The Day of Thunder

[Wu Zhe]

Tang was inspecting the plant's stalk with great care, sliding his thumb across it to test it's core strength, before finally taking his attention to the panicle.

''What do you think, Wu-san?'' asked the Saru diplomat, a much younger man still struggling to grow a proper beard.

''It is good'' the old farmer replied with a nod as he stood up ''The millet seeds given to us by the Crane came from a strand that married well with our own. We will be able to grow these in increased numbers in some of our southern valleys and foothills.''

There was relief from the junior dragon

''How fast can we produce it? Will we be able to send shipments to Great Falls soon?'' he nearly blurted out.

His senior, however, did not share the enthusiasm.

''This harvest was only test but it'll be able to bring some relief to the city...but not by much. Sadly we will have to save some seeds for the next planting and we will need to send some to the Bat, Spider, Crab and Crane clan. They'll want to start planting as soon as possible as well.''

Tang drew a long pipe from a satchel

''Planting better crops will only help us so much if the sickness continues.'' he began, filling his pipe ''Mirumoto-sama is already sending you the grain and produce we have in surplus. We are preparing to send more but...well...that's a luxury we have because we do not discriminate against the consumption of meat or the milk and the cheese these beasts blesses us with.''

The diplomat raised a hand

''I know what you are going to say but no...many of us still wishes to keep to the proper diet taken from the Blessed Sons and Daughters of Heaven''

A first puff was taken before the Wu replied

''That's all well and good for gods and goddesses but we are human, you and I. We don't have the same luxuries with the picking of our food. If our storage runs dry that diet might have to be bent a little.'' he shook a finger ''Call it mountain tuna or whatever else you'd like but a bit of meat and dairy will help stretch things longer. Trust me when I say that starvation is far, far worse then a little nibble of cheese and pemmican here and there.''

While the Saru envoy was indeed young, he had a solid head on his shoulders already: While he did not enjoy the prospect of meat he could not deny that hunger could cut deeper then any knife

''I'll bring the matter up.'' he finally said before changing the subject ''So I hear the Wu sent a delegation into the Crab lands?''

A second puff was taken by Tang ''Yes but it's more complicated. He's actually going the same place the dragon princess is going...just by a longer route. He's bringing more supplies to the nearby Crab fortifications, probably bringing some to where they are both going as well.''

The Saru was satisfied with the clarification

''With the troublesome news coming from the other clans it is good to make sure our neighbors are supported...''

He cut his sentence short as both men looked west, movement having caught their attention

At the distance a messenger seemed to be heading towards the pair. Both men's level of exhaustion revealed itself as they knew they might already have had the only good news of the day.