Heavenfall

(OOC: PM before entering. Expecting.)

Phi sat on one of the empty crates, watching over the supplies that were being loaded. She didn't expect anyone to steal anything, but it's also the sort of time when she would have considered a night raid with her kin, so it wasn't out of the realm of possibility that the seido had an enterprising soul or two. She hadn't been tasked with it, though, so for the moment she was quietly eating millet and pheasant she'd caught in the midst of her hunting earlier today. Filling, if a bit underspiced.

Leaning back against the top of the crate on top of this one, she grunted. Well, if this was going to be a fool's errand at least it wasn't going to be a poorly stocked one. That was for sure.

Ninube wandered around. So much food. It seemed like too much. Now, she think she understood why bandits worked how they did. Hit the villages, steal a bunch, and then share. Of course, she wasn't considering doing it herself. This would be needed to save Fu Leng who now her god. She noticed the self-appointed guard and wandered over."

"Oh. Hey. Name's Ninube." She resisted the urge to say she wasn't stealing. That never helped, even when it was the truth.

It never helped, even when you weren't, and especially when you were. It made them think 'what if they're casing the joint?' Of course, Phi wasn't that far away from being a thief herself. Raiding and thievery were only a difference of methods and timing and she certainly had no qualms. She looked over at the woman, her eyebrow raising. Mask, so.... Bayushi's?

"Phi. You with the Bayushi here?" She was still getting used to clan colors and this one didn't have red and black so she wasn't entirely sure. She chewed on some of the millet between comments, watching the woman with detached but piercing scrutiny from over her veil.

"Huh? No. I am a Spider." Ninube wasn't aware that the Scorpion made it a fashion choice. She tried to think. Was Phi one of the family names? Or was she like her, Clan, but no new name. Or was she one of the regular people who joined. "So, who are you with?"

(OOC: Apologies. Accidentally wrote EE, when it's supposed to be LA as agreed. Fixed that. Time no Oni!)

Nope, if she had met that Bayushi, she would know they didn't all wear masks... yet. But Bayushi himself had started a bit of a fashion trend and Phi had picked it up. She nodded. "Ah, another one of Reiko's. I met her once, long ago." She nodded in recognition, thinking no further on that. "I'm not with anyone. The call came to the Hikaru, as we knew it might one day, and I was the one who answered. Perhaps I'll pledge fealty later. We will see."

"Ah. So, you have considered the different options? I'm curious what you think of the various Clans. I have been all over, but only been to the Bat and the Spider since the Kami came."

"Considering. You could say I'm here to save Fu Leng. But I'm also here to see, to be seen," she said, shrugging once. "The days when the tribes can live in their shadows is fading. I won't be swept away with the winds of history, if I have anything to say about it." She followed that with a grunt and a bit of a narrowed gaze.

"I wouldn't like Akodo, if what I've heard is true, and I doubt I'd like Hantei, though he's here isn't he?" She could find out first hand.

Ninube nodded her head. "I think so. I know Shinjo is here too." NInube tried to think for a moment. "There's also that Shinsei guy with them. Not exactly sure what he is." Then Ninube was curious for a moment. "What about your tribe? have they joined one of the Kami? Or do they disagree that the time of the tribes is fading?"

"I intend to meet her. I want to see what the woman who made Koyama a lowlander is really like," she offered, snorting and laughing to herself. Seriously, she wanted to know what his deal with Shinjo was, and once they were on the road, she wanted to poke fun at him about it. "Most went after her. Those that remained, we went deeper into the mountains, away from most."

A pause. "Shinsei?" She thought about it a second. "Think I've heard that name before. Don't know much about him. What's he here for?"

"Dunno. Just head the name when I heard the Kami were coming. But it seemed important. I talked to Shinjo earlier. She seemed nice."

"Nice..." She snorted and shook her head. "That man really has gone soft. Falling for a pretty face who's nice. Hard to believe the guy who took down the great Chosaku fell for a sweet girl." She clearly found that rather darkly amusing before her eyes turned back towards Ninube fully. There was a boring, piercing intensity to the way that she looked at people, always too direct, always a little too unblinking. Not a knowing gaze, just a fierce one.

"I'm not nice. Hikaru aren't nice. We survive. Good to see he's not completely soft, but still. Boy didn't even come back from his hunts with game today. Heh. The lowlands will kill you if you let it seep into your bones."

Ninube shrugs. "You're not stabbing me. Nice enough for me. So, you know her husband then? He was a Hikaru?"

"Your definition's pretty broad there," she said in a rough, amused tone. "Yeah, Shinjo Koyama's a former chief. Took down the last chief and when he did, he became the chief, at least until most of his went to join with the Shinjo a few years back. He's been with them for about four, five years now. I was a kid then."

"Small hopes are rarely disappointed." She shrugged. "He couldn't have gotten too soft. Shinjo is one of the few Kami to join us on this trip."

She chuckled a little. "I certainly hope not. And, as you said, she came. I give her that." So had Hantei, but she cared less. "Still, I have to give him heck. It's a highlander thing. He will understand." That was just kind of how they were. Everyone in the lowlands were soft in their estimation.

"I see." She really didn't. She understood people often had a rivalry (or just outright hated) people who lived close to them. She didn't get why.

Here, it was a bit closer to old friends poking fun at each other, but that could be hard to understand if one wasn't actually a Hikaru or former member. Every tribe had their way. "Speaking of small hopes, here's to hoping we live long enough to tell the story of what happens down there. I certainly don't plan to die. You?" Might as well just state the obvious, given that they marched tomorrow. "You a scout or frontliner? You don't really look like the shaman type."

"I agree with that. I don't want to die before I meet my god." Ninube nods. "I guess I'm here to be a scout. Though I never scouted for an army before. What about you?"

"Armies are targets, but I've done ample scouting before. Raids, hunting, scavenging, scouting. It's what they needed me for in the mountains." She frowned behind her mask and looked at the woman. "I have been told they are gods, but do you actually ... worship him? Does he hear your prayers? Does he ever answer you back?"

Ninube was silent for a long moment. She felt embrassed. "I have tried." She felt a little silly. "But I heard nothing back. It is not surprising. I.... have not lived the most, uh, what do they call it, honorable life before joining the Spider. He does contact Reiko-sama though."

Ninube left out she hadn't tried to learn the proper rituals. She feared him. Or more she feared her worthiness in his eyes. So, if he ignored her for now, it was probably for the best.