[D2, EA, Kawauso's room] Caged Lion

[Akodo Kawauso]

Being trapped indoors when Kawauso's patience for walks and rules was approaching threadbare was not a good situation. There was at least some solitude available in her small guest room, although the number of people in the palace was so great from the wedding, and they were bound so tight by the snowstorm, that even in her room Kawauso would swear she heard someone close by every minute.

She was trying to keep her mind calmer and more centered by whittling. Calling it carving would imply some plan or at least intention, whereas what she was doing was mostly just keeping herself from pacing around the room.

[Chai Kotsume]

What Kotsume was doing, on the other hand, was pretty much that - pacing. And not in her room, but around the castle. After some time spent in the gardens - which were quite cold - she went back inside, and neither her nor her critters were too happy about it. She kept the otters in a small enclosed space in the gardens while walking for a bit, but soon picked them up again and tucked them in the basket she often carries them in and started walking from part to part of the castle.

At some point, when going through the area where the Guest Rooms are, she sees a hallway that apparently had rooms for Lion Clan guests and starts making her way through it.

Her sister had told her she was here, so when she found out she'd be coming to the same place, she was ecstatic! ... and yet she hadn't had a chance to actually see her since she arrived a few days back.

She also remembered she hadn't actually mentioned to onee-san that she would be here. Erm.

Well, Kawauso would surely be happy to see her as well, right? Otterly happy, she thinks with a giggle.

She then notices the small wooden sign in the room she's right in front of.

亜古土 川獺. Akodo Kawauso.

Big sister otter's room.

She could hardly hold back her broad smile as she knocked on the paper door. "Oi! Onee-san? I mean... Akodo-san", she said, the last part clearly affected.

[Akodo Kawauso]

Inside the room, Kawauso freezes, then looks through narrowed eyes at the door. Surely it can't be...

The Lion sets aside her whittling, noting with a frown she had rather more wood scraps and shavings piled on the floor than she'd expected. How long was I...

Certain she must be hearing things or that someone is lost, Kawauso rises and goes to open the door. Sliding it open, her eyes jump wide open as she sees it is her sister. Miles from home. And snow bound here with her.

"Kot--Kotsu-chan? How... How are you here?" The taller sister is leaning harder on the door frame than is probably wise as she shakes her head and tries to make sense of this.

[Chai Kotsume]

Inside the room, Kawauso freezes, then looks through narrowed eyes at the door. Surely it can't be...

The Lion sets aside her whittling, noting with a frown she had rather more wood scraps and shavings piled on the floor than she'd expected. How long was I...

Certain she must be hearing things or that someone is lost, Kawauso rises and goes to open the door. Sliding it open, her eyes jump wide open as she sees it is her sister. Miles from home. And snow bound here with her.

"Kot--Kotsu-chan? How... How are you here?" The taller sister is leaning harder on the door frame than is probably wise as she shakes her head and tries to make sense of this.

"Oneesan!", Kotsume says, quite excitedly and somewhat louder than would be proper in more formal settings, as she steps forward to take Kawauso's hands in her own. "It's been too long!", she adds, still not quite answering the question.

The initial excitement fades a bit, but a wide smile is still left on the younger twin's face. She grins a bit, scratches he head. "Eh... you see. I should probably have sent a message, ne?" A pat on Saen's head, who's coming out of the basket strapped to Kotsume's back and onto her shoulder, as if to greet Kawauso. "There's been trouble on our side too, as you probably imagine. And... I've been asked to bring a message. Er... Recently", she adds, somewhat apologetically. "Was a longer trip than I expected too! I was hoping to send word after getting here, but then I just arrived a few days ago, and..." She pats Chuuen now, who comes out curiously. "Well, to be honest I haven't been in the palace itself much. Just for this wedding thing yesterday... and I saw you were busy there!", she says with a bit of a grin. "Still, 's no excuse, I should have sent you notice. Sorry, oneesan! But still, I'm so happy to see you! You must have been here longer, eh? Have you taken the chance to explore around the river? It's different from the Great River, of course, but it's beautiful in its own way! And... I've heard there's a waterfall a bit farther away?"

The excitement is a bit suppressed during her awkward apology, but it's soon back in all its glory....

[Akodo Kawauso]

The excitement is a bit much to bear when Kawauso was trying to sulk, but "little" sister and her otters are hard not to smile at, in spite of everything.

"Oke--okay, okay, come in and... A little quieter, ok?" She half pulls Kotsume into the room, then casts a grumpy glare both ways down the hall before closing the door.

When she turns back to face her sister, she rubs her forehead. "You're... about the raiding too," she processes, eyes closed as she catches up. "Good. Actually, that will be helpful. Well, probably..." Kawauso seems to have bypassed any friendly family stuff and gone straight to business, unconsciously acting just like their father.

[Chai Kotsume]

The excitement is a bit much to bear when Kawauso was trying to sulk, but "little" sister and her otters are hard not to smile at, in spite of everything.

"Oke--okay, okay, come in and... A little quieter, ok?" She half pulls Kotsume into the room, then casts a grumpy glare both ways down the hall before closing the door.

When she turns back to face her sister, she rubs her forehead. "You're... about the raiding too," she processes, eyes closed as she catches up. "Good. Actually, that will be helpful. Well, probably..." Kawauso seems to have bypassed any friendly family stuff and gone straight to business, unconsciously acting just like their father.

Kotsume seems blissfully unaware that her excitement
might have caused any embarrassment - either that, or Kawauso's stiffness made her grin even more. The smile was still there as Kawauso went straight to talking shop, although her eyes - and a silent sigh - did show some frustration.

"Eh. Yeah... I'm bringing an official letter on just that. Not my own, of course - you know I'm not important like you", she adds with another good-natured grin, but soon continues, in an 'almost' serious tone. "'s been more and more common. More than what I remember from when we were..." her eyes darken a bit. "You know what I mean. Just... It's odd, in a way. More attacks now we're all or most under... " She waves around. "This."

Getting the otter basket to her front side, she pats Uen and Saen's heads to calm then down, as they seemed to be even more restless - either due to the closed space of the room or to having recognised Kawauso and wanting to go sniff and curl themselves around her. Meanwhile Chuuen jumps off from the basket onto the ground, falling awkwardly in its cubness and soon starting to explore, to which Kotsume clicks her tongue and looks at the cub with a serious face, as if to say 'don't make a mess'.

"I've been up and downriver often, fought folks now and again. Other times just saw them around and gave word to avoid trouble. I keep wondering if it might be Daikawa who didn't..." She doesn't complete the sentence again. "You know. Or folks from the southern or western tribes. They were wild at times even back then, if I remember it right".

She then smiles again, this time looking at her sister more calmly and directly. "But... I suppose it could be good news, in a way. I mean, we've got similar goals, it seems? I... think a greater presence in the river is part of it, for both of our sides, eh?" She grins. "Maybe that means we'll see each other more often?"

The grin fades a bit, and her voice goes more serious again. "Speaking of which... How are niisan and dad?"

[Akodo Kawauso]

As it so often was when Kotsume talked, there was much to process. Kawauso sat down cross-legged, scowled at the pile of wood butts and shavings that was beyond reach, and then made her peace with the idea that the otters were probably going to spread them around the room. If I didn't want to clean the mess, I shouldn't have made it, dad would say.

"Father and brother are fine," Kawauso says, a little dismissively. "As warm and cuddly as always," she says snarkily, though she relents a little at the twitch of Kotsume's eye that says she really wants to know more. With a sigh, the big sister says, "I think Taro-kun said he'd been promoted again... He's a gun-do? Gun-ko? Oh, gun-so, I'm pretty sure it is. Commands like 20 soldiers. So, of course dad"--she can't quite keep a note of scorn out of her voice--"was proud. Asked if I thought I'd make gunso at that age, which... It's hard to get promoted for leading troops when I'm dad's favorite emissary to everywhere he doesn't want to go." Kawauso rolls her eyes, then looks at Kotsume and the otters again and immediately looks guilty.

"I'm sorry, Kotsu-chan. I guess I'm... Well, I'm happy you're here," she says, forcing a smile for the happy twin.

[Chai Kotsume]

As it so often was when Kotsume talked, there was much to process. Kawauso sat down cross-legged, scowled at the pile of wood butts and shavings that was beyond reach, and then made her peace with the idea that the otters were probably going to spread them around the room. If I didn't want to clean the mess, I shouldn't have made it, dad would say.

"Father and brother are fine," Kawauso says, a little dismissively. "As warm and cuddly as always," she says snarkily, though she relents a little at the twitch of Kotsume's eye that says she really wants to know more. With a sigh, the big sister says, "I think Taro-kun said he'd been promoted again... He's a gun-do? Gun-ko? Oh, gun-so, I'm pretty sure it is. Commands like 20 soldiers. So, of course dad"--she can't quite keep a note of scorn out of her voice--"was proud. Asked if I thought I'd make gunso at that age, which... It's hard to get promoted for leading troops when I'm dad's favorite emissary to everywhere he doesn't want to go." Kawauso rolls her eyes, then looks at Kotsume and the otters again and immediately looks guilty.

"I'm sorry, Kotsu-chan. I guess I'm... Well, I'm happy you're here," she says, forcing a smile for the happy twin.

Curiously enough, Chuuen seemed to be gathering some wood buts and shavings that were still around the room and piling it up with the rest instead of spreading them around. Even Kotsume looked at the cub with a look of curiosity and slight disbelief, but who knew what went on in the mind of the young mustelid?

The girl smirked at Kawauso's snarky comment, but she hears with some interest - although not necessarily great understanding - as the tall sister told of their brother's success.

"I'm sure you are, nee-chan", she says after Kawauso's forced smile, broadening her own smile naturally in contrast. "And I understand you've been quite busy. Not easy making gun-so at a young age, I guess, yeah?", she says with another smirk and a wink.

"More seriously though", she continues, actually sounding at least a bit more serious although her hands are playing with the two otters that are still in the basket, but looking with great interest at what the cub is planning to do with the wood shavings she's finished gathering by now. "Is that what you want, Kawauso-chan? Being a guntso, I mean?" She cannot help a silent chuckle. "They've got a few tricky ones, eh? For my work as a guardian alongside the river they say 'you're icky'", she says with another chuckle. "At first I thought the clanners were making fun of me!"

After a while the chuckling fades, she shrugs, and gets back to a more serious tone. "But... is it? And dad... he's become a military leader as well, I guess?"

A silent moment, finally. After some time, she speaks again, still serious.

"Mom's been asking about you and Taro. I mean, she always did, but more lately. And... she still talks about him, you know. Dad. Not often... but she does. Quotes things he would say and such."

Another long silence, then a shrug. "Anyway... about the raiders. I'm guessing you've got plans? Or... Akodo no Kami does...?"

[Akodo Kawauso]

"Dad is... He's dad, Kotsu-chan. Always stern and grumpy about something. He wants to spend his days chasing raiders or doing the things he used to. But he can't because Lord Akodo made him headman of..." She waves her hands vaguely. "Some swathe of the lands on the Lion side of the river. I don't know if he even knows what all his mandate is."

After a big exhale, she looks at her sister.

"I know we need to talk about mom. And lots of stuff. Like getting Taro-kun married, good kami help us. But, um, can we focus on the raider issue?" Kawauso's request seems reasonable, though it's noticeable that she didn't mention anything about her being on the list to talk about.

[Chai Kotsume]

"Dad is... He's dad, Kotsu-chan. Always stern and grumpy about something. He wants to spend his days chasing raiders or doing the things he used to. But he can't because Lord Akodo made him headman of..." She waves her hands vaguely. "Some swathe of the lands on the Lion side of the river. I don't know if he even knows what all his mandate is."

After a big exhale, she looks at her sister.

"I know we need to talk about mom. And lots of stuff. Like getting Taro-kun married, good kami help us. But, um, can we focus on the raider issue?" Kawauso's request seems reasonable, though it's noticeable that she didn't mention anything about her being on the list to talk about.

Kotsume's smile comes back for just a moment, but soon she's serious again. "You're right, Nee-san. We'll have time to talk about other things later."

She crosses her arms, clicks her tongue to call Chuuen back as she strays from the pile of shavings, and she readily returns to... apparently trying to build something with the scraps of wood.

"So. You've got plans, then, I'm guessing. Greater presence near the river, I'll bet? ... is there space for shared presence there?"

[Akodo Kawauso]

Kawauso's eye is somewhat pulled away by the little otter, but after a couple of moments of watching Chuuen she refocuses.

"I think something shared may be ideal, although..." Kawauso looks grumpy. "That's not the request that dad sent with me. He wants more authority: to just chase them wherever they go.

"But the other day I spoke with a guest that recommended bringing forward an agreement between clans. She says the emperor would likely agree to this, or at least be much more likely to agree, than to just a request of one clan. I am not sure, though... that we have authority enough to negotiate for our clans on this."

[Chai Kotsume]

Kawauso's eye is somewhat pulled away by the little otter, but after a couple of moments of watching Chuuen she refocuses.

"I think something shared may be ideal, although..." Kawauso looks grumpy. "That's not the request that dad sent with me. He wants more authority: to just chase them wherever they go.

"But the other day I spoke with a guest that recommended bringing forward an agreement between clans. She says the emperor would likely agree to this, or at least be much more likely to agree, than to just a request of one clan. I am not sure, though... that we have authority enough to negotiate for our clans on this."

Kotsume's eyes seem a bit worried, but she lets out a chuckle. "That sounds like dad alright..."

She then actually stops talking and seems thoughtful for a while after Kawauso's words. "Well... I'm glad we agree working together on that would be best", she says with a small but kind smile at her sister again, even if she's clearly still worried. "I... understand what you mean, though. My authority here is... well, pretty much limited to handing out Chaihime's request. I suppose we... could try to put in some words of our own, though. If we do find the opening to do so."

She looks at the basket, which has now started moving on its own around the floor as the two adult otters now apparently play catch or something like that inside. Her gaze then goes to the window and follows the snow still falling outside before coming back to Kawauso.

"Is there... someone else from your side that you believe would be willing to put in some words for us? For shared presence in the river, I mean?"

She fumbles around her sleeves and obi as if searching for something, but doesn't seem to find what she was looking for, so for now she waits...

[Akodo Kawauso]

Kawauso looks toward a corner of the room, where unknown to Kotsume is the Lion's travel pack. "Father didn't give me anything in writing," she says slowly, like she's narrating how thoughts are processing in her mind. "He told me to speak in his name and to 'get what you can.' Which is what he always says going into a negotiation, I suppose."

She's clearly still thinking as she turns back to her sister. "What exactly did Chai-sama write, do you know? Because maybe," the Lion says, voice picking up a little urgency as an idea comes to her. "If your petition seems like the best we can do, if we can get it approved, then I just have to convince father it was all we could get." She shakes her head and frowns. "Which will be unpleasant."

[Chai Kotsume]

Kawauso looks toward a corner of the room, where unknown to Kotsume is the Lion's travel pack. "Father didn't give me anything in writing," she says slowly, like she's narrating how thoughts are processing in her mind. "He told me to speak in his name and to 'get what you can.' Which is what he always says going into a negotiation, I suppose."

She's clearly still thinking as she turns back to her sister. "What exactly did Chai-sama write, do you know? Because maybe," the Lion says, voice picking up a little urgency as an idea comes to her. "If your petition seems like the best we can do, if we can get it approved, then I just have to convince father it was all we could get." She shakes her head and frowns. "Which will be unpleasant."

She nods with a thin smile. "Again, that does sound like dad." She then crosses her arms, and absent-mindedly clicks her tongue again as the basket gets closer to the corner Kawauso looked towards. The basket readily reverses its movement, jerking and zigzaggging on a roundabout way towards the cub that seems to have the mind of a beaver at the moment.

"Chaihime-sama and others among the Chai - including many from our tribe - told me of the gist of what they wanted. I don't know the specifics of how the letter is worded... but I think it should give us at least a good footing to speak for shared responsibility."

She looks at the window and speaks slowly as well, trying to remember and recount what others said.
"The main ideas were... to setup defense posts in some areas along the river, and allow the Ki-rin to travel more freely up and downstream. Not so different from 'chasing' them, in that regard." She stops for a while, shifts her feet, still thinking. "Some of our old tribespeople among the Chai also mentioned using the river to transport goods and establish connections and 'trade' with others." The word trade sounds a bit odd - exchanging goods is something the Daikawa did at times, of course, travelling around the Great River as much as they did. However... the word sounded more serious, as if it was something different and slightly alien. But say it she did.

"Maybe if we present our cases together - and assuming Chaihime-sama's letter is not too different from what they had told me... having 'both' clans act more freely along the river and assuming shared responsibility for its safety sounds like it could meets the requests of both our sides?" She looks at Kawauso again, an eager, cub-eyed sisterly smile on her face. "Maybe that'll even give us a chance to work more closely together?"

[Akodo Kawauso]

"Trade," Kawauso says scornfully. "The Makime talk a lot about that too. Part of the empire creating lots of rules, then getting excited when they change a few rules for a few people." The Lion shakes her head. "It's clearly important to these clan people, so they'll probably feel better if it's in the proposal."

The older sister shakes her head. "It's tricky not knowing exactly what shared responsibility means. Dad's going to be enraged if he thinks he's being given help--if he thinks the emperor said he couldn't do it alone..." Brave as she is, Kawauso shudders visibly at the thought of how their father might respond.

[Chai Kotsume]

"Trade," Kawauso says scornfully. "The Makime talk a lot about that too. Part of the empire creating lots of rules, then getting excited when they change a few rules for a few people." The Lion shakes her head. "It's clearly important to these clan people, so they'll probably feel better if it's in the proposal."

The older sister shakes her head. "It's tricky not knowing exactly what shared responsibility means. Dad's going to be enraged if he thinks he's being given help--if he thinks the emperor said he couldn't do it alone..." Brave as she is, Kawauso shudders visibly at the thought of how their father might respond.

Kotsume nods at her sister at her comments on trade, then, after she mentions their dad again, the shorter one lets out a sigh, that is soon followed by a silent chuckle.

"Ah... Dad." She shakes her head, frustrated bit still chuckling. Noticing Kawauso's reaction, however, her expression turns to a reassuring smile, she extends her hand to Kawauso's shoulder and continues with a warm tone. "Kawaii-chan... we may not know what shared responsibility will be exactly, but I trust Chaihime-sama's letter must be in the spirit of what I told you. And in the end... It is our words that will be spoken, ne?"

There is still some doubt in the girl's eyes as she says that, but she tries to shake it away.

"That, and... There are others from your side here for the winter as well, ne? Do you think they might speak on our behalf for 'shared responsibility', sis?"

She then looks straight into Kawauso's eyes with a kind smile again. "And then... If it came to us, what do you say shared responsibility should be?"

[Akodo Kawauso]

Kawauso generally nods in agreement, though her face is still pensive. At mention of other Lions, her face scrunches.

"I'm not sure if the west is a priority for most in my clan. But I can speak to Makime-sama. Like with her mother, words like 'trade' have more impact than seems to make sense." She pauses, remembering a conversation from the day before. "I spoke with someone yesterday -- I think she may be princess of the Bat -- about how as we solve problems, we create bigger problems that need solving. That seems the way of all these clan people: rules and complications, and then feeling proud that they figured out a thing that's only complicated because they made it that way." There's a sort of tired, incredulous smile on Kawauso's face.

[Chai Kotsume]

Kawauso generally nods in agreement, though her face is still pensive. At mention of other Lions, her face scrunches.

"I'm not sure if the west is a priority for most in my clan. But I can speak to Makime-sama. Like with her mother, words like 'trade' have more impact than seems to make sense." She pauses, remembering a conversation from the day before. "I spoke with someone yesterday -- I think she may be princess of the Bat -- about how as we solve problems, we create bigger problems that need solving. That seems the way of all these clan people: rules and complications, and then feeling proud that they figured out a thing that's only complicated because they made it that way." There's a sort of tired, incredulous smile on Kawauso's face.

The Ki-rin is actually pensive and quiet for a while as well. "Ah! I think I've seen Makime-sama at court", she then says. "I don't think I'll ever understand those many rules, or how they help... if they help, as you said!" She shrugged, puzzled, but seeming once again cheerful. "That bat princess sure seems wise. Ah! Wait, is that Ryoshun Rei-sama?"

She shrugs again. "Well... one way or the other, if mentioning trade may convince Makime-sama to help us set up an agreement for shared responsibility, I don't think I see any harm?", she says happily. "As for dad... maybe if he knows it's at least in part others from our tribe he'll be cooperating with he'll be less frustrated?", she adds, perhaps with more hope than reason.

[Akodo Kawauso]

"I'm not sure if there's much that we can predict will help with dad. He's... Just generally grumpier as time goes on." Kawauso looks down. With a tired huff, she looks back to Kotsume. "But, we can't do nothing, and I'm following his orders if I get the best deal possible. This seems like the best we can possibly do. He won't understand or appreciate all of how these clan people do things, but maybe if it gets him a little more freedom to race downriver after some raiders... Maybe that's all he really needs." Now Kawauso gives the more hopeful than realistic smile, but she does radiate some hope that the plan will work.

[Chai Kotsume]

"I'm not sure if there's much that we can predict will help with dad. He's... Just generally grumpier as time goes on." Kawauso looks down. With a tired huff, she looks back to Kotsume. "But, we can't do nothing, and I'm following his orders if I get the best deal possible. This seems like the best we can possibly do. He won't understand or appreciate all of how these clan people do things, but maybe if it gets him a little more freedom to race downriver after some raiders... Maybe that's all he really needs." Now Kawauso gives the more hopeful than realistic smile, but she does radiate some hope that the plan will work.

The shorter sister seems a bit saddened at Kawauso's words about their dad, but after a while she nods. "Let's hope that will be enough then, Kawaii-chan.", she says, as if trying to keep a loving and hopeful tone. How much of that tone was also a hope that their dad would understand their effort - both at solving the issue and bringing the family closer - was... more or less obvious.

(/scene?)