Heavenfall

Nadare pondered that for a few moments before smiling. "I suppose that is one way of looking at it." He smiled at Saruko and then nodded at Wu. "Today Kyosei followed a hare and found three Dragons. How will tomorrow compare?"

"Hmm. Perhaps I will follow a Dragon, and find three hares? It would only be balanced, after all."

Raising her hand, a finger tapped her chin in thought. "A dragon is worth three hares?"

"Well, conversely, by your words, a Hare is worth three Dragons. So, one of us must be right, but which? Only the future can tell, I suppose."

"Little god?" Quizzed the spearman, choosing to pass over the dragon-rabbit equivalence conundrum

The remark about 'little' made her stifle a giggle. For a number of reasons.

"Good question, friend Wu."

"A term one of those that was there 5 years ago, at their tournament, used to call them. It felt... fitting."

''Isawa indeed'' he sighed, not elaborating further

''A spirit might have snatched your quarry or otherwise played a trick on you...who may know now?''

"I'm not sure if little is the term I would use for the Sun-Children," she said with a soft laugh.

She regarded the Isawa curiously, before looking to her fellow Dragon, and back to Kyosei. "Do you need help, Kyosei of the Isawa?"

The tattooed man shrugged and turned to look at the tree line. Raising a hand he pretended to measure a tree. He then raised his other hand and did the same for the nearest mountain.

"Perspective."

"Not really. Just hoping to get away from the crowds in town, and maybe find a little meat to take. Doesn't seem to be my day that way, though." He gives a shrug.

Nadare's remark about perspective earned a knowing grin from the daimyo, but she focused back to the topic at hand. "If you're here for the expedition, there will be many opportunities to test your skills as a hunter... though probably in less bountiful lands, and with more dangers."

Saruko looked to the south for a moment, shuddering briefly.

"I am not the greatest hunter - thus why I go for smaller targets, like hares, not greater ones, like boar. I know the limits of my limited skill."

"Then I wish you best of luck in the coming days, Kyosei of the Isawa."

She looked to Wu. "Did you come out to hunt or gather supplies as well, friend Wu?"

He shook his head in answer to his fellow dragon's question ''I came here to meditate and listen to the forest, friend Shirayuki...I will wait until the evening for my hunt as the forest is already ripe with hunters.''

"Seems sensible." She hadn't been looking for prey, so her own foraging worked better at this time of day. "Have you prepared yourself for the trip? It's... going to be a spiritual challenge ahead of us."

Wu frowned, pondering

''I am as prepared as I can be at the moment. I know hardship lies ahead but I am not certain of what will ultimately befall us.''

"I don't think anyone truly knows what will happen. Even Lord Togashi seems to think that the future regarding this is uncertain, as it can often be when we are facing a point in time that will have great impact on the path ahead." In contrast to the other Dragon daimyo, Saruko smiled reassuringly.

"I'm no expert on the realms beyond expect for my own experiences, but I understand that there are sacred substances that can protect us the closer we come to Jigoku and its influence. Jade is one."

Wu raised an eyebrow, concerned ''I see...but I must ask what does this stone protects us from exactly? Does it ward against evil spirits?''

Nadare sat cross-legged as he watched the conversation. Eventually he closed his eyes and listened, enjoying the sensation of the grass, the light breeze, the voices.