The consensus within the nakama is to go to the Kumo clan's station on the western side of the mountain overlooking the city of Kofu. The wary shinobi hike the side of the mountain, taking a route leading north of the place they encountered the oni. This time they encounter only natural creatures of the forest-- song birds in the branches, a group of deer who shy away, a lizard who does push-ups to declare his territory, a beautiful and lithely-running cock pheasant. The last might be taken as a good omen, because
"kiji"** and "beautiful" are the clan's password and response this month. In time they cross the ridgeline of the mountain, and from a clear place have a view of Kofu around two
ri* in the distance.
They follow their recollections of the station's location, and are indeed able to find it. It is in a grove of chestnut trees, which may have grown wild here-- or may have not. The ground around is covered with years of layers of the husks that fall away from the nuts. Reaching the hut requires crossing 20 so yards of the things, with audible crunch with each step. (Going from tree branch to tree branch above would also work, for the more nimble human or creature. It's more humble and more ramshackle now than they remember it.
The ground around is covered with years of layers of the husks that fall away from the nuts. Reaching the hut requires crossing 20 so yards of the things, with an audible crunch with each step. (Going from tree branch to tree branch above would also work, for the more nimble and unencumbered human or creature). But the nakama doesn't need to do so, because as they consider doing so, to the right they hear the loud sound of a stick on the forest breaking. The young ninja stop and grow alert. A reassuring voice they know calmly says with embarrassed mirth,
It's fine Spring day, isn't it? I saw a proud and perfect kiji. Someone answers,
Yes, even a beautiful kiji can enjoy a beautiful day like today. The man stands up from behind a bush and steps forward. It's the Kumo clan man called "Reed," who is the father of one of the nakama's younger classmates. But he is almost unrecognizable in his guise as an almost penniless unwashed woodcutter.
He says, still in that guise,
You are welcome to rest in my hut, travelers-san. We can't offer rice, but we have tea and barley. Please come. He bows from the waist and starts crunching over the chestnut husks to the hovel. An equally grubby woman emerges from it and bows. She's the mother of an older classmate who graduated a year ago and hasn't returned to The Village since the Fall, when the war between the samurai Taira and Minamoto clans started. She's called "Erasing Cloth" [as in erasing chalk writing from a slate]. She has quite a fearsome reputation, but the younger generation don't know for what.
I'm very sorry about the poor state of our hospitality. But please come inside and rest a while, if you don't mind.
Once inside, Reed shrugs with deep embarrassment, points to the ground, and hold his hands outside his ears and makes a panic face.
*** He says to the group.
We on the mountain had heard of a group of travelers bravely setting out on a bold journey. We congratulate you for your past and present bravery. And my wife and I wish you the best of luck on your journey. He looks each novice ninja in the eye, nods and smiles an earnest congratulatory smile. Both clan hensu-jutsu agents bow from the waist to the team. Reed stands and says,
I'm sorry to be rude, but I have to go and check my snares. If a grouse put her head in one, we'll have roast fowl tonight. He exits the hut, noisily stomping on chestnut husks. But he stops and calls back, in the local dialect of a woodcutter of mountainous Kai province,
Dear, I think may have heard a rooster crowing down the mountain to the west, toward Kofu. At sunset. Superstitious people say that if a rooster crows in the dark, that means bad luck. Every cow, tiger, horse, rabbit, monkey, dragon, dog, mouse, boar and snake has to go together or their own way to their homes. How watchful is the Rooster over the brood, even through the night, while the rest of the brood is sleeping? But that's what it does, until the boar becomes the rooster, or the dragon becomes the mouse.... Deliberate munching footsteps can be heard from outside the bare hovel.
Keshi-nuno-san smiles at the first-time visitors to the station and winks. She says,
Reed-san has gone to stand guard and circle as a picket. We can speak and act freely, young warriors. We have have tea and a good meal for the young sent-agents. I shot a boar yesterday. But sadly, we cannot risk spreading the smell of it cooking around this mountain. It's salted and hanging high in a tree not so far from here. When you return, you will fetch it and carry it to the village, yes? Otherwise the eagles, ravens, crows, and tengu will eat it.
How did crossing the mountain go? Oh, the oni. It's very old and vicious, and immensely strong. It will eat you, if it can catch you. If it's the same one, it has spells to throw people down to the forest floor. it's very old, mostly stupid, but very wicked. Some day we'll hunt the thing and kill it's body on the mountain. And banish the demon back to hell.
The kettle hanging over the orange embers and the gray ash of the firepit will soon boil for the tea.
To be continued
*Around 4 1/2 miles
**Pheasant
***1d20 Ninjutsu roll!-- critical failure
