Heavenfall

"This one can understand that. Now that she is far from her forest, she misses it at times." Haka finishes placing the last doll and returns to the wagon. "All done! That should keep any wandering ghosts too distracted to bother the expedition."

Umeno nodded, then made a sound of understanding. "Thought about following one of the Kami? I'm sure a talent like yours'd be welcome by most any of them... not that I know any well enough to say that."

Haka gives the matter some thought. "This one is... unsure. She has never met any of them and would not want to pledge her life to someone who was unpleasant or who did not appreciate her. At the same time, it would be very interesting to have an entire family bearing the Haka name... a form of immortality beyond that of being a ghost."

She smirks. "But then, none of them have asked, either. One blind shaman is not the greatest catch for aspiring warlords."

"I don't think I'm the best catch either, but I was still invited. I'm not surprised none have approached you though, with how much they have to do, how big the world is, and how many are in it." Umeno reached out to pat a hand. "Gotta believe in yourself, apply yourself. I bet you'd be the catch of the year for more than one with your talents and abilities, blind or no."

"This one has no doubt of her capabilities," she says with a smirk. "She simply does not know what a person fallen from the sky would appreciate. Perhaps our paths converge, perhaps this one is eaten by a hungry tree tomorrow. The future is very difficult to pin down in any certainty."

"Eh, no point worryin' too much about that," Umeno said, waving away the concern out of habit. "Gotta live life like it'll end tomorrow, but dream as if it'll go on forever."

She paused, thoughtful. "Could always introduce you t' lord Bayushi when we get back. He's a bit cautious and antisocial when it gets down to it, but he knows that women like you have far more than others can see."

"This one would be delighted." Haka smiles and nods. "Even if this one does not join him, it would be interesting to meet one of the sky-people."

Umeno gave a grunt of understanding. "Good. I'm certain you'll like him just fine. Even with his faults, Bayushi's got an understanding heart. Besides, he's set up his lands right beside the Shinomen Mori, which is likely filled with just as many spirits as your homeland."

"Oh? This one has not heard of this forest. It is haunted? Does eating woman know what sort of spirits linger there?"

"I don't know a lot about it. It wasn't close to my homeland before, and a lot of my work has been closer to home. Still... I know that it is an old forest, and that it is huge. It took me nearly a week to travel past it all on my way north."

Haka considers that for a moment. "Do people live within the forest? Or just near it?"

Umeno rubbed at the back of her neck. "Well, I don't know of anyone that does at least. Plenty that live close enough, but the forest itself is dark and thick, and I think there's a lot of local superstition about it. If anyone's in there, it'd probably be bandits and things like the rat men."

"Hmm!" Haka only seemed to be more interested. "This one may have to visit it once this trip is over. How exciting!:

Umeno gave another soft grunt. "I'd accompany you, if you did. Dangerous to go alone, and it'd be on the way besides."

"I like this plan." Haka nods. "If the shaman and the eating woman survive, they shall do this."

She holds out her hand.

Umeno took the hand and shook on it. Her grip was strong, her hand just a touch rough. "We'll survive."

/scene?

/scene