Heavenfall

As Chisei followed, he drew a knife from his robe. Carefully, but with an ease born of repetition, he made a shallow cut on his left hand.

As they drew up to the slain animal, Chisei squeezed his hand. He scattered a few droplets of blood, here and there, muttering softly and incomprehensibly as he did so.

Dawei unstrings the bow, draws his own knife, and sets about such work as needs to be done with the rabbit to retrieve the arrow and to ready it for taking back in.

Chisei was quite familiar with that sort of work. Once his own ritual was done, he waited patiently, squeezing his fist tightly until even the tiny bit of bleeding had stopped.

"May I assist?" Chisei asked politely, although with expectation of refusal.

"Please" comes the quick, quiet reply.

I'm curious about what you can do, thinks Dawei. And what that casting was.

Chisei assisted, if not skillfully, at least competently, helping Dawei to drain the little corpse, holding things as needed. Dawei would doubtless know that Chisei's new wife was a hunter; perhaps he assisted her from time to time.

"Is this something you also learned from practice?" Chisei murmured as they worked.

Dawei--who had hunted alongside Takako, yes--nods, adding "And demonstration and explanation. Harvests haven't always been good.

"But what prayer was that you gave just then?"

Chisei nodded. "Just so."

He looked down to his hand. "Just a little thing. Animals have souls too, or so it is believed. I have seen evidence of such, anyway." Chisei smiled gently. "And so, a little prayer for it. Little enough to me, but perhaps it means something to the rabbit. Or the world."

Dawei gives a quiet grunt, adding "It's why you go for a clean kill. Always. We eat life, but there is no need for more pain than must be."

He stops, looks at Chisei.

"The world provides more than enough of that already."

Chisei smiled gently as he gave Dawei a nod. "Very good, cousin." He said.

He tilted his head to regard Dawei, the thoughtful frown back on his face. "It does. But do you think it must be so?" The frown deepened. "What I mean, do you think the amount of suffering is a necessary condition of this world, or is that just the current state of it?"

Dawei shrugs a bit, a small motion meant not to disturb such peace as there is.

"Hadn't thought on it, really. Be a poor world that demands suffering, though."

"Yes." Chisei agreed softly, nodding. "That may be reason enough to believe that it doesn't."

Another shrug, similar to the one Dawei gave. "I think ultimately cynicism leads to inaction. If you believe that things can't be improved, there's no reason to do anything. Action requires the optimism that one can create change."

He studied Dawei thoughtfully. "You seem to me to be a man of action, cousin Dawei."

"I do what I can, cousin. Sometimes, it's even enough."

There is a small, small shake of his head and a sigh. If there is an expression on his face, it is lost in the darkness.

"Perhaps that is all we can ask for." Chisei said.

He tilted his head, regarding Dawei. "May I ask, what is on your mind?"

Hiro, he thinks, as his Lost Love activates, for what it's worth.

"A time when it wasn't enough" is what he says. "A time when I and others were happier than we have since been."

In the darkness, he turns to face Chisei.

"Treasure the time with Takako."

Chisei's lips parted, and then pressed shut. "I will. I do." He said after a moment. And then he fell silent again.

Finally, he cleared his throat. "We discussed expectations earlier. Do you have any for this expedition?"

Dawei shrugs.

"The rat-people will be...problematic. Slavers always are."

"Hmmm." Chisei nodded. "That does not speak well of their concern for others. A person might be judged by how they exercise their power."

He frowned thoughtfully. "I spoke with one earlier today. It was an interesting experience." The frown deepened. "It knew a great deal about us, in fact. It knew the Seppun, and the Isawa, by name."

That takes Dawei by surprise.

"Which one?" he asks, his voice noticeably louder.

Chisei grimaced, his lips working for a few moments.

"Ik-tch-krit." He finally said. "Their names do not come easily to my lips. I expect differences in their mouths might account for differences in the way we speak. No doubt that affects their language, too."

Dawei resumes control of his voice as he replies "The one I spoke with called himself Chichi Tikiri or something like that. Big one, too."

He spits.

"Slavers always think they're bigger than they are."