the heat of his breath. When she stopped, he stopped as well, staying slightly behind her. The quiet moment, watching the mountains was a pleasant one, sure, but he wanted to get by a fire if he could. Then she spoke.

Norikage grunted, slowly nodding his head.

"Better to move on before Lady Sun's radiance stabs our eyes out." The glare coming from the snow, he guessed, was going to be monumental that morning when the fog cleared.

[Shiba Kumori]

She nodded and walked forward along the path.

She then smirked, “Probably best the ol’ lady poke out your eyes I think. Stop your little voyeurism habit you got going.”

She stepped forward again at a constant pace.

“So you gonna be lookin’ for your maroon buddies now? Take those eyes and put ‘em on someone else’s butt?”

[Bayushi Norikage]

"If there are other Scorpion here, it's likely you wouldn't see them immediately", Norikage commented. "Don't worry, I'm sure as soon as I make them understand the situation with your ass they'll be watching as well."

It was so off-handed, as he watched the terrain around them, following along, one might wonder if he was really watching her at all.

"I mean, it's cute, after all."

Yeah, let's go back to her not talking to me, that should do it.

[Shiba Kumori]

“If only you were like your sneaky cousins then… I’d love it if I could see less of you.” She stopped herself from ranting more as she felt the blood rush to her ears.

Teach me to break the silence.

She walked on quietly until she reached the edge of the camp.

She then stopped and looked around for a good place to put her tent… preferably with no space on either side for the Bayushi.

Unfortunately there were still too many spaces in the burgeoning camp and it’d be hard to get away.

“I’ll probably stay near the edge. All you fancy clan folks probably will want the center…”

[Bayushi Norikage]

"You traveled all the way here to die of the night chill on the first day?" he asked, folding his arms. He looked from one end of the camp to the other. The tents didn't look inviting, he had to admit. "You'd be better off chopping wood for a villager family and sleeping at their place."

[Shiba Kumori]

“You got any connections? Can’t say I’ve ever been here before.” She replied as she looked around the camp.

[Bayushi Norikage]

Norikage throught it over and decided that applying just enough charm was the right move.

"Yeah, so if I am to help you, then what do I get out of it?" he asked bluntly.

[Shiba Kumori]

“Well you also don’t get frostbite… but I guess there’s no real reason why you’d need to negotiate for me too.” She repositioned her pack on her shoulder.

“Uhh… I’m not really rollin’ in mountains of cash or anything… I guess you don’t owe me anything.”

She shrugged, “Besides that time I saved your life and all.”

She then tilted her head, “I guess you’re like all them others that thing a wanderer isn’t worth the effort.”

[Bayushi Norikage]

"Oh my heart strings", Norikage chuckled. "You saved my life? I suppose that dream addled madman's blade was meant for me, yes. Thank you for taking it in the shoulder, it was the least you could do considering you got us into that mess."

He grumbled, now not simply folding his arms out of haughty contempt, but to keep warm.

"Besides, as a wanderer who likes to help people so much, you should be going out of your way by now to find someone who needs chores done, commoners offered you something in kind before, haven't they? And if they don't, then you weren't expecting to be rewarded anyway..."

Just go into town already!

[Shiba Kumori]

“Oh yeah, I forgot. We need to take from those who have less than us in order to protect them…” She said with a nod and a tone of practiced sarcasm.

“You clanners are always so helpful and brave. Just like that magistrate back where I met you.” She replied as she came to an open spot and put down her bag.

“He seemed like a solid guy. Why was it you were yelling at him again?”

[Bayushi Norikage]

"Because he was an idiot, like you're being right now", he snapped. He walked over, picked up her pack and shoved it back at her. "Into town, now. Sleeping outside is horrible in the mountains this time of year."

[Shiba Kumori]

Han-Hei clamped down on her lips a bit as she caught the pack in her hands.

She immediately saw red as the pack slammed into her chest. She looked at him in anger for a brief second. But then something seemed to bring her down from the rising emotion. She stood there for a second before offering a tiny nod and a close of her eyes in acknowledgement that she stepped close to a line.

It wasn’t too rare of an occurrence… and as a younger person she often enjoyed getting a rise out of folks. It had been hard to draw out pure emotion sometimes as a kid… It was the way she learned to get people to notice her… but she was trying not to do that as much anymore.

After letting the tiny acknowledgment linger in the air for a brief moment, she slung her pack onto her back.

“You seem pretty set on this… So… yeah. I’ll do what I can.”

[Bayushi Norikage]

Norikage wasn't a mind reader, but he fancied himself someone who could read another. It was simpler, in a way, when someone wears a mask. You don't get tricked by the false sincerity in their eyes, or you aren't taken in by their alluring smile.

Though you can notice people's ears getting red, neck tensing, catch the rise of their shoulders.

Sometimes it's actually better for someone to cover part o their face if you want to read them.

"Well, thanks for doing me a favor finally", he said with a smirk and gestured for her to walk into town with him. A few steps of silence later, after the fox masked girl had settled her pack, he spoke up again.

"When we get into town, we'll find a decent peasant house, you can rake the leaves, I'll make them tea or something, they'll love it and ask us to crash for the night by the fire. You'll see."

[Shiba Kumori]

“Alright…” She said with a simple nod and walked along with the man.

She didn’t have to acknowledge out loud that Norikage had earned his keep on the long journey and could understand why he’d want at least one night of relative warmth.

She walked along quietly looking off towards the village. The fog seemed pretty thick and wasn’t going anywhere quickly.

After a while she did finally speak up, “You don’t have to keep looking out for me though… Just so you know. I’ve been on the road most of my adult life. I’m sure you’ll have cousins here who’ll need your help. You don’t need to drag along one stray wolf.”

[Bayushi Norikage]

"Maybe it's not a wolf I'm watching", he said with a shrug and dug his pipe out of his sleeve.

[Shiba Kumori]

“What’s that mean?” She asked with a note of confusion.

[Bayushi Norikage]

"You're clearly a fox", he said, stuffing his pipe.

[Shiba Kumori]

She snorted once in mild bemusement, “We can be kon-plex companions. No more desirable than a wolf to many. Better watch out.”

The duo walked beyond the camp and towards the first ring of homes of the village.

“Well… do we just go around knocking on doors?” She asked.

[Bayushi Norikage]

He dipped his mask down to his chin and stuck the pipe in his mouth. "I figure", he started and found a stone to strike his knife on. It of course didn't work at first, the morning being so damp from the fog.

He glared at the pipe.

"I figure we wait a little", he told her, or maybe he was talking about enjoying some smoke. "People are busy in the morning."

Clearing snow off a rock to the side of the road he threw his travel cloak back and sat down. "Though, I know I've asked this before...but why are we here again? Was this village suffering from some nightmare outbreak?"