[Day 2 - Early Evening] Better Luck Next Time

[Bayushi Hotaru]

Oh Kami, that could have gone soooo tuch metter. Wha? Tuch Better. Blah! MUCH better! Hotaru groaned internally to herself as she meandered back to her yurt for the evening to collect herself once more. Her mind was devoted so much into the made-up language that she swore she began to see things that weren't there. If language could truly change how one thought, she thought she was almost on the cusp of it. Ultimately, it didn't do her any favours and she did horribly at the event.

She could waste time meditating to find her concentration once more but she thought it was better to attune herself to knowing what the cosmos had in store for her. It was bound to make more sense of things. Sitting at the entrance of her yurt, she drew out a canister from her satchel and began fumbling through the sticks. She arranged them in piles, slowly drawing out four at a time until she found her desired result. It was a process she took her time with, even if the speed had no ultimately determinate for the reading you were destined for. Let's see, let's see...

[Shimizu Ryori]

A large warcat wanders the yurts looking for her brother she wanders past the Scorpion as she prepares her sticks and pauses to investigate the strange ritual, with her nose.

A short distance a way a young samurai has realized his sister has wandered off and is looking for her amongst the yurts.

[Bayushi Hotaru]

Mountain over fire?! I suppose that much should have been obvious! I'm trying, believe me, I'm trrrrry-ing! Maybe I shouldn't be laughing as-GIANT CAT! Eeppp! "Whah!" Hotaru exclaimed as she clutched tightly at the remainder of her sticks and found herself flinching away from the overgrown cat. She began to inch away from the cat, wondering if it would be wise to back herself into her yurt or stay out here...

[Shimizu Ryori]

The cat nosed her sticks moving them slightly then looked at the preistess expectantly.

The exclamation drew the sandled feet of a young lion who began moving between yurts toward the sound.

[Bayushi Hotaru]

Hotaru relaxed, just a touch, seeing as the cat wasn't exactly poised to attack her. Then again, she had been tricked before when an animal looked innocent. Petting was already not an option. She merely showed the sticks she was clutching in her hands to the cat, mustering her best smile under the circumstances. "...Sorry, the sticks aren't really much in the ways of food, but they make for good divination tools...did you wish to get your fortune told?"

[Shimizu Ryori]

When she speaks the cat looks right at her and takes two steps back pushing sticks at her.

'Kyra' is heard in the distance

[Bayushi Hotaru]

"Ahah, so yes...then?" Hotaru chuckled anxiously as the large cat backed up and allowed her to retrieve the sticks she separated from her previous divinations. She remained in place, forcing her to reach forward whenever she moved to pick up the sticks that were sitting on the cat's side.

Never done a reading for a cat before...Is it even possible to read one's fortune, or rather, does it even have a destiny? She questioned to herself as she neatly bundled all of the sticks in her hands, evening them out on the ground as she prepared the whole process all over again. The call for Kyra wasn't overlooked, although she didn't know if that was meant for the cat or a fellow Unicorn.

She slowly separated four by four...deciphering the will of the Fortunes once more.

[Shimizu Ryori]

The lioness curls up and watches the little priestess as the calls get closer, a blonde headed samurai can now be seen checking yurts just a little down the path.

[Bayushi Hotaru]

Hotaru was concentrated on appeasing the Lion to be calling out for help. Ultimately, the lion was closer to her than any other samurai and she would be pounced on before any help could potentially arrive. She focused on removing and counting the sticks, which helped her calm her nerves somewhat.

She carefully calculates the remaining sticks in her hands to form the pattern before her. "Let's see, all that together would make...Heaven over Thunder, it seems. Innocence. Innocence will grant you strength and success, as you know the way already. To stray from yourself and innocents would be to invite misfortune on your otherwise righteous path." Innocence with a lion, I don't know if that's appropriate or not... "And surely, you know the way to your destiny, being a majestic creature yourself."

[Shimizu Ryori]

"/KYRA!/" It is then that Ryori comes upon them he snags the lioness by her scruff, not roughly "you know you arent supposed to wonder out alone" the lion mews plantively as Ryori looks at the scorpion "I am sorry scorpion-sama"

[Bayushi Hotaru]

She gasped loudly when she saw someone come upon the lion and grab her by the scruff. Perhaps it was more surprising that the lion didn't pounce the Lion in return. Was this man its owner?

"Oooh, no, no! It's okay!" She quickly recomposed herself and laughed the whole situation away, giving a few waves of her hand to indicate it was no trouble at all. "The lion...Kyra, is it? Was just providing me with some company. No harm done! It was just kind of strange to see a lion wandering around. I almost thought that all of the horses and livestock brought a lion here looking for food...are you its owner?"

[Shimizu Ryori]

"Owner?" he looks offended "Why would I keep my sister a slave?" he cocks his head "Is that something they do in scorpion lands?" He frowns "I am Shimizu Ryori, and this is Matsu Kyra"

[Bayushi Hotaru]

Hotaru looked rather unsure but knew better to argue with a Lion. She merely rose to her feet and gave him a formal bow. "My apologies! I didn't know, forgive my shortsightedness and assumptions. And no, it is not something we do in the Scorpion lands. That perhaps explains for my shortsightedness...I am Bayushi Hotaru, blessed shrine maiden of Tengoku's Path. Pleased to meet you both."

[Shimizu Ryori]

He smiles "I am sorry if I was short bayushi-sama this little trouble maker has been acting strange since the Moto gave her three bowls of Kumis last night"

[Bayushi Hotaru]

"Um, oh..." Gross She narrowed her eyes in a restrained show of disgust. "That's fine and even more forgivable in that case. I've heard that kumi isn't for everyone and especially to cats, hearing how alcohol it is apparently. I can only imagine the Moto were meaning to be nice than disruptive. However, I can't say for sure since I haven't spoken to too many Moto but they seem to be a Family who like to prove themselves with action, from what I've seen."

She applied a small smile on her lips, keeping optimistic. "Has Shimizu-san had a favourable time in the miai so far?"