[D8 LA, open] Thundering Hooves (and Paws)

[Shinjo Kemuri]

"I can understand." he nodded. "I think it is good for us to blend somewhat with the rest of the Empire. Hopefully, it will help us adapt."

[Iuchi Saksaha]

"I hope it will help them adapt to us. We are already good at adapting. We have been doing it for seven centuries and more," Saksaha points out with a half-smile. "It is these other tribes who are out of practice."

Then she rather hastily swings down from Gio's saddle and takes a few strides over to retrieve her pup before he can ingest part of a weed she's pretty sure will be bad for him. "No, Yolo. Drop it." She holds the little creature by the scruff of his neck. "Drop."

[Shinjo Kemuri]

"Come here, Airi." Kemuri commanded.

The puppy had been considering helping the other puppy, but the treat giver drew her away.

"I have a feeling that this adaptation will be difficult for us too." he said as bff e picked his dog up. "Just the idea of having a permanent home is hard to grasp."

[Iuchi Saksaha]

"No, drop it!" Saksaha sighs and resorts to prying the little fuzzball's mouth open and extracting the dangerous flower "No foxglove for you!" She fumbles around in the grass and finds a woody twig to throw for him to chase instead. "Go get it! Bring it back this time!"

"It is strange," she agrees, turning back to Kemuri while wiping her hands on her skirts. "Land that is ours, instead of someone else's we are passing through. Or no one's because no one wants it. Will they expect we will fill it all with cities made of wood and stone houses? And farms?"

[Shinjo Kemuri]

"They will be disappointed, if they do." he shrugged. "I don't think that will be necessary, as long as we contribute something to the Empire."

[Iuchi Saksaha]

"Yes," she agrees. "And Shinjo-no-Kami has spoken to that, so it should be well." If we don't screw it up. But we won't.

[Shinjo Kemuri]

"All the more reason for us to make ties with the other clans and begin forging bonds." he nodded. "We need to know what's conning."

[Iuchi Saksaha]

"Some will be easier than others, I think," Saksaha admits, shading her eyes as she looks out over the field to see if the puppy finally figures out fetch this time.

[Shinjo Kemuri]

"Airi, no!" The other puppy wriggled free of Kemuri's grasp and chased after Yolo. "Hopefully, the Empire will listen to us more than our puppies do."

[Iuchi Saksaha]

"Mm. Well, we do not need them to obey us. We only need them to take us as equals." Unspoken but nevertheless quite clear behind these words is the thought that for some of the Rokugani Saksaha has encountered so far, this alone will be difficult enough.

[Shinjo Kemuri]

"Of course." he nodded. "Hopefully we can at least gain their respect. To some extent, that depends on this miai."

[Iuchi Saksaha]

"... is there anyone's respect you have gained especially, Marta-san?" Saksaha inquires, watching the pups' twin trails loop through the grass.

[Shinjo Kemuri]

"One of the Lion, Matsu Kogo. An imperial, Miya Mei, though that's a bit more than respect." he smiled. "A few others, perhaps."

[Iuchi Saksaha]

"Oh, Miya... Mei?" The name rings a vague bell.... Right, that one. "I have not met her, but I think I remember the song she made yesterday. It was... really something."

[Shinjo Kemuri]

"It was definitely interesting." he chuckled. "She sang for me after I sang for her. We've grown close over a short period of time."