1 Approaching the Nightingale: The Veil of Mt. Meru Thu Jan 17, 2019 3:42 am
Sakamoto
D-rank
'Mount Meru, what kinda place is it?‘
All things considered, the nature of the Mountain itself was hidden to the intrepid characters as they would make their way to the border of Claw Country. The once soft, emerald rolling mountain ranges of fire country would give way to the sheer snow-dusted peaks of the fellowship's destination. Each of the narrow twisted mountains seemed to stand alone but clustered together in such a manner that it would form a kind of pseudo mountain range by proxy. Each peak was like an isolated stalagmite reaching up for the heavens with the intention of penetrating deep into its breast with their united sharpened peaks like a bed of nails hoping to rake the sky... It wasn't s stretch to think why this place was called Claw Country, but it was the devastating cold that would chill each of the members of the group to the bone that would prove to be the largest obstacle before them yet, it was bad, way worse than he would have thought it to be... Sakamoto was used to the cold nights out in the middle of the Desert, many degrees below zero. But here, he found himself breathing through his bandanna, pulled up to his eyes like a bandit in order to preserve his lungs from freezing over entirely.
It was a shame too, the Senju that had followed them until recently, having accompanied them across to the ranges themselves where the group had made camp, only to vanish after sounds had drawn the trio off the beaten path... When Sakamoto watched her leave, he had looked to Xiao, expecting that trouble was afoot in the distance or perhaps even closer, he would think to send for reinforcements while they were camping. It was a slim list, consisting of a couple of people that Sakamoto had met at the exams recently, but, if they were dealing with birds, there was one name that came to mind. Xiao had healed up enough to fly semi long distance with relative ease, making the task menial so long as she wasn't attacked on the way to Konoha. But, whatever phantom war that Makuzai seemed to be waging against the forces of shadow that surrounded them, she seemed to be keeping the party safe from afar... at least that was the vain hope.
Di, however, had stayed, the relations between the birds of Mount Meru as well as the dragons that he seemed to represent had pushed him further than Sakamoto would have thought to expect. He was intrigued by this dinosaur, he seemed to be an interesting personality, not all grounded on this earth, as if he was looking out into the distance, but seeing the world in layers that were invisible to the naked eye. That power alone seemed to be desirable in a group that was hunting down a mystical realm in the mountains that hid a civilization of falcons that had watched the ninja world since chakra had seethed into the cracks of man's skillset. Xiao had reported to be one of them, and in an attempt to get into this mountaintop city, the group had gained possession of the legendary scroll of seals to hopefully attain the key for entry. On the surface, this mission was crazy, but with the help of the others, Sakamoto was beginning to feel like he had at the beginning of his gang days, building up with a group of rag-tag individuals in the hopes of accomplashing a deed that could not possibly be done alone.
'This whole damn thing was crazy.'
"That should do it" Sakamoto would say, looking up to the dragon that had continued to follow them up the mountain some-way. Following a path that seemed to be peppered with mountain shrines paying homage to long lost spirits. All the detail of the shrines long frozen slate and indistinguishable... but the ambiance of the mountainside as well as the cold had prompted Sakamoto to walk closer to the dragon as they would await the cry of the Kestral that had hopefully followed them back with aid.
"So, why did you decide to come on this trip Dragon? You seemed to know the other woman that was with us, but now that she's gone, why didn't you just leave as well?" Sakamoto was confused, but his baritone voice, flat and almost callous seemed to show interest in his answer, but also total ambivalence simultaneously into a bizarre concoction. Though he was genuinely interested in an answer...
Meanwhile back in Konoha, the ninja would be going about his daily business as the Kestral would all but fall out of the sky, without wasting time to introduce themselves, flapping loudly in the air the Kestral would let out a shout. "You, You know Sakamoto right? He may be in trouble and we need your help, come quickly!" And, beginning to draw them away, edging towards the edge of the town the female bird with silver wings would hope to be back on track with her reinforcements in towe. Leading the boy at a sprinting pace towards the mountains that bordered Claw country... Where they would all supposedly find the bridge that would lead them to the heavens...