Heavenfall

Just before the sun set, and just after moon rise had begun a figure walked through the woods leading up to the great river. Despite his relative large size there was hardly a sound which could be perceived above the sound of the nearby river.

The air filled the lungs of the figure... fresh air not soiled by the foul stench of the Seidou villagers. It had been far too long since he had enjoyed such fresh air. He reached the bank of the river and looked down into the rushing stream... the glint of the last rays of sunlight seemed to help calm and soothe him... something he also had not experienced in so long.

He crouched down and reached his hand down into the rushing water and let the cool liquid flow over and through his four fingered paw. He shook it once and cast the drops of water still clinging to his flesh into the surge of liquid rolling down from the mountains. His thoughts turned to the south... to the world he knew... and the world he'd soon return to.

Not far off, another figure crouches down, knife working across a piece of wood once again. Shavings and splinters drop from it as the blade moves over it again and again and again. The shape emerging is unclear in the gathering darkness.

The figure looks up as the sound of the flowing water changes. The knife glistens in the light that remains.

A shift of the wind brings the information that there is a human nearby. The Brave Warrior's eyes immediately turn to the location of its origin.

Odd smell this one. His odor does not resemble these Cretan Seidou commonfolk in the least ... He must hail from far beyond their scavenging grounds. His ornamentation also is peculiar... Yes, he most certainly must be a member of this strike team that they have commissioned from their alleged 'capital'.

He made no moves towards the human, but instead decided to observe him from a point where he should be noticed. A kind of test of some sort... to see how perceptive these humans were... and how susceptible to attacks from unseen foes.

Dawei's eyes dart to where the sound had been, search around it. And then he sees the Nezumi, and, not recognizing him, he rises slowly from his crouch, dropping the wood a bit away as he does.

His stance is not one of a fighter looking to fight, but of someone soon to spring away. The knife remains out, though.

The Brave Warrior straightened his spine up a bit as he stood and looked at the human for a good moment.

This one doesn't appear to be the most ferocious of warriors. Perhaps he attends to the leaders of their... tribes... as a sort of sycophant.

"You need bigger knife." He said across the distance. "That no stop yu-wer." He clicked his tongue and then remembered the translation, "Enemy."

"It's stopped more than one" replies Dawei.

"Will it need to stop you, as well?"

Again, he does not seem to recognize the Nezumi.

He shook his head, "It stop Ugly-Smelly-Enemies-of-the-Brave-Warriors-Who-Remember... but it no stop Big-scary-spirits. And it no stop Ch'chit T'kkiri... But Ch'chit T'kkiri not your enemy."

Dawei nods and sheathes his knife.

"That is well, then, Chishitikri," he replies, faltering with the name. "Chichit Tikiri," he tries again.

"And Seppun Dawei would not be yours, either."

Sep..pun...? If the same naming procedures apply to this one, then there must be some tribe named Sep...pun... in the north.

"You here for help falling-rock-man journey?" He asked to confirm his previous thoughts.

Dawei takes a moment to parse the question before replying.

"I am. My Lord Hantei would like to see his brother again, among others."

They believe this to be some kind of reunion between those who share food? Maybe falling-rock man is a pup...

"Is falling-rock-man a S'stch..." Another tongue click, " 'child'?"

"He was, though he is not now. Does kinship stop with age among your...people?"

Dawei settles comfortably back into a crouch, picks up the wood again, and takes out his knife to continue carving while he talks.

Incapable of maintaining focus on an individual you are conversing with... Humans...

"Those-you-share-food-with are important... but if they are not a 'child'... why sacrifice so much for one who-walks-the-path-to-next-night? The group greater than one. If he escape and return, all happy-happy. If go to save and some m'atch-tek... 'die'... then all sad-sad."

Dawei shrugs as he carves.

"I'm told that the fall was such that it represents a greater peril. Details weren't clear, but it seems there's more risk in leaving the brother in place than in sending people to aid his return."

He turns over the wood, continues carving.

"But you are right. Deaths sadden." Unless they're Noriaki.

"If falling-rock man leaving take problems away... Then Brave-Warriors-Who-Remember will be happy-happy." He replied.

"If he one making the problems... We no let him keep doing that."

"What problems have you been facing?"

Dawei's knife pauses as he asks the question, looking up at the Nezumi more intently.

"Giant hole in Great City... Make big-horned-slaves go crazy. Ugly-Smelly-Enemies-of-the-Brave-Warriors-Who-Remember come out. Also big-scary-spirits. We fight-fight. Hold back. But there no end. Hole always spit up more enemy." He replied.

Sounds even worse than the Noriaki, Dawei thinks.

Then he catches on a word.

"Slaves?"

He nods. "Big... grey... horns on head. Very good moving things. Now all going madness."

Dawei shakes his head.

"Slavery is objectionable. Emphatically so."

Just like the damnable Noriaki, taking slaves. No wonder there's trouble for them.