Jin nodded with approval as Hotaru picked up the knife again. He was showing the faint beginnings of the man he would become, and she was proud to see that.

Faintly sighing once Ishawari reached her, she wasn’t sure whether she agreed. “I admit that I’ve been too long without a weapon in my hand. Despite all the stick-training and push ups, I still feel stale. Like my muscles are going.” She was sure that wasn’t entirely true, due to all the work she did to keep them up. But the idleness made it feel that way.

“At the same time, I am going to miss this place.” But she knew the village would be just fine without them. Today had shown her that much; these people would band together at the sign of trouble, cover each other’s weaknesses and be stronger for it.

“Oh! In all of the trouble and afterward, I never got to tell you. The rumor mill finally spit out something interesting.” She quickly relayed that word was out, seemingly about an attack on the prince.  One who was supposedly sequestered in his father’s chambers, instead of here taking his first steps as a warrior.

“They mentioned more guards being at the port, and I really hope that isn’t true. It will make our jobs all the more difficult.” Getting to the unknown Ferryman was going to be it’s own ordeal, but to have to deal with dodging Imperial guards? Not fun.

“There will be no way to tell until we get there, so I’m putting it out of my mind for the time being. I don’t know about you, but I am starving. Mushroom rice for dinner; don’t go anywhere.” 

With that, she went to the stove and got it lit. Though she’d never be adept at it, cooking somehow helped calm and organize her mind. Dinner was on the table within the hour, fresh mushrooms and fluffy (for the most part) rice.

The night came all too soon, and the rain with it. Jin lay awake on her cot, eyes shut but body jumping at every peal of thunder. Sleep wasn’t going to happen tonight, but the storm was too go outside in. Nothing to do but lie here and fight the fear.

“This is irrational and you know it.” She murmured to herself. “It’s just a bit of lightning and-” A particularly hard bout of thunder silenced her into a nervous squeak. “Y- you are a warrior, and not a child, and you have nothing to-” The sky outside lit up again, and she trembled. “Dammit.”