(Region 5 - Lee's Summit, MO, USA; made public by L5R)

Shiro Sano Ken Hayai, Lion Lands

Akodo Mokichi signaled for the men following her to stop. She crouched and looked carefully at the ground, examining the short grass for any signs of their prey having passed through this area. The signs were few and far between, but they were there. One needed only know to look. She glanced back at the samurai behind her and nodded, gesturing toward the river to the north. She had been tracking the Nezumi that had raided a storehouse at Shiro sano Ken Hayai, the sacred home of the Akodo family, for nearly two days, and now her prey was close. There would be blood soon, to pay for the stain upon the Lion weapons the beasts had stolen.

The river was particularly wide in this region, and its banks were covered with a thick line of trees and vegetation. There were few peasants in the area, and nature had taken its course with the river. Mokichi signaled for the men to follow her, and she moved cautiously toward the river.

The signs were easier to read in the thick vegetation. The Nezumi had been here recently, and more than she had expected. It was not a concern, for the animals could not stand against true samurai, but it was still surprising. It seemed that the theft had been committed by a few who had then rejoined their tribe. It seemed unusual from her limited understanding of Nezumi, but she would leave wondering about their purpose to the Crab.

A rustling sound caused the young scout to freeze in her tracks, desperately searching the surrounding area for any sign of her enemy. Finally, she saw a small, brown Nezumi staring at her from a copse of bushes a hundred yards ahead. She could see the glint of steel from the beast’s weapon, and her features twisted in agitation. Then, unexpectedly, the beast gestured for her to come forward, waving almost frantically in its attempt to get her attention. She frowned, confused. She glanced over her shoulder at the soldiers with her, struggling with her curiosity. Finally, she signaled for them to hold position, then crept forward.

The beast waited for her in the bushes, grasping a stolen tessen in one hand and a crude spear in the other. “Must be quiet-quiet!” it hissed. “Did not know if you come! Glad you here now!” Then it scurried through the bushes, glancing back to see if she was following. Uncertain of what to do, she followed.

The vegetation deeper inside the banks was dead and rotten. The stench was foul, and its texture was slimy to the touch. Mokichi struggled not to wretch, but the ratling grabbed her arm and pointed. In the widest spot of the river, there was a tiny island, no more than twenty feet across at its largest. Upon it sat several figures, all of whom were sitting in a circle around a small fire that did not seem to generate any smoke. “Dark shamans,” the rat hissed. “Kill many brave warriors.”

Even at this distance, Mokichi could see the blood stains upon the men’s robes. “Who are they?” she whispered.

“Not know,” the ratling returned. “Come to river days ago, kill many Nezumi. We no have weapons, not sure what to do. Some pups sick, no can move. So we steal weapons. Think we fight them, or maybe Lion come to find weapons and we show them shamans.” It looked at her curiously. “Maybe we keep weapons if help fight shamans?”

Mokichi glanced down at the now muddied tessen the creature held, then back to the Bloodspeakers hiding in Lion lands, befouling her beloved countryside with their foul magic. “I think we can trade,” she said finally, then turned and crept back to where her men were. She was definitely going to need their bows to end this menace.