Colors Of The Wind (D3, EA)

[Togashi Saruko]

Ah, perfect! Nice weather, not as warm as before, some nice landscape... this was an excellent place to practice!

The beautiful colors and brushes she had been gifted for her marriage didn't see too much use... because she often didn't have anything to paint, or because she was worried she would use the precious colors and paper on something that wasn't nice enough, but the view here was quite nice, and different from home as well.

Settling down in a nice spot on the grass, Saruko began with the meticulous process of landscape-painting.

[Jin Mizuku]

Mizuku walked up to the river and kneeled down. She cupped the water with her hands and splashed her face, gasping at the coolness of the water. After a day of marching, the water was incredibly refreshing. She looked around at the scenery and suddenly noticed the woman siting in the grass to her right. It looked like she was studying the landscape.

"My apologies I didn't see you there. Am I in the way of your" she paused looking at the parchment "are you painting? That is a delightful skill I've never learned. Are you any good?" She smiled

[Ik’tch'krit]

The Nezumi went about his day staring at some piece of paper someone had left him. Walking around was supposed to help him think but he was only confused more. Sure, he could try to remember that one man who had a "wife," etranfe concept that that is, and ask him but...

He stumbled upon some humans in his thoughts. Least it wasn't tumbling into the river. Those were dangerous and should never be forded.

[Togashi Saruko]

On closer inspection, it didn't seem to be it was parchment she was working on. The texture and surface seemed to indicate it was not made from animal skin, but from... plants?

Before Saruko could assure the girl she wasn't in the way, there was a volley of questions. "Yes... I'm painting," she said, smiling, "I'm not sure how good I am yet, but the only way to find out is to practice, yes?"

Seeing another approach, she looked to see who it was. "Friend Nezumi, good day." She greeted the ratling in a friendly tone.

[Ik’tch'krit]

"Saru?" the Nezumi asked, tilting his head. However, before he allowed himself to get distracted, he held up the note. "I no-no able to find out man-thing writing. Help me-me?"

[Togashi Saruko]

She nodded gently, confirming that she was indeed Saru. She had known about a Nezumi that had approached some of the few people who had decided to follow her.

"Yes? I'm not very good, but I can read some if it helps you." Saruko held out a hand to accept the note.

[Ik’tch'krit]

The Nezumi offered the piece of paper and then tilted his head in anticipation. Since it was taking so long already, he began to meander about, sniffing for food.

[Togashi Saruko]

There was something from the Saru woman that smelled like food. Sweet. Like some kind of fruit. Maybe dried?

Saruko looked over the piece of paper, taking a moment to read the writing. She wasn't the fastest reader yet, and the writing also seemed to be from that of a novice.

"It says: Hey, this is Ninube, from the bath thingie. I learned something last night. Get jade. They are pretty green rocks. They will protect you from Jigoku. It is signed with the name Ninube."

[Ik’tch'krit]

"Yes-yes, I remember that man-thing," he replied, sniffing more of the fruit smell. Maybe a bit too much? "Precious jade-stone! Need to find some, yes-yes!" He tapped his feet on the ground, really getting the jitters. "I no find-find any back at camp! Must find more! Does Saru have jade-stone?"

[Togashi Saruko]

The scent seemed to be coming from... a small pouch of cloth attached to the sash around her waist? Yes-yes, it was probably some man-thing-snack. Delicious man-thing-snack.

"A friend of yours it seems," she remarked thoughtfully, returning the note to him. "Perhaps we can teach you to read and write like humans do during this trip? That seems like something you might enjoy. Ah", her face lit up a little, "I do in fact have jade, yes. But... I think the jade that is back in the camp already belongs to someone...?"

[Ik’tch'krit]

Ik'tch'krit leaned in with his nose towards the sash. He had learned before not to do so but maybe she didn't know that he knew that.

"I want to see-see jade-stone!" he exclaimed, nearly demanded, "Need to study it... hear so much-much, never hold with paw-paws!"

[Togashi Saruko]

She leaned away a little, then realised what he must be smelling.

"Alright, alright," Saruko held up a hand. "You can see and hold it, and study it for the day, but it's very important to me that you return it, yes?" she spoke as sincerely as she could, hoping the Nezumi understood.

"So when you return it to me the next day, you will get a tasty treat, yes?" Now she pointed to her sash that had the tasty fruity smell.

[Ik’tch'krit]

The Nezumi frowned as much as a ratty face could. "Okay," he said, knowing that he might have actually kept it in his possession. Or, perhaps, experimented too hard with it.

He held out his hands. "I am not a pet-pet though! Treat is not like feeding pet-pet but trade!"

[Togashi Saruko]

"Ah... my apologies," she bowed her head, "I meant no insult. Yes, this will be a trade, friend."

Carefully, she retrieved a piece of jade from the inside of her robe, attached to a woven cord to hold it safe. The stone had a nice shade of green, a bit paler than spring grass.

"What are you trying to discover about the stone?" Saruko asked as she handed him the stone.

[Ik’tch'krit]

The Nezumi wondered if it was really a trade. After all, he was getting to experiment with the jade AND he was getting a snack. But why tell that to the human?

"I will create great inventions with jade-stone," he murmured to himself as he stared at the stone. He held it up to his nose, sniffed it, and then looked as if he was going to lick it. But, instead, he kept it right at the tip of his nose. "Need great weapons to protect both man-things and Nezumi!"

[Togashi Saruko]

Saruko cupped her chin between her thumb and index finger as she looked at the Nezumi thoughtfully.

"Do Nezumi need jade to protect them too?" she asked, as she realised she was suddenly unsure about how the realms' influence might affect the ratlings...

[Ik’tch'krit]

"From what I know-know, Nezumi cannot gain disease like man-things. We are tough-tough!" The Nezumi started caressing the jade, trying to feel it in his palms.

"But that does not mean infected things cannot harm-harm Nezumi. Jade-stone should hurt-harm them more than normal weapon!"

[Togashi Saruko]

"Weapon?"

Her eyebrows raised slightly. Wu had mentioned something about that too.

"How would you make a weapon out of jade? It's very soft and malleable, not very tough."

[Ik’tch'krit]

"Maybe some way to make tough-tough!" Ik'tch'krit turned around and started making stabbing motions with it. Then throwing motions, then a bow motion. "Good to destroy bad-bad things before they get close-close! But arrow hard-hard to get-get..."

[Togashi Saruko]

"Hmmm... I'm not very good with weapons," she pondered. Making weapons was much different than making art. "I think there are some in the camp who are good with making weapons?"

She looked to the young lady who had sadly been a little sidetracked for Saruko with the appearance of the Nezumi. Hopefully she had had a good chance to look at the painting she had been working on. Maybe she would know someone who knew their way around with making weapons.