Dark Edge Village

Takeo attended the yurts where he knew the shiotome were housed, looking for Imane. He had not seen her since the earliest days of the miai and needed to speak with her once more before it concluded.

The haunting sounds of a flute carried across the field. Imane sat cross-legged on the grass outside of her yurt. The cluster of three was now two with the passing of Chi-Pu. She noted the approaching figure and rose gracefully but continued her piece until it reached its conclusion.

"Good evening Kitsune-sama, what brings you to the Shiotome this evening?"

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D10 EE. Perform: Flute, 1CR; TN15?: 4d10o10k3 20, success!

"A desire to see you, yourself, Otaku Imane-san," he replied, bowing as he greeted her.

"I am remiss that I have not called upon you in the days since our first meeting and wanted to remedy that before the miai ended."

Asahi walked a half-step behind and eyed the shiotome with curiosity.

The word 'desire' brought a slight frown, though it disappeared almost as soon as it appeared. There had been rather too​ much desire floating around this miai in her opinion. Still, she bowed slightly deeper than he did to acknowledge his status.

"Oh, how thoughtful of you Kitsune-sama. It is good to see you, and I am always happy to speak with a fellow descendent of the Ki-rin. I hope the miai has been pleasant for you?"

Her voice was musical, with all of the slightly exotic accents he had heard previously. She set the flute down, noting the interest of the red fox.

"It has, and made more pleasant by your song. Perhaps we can play together later?" he asked, producing his own sakkachu from his obi.

"I imagine that the flute serves just as well upon horseback as it does beneath the bows of a forest, neh?"

"I would like that Kitsune-sama. Music is such an important piece of our culture, I am always happy to learn new songs or introduce my own to others."

She would also be tempted to bring out the Morin khuur to see what the Fox made of it.

"Yes, a flute is excellent for its versatility. It can even be used for signalling purposes across the plains of needed.". Imane shrugged lightly and looked closely at Takeo and his actual fox.

"I don't recall meeting your friend before. What is his name?"

Takeo smiled as he introduced his friend.

"This is Asahi, a friend from home. He is generally quite taken with the shiotome it seems. I think he sees in them what I do," he replied

Asahi sneaked past Takeo and walked confidently up to Imane, sitting and eyeing her curiously.

She looked at the Fox's fox with a careful smile. "Hello Asahi, you have traveled far."

Her eyes turned to the Kitsune. "And what is it exactly that you see Kitsune-sama?" She was curious to know, although their discussions at the start of the miai suggested that he was keen to bring the children of the Ki-rin back together again.

"For those who have travelled so far, in many ways, the shiotome are the most alike to us. There is a tradition in you, in each of you, that speaks to the samurai. Warriors, diplomats and artists all, with an unwavering devotion to bushido. Your family, and the shiotome in particular, have kept the ways of Rokugani alive in many centuries afield, Otaku-san. It is as if the Ki-Rin themselves have returned.

"And yet you are Unicorn as well. Some of your ways are unknown to us. That knowledge makes you stronger, not less, as some might suggest. Though some of your customs may be strange, they are no less strange than our own would appear to an outsider. We can learn much from the Unicorn and the shiotome in particular."

His words brought her good cheer. These old cousins seemed to be good people.

"You honour me with your effusive praise a Kitsune-sama. I think I would like to visit the lands of the Fox one day. Perhaps to visit with my dear friend Kitakuhime-sama, if all goes well tomorrow."

She smiled, hoping that she has correctly guessed his intentions.

"Let us hope - there are some obstacles still in our way. Not the least of which is Shosuro Yawarakai..." he said, musing.

"My conversation with him yesterday did not go very well. I fear he may whisk Otaku-sama away from me before I have a chance."