[D3, LA] Taking wing

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

"Yes... I did. I am glad you think that." Hanatsuko smiled. "I don't think you need to worry, Kakita sama. I also enjoy your company." Kuma skwacked. She squinted. "Kuma wants another song."

[Kakita Masao]

Masao laughs in relief and at the bird who calls the shots. The smile doesn't fade as he shakes his head, thinking of a song, and within a few moments is playing a song that he enjoys, although the execution is still below his usual talent. He does hit all the right high notes, perhaps making Kuma feel a little fidgety.

When done, he explains, "That's one from my home. It's said that when played flawlessly, Rushing on cold wind can let you fly from the cliffs, down to the ocean, and back up to Cold Wind City." He shows a little frustration with himself. "I had hoped it might make Kuma-san feel light of feather for another flight, but I don't think I'm making anyone fly today."

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

Kuma heard the crestfallen Kakita and took off. Hanatsuko laughed at the bird who understands human speech. Sari barked and howled at the flute song. "You beat yourself too hard Kakita sama." She points to the falcon making piruets on the sky. "He is glad for the song and he wants to dance." She shook her head. "You may think I am odd for knowing what he thinks. It is the bond between us that makes me know what he wants."

I also help... I did train him

"And his trainer... helps... I mean helped."

[Kakita Masao]

Masao is comforted, and he has to smile at least a little at the bird and dog.

When he hears the slip on helps versus helped, he looks at Hanatsuko closely. Grandson, what are you thinking? Don't you-- "I actually don't think it's that odd to be close to someone that... other people don't understand." He shrugs a little. "Maybe some of us are just better at picking up on things that other people would miss."

He glances out toward the waves, as though looking for his next words. "What will be next for you, Toritaka-san? When we leave here in a few days, what will you do?"

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

"I will go to Shiro Kuni... My sister is soon to complete her gempukku and I would like to be there. Also I wanted to talk to a friend about a monkey." She shook her head. "I am trying to find a spirit of a saru. He is a sneaky one." Hanatsuko looked at the falcon. "He warned me not to get involved but I had to... it was such a hard hunt... I was angered by his mockery." She looked down ashamed. "I just want to send him back to Sakkaku."

[Kakita Masao]

"I'll be honest, that sounds incredibly challenging," he says with the directness of a soldier. "But pacifying rogue spirits is your duty, I suppose, so there's less danger there than if I were to try to defeat a spirit," he half jokes, still looking at her with some concern.

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

"It is what it is, Kakita sama. Sometimes the better option is to defeat the spirit than to send it to their realm." Then she wondered about the girl named Hitomi. "Sometimes is better to help the spirit pass. But the spirit must want to be helped to pass." She shook her head. "I should stop unless I want Kuma to peck my head again." She chuckled at the sky bird.

[Kakita Masao]

The Crane smiles. "Yes, let's avoid that." He thinks for a time. "I suppose it's my turn to answer my own question, although I confess I don't really know what comes next. My duty here is very clear, but what comes after... It will depend on things not in my control."

He seems to hesitate, like he won't say more, but then he adds, quietly, "My brother is recovering from wounds received in the border war. I pray the Fortunes he'll recover well, and be my father's heir as governor of Samui Kaze Toshi."

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

At his words about his brother the Toritaka looked at bird and then lowered her head. "Pray for his health."

Hana don't worry about my soul. I worry about yours.

"My soul doesn't need to be worried about." She whispered to herself. Sari decided to lick the Toritaka's face. "Sari!"

[Kakita Masao]

The Crane is similarly somber, but Sari's intervention brightens the moment for him.

"I think, Toritaka-san, that you are quite fortunate to have the friends that you do." He smiles widely, distracted entirely from other concerns by this girl and the dog. And the falcon too, he thinks, looking up to see the bird still flying nearby. "It is comforting to know Kuma-san is watching over us, although he seems alarmingly intelligent," the Kakita smiles as he speaks, although his comments about Kuma aren't a joke.

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

"Thank you... Kumatashi kun did a good job training him." She remembered her brother and the fond memories. "Those were fun days."

[Kakita Masao]

The Falcon's wistful voice strikes a chord with the Crane. He quietly says, "I'm sure he was a remarkable person."

Masao tries to phrase his next statement carefully: "Your voice reminds me of how I speak about my brother Sango. My father's heir as governor. He was a model Crane samurai." A lonely pause. "He was killed by the Crab several months ago." Masao takes a rough breath, but keeps his on in place.

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

"Kumatashi died also in the war." She said solemnly "He was my oldest brother... he had been always been there for me. We used to compete Kazetashi was always last." Hanatsuko laughed. "That was when it was just us children. Toryu was somewhat a judge of our competition." She smiled brightly. "We are a rather large family i have 5 other siblings beside Kumatashi san."

[Kakita Masao]

The Crane shares a sad smile with her. "I'm glad you still have your other siblings, though no one can replace Kumatashi-san." He feels a pang of sadness himself and looks at the ground, taking a heavy breath.

"May the Fortunes let no one else die for this war," he says, voice husky. For Masao, his brother, Kitora, and cousin, Yushoko, are at the front of his mind, but he thinks also of young Kio -- really of everyone who's come to the village with such good intentions.

"Dark clouds seem to be closing in." It takes the Kakita a few moments to realize he did say that out loud, not just in his thoughts.

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

"Yes they are but worry not for we are samurai and the light of Lady Amaterasu will shine." Hanatsuko looked at Kuma and smiled. "Dark days with good friends will be always shorter." She patted Sari on the head. "Right guys?" Kuma thrilled and Sari barked.

[Kakita Masao]

As has become usual, the Kakita smiles at the bird and dog, almost more relieved to be around them than the Falcon samurai-ko.

(OOC: /scene on this one?)