"Well, perhaps we can. I believe mother used to have a few associates at the Twilight Academy..." Koya muses, before sighing. "Of course, she probably outlived most of them."
Romia, the Mwangi-Varisian guard, speaks up. "Plus, divinations cost money - especially the more potent ones. I don't know about the Twilight Academy, but the Cyphermages barely acknowledge requests for information, and when they do, they always demand payment."
"A wizard would be nice," Teruko muses. "But I doubt we could convince anyone to come along with us. It's not like we can guarantee any treasure at the end of the road. There might be some, but it's just as likely that we'll find Brinewall already looted. It's been a long time since whatever tragedy befell it." She hopes that whatever family treasure was hidden in Brinewall has stayed hidden, but if Ameiko's stories have told her anything it's just how far adventurers will go in search of interesting items.
As the evening progresses she stays around the campfire rather than retreating to her journal. While she's still out of her depth, the concrete progress towards their goal has her in a much better mood than before. She even relaxes enough to sing along with some of Ameiko's songs. (Plus the few of Amaya's she recognizes.)
As the sun slowly peeks over the horizon, a thick, soupy fog hangs over the caravan - the heroes can barely see their hands if they reach a little too far out. Sandru calls out. "Alright! It's possible that we'll be a little behind in moving out today, but until then, everyone should be working on their duties!"
Losk's cookfire burns away some of the worst of the fog, but it's still a struggle to find it. Ultimately, though, everyone manages. Lone-Pillar, Shalelu, Ragnhildr, and Sandru stand near one another at the fire's edge.
"We should't start moving before the fog clears up, Sandru." Lone-Pillar says. "Ambushes."
"Plus, the horses and carts'll have a hell of a time moving through the wilderness like this." Ragnhildr adds.
"Alright, alright." Sandru sighs. "You're not the ones who have Ameiko prodding you to get her there as fast as you can. But you're right."
"The fog should only last another couple hours, Sandru." Shalelu says calmly. "Unless I'm very wrong."
Torra stumbles through the fog towards the fire, catching the tail end of the conversation.
"How do you know?" the dwarf asks Shalelu, curiosity in her tone, hoping that the ranger will share the signs and hints that support her conclusion.
Hana might not have noticed Ameiko’s mumbling but she did see that her crush was confident in Aesial’s trustworthiness and that was enough for her. "Well, if you really think its fine then I suppose we got nothing to worry about," she says cheerful though there’s still some lingering doubt hidden in her voice. That doubt quickly turns to guilt when the sear hypocrisy of her words bubbles up to the forefront of her mind.
”I’m sorry for being worried about this, Ames, especially since…” For a moment the truth is on the tip of her tongue but in the end the kunoichi falters to get it out. "Especially since I should trust that you know what your doing. Your are more of an expert at this whole adventuring thing after all."
When the next morning arrives Hana takes in the foggy welcome in stride. Knowing that her sharp kitsune eyes will make her better able to see any possible bandits, she volunteers to help watch the perimeter with some of the caravan guards.
Shalelu flicks her ears. "In part, because fog rarely stays after the sun rises to burn it away. In part, because..." She points out several details that Torra herself noticed moments before. "Other than that... it shouldn't be too much trouble."
"No, he's one of the most benevolent sorts of creatures you might ever meet." Ameiko grins rakishly. "It's fine. You're right to be a bit suspicious - strangers sometimes don't mean well, and we've got the whole letter business, too." She shrugs. "But I know he won't betray us."
Despite her best efforts, Hana cannot penetrate the fog much at all - indeed, it is easier to rely on her senses of hearing and smell, rather than her eyes alone. Nonetheless, she's positive there aren't any bandits lurking to attack the caravan. Not yet, anyways.
"A couple hours aren't going to make much of a difference with a trip this long." Teruko looks at Ameiko with a raised eyebrow. It's hard for her to tell how much Sandru was joking, but surely Ameiko doesn't want them to take unnecessary risks.
She doesn't do much while they wait for the fog to clear. Sandru hasn't assigned her any particular tasks, (probably assuming, correctly, that she wouldn't know how to do them anyway). She does walk around the perimeter of the camp a few times, but it's more to stretch her legs and pretend she's doing something than because she actually thinks she'll spot anything.
For better or for ill Hana has little luck in finding insidious bandits laying in wait in the fog. As such, when her vigil comes to an end, she returns to the main campfire and decides to cheer up her fellow travelers by playing a few songs from her homeland of Minkai.
The fog clears, just as Shalelu foretold, within a couple hours of the sun's rise, and the caravan moves off once more - this time leaving the comfortable (if monotonous) travel of the Lost Coast Road to the northeast, heading inland towards Galduria.
As the group travels, the daily activities resume more or less as normal. Shalelu scouts ahead once or twice, while Lone-Pillar and his subordinates seem more alert and vigorous than usual. Ameiko and Amaya are conspicuous in their absence, while Koya, Sandru, and Cyrus sit together on Sandru's cart, chatting with one another.
Yuto observes with joy how the fog slowly recedes. The man rides looking up at the sunny sky "It makes you feel alive, isn't it? The fog made me feel more of those skeletons could jump over us at any time"
The young man approaches Koya, he rides by her for some minutes until the woman knows something worries him and asks "Do you think there will be more from my parents I will discover in Brinewall, Koya?"
The morning fog had put Torra on edge, the dwarf not used to having her vision curtailed like this. Not that she had never seen fog before, but in the past she had stayed inside on foggy days, reading in the secure comfort of her room. Now they were in the open, in a reportedly dangerous area, and not being able to see made her nervous.
Apparently she wasn't the only one, as one of the wagon drivers is muttering and snapping at both horses and people. Feeling left out by Shalelu, and with Cyrus busy with Sandru and Koya, Torra is feeling a little lonely and aimless as she walks alongside Aspexia.
"Don't worry, the fog is gone, so if anyone approaches we'll see them. Well, you probably better than me, since you're higher." The dwarf cranes her neck up to look at the Chelish woman. "Is this the first time you come this way? It's the first time for me, but I memorized the map so I know where we are and where we're going."
Koya looks up from where she and Sandru have been listening to Cyrus. "Hm... it's a good question, child. It's possible. I believe your mother lived there for a time, and of course, your father was likely there when whatever happened, happened..."
"So I suppose it depends on what we find there." She smiles a little. "Well, at any rate, what you find there will not change who you are, Yuto. You'll just be a little bit... more."
Sandru and Cyrus look curiously at the samurai, but don't interrupt their conversation.
Aspexia's dark eyes twitch swiftly towards Torra, before they return to the path ahead (inasmuch as that can be said to exist). "This... this is as far north as I've ever been." Her voice is slightly slurred by the deep scar on her right lips, which extends from beneath the center of her nose to her jawline. "I'm... a little jumpy." One hand drifts towards the back of her cart, but she jerks it back. She hesitates, still not looking at Torra. "Why are you coming north?"
"Are you afraid of bandits? We have pretty good protection."
As a demonstration, Torra sends a clump of earth flying through the air and neatly scything through a clump of grasses that were peacefully sunning a couple dozen feet away from the wagon. This is also to buy herself time to think of the answer to Aspexia's question. In the end, she shrugs. "Everyone else was going, and I wanted out of Sandpoint. The direction doesn't matter, only that I'm moving towards places I've never seen before."
Unable to find Ameiko, (or Amaya, which makes her think the two are together), Teruko finds herself riding along next to Livia. She's going to be traveling with these people for at least two months. She should probably make an effort to get to know them.
"Hi Livia. I'm Teruko." She smiles in a way she's practiced; sincere and charming at the same time. "Have you been traveling with Sandru long? I must admit this is my first time leaving Sandpoint."
"No, no, I'm sure that we're safe." Aspexia shakes her head, before staring blankly at Torra's demonstration of her capabilities. "I... I don't know. I just don't want - I want to go further north."
Livia, meanwhile smiles brightly at Teruko. "I've been traveling with him for a few years, so yes. About as long as he's run this caravan. I think he has a good head on his shoulders, and he makes pretty good decisions usually."
With the fog having finally cleared up in the sun’s rise, Hana leaves her shamisen behind and looks for someone to talk with. When she fails to spot Ameiko, or her mysterious sister Amaya for that matter, the kitsune tries her hand at chatting with Sandru and his family at their cart.
She gives Koya, Yuto and Cyrus each a hello but makes sure to give Sandru her thanks. "Hey Sandru. Turns out you were right about… you know. I had nothing to worry about. Probably. Hopefully.”
"That's reassuring." Teruko doesn't exactly keep smiling, (smiling too long or too brightly looks fake), but her expression remains positive and friendly. "To be honest all I know about Sandru is that he's one of Ameiko's friends. I'm glad to hear he's sensible." (Her tone shifts into something more conspiratorial.) "Especially since Ameiko sometimes isn't. Not intentionally of course, she can just be...reckless."
While she hadn't had a particular agenda at the beginning of this conversation beyond 'make things less awkward,' this seems like a good opportunity to get an answer to a question that's weighing on her mind.
"What Sandru said earlier, about Ameiko prodding him to go as fast as possible. Do you think he was serious? Because if so I can talk to her. I'm anxious to get to Brinewall too, but not if we're taking unnecessary risks just to speed things up." She smiles again, this time with a self-deprecating twist. "Unfortunately I'm not the best at telling when someone's joking, particularly if I don't know them well. If he was just joking, then there's no need for me to say anything. But if he wasn't...like I said, I can talk to Ameiko. Remind her that safety should be our top priority, not speed."
Seishin doesn't have much to add as the caravan moves north, instead quietly observing and taking in the wilderness.
Yuto ponders Koya's words and smiles, looking thoughtful to the ground "O-one of the samurai's first ways is to know yourself. I hope this trip really helps me there"
For the rest of the day, Yuto remains watchful, while listening to his friends conversation to Livia and others.
Livia chuckles a little. "Oh? I've not really met your sister often. She seems like a good sort, though. She'd have to be, for Sandru to trust her."
"I dunno if he was serious. She does seem kind of excited though! I would be too, if I were her. Going exploring after being stuck in one place for so long... Oops. Sorry, you've been in Sandpoint your whole life, right? I didn't mean to, uh, offend. Whether or not she is pressuring him, you can trust Sandru to make the right call for his people."
Meanwhile, Sandru nods briefly at Hana's words, offering her a brief, approving smile. "Good. I'm glad you cleared that up."
The day passes swiftly and without issue, and by the morning of the 27th, the weather seems to be cooperating, giving the caravan a new windy and slightly chilly day. The heroes have found their stride, and now know what they're expected to do while the caravan moves and camps. Night falls, and it grows yet colder - autumn's breath truly is upon them now.
The first part of the following day is more or less as normal, though Losk's quick-brew alcohol barrel bursts into flames a few hours into the day. After much profanity and a brief panic, the barrel is extinguished, though Losk remains listless for the rest of the day.
In the early afternoon, however, something comes up. Lone-Pillar rides back to the caravan from his position at the front. Dismounting from his bare-backed horse, he speaks softly to Sandru. After a muttered conversation, the caravan leader speaks up. "Attention, please! We've got a caravan up ahead. Remember what the pilgrims said about the Szcarni, and be wary. However, from what Lone-Pillar says, the people aren't Varisians. Just... be on your guard, everyone."
A few moments later, he approaches Hana, speaking softly to her.
Meanwhile, Shalelu approaches Seishin. "I'd like you to help me keep an eye on these newcomers. I know you've got good senses, and I trust you not to let them take advantage of our companions. Alright?"
Cyrus, on the other hand, is with Torra. "This is a first for me. I've never actually met Varisian caravaners before. Though I guess Sandru said they weren't Varisians... I wonder what that means."
Ameiko and Amaya stand with their sister. The eldest Kaijitsu turns to the other two women. "While Sandru's right, you should also take the chance to relax, maybe get to know some of them. If they're not Szcarni, it'll be a friendly and warm environment. A good chance to let your hair down, you know?"
Amaya looks somewhat dubious, but she nods nevertheless.
Once Sandru haș left him, Lone-Pillar approaches Yuto and Koya. Looking at the samurai, he speaks with customary bluntness. "I want you to be ready to take up arms against these people if they turn out to be a threat. Are you ready to do that?"
Yuto runs around when Losk's barrel explodes in flames, looking for something to quell the flames. The man looks worried at the cooker, but decides not to add to his already dull mood "It is ok, invention requires multiple trial and error. It will be better next time" he taps the man and helps him rest for the day.
As the group of strangers approaches, Yuto brings his hand over the hilt of his katana, then nods to Sandru "I-I think so Sandru... do... do you think they might be violent?"
The young man positions himself at a mid distance from the meeting place, he opens up a small bag on his belt and counts the small sling bullets there, taking breath and making sure the piece of leather is nearby in case it is needed instead of the katana.
Torra cocks her head at Cyrus's musings. "Does it have to mean something? We're a caravan, and many of us aren't Varisian. I'm just excited to meet other people. Maybe they'll have stories."
Still, she tries to follow Sandru's directions and keep her eyes and ears peeled, despite being distracted by the fact that Cyrus had initiated a conversation with her.
Hana’s blood seems to turn cold as Sandru mentions the other caravan. "I-I…" She shallows and tries to take in a calming breath. It doesn’t fix her nerves or the thumping in her chest but its enough to get her talking properly again. "My family travelled on the road a lot, yes, but if that’s them…”
One of her hands suddenly went to her wakazuki on instinct and her voice grew more confident if not entirely free of fear. "Then we need to be on guard, Sandru. The clan that me and my mother fled from is dangerous and will resort to any low to get want they want.”
Her paranoia now well and truly ignited, Hana moves away from a likely bewildered Sandru and draws her weapon fully and prepares for whatever may come. Her eyes her stare intently on the road where the other caravan should be coming from, searching for any tell-tale signs of the Nogitsune's clan presence.
Sandru glances at Yuto with a shrug. "Even if they were Szcarni, they probably wouldn't be openly hostile. Try to steal from us, con us, or otherwise do us harm, sure, but the Szcarni aren't bandits."
Returning his attention to Hana, the caravan master frowns. "Are they bandits? What sort of danger do they pose to us?"
"But we're still with a Varisian caravan." Cyrus points out to the kineticist. "I don't know. It just feels off to me, is all. But this is the farthest north I've ever been, so... my instincts are perhaps skewed."
The similarity between the two half-sisters has never been stronger as Teruko shares Amaya's dubious look. "Are we even going to be talking to them? It's too early to make camp, and I assume they're going the opposite way. Why not just..." She moves her hands in opposite directions to illustrate two groups passing each other. "...Keep going?"
"That does strike me as the most practical option at the moment." Seishin nods in agreement.
"A good thought, Teruko." Sandru nods thoughtfully. "Lone-Pillar, did they see you when you saw them?"
The security chief's frown deepens slightly. "They didn't greet me, but they would've had to be blind not to see me."
Sandru's face tightens. "I don't want to shun strangers who may be good and decent folk just because I'm afraid of possible harm."
"That way lies the path to Ustalav." Ameiko agrees. "Fear of strangers is common there - and the kingdom is worse for it."
Lone-Pillar grunts, and Romia steps forwards. "I agree with Miss Teruko and Seishin. There's no sense in engaging with them if there's a risk."
Shalelu shakes her head. "If we meet them, it will be easier to make sure they're not following us." She points out. "I doubt they'll go into open combat in the middle of the day, if they're a caravan."
"Caution may be advisable, but we should not flee from the unknown. 'Learn from that which is different,' after all." Koya quotes. "I daresay that between Torra, Seishin, Yuto, Lone-Pillar and the other guards, as well as Shalelu, Ameiko, and even yourself, Sandru, we have enough skill to fight off nearly any sort of mundane threat."
Sandru looks at the heroes, one by one. "Hana, Torra, Yuto. What do you all think?" His eyes focus on Hana the most.
Hana responds to Sandru with a weary eyes and a still cautious tone. "I'm not sure. They seem like a normal Varisian caravan. Just a bunch of normal families. But..." The kunoichi's voice goes down to a whisper, "It's like I said. My family was dangerous precisely because they were good at appearing defenseless and benign. I say we stay on alert but avoid coming across as overly hostile."
"I... I guess talking to them might help us know better who they are and they might bring recent news from far north..." tries to reason Yuto, glancing stares at Sandru to check if he is doing good "I-I mean... if they are really bandits... we have nothing of real value with us, but we are reasonably well armed. If they are able to come and see these too facts, they should reason it is better to skip us and look for an easier and wealthier target"
Sandru nods at Hana. "Well, I trust your instincts in this." He smiles a little. "As Koya and Yuto say, though, we're not exactly appealing targets to bandits. Or even Szcarni."
The caravan moves on, and soon enough, the heroes see another long trail of wagons moving towards them. A man with short-shorn crimson hair, dressed in rather subdued colors for a caravaner rides forwards, waving. "Hail, travelers! Mind if we stop for some news?"
"Greetings, strangers, from a stranger!" Sandru calls back - a friendly greeting typical of Varisians. "Please, stay awhile with us - we're in no rush."
The carts of the other caravan arrive shortly after the man himself, who dismounts and shakes Sandru's hand vigorously, chattering away. Now that he's closer, his Minkaian features are much clearer - as are his bright green eyes. Meanwhile, an old woman with faded white hair watches younger men and women settle in. More than a few approach the heroes' caravan, offering greetings and good cheer.
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Teruko allows a very quiet sigh of frustration to escape her as the two caravans pause to greet each other. She's certainly capable of making small talk with strangers, she's good at it, but that doesn't mean she enjoys it. She'd have been much happier if both caravans had kept going in their respective directions.
That isn't what happened though, so she'll make the best of it.
"Greetings!" There's no longer any trace of hesitation on her features, just friendly interest. "Not much news from our direction I'm afraid. The Open Road is quiet to the south, or at least it has been. Anything of interest happening to the north?" Her attention is primarily focused on the man who initially rode forward, though she seems equally happy to chat with anyone.
Sandru looks at the heroes, one by one. "Hana, Torra, Yuto. What do you all think?"
Torra shrugs. "Bandits would hide and try to ambush us, not travel in the open like this."
When the two caravans do meet, the dwarf stands aside, simply watching and listening.
For a second, Hana thinks her heart has stopped altogether as she recognizes the face of her grand-aunt in the crowd of visitors. She wants to scream. Wants to run. Wants to fight. But she doesn’t. Ironically, her training from the very clan who tried to turn her into a heartless tool comes to the forefront of her mind. It calms her and forces her to think things through. Sandru is far to close to the visitors to be warned without causing a scene or for Hana to be recognized herself. Instead, the kunoichi quietly backs away without say so much as word to anyone.
As she does, her eyes try to find Ameiko or Amaya or anyone who isn’t already chatting with her former family.
"Ah, well, we ran into a small goblin ambush a few days back, but other than that, the situation seems normal enough." The man replies to Teruko with an easy smile. "Call me Rin. I'm the (nominal) leader of this here caravan." He winks. "Even if my cousin doesn't seem to realize it. May I ask your names?"
Sandru and the others introduce themselves.
"I knew those Tenkos were up to no good! Thieves! Ruffians! All of you, dragging my name through the mud!" Lonjiku's ravings don't exactly help her keep her mind focused.
Hana sees that Ameiko is, in fact, standing with Sandru, Teruko, and Lone-Pillar, talking to the man who greeted the group, but Amaya seems to have vanished... until she hears a voice from behind her. "You seem alarmed." It is the youngest of the Kaijitsus.
Yuto remains in a second row for most of the first welcome words, but as soon as there is talk about goblins, he guides his horse to step forward "We-welcome Rin San" the young man performs a slight vow "They call me Hirabashi Yuto. It-it is an honor to share the road with a fellow Minkanian" he then switches to say hello in actual Minkanian before coming back to Chelaxian for the others to understand.
"Your word about goblins is worrying. We had an issue back at our town just a week ago with a tribe gone violent. I hope you had no lose among your people" and observes trying to trust his own instincts to decide if they can trust these people.
If he thinks they can trust he turns to Sandru "It would be a honor to share food and tales with you. Lorsk, our cooker, was preparing onions today and he has a delightful beverage he calls 'quick beer'"
Teruko's brow furrows slightly before smoothing out again. "I'm Teruko. Thanks for letting us know about the goblins; we'll be on our guard as we continue." She figures Sandru or Ameiko will have a better idea what kind of news is worth sharing, so she doesn't elaborate on their own travels. Instead she continues making light conversation while her mind whirs.
They do look very much like Hana and her mother, and Teruko's pretty sure she'd overheard Hana whispering something to Sandru about 'family.' But looking around, Hana's nowhere to be seen. If this is her family, it seems she doesn't want to talk to them.
Understandable, if there'd been some sort of schism in the family. But it still seems a little odd. Like how everyone in the other caravan seems reluctant to actually say anything of importance. Again, understandable, caravanners were often distrustful of outsiders. Just...odd.
"We left a good campsite a few hours back. Plenty of shelter, with both fire pits and latrines already dug." Teruko tries to look like she's offering this information out of the goodness of her heart, rather than an increasing feeling of paranoia. "If you don't want to stay for dinner, you could probably make it there before nightfall."
Rin smiles warmly at Yuto, nodding. "I see. So you come from... Sandpoint, unless I miss my guess. I heard there was some trouble with goblins a few years back, as well. Nothing so severe as that this time around, I hope?"
"Not at all, thanks to our fine heroes." Sandru answers before Yuto can, inclining his head at the samurai. The caravaner offers Rin a grin that his foster brother recognizes as his "business smile."
Rin, Ameiko, and Sandru continue their conversation for a bit before Teruko interjects. "Excellent. We'll definitely strive to do that, given that it's a tad early to stay the night. Nevertheless, would you like to luncheon together?"
Sandru nods. "How can I refuse?"
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For a split second, Hana thinks about drawing her weapon right then and there when she realizes that one of the younger Nogitsunes has spotted. Ironically, its suddenly Amaya's hearing voice that brings her out of it. "I am," she says in a hushed whisper. "These people aren't who they say they are. Their con artists, thieves, and worse. I would know... they're my family. Former family that is."
Hana looks away for a second. Her face ridden with a buried shame that she hoped she'd would come to light again. It's only made worse by how much Amaya looks her sister. The very thought of having to explain this Ameiko makes Hana's churn but she powers through it and focuses on the present. "We can't allow them near the campsite or know where it is, Amaya. It's one of our, their, oldest tricks. Pretend to be travelers and get another caravan to take us in so we can rob and cut their throats them while they sleep."
Her eyes turn to Sandru, Ameiko, and the others while talking to their possible would-be killers. "I think of them has spotted me. If I try to warn the others now we might just end up in a fight. I think the best we can do is now quietly signal them and make an excuse to part ways with the other caravan." She looks at Amaya intently. "Think you can do that?"
Amaya listens carefully to Hana, her expression as neutral as usual, though she does wrinkle her brow slightly. "Mm. You are certain these are your former family members. You fear that they will attempt to follow us and attack us by night, and attempt to steal what we have."
She pauses, her dark eyes distant. "I can warn them." The youngest Kaijitsu says after a moment. "But even if we do leave, will they not follow? Especially since you are here."
"Even in such a case, however, I suspect we may be able to make the attempt not worth the effort." She muses aloud, before Hana has the chance to respond.
Hana's face looks pained with concern as she absorbs what Amaya had to say. It was entirely possible that her former clan would fellow them, especially if they thought the caravan had something worth taking beyond just gold and weapons, but the kunoichi still wanted to at least try and avoid the confrontation if possible. "We could try to intimidate them away with our numbers or strength to make it not worth the effort, yes, but that's such a gamble and I... I don't know how far my clan would go if they were determined."
Teruko smiles at the suggestion of a luncheon. "That sounds wonderful. We can compare recipes and methods for making foraged goods actually appetizing." She winks, making it clear the last part of her sentence was a joke.
As they eat, Teruko laughs and talks as if she didn't have a care in the world. She's been trained to be charming regardless of what her true feelings might be, and those lessons are coming in handy today.
As she talks to their guests, she pays attention to the small voice inside of her. The one that she's also been trained in, the one that tells her when a customer is planning on cheating them or a potential employee is overselling their experience. The one that tells her when she's being lied to.
Torra figures that the newcomers were interested in Hana because of their shared ethnicity, and after a while wanders off to find Shalelu; all the socializing and noise were starting to give her a headache.
Once she finds the taciturn elf, she settles in besides her, idly rolling a pebble across her knuckles in a hand dexterity exercise that Sabyl had taught her.
"Are you going scouting tomorrow?"
Amaya looks coolly at the kunoichi. "It depends on how much they want what we have. Including you. You don't know how much that is." She looks to the Nogitsune caravaners, who are all settling down for lunch with the various members of the caravan. "Perhaps you ought to consider that."
Meanwhile, the rest of the caravan has settled down for a break. The Minkaians and the heroes' caravans seem mostly well-integrated, with a few odd holdouts here or there where Lone-Pillar and his guards wander the area and Shalelu makes herself distant from the rest of the socialization.
Sandru, Ameiko, Teruko, Rin, and a few of his family (including the old woman, who introduces herself as Gumi), sit together and chat freely as Losk and the other caravan's cooks work to make sure everyone's relatively well-fed.
Shalelu looks up when Torra approaches her. "Probably - though I think I'll leave scouting ahead to Lone-Pillar. I'm more concerned with what might be following us." She looks at Torra. "You, Losk, and Lone-Pillar are the only members of this caravan who can see clearly in the dark. I want you three to be on midnight watch - I'll let Lone-Pillar know. Haungalon, myself, and Seishin can handle when it's a bit brighter. With the waning moon, however, it will be more difficult for us than otherwise it would be."
"Your clan Hana San?" Yuto raises an eyebrow alarmed as his friend explains about the danger the caravan might pose "Rob us? Cut our throats? Why someone would kill like that?"
Anyway, Hana's words are enough to put him on alert "Ok, we try to move on and leave them behind"
While Sandru and the others decide how to move on the caravan, Yuto will approach himself slightly to the other caravan by horse and have a glimpse at the weaponry and likely training of the thieves.
At Shalelu's mention of the caravan being followed, Torra looks over her shoulder at the newcomers. Even though she typically wasn't very clued into other people's interactions, there was a palpable tension in the encounter of the two groups.
"Alright, I'll stand watch at midnight."
She moves the pebble to the other hand. "I know how to scout, but how do you tell if someone or something is following you, beyond, you know, just seeing them?" She's curious to learn something new from Shalelu, but the dwarf thinks she would be just as comfortable scouting ahead with Lone-Pillar.
In the middle of a conversation Teruko's brow furrows very slightly before her expression clears. "I never would have thought of using dandelion leaves in a salad. Quite inventive. Although I suppose you have to be, when out on the road like this. Does your group travel continually? Or is there a destination in mind?"
Father? What do you see that I don't? You say they're Tenkos, you say Rin is a better liar than most...please. If I'm missing something, then instruct me. She hesitates, even in her thoughts, then adds, Or would you have a Kaijitsu play the part of the fool?
It's a dangerous thought, in more ways than one. She fully believes her father has more insights into the situation than she; age comes with experience after all. However admitting her own ignorance in this way, almost daring him to do something about it...it's not something she ever would have risked while he was alive.
She just hopes his lessons are less painful now that he's dead.
Hana squeezes her wakizashi with an newfound intensity as Amaya's words seem to pierce her delusions of things ending so easily. "You're right," she admits frustrated, shaking her head. "You're right," The whole attempt was a farce and she was being a coward. And for what? One of them had already seen her and soon her aunt would know of it if she didn't already. A confrontation was destined to happen.
"Even I can't warn Sandru and the others now but I can at least tell Shalelu and the other guards to get ready when things go south." With that said, she gave Amaya a confident nod and slipped into any shadows she could find.
Moving stealthily around the camp to avoid the eyes of her former family, Hana quickly finds Shalelu and Torra and quietly gets their attention from behind of the main wagons. "I know the people in that caravan. They used to be my family," she admits in a quick, hushed whisper. Before either can ask a fellow up question from that revelation , the kunoichi continues ahead with her warning. "They're dangerous and are likely preparing to attack and rob us when our guard is down. We and the guards need to get ready when that happens."
Shalelu nods her gratitude to Torra. "Thanks. I'll feel better about the security, thanks to you."
Rin chuckles. "Oh, no, we have no permanent destination. Just temporary ones. What better way to celebrate the world than to see much and more of it?" He runs a hand through his crimson hair. "Right now, we're headed to Magnimar by way of Windsong. From there, perhaps we'll even head down to Korvosa. I hear they've had a revolution or something, recently."
"He's betrayed his heritage by following the ways of the Varisians and the Szcarni! Of course he's a liar and a thief! I could never teach you anything, you stupid girl." Lonjiku's voice is frustrated and distinctly impatient. "Besides, he's from Minkai. He could be one of the enemies hunting for my father and I!" Characteristically, he disregards his daughters - the ones who would actually be under threat in this situation.
Amaya inclines her head at Hana. "I will tell Ameiko, Teruko, and Sandru when there is a chance. I may also be able to get word to the others."
As the kunoichi takes her leave, she is starting to get increasingly paranoid - she's almost certain that now, her family is aware of her and actively watching for her... wherever she goes, she finds that there's at least one Nogitsune within eyeshot, even if they don't seem to be looking at her.
Shalelu looks at Hana, before inclining her head minutely. "Ah. I suspected that that might be the case." Though which of those statements she expected is left open to question as she continues. "I want you to be on evening watch, then." She continues, lowering her voice. "You know how these people operate - I want you active when you think they'll most likely come for us."
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"I've heard Windsong is particularly beautiful this time of year." Teruko smiles, lightly laying a hand on Rin's arm. "You've chosen your temporary destination well. Be careful if you do head for Korvosa though; revolutionaries are rarely kind to outsiders."
That didn't necessarily mean he was wrong.
It's not like it mattered anyway; she'd act the same whether she knew them to be trustworthy or not. Smile, laugh, flirt a little, (though never so much as to suggest anything improper), make them like you, make them trust you, make them think you're not a threat.