"Me? Oh I just took a nap in the field and as I heard the cart driver cursing I thought it's my master", Kagemaru says with a small yawn, "And who might you be? You don't look like someone from around here."
Of course Kagemaru doesn't know if that guy is from here or not, but he hopes that would disguise that he's out of place here.
The moment the samurai's hand hovered over his katana, Kiara felt her adrenaline rush over her. Oh how she desperately wanted a battle, her hands were itching for it. Yet, she knew, that such a fight against a lawman only doing his duty would be morally wrong. Of course, it didn't even occur to her that he was likely a lot stronger than she.
With a small smile Kiara rose her hands to show she had no weapon, "I have not even stepped in front of you, lawman, I walk beside you. Though I must request that you stop insulting me every other sentence. I am by no means a lowly assassin, though you were correct in your.. continual assumptions that I am no noble either. I am a dancer with an overly thick set of mind, I hope you forgive me." Which was no deception on any account, as she did consider herself a dancer. It also explained her muscle, which was more long and lithe than the bulk of a farmer's wife.
If his 'liege' wanted the man rather than horses, that meant it was an issue of principles. And that such a 'liege' could afford a dedicated soldier meant bad news for Toshiro, "Since subtly obviously isn't my forte," And the samurai kept seeming to miss her point, "I'll ask outright: Is your goal to kill Mohime or simply apprehend? I will say again that I have no intention of hindering you in your capture either way, but perhaps I might meet your liege for an appeal. Or if you think he would disapprove of you setting a meeting, perhaps just tell me an address that I may seek an audience myself. And fear not, I dare not pester you much longer."
She thought he would decline her request to meet the master-figure, but it wouldn't be too hard to find out who it was. Ask around and find who was missing horses and had a high enough reputation to have a samurai under the thumb, couldn't be that hard. Of course, it'd be nice if she had an invitation to skip all that, but she wouldn't complain either way, and probably needed to find where her partner was by now.
Mostly, she just wanted to get away from the samurai before smacking him upside the head for being so one-track minded towards a figure of authority. And for calling her an assassin. Three times.
Subtle emotions play across the Samurai's face. Not that Kiara can see them, in her opinion his visage is practically frozen, but it seems like something Master Fu would admonish her to pay more attention to. Finally, the Samurai's hand swings off the grip of his katana. Kiara's stance relaxes.
"You did not really think I was sent to kill Toshiro Mohime, did you?" he says. "Of course I want him alive and unharmed, to be brought before my liege and answer for his crimes. I've no authority to wander the landscape killing people...dancer."
It's interesting how well the Samurai can make "dancer" sound like "assassin". Must be a neat party trick.
"I hardly think my liege will be interested in your words. But if you insist, I will tell Matsumoto-sama of you so that he may come to an informed decision. By what name shall I announce you?"
Glad that Ramma bought his story, Kagemaru hastily thinks up a name.
"Hi Ramma, nice to meet you. I'm Toku. What kind of job are you looking for?" Kagemaru asks, meanwhile hoping that Toshi is clever enough to stay hidden and be quiet, although his previous actions clearly contradict that.
After a look over Ramma's shoulder he continues, "Ah, you're a hunter, I guess?"
"Your silence is all the answer I need," the Samurai says. He gives a gruff nod to Kiara and walks away, back to the village's main road - presumably to get his horse and leave.
Could have gone better, could have gone worse. Now where are Kagemaru and that fool Toshi?
---
A cloud of dust rises from the village behind Ramma while he talks. Kagemaru's sharp eyes spot the Samurai on his horse, skipping town with his horse in canter - not quite full gallop, but quick. With a few simple steps, Kagemaru maneuvers the conversation to get his back to the Samurai. The ploy seems to work, as the Samurai rides right past them, heading back to the center of the valley in the distance.
As Kagemaru listens to Ramma, he spots the Samurai in the distance quickly closing in. With a few unsuspicious steps, the ninja moves his back to the nearing threat, in the hopes that he's not recognised as a ninja.
It seems to have worked, as the Samurai speeds past him without looking back.
Having averted this problem, Kagemaru focuses on Ramma again. "Listen, I'm not really a farmer but would have use for someone who knows the lands... and his bow. I can't promise riches, but I'll happily split whatever we earn while we travel together. What do you say?"
Ramma's brain digs through his memories, but the name seems unfamiliar. Then again, it's not like he pays a lot of attention to nobles with fancy nicknames.
Kiara approaches Kage, Toshi and Ramma with a cautious look. Her hand moves closer to her blade, Ramma's stance tenses, but then Kage gives Kiara a sign and the situation relaxes. Toshi, of course, didn't notice any of that.
"Oh, there you are!" Toshi says. "I thought that maybe we would have to look for you!"
"You're hard to track," Kiara says, nodding to Kage. She then turns a less favorable gaze onto Toshi. "You're not. And you need to go home."
"Please, no!" Toshi begs. "If I stay here, they will come back and find me! I beg you, take me with you. Take me with you and let me help you until I can straighten things out with Matsumoto-san! I've made a great mistake and I can't let Yukio suffer for it!"
Kagemaru
