Heavenfall

As others had continued to sleep throughout the night after the combined efforts to defeat the nightmares, Saruko was still working on her project. At this moment, she was trying to draw up a suitable symbol for the Spider, but the herbs were kind of playing tricks on her head, and it all just kind of... ended up low-key terriyfing her.

Much to her surprise as she stepped out to clear her head, was seeing Nadare seemingly... lost in meditation. Very lost as he didn't seem to react at all as she walked up to him and spoke.

So she gave him a good poke in the side with her staff.

"Wha?"

Blearily he turned to focus his eyes on the source of the poking. Absently he swatted at the stick but kept missing. Eventually he just waved his hand in front of his face.

"I was so close... To... Well I'll probably never know now." He started to move and winced as bones, tendons, cartilage and muscle all complained at once.

"Goodness," she remarked as she watched him unfold himself from having been locked in that position for so long. "You seemed completely out of it, Nadare. I was worried that herbal stuff had knocked you out."

Smiling, she put the staff over her shoulders. It was like a brief moment of home for a few seconds there... poking at one of her husband's disciples with a long stick.

"Are you alright?"

Yawning widely he ran the fingers of his right hand through his hair, rubbing the skull. "I have had worse."

Blearily he started doing some breathing exercises. "I was having nightmares. Vile things. But I fought them off. And then... It was like I was on the edge of some grand discovery."

His eyes shifted to the left over herbs. "Oh good, I didn't accidentally smoke one of those mushrooms."

"Hmm..." intrigued, she took a seat beside him and laid the staff across her lap.

"Something wrong with the mushrooms?"

"No, you just wouldn't smoke them. Frying? Absolutely." He winked at her and started to carefully stretch out his muscles.

"How long was I sitting there? Hmm. Did you hear about our successful adventure with the Crippled Bone nezumi today? It was most interesting."

She made a face at him as his humor once more caught her off-guard. Not that it stopped her quiet laugh.

"Mm, at least... before I took those herbs myself, which was maybe... 5 hours ago? It's a bit difficult to track time out here. But no I hadn't heard how that went with the Nezumi. Apart from it being successful how did it go?"

He seemed satisfied at her face-pulling and chuckled as something popped in his shoulder. "Oh that's better."

A hand scratched at his stubble. "Most enlightening. They are a hardy...people. I tended to their wounded with Anjing Xia. Miyako of the Chinsei engaged them in conversation and spoke eloquently of our goals. Hanzou the Hunter aided the nezumi in keeping watch. We made an excellent team."

"Ah. All very fine people. I'm glad you could all work so well together." She nodded, having met and spoken with all three of them. "Were the Nezumi badly wounded then? I know they're pretty hardy, but... well, that makes me a bit worried of what might've hurt them so much out here."

Maybe the enemy was saving up the worst of it for later.

"Some were, but we managed to help all of their wounded." He looked off into the distance. "The landscape has changed. It only makes sense that the creatures would change with it."

He reached over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Be careful Saruko. The closer we get to our destination the greater the danger."

She breathed in deeply to swallow her own fears, and put a hand over Nadare's. "And you be careful too. We'll have eachother's backs, right?"

Well, as much as she could. Now that they were getting so much closer, she was worried that she would be even more of a liability. "Hopefully, the Nezumi's help will make a difference. It seems they have some sort of plan involving their shamans?"

Nadare wiggled his fingers. "Magic."

"Magic." She chuckled and gave his hand a squeeze. "It's different than our magic, though... I've no idea how it works, but... well, if we can't trust one another, then we can't win."

"I expect the nezumi will prove to be our most important allies on this whole adventure." He looked around and then shrugged. "They live with this every day. We are but visitors."

"Yes, I agree," she nodded gently, shifting in her seat to cross her legs.

"What do you think will happen with the Nezumi after this...? Will they be able to rebuild?"

"They built their civilisation without any assistance from us." He looked up into the sky. "If we do not hinder them I expect they will do just fine."

"You seem certain."

She wondered if the arrival of the Kami had done more than to partially destroy the Nezumi civilization. Maybe it had heralded the beginning of the human-empire, and an end to its predecessor? It was a strange thought, as she didn't really want the Nezumi, or other non-humans, to disappear.

"But few can know the future for certain. Guess we'll have to wait and see." Saruko breathed deeply and smiled. "Do you feel ready to face whatever awaits us ahead?"

The smirk was familiar.

"I did say 'If' Sakuro."

He stood up slowly and started working through some full body stretches. The Lion seemed to stir too.

"The alternative is to worry about being unprepared. I feel that we do not belong here, so I look forward to facing the future, and then returning to our mountains." He moved into a handstand and did a few leg exercises.

"Hmm, you're right. We don't belong here," she shrugged uncomfortably. "I'm not shaman like you, but even I can feel the... unnaturalness of this place."

No doubt, it would grow worse as they came closer.

"I do miss the mountains too..." but most importantly, she missed the ones waiting there. Watching Nadare do his hand-stand she managed a grin. "... Not planning on exploring more along the way once you're heading home?"

"I think planning anything more at this point would be premature." He lowered down into some rather complicated push ups.

"Besides, I am sure our Lord will have questions." Nadare had a vague desire to travel the land discussing medical knowledge with the tribes and clans. Then again, Togashi probably had something in mind.