Gou of course would get all of her attentions and she would happily pet him while being held in Shiro's arms. Despite his smaller nature, she would have a hard time enduring the wildness the dog displayed, much as a small human child would.
As the Master seems to depart from them, she will shake his hands, clearly in awe of the moment. She considers leaving to hurry in the race, but really, the race was more about connectivity she thought. Why else span the world for ingredients? She too turns into the tent.
They too are met with greetings and she can't help but blush due to her suspicions of this group of people. "Oh no.." she responds bashfully to their compliments. "It was nothing." Although her smile, finally revealed from under her mask, clearly shows she thought it was crazy!
She mirrors Lung's sentiment and decides to pray right then and there for forgiveness from the council and the Thunder Bird. It is a short prayer, but sincere in her heart.
A moment later she is up and eating hot soup to warm her bones, she is packing snow into her warm clothes outfit to ease the soreness of her leg, and she will try to get a song well known among everyone started in jolliness.
Once that and she has told the master to send ahead to Jia, all is finished and she can lie down in the furs and rest on Gou while she softly pets him. To her, he was like a huge teddy bear.
"I was hoping to see a lake or pond up high, but I didn't. I even carried my fishing rod the whole way. I was hoping to find a place where one might live."
Getting an idea, she goes and asks the mountain men if they know of a lake or pond where fish are up high here.
"Sounds like quite an adventure."
The crowd pesters you with questions and asks you to tell your story again and again.
"Lakes? There's a few, but none on Lord Yunfang. I can easily scratch a map for you. What are you looking for?"
The discussion continues long into the night and you are offered your own spot to sleep, should you wish it.
The Drunken Master, however, takes leave near midnight, saying that he truly has a need to be going. He wishes you all the best before departing into the night.
Of course, she will tell her story! Over and over again, each time getting a bit more excitable. If there is ale, that clearly will help along the situation. Eventually, it may become more entertaining to watch her attempt to prance around with her hobbled leg and cast prestidigitation spells than it is hearing the tale. Her adorable cuteness goes on overload with bright smiles and bright reddened cheeks.
As the evening and excitement die down, it is clear she is in terrible pain and so for a long time, she just sits talking about her childhood and growing up among miners, although within all her talk, there is a void in which she steers from. She will not bring up her kidnapping or her oracle gifts and the tragedy that scarred her heart.
"Yes, lakes. We are fishing only in high lakes right now."
She gets pretty tired before midnight but can't find sleep because of her leg. She will roll around until the Drunken Master begins to pack.
As he goes to take leave, she rises from her bed and will offer him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"Thank you for offering to help us with Jia. And thank you for fulfilling your side of the deal. There are many unrighteous hearts out there who would not have, but you are a good soul. May the spirits and council guide your paths well."
Shiro nodded to the curios fisherman. "Yes, we're looking to catch something to offer the Celestials. 'The cleanest waters house the best fish' Is how the saying goes, I think."
The young man was certainly tired, and would retire early with Gou at his side.
********
Waking early, Shiro carefully leaves, taking care not to wake the others. He checks his equipment and the eggs before loading them onto the wagon. Once everything was prepared the young ninja takes Gou on a jog around the camp, making sure the Shiba worked off anything he might have been given by the campers.
Once he's finished with morning exercise, the young man ensures his companion is fed. as Gou eats, Shiro rests and waits for the others to awake.
"A clear lake, that one can see into, but still, with a mirrored surface at times of day, that reflects the highest mountains," says Lung to the camp members scribbling out a map. He yawns hugely and stretches. "I must retire," he says, and is soon in dreamland.
Lung is soon up as Shiro stirs, reviewing his notes and gazing at the mountains around him. He wanders without any true purpose, warming up his limbs and looking for some food, nodding quietly at Shiro.
The person who offered, sketches out all the lakes she can remember in the mountain before sitting back and listening to the rest of your story.
**********
As the sun rises on another new day, you feel reinvigorated. The sun is shining brightly, and even the cold air seems a touch warmer. After your arduous ascent of the mountain, it seems the gods are smiling down on you, at least for a little while.
Piella will wake and repack the snow, cool the egg, and magically cast to prevent spoilage of them before getting ready to go. She felt sweaty and hot in the tent, and so moving outside, she can see Shiro, Gou, and Lung ready to go. Fortunately, the four of them have become synchronized after so many days of travel and it is not long after they were up that she too rose.
"What do we want to do, ride all the way back to the Soejis, or try for some fishing first?"
Shiro chuckled behind his mask. "I think little Bao is causing a ruckus at your parent's place right now. Maybe we should pick him up before we head anywhere else. I'm sure he'd love to go fishing."
"I'm sure he is. I do hope my father isn't teaching him things he shouldn't know. When we want to really destroy a portion of earth, many turn to my father's knowledge of explosive alchemical means to break up the earth. I can just imagine Bao picking up on some bad habits for a boy. Hopefully my mother has enslaved him to the kitchen." She considers, "If that's the case, I'm sure he'd be more than happy to get out of the house and go fishing. Young boys love catching fish it seems."
At least that's what she's noticed from her limited perspectives of young human children. Gnome children are a bit different but twice as curious. She chuckles at the thought. She will, of course, have to say her goodbyes to the group and bless them for their help. She will want to know if they frequent this area often or where she can find them in the future, as she will want to visit with them all perhaps in a year or so.
"I have no strong opinion one way or another," says Lung. "Whatever you think Bao would want is best."
Lung is used to being placed in a spot by temple elders and entertaining himself at duties for weeks. He figures Bao would do the same, and it's true, fishing is rather fun, although I haven't eaten a fish in years, not since that one mountain lake when Weilong brought bread to wrap them in and roast them... He trundles briskly to find food.
Goodbyes are given on both sides and the mountaineers promise to make their way down to to ceremony to see you present to the Celestials when that time arrives.
You eat a hearty breakfast and are given plentiful provisions for the road ahead: goat, fowl, mountain herbs and vegetables, jars of rock salt, and more.
The road back down to Piaofeng is also largely uneventful, but upon reaching the town, there seems to be quite a large gathering in the center of town. Gasps, ooohs, and aaaahs pour forth from the crowd and what seems to be jets of smoke, fire, and steam blast from the center of the crowd.
You could always go check it out now, or pop over to Piella's to see what's up.
"What is going on down there I wonder?"
Part of her is concerned about their cargo and the value it holds for them. Being easily distracted could cost them much. She'll steer the wagon toward home.
"I can head back home. Do you want to go see what that commotion is?" she'll ask generally to both of them. "It may very well be our competition!"
"I'm interested. We should look, if only for a moment."
"I can stay over here with the cart if you wish?" she'll respond to Lung.
Shiro nodded. "Take Gou with you, I'm sure he won't mind." The ninja climbed atop the wagon, hoping to see over the crowd. He missed the fireworks in Xin, and didn't want to make the same mistake.
Lung nods to the other two, does a quick spell, and disembarks, trotting toward the crowd, whistling for Gou. He flips a glowing pebble to Shiro. "If that goes out, it means 'come and look'."
Piella pouts as Gou leaves with Lung. She'll pull the wagon over to the side of the road, out of the way. In the meantime, she will brush her hair and talk to Shiro about his experiences with Soeji, his grandfather (whether she knows this or not by now is up to you). She will also be keeping an eye on the wagon and those who approach it.
Luckily, no one seems to be interested in the wagon and its contents.
Lung approaches the crowd and manages to make his way close enough to see. In the middle of the crowd, you recognize Chang and Sui, the siblings you met in Xin. The pair seem to be performing some form of magic ritual, but to the Piaofeng citizens, it's as good as a show.
Chang's skin is scale-like, his eyes golden and reptilian. As Sui motions with her sapphire-topped staff, a massive wooden basin tosses and turns. Periodically, Chang unleashes a gout of flame from his mouth towards the basin. As it does, the jets you saw earlier blast skyward from the basin. A few more bursts and the magic seems to be complete.
From Shiro's vantage point atop it, he can just barely make out what Lung is seeing.
Shiro mulls over Piella's questions. "Grandfather? Oh, the family is very large and he rarely has time for someone like me. It was rare that I saw him, honestly I was surprised he chose me for such an important task... though we are not the only ones making an effort on Grandfather's behalf. Still, he always would make time for me when it was important. I met Gou thanks to him, and I'm not going to leave that favor unpaid. We'll succeed this year." The masked man falls quiet and focuses his attention on his surroundings, motivated to keep the eggs safe.
She will reach up and tug at a tangle in her hair with her brush as she winces. "I'm sure if your grandfather could, he would have split himself into five individuals so he could have spent as much time as he wanted to with all of you. There is one thing I know for a fact...," She pauses to cry a whimper as the tangle hurts but then gets it to her relief, "...all grandfather's love their grandchildren. Every race. They all want the grandsons to become great warriors and poets, and granddaughters to be princesses. Rich or poor. That's why they are 'grand'. I'm sure you are on his mind way more than you could ever realize."
She'll chuckle to herself at her own joke and then inquisitively look up to him, not that his mask would give her any clues how her words have eased his heart.
"What are you seeing up there?"
Shiro is slow to reply. "Hmm... I'd like to think so, but I want to prove myself as well. It's the first time Grandfather's counted on me for anything." Unconsciously, the young man clenches his fist.
He audibly switches to a more professional tone. "It's Chang and Sui, from the festival. They're performing some kind of ritual with a massive basin, but I can't quite make out what's in it. Something strange has happened to Chang, he seems almost dragon-like." Peering over the crowd, Shiro tries to spot Lung amongst the onlookers. "I don't think our rivals know we're here, perhaps we should move on before they find us. I don't want to leave Lung behind, but..."
The masked man jumps down, landing softly next to Piella. Leaning close to the gnome, he whispers to her: "The eggs are too valuable to risk here. Can you write a message for Lung? I'll call Gou over and he can deliver it to him. We best move, now!"
Straightening up, the masked man fishes a small whistle from his pocket, playing in inaudible tune: Return! As he brings the whistle to his lips, Shiro moves his mask out of the way. Because of their height and close proximity to each other, Piella might see the young man's face if she decided to peek.
Lung comes trotting back.
He sees Shiro's expression. "You saw. I don't know what they are up to, but we shouldn't let them see us or know what we're up to. Gou! Hup!"
Lung tumbles into the cart.
Piella is a gnome. Of course, she is going to peek. She had actually pictured far worse than what she saw under the mask. Bubbles and boils with puss dripping nastiness are what had developed in her mind after such a long time of not seeing his face. Truly, she thought it was so bad he could never show her. In the end, she isn't bothered in the least by it. Perhaps she's odd. Perhaps she has special eyes that pierce through flesh and bone. Perhaps it's her many days of experience with him? Perhaps it's her experiences that made her this way? She's seen men mangled left and right in the mines. People catch funky diseases from the damp of the mountains, and being a healer, she's had all kinds of experiences that have led her to be desensitized to such things.
"Alright," she will answer him as she starts to pull out a paper to write. Her keen eyes catch Lung already heading back and she puts it away.
At both of their urgings and her own, she will hurry the wagon along up the mountain's path toward her home.
"Make sure they aren't following us."
She will actually move the wagon at a faster pace so that they can witness someone matching their speed.
She finally whispers to Shiro, "You already have made him proud. You took up the call to help him, Shiro. I saw his face when he looked at you. I'm an excellent judge of character...," she boasts in her typical playful fashion, "...and I think you are topnotch. Cute too," she will jest, showing that she saw his face.
As far as you can tell, Chang and Sui are definitely too busy with finishing whatever preparations they're doing to notice you.
You quickly hustle the wagon back to Piella's home without any trouble. Moments through the gate you are bombarded with Bao, rushing out at an exceptional speed.
"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you, you're back. She was making me do all the dishes. I've missed you all so much!"
He pauses to gasp for breath.
"Did you make it!? Did you find it!?"
Piella's parents can be seen waving from inside the house.
"I..." Shiro starts, audibly flustered. "...Thank you for your trust."
At Bao's questioning, the ninja gently unveils the egg in his pack. He allows the boy to admire it's golden beauty, and even touch it, but does not allow him to pick it up. Once the boy has had his fill, Shiro suggests an event for tomorrow. "Say Bao, we're planning to go fishing tomorrow, do you want to come along?"
---------------
The day was still young, and Shiro wanted to know their rival's plans. "I'm going to go find out what those siblings were doing here, I'm sure the villagers would have some idea. I'll be gone for a while, but should return for dinner. Take care of Gou."
After politely greeting Piella's parents, the young man sequesters himself into the guest room he used before. Removing his mask, he carefully applies make up and a molding putty to his face. With a few sharp bristles, a goatee is formed, creating a thin-faced man. He loosens his clothing so that he appears thinner and adds a piece of sturdy cloth to the bottoms of his shoes to increase his height.
What leaves is a tall, thin man in clothing that looks a size or two too big. A reddish tinge to his feature suggest that he is a regular boozer. The masked man's gauntlets are left in his room and their impressions have left Shiro's robes wrinkled, adding to his slovenly appearance. With a light gesture he leaves the others and returns to town.
He takes to the poorer end of town, certain that they'd be quick to pick up on free entertainment. Whilst drinking cheaply, the disguised Shiro gently prods the locals about the 'ruckus' earlier as well as who performed it and any rumors about them.
Piella doesn't have to look to Shiro to tell he's flustered. That was kind of the point, but she feels as though he's walled himself off because of his face. It is her desire to make him feel like he doesn't have to be that way with her at least.
Like a mother seeing her son for the first time in months, Piella heaves a sigh of relief at seeing the young boy come out to greet them. "Thank you council for keeping him safe."
"I know, she's kind of horrible, isn't she? Imagine growing up with that! And gnomes take even longer to grow up than little human boys!" she scrunches her nose playfully and will slow the wagon to a stop. She'll give a quick wave to her parents as they stand inside before moving to give the boy a hug.
"I think you've grown since we went up the mountain," she'll joke with a laugh. "We did. We got not one, but two. We fooled that Thunder Bird so well. We got to meet a band of fun mountain men, and impressed a drunken master!" She will laugh and use an exciting voice to draw him in for storytime.
She'll climb down and unpack things for the night and will make Bao help. She'd kiss her mother and father on the cheek and give them hugs before settling in to relax her hip. Lung she will check to make sure he is settled for the night with what he needs if he wishes to rest earlier than before nightfall. As for Shiro, she will watch to see what disguise he chooses before heading out.
"Be careful...They are not to be underestimated. Keep your distance and maybe consider changing your appearance halfway through. Hopefully, they are just passing through on their way to get something in town and will head out..." She will pat his leg and then will gather Bao and her parents to tell them what crazy things they saw and experienced.
@Shiro
You quickly get a rather talkative local going:
"Oh you missed a sight friend. I haven't seen something like that in years. Not even the fireworks could beat that. As to what they were doing? I heard the pair were preparing the water for some recipe they had planned. Needed to be done at a particular time of day or something. I'm not quite sure what all the dragon-like stuff was about though, or why it had to be right in town but I'm not complaining. Shame they couldn't stay, said something about heading off to Qiao. Oh I can't wait for the contestants to present to the Celestials. Those Soejis though, eh? Who knows what the lot of them are doing but I've heard the old man himself's been kicking up a ruckus in Xin and Shuishang."
Lung does some reading. "those so-and-so's can't possibly be experts on Our Lord Jinyan, Splitter of the Skies, and the boundless progeny of Jinyan, the way I am," he declares to Piella in a bit of a huff, and promptly plops himself down in a corner, peering through scrolls and sipping on tea absently.
"Dragons...transformation...what are they doing, trying to attune themselves?" He searches for any hint about their ritual.
"I'm certain not!" she will answer Lung. "I don't know anyone as smart as you or so well studied, Lung. I'm sure they caught a tip from someone they beat up. Remember, Chang is a hothead Old Soeji said." She didn't like to see her friend in a huff. Delightfully, she will tilt her head and bend down to catch his eye from the scroll. With a twinkle seemingly in her looks, she'll ask him, "Can I get you some tea or something? A cookie?" "I'm sure mother has some somewhere."
After Lung is served, she will proceed further into the tales of the Mountain and Thunderbird. There, Lung will hear even her theories on the mountain men.
"...wouldn't it be amazing if the celestials heard our prayers at the beginning of our quest and have blessed us to find this meal? That they have set things in motion to help us win? Even so far as coming to visit us themselves on the side of the mountain? I'm probably wrong, but what if I'm not!? Could we have entertained them already and been tested? Who knows?"
Her story is told with all the hype the young Bao will need to not get any sleep that night.
@Lung: From what you can tell, Chang was using a form of Fire Breath. Sui on the other hand seemed to simply be using Prestidigitation to churn the water in the basin. As to why they were doing that, you can't quite figure it out.
@Piella: Indeed, Bao spends the rest of the evening reenacting your adventures, by scaling the great Lord Yunfang (a dresser draped in a white sheet) and escaping the great Thunder Bird (your father throwing harmless but quite vivid firecrackers). Bao eventually succeeds in his quest and retires to bed with his Thunder Bird egg (an egg shaped pastry stuffed with a sweet filling), his eyes still wide open.
Shiro listens a little more before excusing himself and returning to the others. It's late by the time he walks the dirt path to Piella's home, but the young man is satisfied with what he learned. Stopping to remove his disguise and put on his mask, the ninja returns to the dining room.
"I've done some digging on our rivals, they were preparing some magical water and left for Qiao. Master Soeji was last seen in Shuisang. I believe you had some ideas for there, right Lung? We should look-" Shiro checked to ensure no one was listening. "- for the Blue Crab while there, perhaps even the Golden Trout. Checking in with the Master is important as well."
The young man crosses his arms, "I'm not sure what the Siblings are planning with that water. The only things that come to mind are making noodles or perhaps some kind of broth."
There is a time before Shiro returns, Lung has been served, and Bao put to bed that she will unstrap Plod and make sure the pony is well fed. It only takes her a few moments, but impressively, all the walking Plod has been doing has seemed to make the fat lump seem a bit more cut and strong. "Maybe I've been not getting him enough exercise?"
Once her chores are done, she will return to the house when Shiro returns.
"Hi Shiro," she will greet him and help her mother get him some food. At his explanation, she wonders if there was a tale her parents told her concerning what was happening in the city?
"Mom, do you recall anything they could be up to?"
Could it be that the water and firebreath at the right time are spell components and if in her advanced knowledge of the arcane, she can figure something out where Lung perhaps has failed?
@Piella: No tale springs to your or your mother's mind, and no spell or rituals come to mind either. Whatever the pair are doing, there's a high likelihood it is not magic-related, even if it uses magic.
For now, you are at a crossroads. There's a lot of places you can go from here. Where would you like to head out to next?
The sun rises on Piaofeng, basking the mountain village in warm rays. The warmth cuts through the cold wind, and it seems as if the Celestials are once again smiling on you as you outfit the wagon for the ride back down the mountain.
Piella's parents ensure you are well stocked with food and vittles, and unless you stop her, Piella's mom will continue trying to slip more supplies into every possible nook and cranny.
"Yes, you can't just go off without a few baked loaves. Oh! How could I forget the preserves, I'll just pop in and grab a jar... maybe two..."
Bao is as excited as can be, which is more than the norm, and is practically bouncing. The thought of heading to the coast and the ocean is almost more than he can bear.
"Are we riding all the way there!? Or do you think we'll grab a ship? I wonder if Soeji will be there? Boy, he's going to be over the moon with what we found!"
Lung is irritable as he places jugs and bags and crates on the wagon. "Why would they waste their magic to impress a crowd? Maybe there was someone they needed to see...it didn't look like any actual ritual."
"Bao, we will certainly take at least one ship," says Lung, managing a smile. "Perhaps even a boat as well. Tell me, do you know the difference?"
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Piella doesn't stop her mother until it starts getting obscene.
"Mother! We're fine. Bao is going to have a swollen belly by the time we are through with all of this food."
Piella is of the mindset that they should be doing multiple things at once to help set the stage as quickly as possible. If they can find a location of lakes that the mountain group drew that would involve their path toward the ships, that is the way they will head.
Looking to Lung, she will reach out to rub his forearm when he is within reach. Her tiny hands are like a child's grasping him, but far more womanly. Her soft eyes will catch him and in a gentle whisper, she will state, "We can't know right now. But your frustration may scare Bao, so, when you are feeling flustered, just close your eyes and remember the smell of hay and those long green mountain fields. The smell of parchment and the papers of your library. The soft gongs of your monastery. 'Sometimes remembering those things which we love, can help us focus on our task ahead,'" she quotes in part from a book written by a monk that she found in the Piaofeng library. Perhaps he would know it as Brother Tseng's Accounts of Inward Reflection.
Shiro talks to Bao with a smile hidden behind his mask. "Well Bao, we're hoping to surprise Soeji, so let's keep our find a secret until then, ok?" The ninja seats himself with his pack on one side and Gou on the other, gently scratching the dog's back. The dog watches Bao intently, wanting to ensure the youngest of the 'pack' is safe.
"I'm not sure, Lung. Magic isn't my area of expertise. Maybe they were trying to infuse the water with magic? Or perhaps they were performing for the Celestials? They are watching us even now, who knows what might turn their approval. Mmm... Maybe we should consider some form of spectacle for our own presentation." The young man was caught up in thought, imagining the day their task was complete.
With more than a few hugs and waves, you finally set off from Piaofeng back down to Xin. Checking the scrawled map the mountaineers provided, you do find a few lakes and ponds on your way down, but attempts to fish and catch anything legendary prove fruitless. You do manage to fill a nice basket with quite a haul of regular sized fish.
A few days pass uneventfully, though you do notice an increase in Yuanzi military forces as you descend the Baijiao's Trail into the Highlands.
Eventually you come to a small outpost that seems to have been recently set up. Travelers are being asked to stop and you can see a pair of military personnel talking with each group in turn.
Lung relaxes upon Piella's ministrations. He inhales and takes a large, shaky sigh. "You're right. I think--part of my worry is the scope of this whole thing. I mean...I have spent most of my life cloistered. Yes, I got to go a-wandering, but never really live anywhere but at the monastery. The world is quite manageable inside a book. If you want a break, close the book. Forgot something? Turn back a page. Skip ahead. Out here, it's very real and very fast."
He smiles slightly. "Accounts of Inward Reflection." He turns to Piella. "Did you know that Brother Tseng sat for a year facing a wall? I do love his work, but now I am thinking about an older writer, Han-Shan. Like him, I am unmoored from a monastery now. Who knows for how long. Let's see..."
Cold rock, no one takes this road.
The deeper you go, the finer it is.
White clouds hang on high crags.
On Green Peak a lone gibbon’s cry.
What friends do I need?
I do what pleases me, and grow old.
Let face and body alter with the years,
I’ll hold to the bright path of mind.
He relaxes more after his recitation. "This journey is not so different than the journey to Cold Mountain and Green Peak, and many other places that Han-Shan wandered--and he was alone." He elbows Piella a bit. "Here at least you can shake me out of my reverie. Thank you."
Upon reaching the stop, Lung narrows his eyes a bit and peers at the military people. "Hmmm..."
Piella shakes her head no to Lung's question. She had no idea about Brother Tseng. Lung must truly be bothered by the situation, but seems to calm a bit in the long run. She hums happily as he elbows at her and she'll swat playfully back at his arm.
"I think that means our path is destined to be even greater."
Long before reaching the stop at the checkpoint, Piella will try to cutely catch a solitary guard's attention as they slow the cart.
"Excuse me sir, but we've noticed a lot of you soldiers on the road. Is there a problem or a reason?"
She smiles largely at him, using her natural cuteness to appeal for an answer. It was unnatural at all to be concerned about dangers on the roads.
The guard looks slightly concerned.
"Hopefully not a large one. We've had reports of some pilgrims going missing along the mountain path. It's not always without danger, but so many reports have got Xin worried, especially during these festivities. Be careful as you return."
As you approach the checkpoint, Lung gets the impression they're there more to put people at ease. They seem to be reassuring travelers, rather than stopping them.
Shiro simply stays in their cart, holding Gou close. While the dog was well behaved, the ninja preferred to reassure his canine companion. A military man himself, Shiro is at ease.
"Thank you, sir!" she will with a kind smile as they continue onward. When alone on the road, before the gate, she will voice her concerns.
"I was half worried this was some sort of trap to find us on the road and use rough-handed tactics to get stop us in our tracks and keep us from completing our mission."
She will muster up the courage and move toward the gate. As they approach, she will smile once again to the guards who intend to stop them.
"Yes, but it's worse. Something or some group of people is taking pilgrims. That means that whatever it is, does not respect the Order of the Celestials' Faith." He glowers and stays silent and watchful as the gnome approaches the guards again.
As you reach the checkpoint, the officers repeat pretty much what the soldier you stopped said. Someone (or something) is taking travelers and pilgrims along the paths of Piaofeng.
"Without a trace mind you," The guard says, at ease now that he's met you (and Piella's worked her magic). "People are just vanishing. There's at least four groups that have been reported missing. You keep your wits about you, you hear?"
The guard waves you through unless you question him further.
Piella nods to Lung. It is clear they are dealing with bad individuals, or a monster of some sort.
"We will, sir. Thank you. Have a nice day."
She will continue along, and once out of earshot of the guards, she will pose to Lung and Shiro, "What if it is a spiritual being? Some wild beast like that wolf, but snagging people and taking them into the spiritual realm? That would leave behind no trace, right?"
She worries about their eggs and carefully acquired possessions, but the cart rolls on.
"Were they taken in a particular place, or time? If we could get their names perhaps we could inquire with their kinfolk," says Lung to the guards.
--
"Many things are possible--look for the simplest explanation first," counsels Lung.