A Forest Hunt

Bailey walked with them, munching on the squirrel as they came up on the cave. The sight of the bear sent a fear through her, but she relaxed and sat down with the twins. She closed her eyes and concentrated before focusing on lighting the wood for them. "I understand not wanting to harm the animals around us. I try to only hunt enough to last one day, or I'll share what I caught with others in town." Bailey smiled as she warmed her hands by the fire. The cave wasn't cold to her, but the fire provided a bit of comfort. "I have no business in the Empire, no real reason to trust them or work for them. They only laugh at me when I try, so I stay away." Bailey watched as the fire danced around the twigs and licked at her hands, enjoying the thrill of being who she was.

Okuninushi understood how Bailey felt. She felt neglected, outcast. Just how his parents made him and Sakuyahime felt. "I get you..." he said softly, barely realizing he was speaking as he stared hard into the fire. He didn't notice Nemuri grunt and snort in his sleep, breaking the silence. It made his sister, jump a bit--she was still not used to those random snores--but she soon adjusted. Sakuyahime smiled at Bailey, "Well, as long as they die humanely and are used properly I have no problems." Pulling a peach pit out of her pouch, Sakuyahime placed the peach pit on the ground, her hand covering it. There was a glow of green light from beneath her fingers, and within seconds two foot tall tree grew from the ground, birthing peaches galore. "I love peaches," she smiled, "And the peach blossoms are beautiful, almost as beautiful as cherry blossoms." Sakuyahime picked all of the peaches she had to offer, then retracted the tree back into the pit and placed it in her bag. "I know it's a little out of place for dinner," she said softly, placing the peaches within everyone's reach, "But it's abundant and delicious, I promise."

Bailey starred at the fire for a bit longer before looking down at the peach Sakuya had given her. "I don't think I have ever tried a peach before." She explained as she reached for the fruit. The soft fur-like shell surprised her as she lifted it to smell it. The aroma filled her nose and made her smile, thinking of back home. The air flowing over the fields nearby her house, sending the whiff of different smells her way as the workers focused on harvesting them. "Smells like home." She whispered before taking a bite, the juice flowing into where her teeth cut the skin. They were delicious, just as Sakuya had said. Bailey smiled before looking back up at the twins, "I don't think I've had a decent meal like this for months." She told them, switching between her peach and the squirrel. Feeling a slight shiver from the wind, Bailey moved a bit closer to both the twins and the fire.

"Sakuyahime makes the best peaches," smiled Okuninushi as he bit deep into his, juices dripping down his chin. He quickly wiped it off with his wrist, "They're even better than the wild ones." "I like to say they're made with love," joked Sakuyahime, "Which, they sort of are. Nature Bending requires some love of Nature." Sakuyahime looked over at Nemuri, and realized he had eaten the fish already, yet she had not seen him wake up to do so. She smiled a bit, as the mysteries of this mysterious bear made her wonder what other fun things were out in Nippon. "Where are you headed after this?" asked Okuninushi, looking at Bailey with an innocent curiosity.

Bailey bit into her peach again, savoring the taste into her memory as she listened to the twins talking. She had forgotten the bear was there until Sakuya looked over at him. With a shake of her head, Bailey turned back to face Okuninushi. She thought carefully about her reply before speaking, trying not to scare the twins. She couldn't help what jobs came her way, she just did them to get paid. "Well, Okuni, I usually wonder around until I feel like walking into a few certain bars and waiting for a letter. I don't currently have any plans though." Bailey looked down at her bow, running her free hand over the etchings. "What about you two. Where were you headed?" She finished her peach, wiping what juice she had off her chin before beginning to count her remaining arrows. "Looks like I'm going to need to make more soon, that is if we go hunting tomorrow as well. Either that or I can only kill four things, and have to be perfect shots." She told herself, placing the arrows down beside her, tips facing the fire.

Okuninushi looked over at Sakuyahime, wondering if it was alright to tell this newcomer everything.  But since she was being so kind to them, and told them her vague plans, and since the twins had saved her prior, Okuninushi felt it was only fair.  "We're thinking of heading up to Kamui," he explained, "There's a lot of weird things going on up there, besides we think maybe our parents ran up there to escape the demon hordes.  Some people have been doing that ever since the Oina refused to come down here and exercise them themselves.  At least living alongside them they'd be safe."

Sakuyahime nodded as she thought what life as a Nature Bender must be like in a frozen wasteland, "We're also thinking of learning of the Oina's mystical skills if we can," explained Sakuyahime, "If we can learn these skills, should worse come to worse and we don't find our parents...maybe we could help things out around here.  People need the demons gone and the Oina wont, or can't, do it anymore.  Someone has to."  Sakuyahime spoke openly and freely with Bailey, and in part, it shocked Okuninushi a little bit too, because he had never heard of talk of these plans before.

Bailey nodded as she listened to them, feeling more welcomed in their little group. "To be totally honest, I haven't had the best past working with people, but I wouldn't mind helping you. Most people don't stay with me once they find out about my past or where I grew up." Bailey told them, looking back at the fire. "I just recently figured out why everyone avoids me back home. So, if you want some help, I don't mind." Bailey looked around the cave to find anything to make arrows with, trying to find something to do while they talked. A small bush of usable wood stood in the back of the cave. Pulling off a few branches, Bailey returned with her dagger drawn and began to whittle away at the wood. "May not make the best arrow in the world, but it will work." She told herself, setting the shaft down on the cave floor by the other arrows.

Okuninushi nodded, "Yeah we're okay with you joining us," he said happily, "And extra set of hands is always welcomed.  Besides, Kamui is supposed to be dangerous, even more so recently with all these demons running around.  I heard they have ones up there worse than the imps you'll see here, called namahage.  They're supposed to be pretty brutal."  Sakuyahime nodded, wondering what Kamui was going to be like.  As a nature bender who loved life and plants, a barren, frozen wasteland didn't sound appealing to her, but she would need to put up with it if she wanted to find her parents...or learn from Oina.  "I wonder how the Oina exercise their demons?" asked Sakuyahime, "The religious scriptures say they learned from the God of Life, Kanatta, himself."  "They also say that the entrance to the a demonic hell exists under the peaks of Ezofuji," added Okuninushi, not too entirely sure how to feel about the old legends in the religious scriptures, he was never an entirely religious man, "Placed there by Daidarabotch, the giant god whose foot prints made lakes and rivers and canyons."

Bailey smiled at the two of them as they accepted her into their party. Was it possible to allow others to get close? Bailey asked herself as she thought over how her own kind treated her. "I'm not sure how they do it, but I assume that they must work really hard on keeping it secret to them only." Bailey started working on another arrow, moving the wood easily though her hands as she whittled away at it. Grazing her dagger over the wood's outer layering, slicing off the nicks and bulges, and turning it into a smooth shaft. "Do you know of anywhere I can find a few pointed stones and feathers?" She asked the twins, keeping her eyes on the movements of her dagger. Her mind wondered as she formed the arrow, bringing her back to her visits on Ember Island after she had grown up.

Her memory pulled her away from the campsite and back to the dock of the island. "Excuse me, Miss, but I must make a log of anyone arriving here." A gentleman walked up to her with a clipboard before looking at her. "Oh, your her. I'm sorry, but I seem to have forgotten something." Within seconds, he was gone, spreading the word that little old Bailey Jane was back in town. A small pain in her hand shot through her, bringing her back to the fire and the warmth of the cave. Opening her eyes to notice a small cut on her thumb from her dagger. I need to stay focused when I work on my arrows. She told herself, wrapping her thumb in a small piece of extra fabric.

"There were some birds down the hill there," pointed Okuninushi, "And there are rocks down by the river. I'm sure you could break a few down into arrow heads?" Sakuyahime nodded, "Or Okuninushi could break a few for you," she explained, "He's an Earth Bender as well as a Spirit Bender. He could make the rocks the right size and shape for you." Okuninushi nodded, "It's how I make the whetstones that I need for my swords." "Swords you never use," muttered Sakyahime under her breath. It was the truth, he always ended up flat on his butt and reverted to bending afterwards, or Sakuyahime had to come bail him out like earlier. He never thought before a fight, he always charged right in, and that landed him in a big mess of trouble. "When do you guys want to leave for Kamui?" asked Okuninushi as he started bending the stones for Bailey, ignoring his sisters comment. He was a great swordsman, and a great warrior. He made mistakes sure, but you know what, mistakes happen to everyone.