Dark Edge Village

(Open but expecting! )

Sadly, there wasn't a shrine or a place to offer prayers to Benten, but Tomoe hoped that the place could suffice for the moment as she knelt and offered a brief prayer to the Fortune of Romantic Love. To her disappointment, this miai hadn't swept her up in a stormy romance like she had read in pillowbooks and the like, even if she knew the chances had been slim.

Still, she held out hope she could find a happy marriage.

"I wonder how many prayers like this you hear here everyday now, neh?" she asked in a quiet tone to the spirits of the shrine, not really expecting an answer.

The bites weren't severe, but a couple were deep enough to be concerned. Rather than wandering around looking for a healer, Kemuri hoped there'd be someone at the shrine who could treat the wounds. Perhaps the fortunes would listen to prayers regarding weasels.

Seeing Tomoe, he limped towards her, trying to remember the Rabbit's family name.

"Good afternoon, Usagi-sama." He offered a bow once she seemed finished with her prayers. "It is good to see you again."

He did not draw attention to his bleeding leg.

Tomoe looked up as she heard a voice, and she noticed the familiar Marta. "Oh, Shinjo-san, good afterno--" she stopped as she noticed his bleeding leg.

She didn't faint or cry about the fact that he was bleeding. "You're hurt!" she did say with some surprise, but her voice was soon firm as a commander. "Goodness, sit down and let me tend to it."

"I..." He decided not to argue and sat down. He had been looking for a healer after all. "It was weasels. They really wanted those eggs."

"Weasels?" she looked rather surprised at that. Either because weasels had attacked him, or he because he was admitting weasels had attacked him.

"Eggs...? The ones our hosts wanted us to find?"

Tomoe picked up the satchel she carried with her and brought out the medicine kit she always had nearby in case of emergencies.

"I will clean away the blood first and tend your wounds, Shinjo-san. Don't worry, I'm a trained healer."

---

(just rolling now to get it out of the way )
D4 EA Medicine/Intelligence for Kemuri. 1 raise. TN 20: 6d10o10k4 37
D4 EA Wounds healed for Kemuri: 2d10o10k1 14 (hot damn)

"Yes." he nodded. "I found several of the eggs. That attracted the attention of several weasels, who swarmed around me. My armor protected me, but a couple of them managed to sink their teeth into my leg."

He removed the armor protecting his lower leg, exposing the wounds. They weren't too deep, but he was bleeding freely.

At least Tomoe was well-accustomed to seeing similar wounds on those she had tended to that had been in the Shinomen, so she knew what to do.

"Weasels can be tricky sometimes, neh?" she offered with a little bit of gentle humor, hoping his pride wasn't too hurt. "Not as much as badgers or wolverines, though..."

She found some fresh cloth and began to clean away the blood.

"Especially when one has their hands full with eggs." he laughed. "Thank you, Usagi-sama, for helping me."

"I would be cruel to not offer help, Shinjo-san," she said with a smile, "even if I did not know the healing arts. Shinsei, the Little Teacher said; One must bow to offer help to a fallen man. So are we reminded that Compassion is a virtue."

"But I can't promise much if the weasels have followed you here... they are dangerous enemies to rabbits," Tomoe added with a playful chuckle. "Did you manage to return any of the eggs for the test?"

He laughed at her comment, then shrugged. "I lost two. So, I only returned with 13."

"Thirteen?" she looked a little puzzled and gave some salve to his injuries that would soothe the pain a little. "... Was that a good amount? I didn't try so, I'm not sure if that was high or low..."

"It was high, but I think I could have done better." He smiled. "That feels much better. Thank you, Usagi-sana."

The salve was soon followed by some bandages to keep dirt from getting into the marks left from the biting weasels.

"You're welcome, Shinjo-san. I'm glad to hear you're feeling better," she smiled kindly. "... Seems like we didn't get the chance to speak much when we met for Shinjo Hanashi-san's storytelling... you're a storyteller like him, I recall?"

"Hai, though he is certainly the better one." he replied. "Have you enjoyed the stories of our clan?"

"Very much so," she nodded. "Your people are talented storytellers, and it's great to learn about all that has happened to the children of Shinjo while you were gone."

Having finished her job, she cleaned her hands with another fresh piece of cloth.

"How... how does it feel to be back?" Tomoe asked a little shyly.