Dark Edge Village

Tomonaga's path through the western fields was taking him all over. After all, he was a Crab, and therefore nothing if not determined. Dressed in his finest kimono of dark blue, which fit his athletic form very well, he carried an unlit lantern in one hand.

However, spotting the crater, he had to slow down, stop. He had a mission, yes, but it wasn't every day that one saw the aftermath of such a mighty battle, that so many people he called friend had taken part in. He looked out over the artificial lake, his expression thoughtful.

Someone was already near the crater, sitting in the gloom. "Satsujin?" she called softly, "it's getting too dark to see, we should be getting back to the village."

Tomonaga hadn't been especially quiet, but he realized that it wouldn't take much for him not to be heard. His dark blue kimono did blend in fairly well in the fading light, and his passage could easily be mistaken for the rustling of the wind. That voice did sound familiar, though...

He cleared his throat, stepping forward, squinting at the dimly lit form. "Hello! Yasuki Tomonaga, here." He called softly, so as not to startle whoever it was. Especially if there was someone else he couldn't see, someone named Satsujin?

"Ohayou! Tomonaga-sama, it is just I, Amaya. You are out late for wandering."

"Oh!" Tomonaga stepped closer, within easy conversational range of the crouching figure, smiling once he could make out her features. "Hey, Amaya-san. It's good to see you again." Once you'd kissed someone twice, especially those kisses, it was probably fair to use given names. "Yeah, it is getting a bit late for wandering, huh? I'll be... heading back soon, I think."

He gave her a curious look. After all, the same applied to her, and... "Did I hear you talking to someone just now, Amaya-san? I thought I heard you say someone's name..."

She chuckles, "not someone, exactly." She is seated on a half tatami to protect her kimono from grass stains, and she has the same dark wooden box that yesterday had been filled with treats for the pups they had been training. "Satsujin, koko," she says firmly and a young weasel darts from the grass, leaping onto her arm and clambering lightly onto her shoulder. She feeds him a small morsel from the box.

Normally, Tomonaga liked animals. But weasels... he couldn't quite control a flinch as the little creature suddenly darts into view, his eyes wide.

"Errr..." Tomonaga flushed, embarrassed at his reaction. He moved closer, his brown eyes curious. "I see." He said, gently amused. He shot Amaya a quick glance. "Is he friendly?"

Smiling, "I certainly hope so, he's followed me everywhere for the last four days. I certainly wouldn't trust him with one of my only two kimonos if I suspected he might tear it," she indicates to the shoulder where the creature is sitting, alertly watching Tomonaga.

"Good point." Tomonaga said, his eyes flickering briefly to her shoulder. "Hello, Satsujin." Slowly, he reached his hand out, alert for signs of weaselly aggression.

He paused, giving Amaya another look, smiling. "Are you just out enjoying the evening, then, Amaya-san? A bit of fresh air and exercise, maybe?"

Satsujin sniffs at Tomonaga's hand, but does not make any moves, friendly or aggressive. "Actually, I was spending some time doing what I failed to achieve yesterday. I've been teaching Satsujin some obedience, in hopes that people will feel less nervous around him."

She firmly closes the box of treats and looks up at the Crab with concern, "did the weasels cause you difficulties in the egg hunt?"

The weasel's twitching whiskers tickled his hand, leading Tomonaga to chuckle softly. "Well, it looks like your efforts are paying off." Still after a few more moments, he withdrew his hand.

"I most certainly did." Tomonaga shook his head, chuckling ruefully. "I'd barely picked up my third egg, when a whole bunch of them came upon me at once. Started climbing my legs, biting me. Under my kimono, I might add. Luckily, they fell off when I, uh, ran away." He smiled at her, defying embarrassment. "It wasn't my proudest moment, exactly."

Tomonaga hovered, a little uncertain. It felt strange talking to her while she was seated, and he was standing, but he didn't want to sit down unless invited.

Shaking her head softly, "I cannot account for it. Every other samurai was harassed or attacked. It seems I alone remained unmolested." She looks up as Tomonaga towers over her, "would you like to sit a spell with me? or is there somewhere you were intending to be? I fear it is a poor substitute for your sake, but I have a waterskin if you wish a drink."

The question made Tomonaga glance towards the setting sun. "Not just yet, I don't." He knelt down by Amaya, close, but not pressingly so. "And please! Although now I'll owe you twice..." He gave her a crooked smile. "Wish I'd brought my sake; I'd be pleased if you tried it. Perhaps another time."

"Really?" Tomonaga peered thoughtfully at the little weasel. "Well... hmmm." He turned his gaze back to Amaya. "You definitely have a way with animals. Maybe they can sense your kindness, or something? I mean, I can sense it at a glance. Perhaps little Satsujin here can, too."

He chuckled. "I try to be nice... but I don't always succeed, I suppose. Maybe the weasels sensed that. Clever little creatures." Once again, he held out his hand to let Satsujin sniff it.

She offers the waterskin while Satsujin takes his time sniffing Tomonaga's fingers, little nose working in overdrive as he balanced precariously, leaning forward.

"I'm not so sure I would call it having a way with animals. It certainly didn't help my puppy yesterday."

Tomonaga drank a little from the waterskin, carefully, as much to be polite as from any thirst.

"Mmmm." Tomonaga looked at her, his gaze sympathetic, trying to gauge her mood. "Me either. And I was kinda fond of little Dash, too." He sighed. "I guess... I don't know. I guess sometimes the deciding factor isn't anything we do, it's fate. Or the Fortunes, or luck, or whatever." He smiled. "But I think I'm going to insist that anyone that's charmed one of these plains weasels like that clearly has a way with animals, Amaya-san."