Heavenfall

Phi crouched in the turf in the viscinity of the supply wagons, quietly watching the surroundings. No stifled yawns by now. She'd had several days and her sleep schedule was starting to lock in. She was even getting her night vision a little better, but that was going to take really getting used to being out here.

She and the other two she'd roped into this hellish hour's shift on patrol were largely left to their own devices as the Hour of the Ox approached. Overhead, Lord Moon flowed his way between the clouds and she muttered something to the others. "Ngh... hope you two remember how to stay awake on the night watches." She kept it low, smirking behind her mask. What was a little ribbing between old acquaintances?

(OOC: Awaiting two more)

"I seem to recall I pulled this duty more often than you did."

Sora had left his Imperial colors in his tent, and was dressed in much simpler garb of the sort he'd worn in the moutains in the old days.

"Since little kids needed their rest."

Koyama's indomitability had so far seen little use; he was glad to have found something to occupy himself with during the whole southern crusade. The Hikaru reunion was a guilty pleasure attached to it all for his tribal affinities didn't die after his marriage.

Seing Sora dressed like during the old days warmed his heart and drew a smile out. Deep inside things that had made him happy when he had been younger could still bring cheer to his thoughts.

""Feels lik' whin we wur getting duin tae raid." He uttered with wry frankness. He was indeed geared like for one, in his old armour, with spear across his back.

The night is eerily still beneath the light of the moon, bereft of little more than the occasional light gust of wind, barely enough to even set the wagon creaking. Despite the long journey, the supplies themselves seemed to be holding out rather well.

[Investigation (Notice)/Perception TN20 for everyone present, only one person needs to succeed]

[I will roll as the last one if no-one succeeds. For now, activating Highlander Tech: -2 to Social Skill Rolls, +1 to Bugei Skill Rolls]

Muscle memories of past recklessness for now banished Koyama the Daddy and were awakening Kozan the Destroyer. It felt damn good.

She was about to make a crack about doing Sora's job better and Koyama's accent when her hand shot up in a fist to signal silence and she went deathly still. There was a change in her demeanor and posture, one hand reaching up towards her bow, her blood red eyes narrowing. She didn't draw it out to string quite yet. She had time. But she was sure she'd heard something ... off in the air, or seen a shadow move.

Fuck, those dreams have me jumpy... It's probably nothing, but need to be sure.

Squinting, she looked to the others for confirmation and then towards where she thought she'd detected something. Jokes could wait a moment. Work time.

Whatever sound Phi had detected, it appeared to come from the far end of the supply wagon, moving quickly away, but the noise was very faint and light. A quick visual inspection reveals that one of the tethers holding the cloth over the wagon is loose, and might be flapping if the winds were stronger.

Sora froze at Phi's signal.

It was just like old times. Comfortable. Familiar.

And Phi had always had sharper eyes for this sort of thing.

He couldn't quite make it out, but say one thing for the Hikaru, they trusted each other about these things.

He checked to see what the wagon contained.

A quick inspection of the wagon reveals standard supplies, rations, and medical kits, arranged by way of convenience for storage and retrieval. It's hard to tell if the quantity is right, but many of the items available appear damaged, and at least one ration pack is glistening strangely.

Sora carefully marked the wagon with his sword.

He kept his voice low.

"This wagon's supplies have been fucked with. Food in it's probably not safe."

She made a hand motion, pointing in the direction of the motion detected while nodding in Sora's direction. They'd need to verify what had been touched, how much had been fucked with, and if it was anything worse than a rat's saliva as it tried to gnaw through a crate, because she would totally believe that was a very real possibility right now. With the motions, she nodded to Koyama and pointed right, to Sora and pointed left and took up center as she started to move forward to investigate the flurry of motion trying to get away from here.

She wanted answers, and whatever it was she wanted to be sure this did not happen again. Best to search for the culprit.

"Ah'm nay hungry." Kozan spat through teeth in barely audible way. "Dinnae thread ower tracks, Sora."

Then he moved where he was supposed to be, hatchet ready.

Sora nodded- then sheathed his sword and unlimbered his dagger-axe from his back.

After what he'd seen the other day, he liked the idea of having some reach.

While actual tracks weren't readily available near the wagon itself, in the direction Phi had gestured were other signs of passage, most notably scraps of the damaged supplies lying on the ground. Whatever was nearby was likely responsible for the destruction.

[Hunting/Perception TN25, once again only one success needed]

Sora examined the tracks.

He could almost sort it out.

But only almost.

There were a lot of those fragments strewn about, for all that this place was a civilized community, a vast city in the middle of the darkness. But, Phi had the bit in her mouth. She had wanted to prove exactly this very point to Shinjo and to the others, that they needed guards. She hadn't exactly wanted it to happen on her shift, but this one was good at what it did.

However...

Tonight, she was better.

Finding the initial signs of retreat was difficult, but the quick reactions and guesswork paid off, as the signs of passage grew more obvious. Whatever made this trail couldn't be far, and was heading towards the outer edges of the camp.

[Players can proceed to follow the trail without rolls for now]

Sora fell in behind Phi, keeping his weapon cradled gently in his hands.

Remembering Phi to be good with all the tracking, Kozan let her lead, focusing on whatever could try to ambush them back. He knew that the boundary between the hunter and the hunted was very fine, and he wouldn't enjoy a slippage of this kind. He had no idea what could have left the putrid slimy something behind, but did it really matter? He had nothing to prove to anybody, he was a fulfilled man - it doesn't get any better for having a goddess for wife - more with a mission than with a sense of achievement. There was still some discovery to be done, but it was more more about something locked in himself than to be found near some great warren.

Now that they had the trail, they weren't losing it, and these two were despite all of her quips, people that she still trusted implicitly to have her back. They knew their shit. Muscle memory and years of living in terrible conditions really could teach a lot. The path got clearer away from the main camp and she followed it as quietly as possible, wondering if they were dealing with a nezumi urchin or the like. They'd have to be careful if that was the case. Couldn't undo what little good their fellows had tried to work earlier in the last day.

But those were thoughts for later. First. They had to find the culprit.