[Day 5, Late Afternoon] Out for a Stroll (Expecting)

[Jiyo Sora]

An unnatural swamp was probably a lousy place to just go wandering around, but Sora had a feeling that it was no more dangerous than what lay ahead of them, and besides...

He needed a bit of wilderness away from the caravan. Birdsong. It reminded him of home, even though the birds of the swamp were a lot less melodious than the songbirds that flocked around Shiba's court on many days.

Despite the clear hazards, he found himself half-wishing the kids were there. They would have loved seeing the plants and animals they'd never laid eyes on before.

[Ongaku no Ryoko]

As the day grew long, Ryoko had traveled away from the camp to try and clear her head.

The headaches hadn't let up these last few days, and her entire body felt... itchy. Like there was a heat under the skin. She woke up at night sweating, and didn't know why.

So eventually she found herself sitting, cross legged, on a rock by the border of the swamp, trying to think, hoping the damp air and cool breeze might help her remember home... and ease her pains.

So far, no luck.

[Jiyo Sora]

Sora blinked a bit when he spotted the figure.

He'd seen the horned girl around, of course- the caravan wasn't that big- but he had yet to actually speak to her.

Is she meditating?

He drew closer, trying to gauge what he might be interrupting.

[Ongaku no Ryoko]

After a while it became clear she wasn't meditating, the instrument on her back, seemed a bit much for that, and she had been giving the swamp an angry glare the entire time, muttering under her breath.

From time to time she rubbed at the base of her horns, as if they pained her.

[Jiyo Sora]

"Are you all right?"

[Ongaku no Ryoko]

She jerked back, nearly falling off the rock, until she stretched out her legs, counter-balancing herself.

"Oh, you scared me!"

Looking up at the man, she scowled. "Don't people say not to sneak up on a girl, where you're from?" Her heart was pounding in her chest, and perhaps her annoyance helped distract from the pain.

[Jiyo Sora]

He half-smiled, his discolored eye narrowing at her slightly.

"If I'd been sneaking, I hardly would have spoken up, would I? I didn't take any particular care about stealth, but still, you have my apologies. This seems an odd place to let your guard down..."

[Ongaku no Ryoko]

"Is it?"

She furrowed her brow. "I thought it fairly safe - but, I don't know this part of the world."

With a sigh, she settled properly, giving him a contemplative look.

Finally she said, randomly, "I'm Ongaku no Ryoko... and you're the one from the storytelling. I hope we don't end up with little knives of our own."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Well, no one gets out alive in the long run, but I hope our run is longer than most."

He chuckled.

"Jiyo Sora, formerly of the Hikaru tribe, and terrible storyteller. Tell me about your name, it seems a bit different from the naming conventions the Kami have us adopting."

[Ongaku no Ryoko]

"Is it?"

Ryoko had no idea.

"I'm not exactly well versed in 'Kami'."

Pulling her instrument from her shoulder, the strap held in one hand, she let it rest in her lap.

"I'm Ongaku, of the Takemori tribe. Ongaku perform the ceremonies - we sing the dead on, we hear promises, we play the wedding dances."

[Jiyo Sora]

"So not all Ongaku are considered a family by blood? Interesting."

He had a seat of his own.

"Tell me about the Takemori. There are so many tribes, and they all have something to teach."

[Ongaku no Ryoko]

"Ongaku are almost never related by blood. We are the bastard children, the ones abandoned, the property of the tribe."

She smiled. "The Takemori have many tales - many songs. We herd buffalo and goats, and travel across many miles each season, to find fresh fields. We guide herds with tonfa, and drive away bandits the same. We sing the dead to their new lives, we dance the festivals of the seasons, and when we give our word, it is as stone."

With a dry chuckle, she plucked at the strings, adding, thoughtfully, "We are not warlike - even though ogres make up our second caravan. In the past, we took them in after they fled slavery - and in turn, they live with us, sharing their knowledge of many lives, their strength and courage.""

[Jiyo Sora]

"Ogres in your tribe, hm?"

He smiled.

"I imagine that makes the bandit situation much easier to handle. Where do you wander?"

[Ongaku no Ryoko]

"They do have a certain, intimidating factor."

A smile.

"We go from the great forest in the west to the shallow hills in the east. It is north of here, where there are swamps and hills, not yet in the great mountains."

[Jiyo Sora]

"I was born in the Spine of the World. Think that's north f the Takemori's range. So your tribe isn't tied to any one patch of land... who leads?"

[Ongaku no Ryoko]

"The heads of each family caravan will meet whenever something must be decided - the ogres offer advice, but since they are ageless, it didn't seem right for them to command - better that they advise, and let new ideas be spoken."

She nodded, sagely, at that. "If there is no consensus, the ongaku are called to play the deciding song - the merits of each plan will be sung, and then the people will throw in their tonfa with the one they support most - if, after all that, there is no decision, the ongaku choose."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Interesting..."

He cocked his head to the side. Grinned.

"Rule by consensus, with the tiebreaker handed to those whose heritage sets them apart."

[Ongaku no Ryoko]

"I suppose - each family head is in charge of their extended family - some grow large, with dozens of people, but in the end, it is decided by counsel... I've never seen the Ongaku called to break a tie - it's only happened a handful of times, as far as I know."

Ryoko gave a small shrug. "It has advantages - no tyrants abusing the weak parts of the tribe, as we see in some villages, but it also means we don't make decisions quickly. When a route must change or a field must be re-allocated... it takes days of argument to reach a conclusion."

[Jiyo Sora]

"I suppose that might be difficult if things get particularly urgent... were you sent here by your tribe, or did you... come on your own initiative?"

[Ongaku no Ryoko]

"There was concern about the coming of these... sky gods. I volunteered to see if I could learn anything - we have enough Ongaku this season, so I was allowed to go."

Ryoko sighed, rubbing her temples. "I have found lots of questions, but precious few answers. I know less what the tribe should do now than I did before."