Dark Edge Village

It had been a strange day. Being handed a dog to train was entertaining, but he knew Amaya would have been sad about not keeping the puppy. So he made his way to her yurt, scratching on the tent flap.

"Amaya? It's Hideo" he said

"Enter," she answered. Inside she was sitting neatly near the centre of the yurt, Satsujin curled in her lap, and a cup of freshly poured tea in her hands.

Hideo slipped in, smiling and bowing at the girl. "Good evening Amaya. How are you this evening?" He moved closer to her

She smiled, "sit, have tea, I just made it." She took a sip from her cup, "I am well. I was going to settle Satsujin before I went looking for you, seems you found me first."

Hideo does sit, placing herself near Amaya. "Tea would be lovely my dear. I did not mean to interrupt, I had just wished to be with you again."

She sets down her cup and pours for him, "you are interrupting nothing. Satsujin is feeling a little sore about the pup that was in my care getting all my attention, so I thought I would linger a moment, remind him he is loved."

"I will have to accept a reminder that I'm loved may be a little later?" Hideo teases with a smile

Her eyes widen in mock despair, and she indicates to the little weasel in her lap, "see that he has me pinned in place. I am at his mercy." She laughs softly.

"Alas, I shall have to wait until the might weasel is sated. Woe is me" he picked his cup up to sip "I don't know if I can accept my place, I may have to take drastic action to gain your attention."

"So long as you don't attempt to climb into my lap." She smiles, wistfully, "I must admit I was missing little Inu a bit. Giving her back was difficult."

"I understand. You really do love animals, and I was sad when you didn't get to keep it" he reached over and placed his hand on hers

"It hardly seems fair. On the pups or on us. I think Inu was just too overwhelmed to perform as required. She was exhausted."

"I agree" Hideo nodded, frowning "the animals didn't get a chance to recover. However, the event is over now. Just two more days of events to go."

"I'm guessing your charge didn't quite live up to expectations, either?" She finishes her tea, "let me put Satsujin down," and so saying she gets lightly to her feet, easing the pet from her lap into her cradled hands. The weasel doesn't appear to wake, and she places him in a nest of rags near the warmth of the firepot, a special little bed just for him. He sleepily nestles into the scraps and Amaya sits by Hideo's side once more.

Hideo shook his head. "The puppy sadly didn't live up to expectation. Or perhaps my training was poor. Either way, another event passes where I have been unable to prove myself."