[D2 LM] Kitteh-ball?

[Iuchi Saksaha]

"The tales say the ancestors went separate ways to seek greater knowledge of the world--and also to search for another way home," Saksaha explains, leaning an elbow on the nearby fence post as she warms into the conversation. "Each family traveled apart, except the Ide and Moto who often went together."

She can't help but nod when he mentions his reaction to the story of the rocs. "It is hard to imagine such a sight. We never encountered them again, at least not that I know of. But there are many things in the stories of the past that are hard to see in the mind's eye--dragons and spirit-beasts and monsters." And oni, she doesn't add, thinking of the scene this morning but remembering Otaku-sama's request to keep the matter quiet. Thinking about it brings something else to mind, though. "It is also hard to imagine a race of men who are half giant snake, but it is said such creatures walk among the people of this land now. Do you know, is it really true?"

[Matsu Yurio]

He nods.

"The Naga. Although there are a lot less of them after Matsu Kassenko-sama's glorious campaign of the War of Broken Fangs where she took the finest the Empire had to eradicate their holdings in the Shinomen Mori. A few of the snakemen turned to our side though. They work with the Piranha Clan to work the forest for the Empire now."

[Iuchi Saksaha]

"Hm. If these Naga can become allies of the Empire, I think my more doubtful kinfolk might be mistaken about how long it will take you to become used to us," Saksaha says with a small smile, tugging thoughtfully on the end of her long braid, which has slipped forward over her shoulder again. "I would wish to meet a Naga, one day. But I suppose they will not come to a miai."

[Matsu Yurio]

"Oh I wouldn't say we're used to Naga, but at least we don't attack them on sight. Well as long as they have the right papers and clearance from the Piranha."

The ball kept on bouncing.

"There are still some Naga in the deep forest and elsewhere that are dangerous and should be treated with swift and lethal response."

[Iuchi Saksaha]

That ball was becoming a little mesmerizing... Saksaha's head begins to nod up and down just the tiniest bit as she unconsciously tracks the movement. How did he keep it going so effortlessly? A dozen bounces in a row was about the most she'd ever managed.

"Have you ever met one? A Naga," she asks. "How to tell the dangerous from the safe ones? You can know only when they are close enough to show these papers?"

[Matsu Yurio]

He shook his head and finally dropped the ball to the floor, trapping it under one small foot.

"I have not. I would assume that any Naga getting this far into the Empire is a friend . . . or at least one of the Piranha sanctioned ones."

He smiled, placing his hands casually on his hips.

"Also the other Naga are so feral they could probably be easily identified by trying to stick a spear in you or something. It was that kind of uncivilised behaviour that got them decimated in the first place."

He eyed her clothing and weaponry, or lack of.

"You are a pri . . . no mystic? I think that was the term Iuchi Dong-ha used."

[Iuchi Saksaha]

Hmm. Saksaha will just have to hope to meet the friendly Naga up close and the other ones at a nice safe running-away distance, then, if at all.

"Yes." She nods. "Priestess, mystic, shaman, shugenja, I do not mind answering to any of these names." Then, flicking at the end of her braid, she adds a little more self-consciously, "We must not seem quite like the priests you're used to."

[Matsu Yurio]

He nodded.

"The Lion shugenja are the Kitsu family. All red, red gold, or deep blonde haired and deeply religious. They tend the Hall of Ancestors and the Kitsu Tombs dealing as much with the departed as they do the living. Traditionally they do not join our armies as anything other than healers, but times have been dangerous of late and even the Kitsu have been called to defend our honour and serve in the name of the Son of Heaven."

[Iuchi Saksaha]

"They all have the light hair, like yours?" Saksaha's hand twitches as if she might be resisting the temptation to reach out and touch Yurio's blond locks. "But you are Matsu. I suppose people marry between the families of your Clan, as they sometimes do in mine..." she crosses her arms to squash any further impulse toward petting the spiky little kitty. "We rode through a country of yellow-haired people when I was a little girl. I still remember that well. But I used to think all the people in Rokugan would be dark-haired like us."

[Matsu Yurio]

"Some Kitsu blood has been joined to the Matsu, Ikoma and Akodo lines, but the best of our shugenja, the Sodan-Senzo are pureblood Kitsu who can track their genealogy back to the first Kitsu. They have the strongest connection to our Ancestors."

He looked like he was in awe.

"I've only met one once, but he was so impressive when he spoke with the voice of the Ancestors."

[Iuchi Saksaha]

"The 'voice of the ancestors?'" Saksaha's light, husky voice sounds suitably impressed. "How did he do that? What did they say?" This sounds almost like something she might recognize. There are steppe tribes whose shamans at least claim to channel the voices of their ancestral spirits, though of course those ancestors aren't samurai, so it's not quite the same.

[Matsu Yurio]

"The Ancestors in Yomi. The Kitsu can speak to them and relay their words to their mortal descendants. It is an honour to be sought out by a Sodan-Senzo as it means one of your honoured ancestors has chosen to speak."

He was still a little awe struck.

"It wasn't me he came to see, but Akodo Shinnosuke, but still oh so impressive."

[Iuchi Saksaha]

"What kinds of messages do the Ancestors send? Or is it a secret?" Fascinated, Saksaha leans in (and, of necessity, slightly down).

[Matsu Yurio]

"Messages of support for their descendants. Congratulations or notice of a glorious act. Sometimes a warning or instruction. Occasionally a rebuke and warning combined. That the living have strayed from the rightful path and must correct their ways."

And then there is the Ikoma . . . . . . . . . . sigh.

[Iuchi Saksaha]

"Oh. Even a warning from my ancestors would be an honor, it is true." Saksaha nods thoughtfully. "To speak across so great a distance, it would mean they considered it worth a great effort, I suppose. Not something they would do for a worthless descendant." She suppresses a giggle but can't hide a smile, suddenly hearing Grandmother's voice echoing clearly out of her childhood memories. I don't take all this trouble for my health, girl, so pay attention!

"I hope I might speak with one of your sodan-senzo one day," she adds, pronouncing the title carefully.