(D5, EA, Open) Facing the unknown

[Jiyo Ayumu]

That's no good.

It was the point of the day where the sun was at its highest, and yet Ayumu could only see so far with all the mist. He wasn't sure he would be able to find his way back if he was to go any deeper into this mess by himself.

And who knows what could be hiding just beyond his sight?

[Ch’chit T’kkiri]

In the mist a short distance away there was a dark silhouette. It looked roundish, not more than 4 feet tall... As Ayumu stopped, however, it began to get taller and taller. Then turned to face him and walked towards him.

[Nozomi]

Who knew, indeed? Apparently, though, Ayumu and the Nezumi weren't the only one with the same idea. A lone shadow lingered quietly in the mists nearby, watching the surrounding grounds. It didn't move when one and then the other appeared, at least not until the form of the Nezumi started to approach Ayumu. At that moment, she rose and turned towards the two of them. Whether they had known she was there already was its own question.

Red eyes regarded them both, a quick nod as she stood a short distance away, waiting for a second or two before her approach.

[Jiyo Ayumu]

Ayumu suddenly found himself with a rising beast in front of him. He calmly took out his yari, adopting a defensive position, feet as firmly set on the ground as the mud allowed it.

And then, something else materialized by his side. Definitely surprised, Ayumu lost his focus, letting himself open to an attack... That thankfully never came.

"Phi?"

[Ch’chit T’kkiri]

The Brave-Warrior-of-Black-Moonset looked to his side as the sneaky hairless-one emerged from the brush.

Sneaky little primitives.

He continued to walk towards the other human, stopping a few feet away.

---

Fluff Detect VP: 5d10o10k4 20

[Nozomi]

Ayumu got a nod.

Phi approached at an easy pace when she saw the Nezumi drawing closer. Her hands weren't straying towards either tonfa or bow, however, and she didn't look crouched, like someone getting ready to lash out. "Che'Chit," she said, butchering his name for the ten-thousandth time and sighing internally, blasted rat names... makes my tongue feel wrong. "Ayumu. You two look well enough. What brings you out this way?" She was assuming that the nezumi was doing the same thing as her, keeping watch or hunting for food. It made sense, but Ayumu didn't strike her as the 'roughing it' sort of person.

[Jiyo Ayumu]

"You two know each other?"

Looking better, it was no monster, just another nezumi. Not the big one. Not the smart one. The other one.

"Hello Che'Chit. I'm Ayumu. Nice to meet you."

[Ch’chit T’kkiri]

The Brave-Warrior simply nodded at Phi.

He then said, "Squishy hairless-ones should stay in camp. Pain-is-present in swamp that came to find us."

[Nozomi]

"We've met, yes. I warn you. I have no knack for his tongue. You probably got his name wrong," she admitted, nodding to him. It was a sore spot for her, not being able to say it right. "I ... will figure it out before we are done here, Nezumi."

But then he went and said that and she visibly tensed. She'd had enough conversations to know something. That wasn't bandits he was talking about. "Are we in the affected lands already?" she said, her eyes narrowing. It might explain why the others had complained of their maps being wrong. "I was coming out here to keep watch, to see if the path through the swamp could be found. What did you see?"

[Jiyo Ayumu]

"Squishy hairless-ones should stay in camp. Pain-is-present in swamp that came to find us."

"Great explorer, how should I call you to give respect to your name?"

"I was coming out here to keep watch, to see if the path through the swamp could be found. What did you see?"

"That's also the reason for my presence. The convoy is stopped until we find a way through this mess, and I wanted to understand that problem better to see if I could help solving it. Now that I'm facing it directly, I think it's far beyond my own personal skills."

Eyeing the Nezumi.

"But not yours. What did you indeed?"

[Ch’chit T’kkiri]

“This swamp no belong here. Move. Pit change land. This swamp hunt... hunt us.”

[Nozomi]

Names... could wait. What the fuck did he mean by this swamp not belonging here? "So, when they say that this isn't on the maps, they're not kidding?" she muttered. "And this ... pit, that is the hole he made falling? It can change the land itself from one thing into another?" She was starting to rethink a few of her assumptions very quickly right now.

[Ch’chit T’kkiri]

He simply nodded.

“I know land better than toes. No swamp here.”

[Jiyo Ayumu]

Ayumu guessed the Nezumi was indeed more likely to be right about the geography of this place than any human. That raised many more questions however.

"What used to be there before the influence of the pit reshaped the landscape great rememberer?

And is there a road you know of that would allow us to bypass that accursed place entirely?"

[Nozomi]

She looked over at the rat, staying silent. Ayumu had asked precisely what she would ask under the circumstances. They needed back onto a verifiable path, after all. So, there was no other thing for it but to see if he had any ideas on how to get out of this blasted mire. But, after a second, she did think to ask something salient. "Does this happen often?"

[Ch’chit T’kkiri]

“I no rememberer. Land Nezumi Empire. Pit palace of Chief-of-Chiefs. My home. Great city. Now evil hole.”

He circled his hand around in a circle.

“Evil spread from hole. Always changing. Nowhere safe... Pain-is-present everywhere.”

He then looked at them, “Hairless-one path no good. I fix. I show best way. No good way. Just best way.”

[Jiyo Ayumu]

Ayumu adjusted his armor, and made sure his side weapons were easily accessible, and shifted the position of his yari so it could be used as a walking stick for now.

"Then show us the best way please."

[Ch’chit T’kkiri]

He looked confused, “Now you go? Pack leave day-after-night. I lead pack then. We go to father’s city.”

[Jiyo Ayumu]

"Oh. I thought you offered we scout the route ahead.

Yes, the expedition will only move as a whole later."

[Ch’chit T’kkiri]

"I know-know way. Just need see how far go around." He replied.