Heavenfall

It had been a while she sat down to think about where they were going. As they went south, the rations will scarce and perhaps the Shoji should prepare for the some fasting. The woman looked at the running water and tried to clear her mind.

It is not long before another figure will happen by, Seppun Dawei trying without much success to find some interesting wood to carve. But he will stop when he realizes he is about to be intruding, and he will make sure he makes just enough noise to be heard as he steps out, hands open, palms up, and away from his body to demonstrate himself as no threat.

Quietly, he will add "Good afternoon. Seppun Dawei approaches you."

"Welcome, Seppun Dawei..." The Shoji opened her eyes and looked at the Stag. "How are you this afternoon?" She had met this man a few times before but never got to converse fully with him.

"I'm well enough--it was Inga, yes? And I hope you are, as well."

He approaches, settles himself near her.

"And I wonder if I am disturbing you as I look for wood."

"Not really. If you need help let me know." She nodded. "I am preparing my body for days to come, if you are wondering what am I doing here."

"What kind of preparations? And against what?"

Dawei leans forward, curious as to Inga's meaning.

"If you know somewhat about what we face, sharing would help others succeed."

"The path ahead may bring little usable food and loss of a good state of mind." Inga tilted her head perhaps to loosen a bit of the neck. "As we approach the chaos, it will eat our minds. So I prepare to get to a better state of mind."

"Hm. The food part is sensible. But the state of mind..."

Dawei trails off.

"You sound like you have some experience with such things."

"Living in a forest where spirits tend to roam, can alter one's state of mind." Inga sighed. "Voices... sounds... even the temperature changes can make someone go mad... things seem to be getting colder." She looked at Dawei then back to the stream. "Have you noticed?"

"That the weather's cooled? Yes. The humidity doesn't help, either, leaching what heat there is. And it shouldn't be; we're going south, so it should be warmer."

He looks around.

"But madness-causing?"

Inga closed her eyes. "When spirits gather things get cold. They long for chi... they will do what ever it takes to get it... even enter your mind."

"So you see the chill as gathered spirits, then, hungering for our life-essences?"

Is that what all this is about, then? We are prey?

"It is one of the many ideas that had occurred to me. We are to help a lost Kami of these Kami people are we not?" She opened her eyes. "He is a source of chi... and that place him in danger."

"My Lord Hantei wishes to have his brother freed. The Seppun swore to him; I swore to her. So I help as I may. But if he is prey for...what it is, and it still hungers...I am concerned."

"You must be... does Hantei know about these things I am telling you about?" She closed her eyes. "Or any of the Kami people?"

"He has spoken of some. If he knows more, I cannot say. Nor can I speak for his other siblings."

"I can talk to him, if he is interested in hear what I have to say." Inga smiled. "That is if he is willing to hear it... maybe a divination for the Kami people."

"If it will help save his brother, then I am sure he will hear you."

He nods.

"He seemed quite concerned when it was revealed that his brother yet lived. He and his siblings had thought him lost." As the one seemed to have been, indeed.

"Well as a child of a big family, I think I can relate. If one of my brothers or sisters were lost and I knew they were alive, I would do the impossible to find them." She took a deep breath. "And also be concerned."

Dawei nods.

"But you are not sworn to a Kami. Why are you offering your appreciated assistance in this?"