[D1 wilds] Old Habits (expecting)

[Seppun Akimitsu]

Old habits die hard, Akimitsu always had the evening shift at the library so he was used to working and patrolling at this time. The Seppun took it upon himself to walk about the wilderness around the monastery daisho at his side but not wearing his armor, instead clad in his simpler workout clothing. The study but still of some quality hakama and haori were dark blue nearing black with a small yellow Seppun mon over the breast.

Akimitsu walked through the wilds mostly reflecting on the day but even though his mind was occupied his eyes were alert scanning his surroundings as he moved.

[Kakita Sumire]

The evening was dark, but surrounded by so much white of the snow it would be easy to spot something unusual. Like brown on brown moving in the dark.

Which is what may catch the Seppuns eye as a dark and somewhat humanish shape in brown seemed to move nearby. Sumire, having been trapped for the evening, had made a dash for freedom - and dash she did, almost bounding through the snow as she made for the woods.

[Seppun Akimitsu]

A dashing human form dark against the pale snow would almost certainly catch his eye and an immediate urge to shout at the figure was suppressed. These were not his lands to protect. However he was curious and so he made after the figure in the snow looking to see who had such urgent business in the wilds.

[Kakita Sumire]

The bounding figure came to an almost dead stop at the first tree. Ears twitching slightly as she picked up a sound (not that the ear twitching could be seen in the dark). Was she being tailed?

Survival instincts kicked in. She suddenly moved quickly into the woods and hid behind a tree a little further in. Silent as the night.

[Seppun Akimitsu]

Akimitsu saw the strange behavior and bounded into the trees just after the figure. Some kind of agent? He was quick and light on his feet as he followed looking for where the figure had gone.

As he entered the trees proper his steps slowed and his ears were open to his surroundings as his eyes scanned his surrounding meticulously

[Kakita Sumire]

Sumire was not a brave being. When it came to fight or flight, unless she had an advantage she'd take flight every time. This felt like one of those moments. Looking left, then right, she knew she had nowhere to go. So, she took the only option left to her....

Akimitsu would hear rustling from a tree ahead, making the snow fall from it. As if someone had climbed a tree and disrupted the animals, like the bird that took off from the tree, which looked like some kind of eagle by the size of it.

(ooc - vigilance 4 to notice anything unusual about the bird)

[Seppun Akimitsu]

Akimitsu's eyes snapped to the tree and then to the bird flying from it. He studied the animal as much as he could as it took off which wasn't likely too much flying away in the night as it was.

His focus came back to the tree and he approached it slowly unsure if the bird had been the cause of the disturbance or rather was displaced by something trying to hide. He walked up to it and peered up in the branches, his hand on his katana.

[Kakita Sumire]

One thing that is difficult to hide in the snow? Tracks. There seemed to be footsteps in the snow at the tree that didn't go further into the forest. The eagle in question had flown over to a different nearby tree and seemed to be watching in the direction of the previous tree or in the Seppuns direction himself, it wasn't easy to tell.

[Seppun Akimitsu]

The Seppun looked about puzzled at the lack of tracks seeing no bandit or spy hiding amongst the branches he relaxed a little scratching his head for a moment before looking to where the bird landed

"Did you just find your roost uncomfortable friend?" He asked the animal his usually stoic face less so in the isolated area. No other samurai around after all. "You made an awful lot of racket finding a new one." He said with a touch of mirth before taking a breath and giving the area one last scan before relaxing more fully.

[Kakita Sumire]

The eagle seemed to scratch its beak with a wing, before making a few loud whistling-like sounds. Having now had a chance to actually study the human in front of it, even though bird-vision isn't the same as human vision shapes could be clearly made out. Such as that chrysanthemum mon.

Crap. It wasn't a hunter, it was an Imperial!

The large bird stretched its wings, disrupting more snow again before taking off, flying further into the woods while the bird tried to work out a plan of how to get out of this mess.

[Seppun Akimitsu]

Akimitsu watched the bird fly away impassively and shrugged "must have some restless wings." He commented.

Akimitsu then went back to walking, the odd encounter putting him on a higher alert. Something strange was happening in the woods but he was not one well versed in this kind of strangeness.

[Kakita Sumire]

Success! Any hunter wouldn't be able to resist these stylish wings!

The bird was also quite pleased to not be followed, as it flew face-first into a tree while celebrating mentally.

I hate flying...

Making its way down to the ground, the bird slipped behind a tree...and a woman came out the other side.

Now to make my fantastic escape! I'm a genius!

And so Sumire made her way through the woods again, trying to find her way out. Not really considering that the Seppun may have actually remained in the woods also....

[Seppun Akimitsu]

The Imperial certainly had remained in the woods such was the thoroughness of his patrol. Quickness was good but could overlook important things.

Hearing another set of footsteps he turned seeing a figure moving through the woods again. This time he shouted "Halt!" To get the figures attention. As he began moving softly toward them.

[Kakita Sumire]

"Wha?"

Sumire was startled by the shout, and had taken a step back instinctively...which caused her to trip over the tree root she had stepped past, and end up back-first on the ground in the snow.

"Ow..."

[Seppun Akimitsu]

Akimitsu saw the figure fall and picked up his pace coming across the fallen woman he stopped short looking to her bowing a little deeper than usual "Apologies if I startled you, samurai-san." He said noting the wakizashi hanging from her hip.

He reached out to help her up "I saw strange happenings in the woods tonight and thought you might be the culprit. Are you unharmed?" His expression was a carefully crafted On showing only the barest hint of the emotions under the surface and his voice was likewise neutral as he extended his hand down to her.

[Kakita Sumire]

Sumire lays there in the snow looking out into the distance even as the Seppun approaches. Not in pain, just working out a plan of action, but she did have a faraway look while doing so.

After a few moments of silence she blinked a few times.

"Huh..."

Slowly she sat up, not accepting the hand helping her. Shaking her head.

"I'm not a culprit. I was followed into the woods and hid in the trees."

[Seppun Akimitsu]

Akimitsu raised an eyebrow but let the hand fall "Indeed, probably smart the person" thing? "I saw run into the woods seems to be very quick and crafty, lost their tracks in the snow which is.....unusual."

He bowed a little "I am glad you are unharmed. I am Seppun Akimitsu. I have seen you around the monetary but have not caught your name."

[Kakita Sumire]

Sumire rubbed the back of her head, then checked her hand.

"No blood. Phew."

She stood up slowly, before bowing. Mentally dancing for getting away with things.

"I'm Kakita Sumire. So the person who followed me vanished? Where did they go? Are they still out there? I heard something about tricksters in the woods, was it that?"

[Seppun Akimitsu]

Akimitsu shrugged a little "it is hard to say Kakita-san, I tracked them to a tree but when I got there it seemed as if they had disappeared. The tracks went to the tree but there was no sign of them hiding amongst its branches."

"Do not worry though if they were following you they seemed to have fled and if they come back I will defend you." His expression and voice were earnest. This wasn't false bravado to impress her but an honest promise.

[Kakita Sumire]

"Seppun-sama will protect me? Ahhh, I see!"

Sumire began to grin, her glistening brown eyes seeming to light up.

"Seeing the beautiful damsel in distress, he dashed out from the monastery. Determined that a cruel fate would not befall one who was still destined to make hearts dance in joy. Then his eyes meet the damsels, and he realises a different fate awaits."

She brought a hand to her head in a dramatic fashion.

"Can the dashing Seppun protect the damsel, and steel his heart as well, or would the Fortunes win in this battle of head vs heart? Oh what a wonderful, delightful story! And I'm almost certain I didn't hit my head hard enough to be hallucinating, but tree roots are painful, so maybe I did!"