Gone Awry

[Yamabara Shou]

The sun beat down on the plains, from the cloudless sky. It was incredibly hot and the fact Shou was running through the plains to the nearest village, meant he was sweating profusely. His horse had given a refused to move around a mile back, and Shou refused to force the thing on and ride it to death. Had his message been a urgent one he might have done so, but it wasn't and wasting a good horse on a unimportant message was pointless. People over the long haul could cover distance almost as fast as a horse especially on a day like this. Plus it was good to occasional stretch his legs, and stay in shape. 

It was long before he could see the village his message was for off in the distance, the plains having turned in to rice fields filled with workers going about their day. It brought up old memories seeing farmers at work, it always did but he ignored them as best he could. Some of the farmers waved in recognition, he had been here before delivering, and it seems some recognised him. The field came to a end, as the more clustered building of the village started, and Shou slowed his pace. Walking into the local tea house, untying the small round letter game container from his waist. Pulling the lid off he slid out the curled up piece of paper and headed over to the owner. Passing over the message with a smile. Knowing that the owner would return with a package, Shou stepped back outside of the tea house. Taking a cursory glance over the village, as he waited, and then up at the sky sheltering his eye slightly with his hand. What he would give for a little rain to cool off before the trip home.

Suddenly a smash came from behind him, And Shou turned suddenly back towards the tea house. Pushing the door aside quickly he looked around the room. One hanging lamps had been torn of it fixture, and the start of small flames licked at the mat below. Rushing over Shou pulled up one of the the other mat, not yet on fire and smothered the flames. Before looking up to see the door out back open. Slowly creeping over. "Is anyone there? You've had a bit of a accident out here." Shou called out as he headed through the door. Wondering where the owner had gone off to.

[Shinomori Katsumi]

Why after avoiding it so well did trouble always seem to come to Katsumi? Even with her being disguised as a man, with her hair up in a high ponytail and the teen donned in a black kimono and charcoal hakama, with her chest wrapped, people kept seeming to want to mess with her, or somehow the archer would get dragged into trouble. Despite being impassive and serene, people seemed to desire to pick a fight with her. Katsumi wasn't sure if it was due to her small frame and short height or just because she was a warrior and people were asses and wanted to prove themselves, but it was growing annoying at best. Although, admittedly, Katsumi had stepped in with this case.

She had been minding her own business, silently drinking a cup of tea in the far corner of the building, when the owner left. The girl thought nothing of it, closing her eyes and sipping at her drink, when Katsumi heard a group come in... from the back? Lids fluttering open, her brows furrowed as what looked like a gang of thugs entered. They were quietly talking with the owner's wife, and Katsumi kept to herself, but after a few minutes things went to hell.

When the owner came back in, a thug went over to him and started beating on him. Katsumi's eyes widened. What the hell was going on? From the bits and pieces she was gathering, it sounded like the gang had been exploiting money from the couple, and this time they didn't have the proper amount due for their "protection." The wife was held back, and another thug neared the owner, holding a flame. Since her area was in the back away from them all and she was in the darkest corner, Katsumi hadn't been noticed yet, and she would take that as her advantage. She wouldn't simply sit here and do nothing. If they noticed her, they would attack, and playing the pacifist just didn't seem to set right with the girl.

Removing a few arrows from her quiver, Katsumi swiftly took her bow from her back just as one of the thugs began working on tearing down the place. The archer got up from her seat, and one of them men noticed her too late, pointing her out to the supposed boss. She had already taken aim and fired at the man about the torment the owner with fire, hitting him in the side and he dropped the torch, and as the others started to unsheathe their weapons, she began firing at them, eyes narrowed sharply.

To avoid getting hit, they scrambled out of the back, taking the wife, and blood trickled out of the man she hit. Telling the owner to hide, Katsumi took the arrows where she had missed her targets and rushed out. They were there with the wife, and her dark eyes caught sight of one of the men charging her. With great speed, Katsumi spun around to avoid impact from the katana, and she used her bladed bow to get past arms reach and disembowel him. Screaming out, the thug fell onto the ground and the others seemed appalled, shocked.

They were tensed, one holding a blade to the wife's neck, and Katsumi swiveled around, again taking aim. There was five of them, one of them bleeding out from the shot she made. The group seemed angry by her intervention, and the one holding the blade to owner's wife was shouting at Katsumi.

"This is none of your fuckin' business, twit! Get the fuck out of the way!"

Katsumi's expression was unreadable, and the woman disguised as a man didn't lower her bow, aiming straight ahead at him. In a false tenor, the archer uttered somberly, "Let her go."

[Yamabara Shou]

"This is none of your fuckin' business, twit! Get the fuck out of the way!"

A voice shouted out not in answer to his question, and Shou quickly flicked a dagger into each of his hand heading into the back. The scene that greeted him, was not one he was expect. A group of thugs holding the owners wife hostage and a smaller man bow drawn and aimed at them. "Let her go." The archer demanded of them. Hiding by the entrance, he flicked the blades over in his hand catching them by the blades. Anger inside him welled up at the scene and while he wanted to help protect the women, he desire more to rid the world of thugs that would take a women at knife point. 

"Shoot now"

Jumping from the entrance with a flick of the wrist the blades in his hands flew outwards at two of the men not holding the women hostage. Hoping that the archer would act decisively and shoot the hostage taker before he could harm the women. As the knifes would meet there marks and stab point first into the chest of one and the shoulder of the other. Dashing forward, at one of the injured men, grabbing his arms as he attempt to bring a sword down on top of him. Using his other hand he grabbed his dagger back out of the thugs and plunged it back in to finish him off. 

Turning back to the hostage taken, he hope beyond anything that the archer had managed to take a shot at the man before he realised what was happening, and saved the women but was ready to dagger in hand to kill the thug if the archer had failed. As he wrestled the katana of the now dead thug ready to help the smaller man fight whoever was left. 

[Shinomori Katsumi]

It seemed someone else had entered, telling Katsumi to fire, and she did not hesitate. The archer didn't bother looking back, closing one eye and, as the man holding the owner's wife moved back in surprise at the scene unfolding, Katsumi released her breath and released the string. With his taller frame, it hit the man's shoulder and his hold loosened on the woman, who cried out and forced her way out of his grasp. She ran towards Katsumi, heading back inside to hide with her husband, and the archer quickly moved forward, another arrow at the ready in moments.

The leader had stumbled down and struggled up, anger clearly contorting his features. Growling aggressively, he rushed towards her and Katsumi fired. An arrow embedded through the man's throat and, as his hands gripped helplessly at the lodged projectile, the man fell to the ground.

Swiveling around, prepared to take more down in an instant, she saw another man killing those around. He was taking care of the others fine, and her keen eyes searched, catching sight of the man she had hit earlier. The thug was fleeing, albeit slowly, and Katsumi shot at his heel. Hitting her mark, the woman quickly moved ahead and grabbed the man by the collar.

She stared down coldly at him, blade held against his throat to intimidate the now weeping man. "Is there a bounty on your head, or your group's? Anyone in here?"

His words were incoherent, blubbering at best, and the woman sighed before shaking him a little. Understanding the message, the man nodded and glanced over at who had been the one to take the woman hostage and Katsumi released the man. He wasn't going to be going anywhere, not with those wounds.

"Don't move and I'll tend to your wounds," muttered the archer. Of course, she'd still haul his ass off to the authorities, but it would give him the incentive to stick around.

Sheathing her dagger, brown hues glanced over at other man and, straightening her form, the petite archer bowed. "Thank you for your assistance, sir."

Standing up again, her gaze moved over to the dead leader and she continued, "He has a bounty on his head. I will... cut you half of whatever is being offered for him."

[Yamabara Shou]

Shou watched as the archer, took down the last of the group, and quickly interrogated one of them about bounties. So the archer was a bounty hunter or at least a opportunist who wasn't going to let money pass by when it was possible to acquire some. Before tending to the wounds of the one who had told the archer that the hostage taken did have a bounty on his head. Shou nodded as the archer thanked him for his assistance, he was just glad that the women was unharmed.

When the archer offered to split the bounty on the bandit head with him though he was slightly surprised. HE couldn't think of a reason not to do so. 'Guess I'm one of the opportunist to then' He thought to himself. "I was just glad to help. I'm going to go check on the owner and his wife, then I'll help you carry that asshole." Shou said to the archer heading back inside. 

"Are you two okay?" He asked the owner and his wife, who were hugging each other tears welled eyed and shaken bodies. "Yes Yes thank you, for saving my wife." The owner thanked bowing his head to Shou. "Don't thank me, thank the bowmen over there." Shou replied. "Though I don't suppose you got my package ready before everything happened?" Shou asked. "It's over there." The owner said pointing. Recovering the package, and stowing it away, Shou went back over to the archer. 

"Lets get this thug out of here. I'm Yamabara Shou thanks for save the women." Shou introduced himself bowing his head thankfully to the archer. "I don't know what what I would have done if you hadn't been here." Shou added before recovering his second dagger and hiding them both away. 

[Shinomori Katsumi]

He spoke, and Katsumi nodded in response. Releasing a sigh, she glanced over at the injured man. Removing cloths from her bag, the archer tossed it over to the man, expression impassive, per usual.

"Apply pressure, and be sure to not remove the arrows," she said with raised brows.

He began to do what she said, and the archer strode over to the corpse of the bounty. His full body would be far too heavy to carry and, with a sigh, she removed a hunting knife. Making quick work of it, the woman removed the head of the fellow, wrinkling her nose in disgust, and put it in a bag. Tying the string, the petite girl stood up just as the other left the building, and she turned to face him.

The fellow introduced himself, and the mercenary bowed her head, a hand resting on her chest. Katsumi proceeded to give her alias, saying in a soft tenor, "Saito Hiroshi. And it was nothing, Yamabara-san.

She straightened again and nodded her head. "I could say the same."

Although, as of late, Katsumi had felt a lot stronger and her skills were quickly improving. The archer wasn't too sure as to why, and so she shrugged it off. Instead, the woman moved towards the thug, who was applying pressure to his side, where the arrow stuck out.

"I suppose we should move him into the teahouse. From there, I can tend to his wounds."

[Yamabara Shou]

He watched in disgust and cringe at the sight of the the archer beheading the leader of the group. It wasn't a pleasant sight but not one he could he hadn't seen before. Violence was everywhere and with it came the same sort of gore. After finishing the archer introduced themselves and suggested that they get the injured man inside so Saito could better tend to the man. In his heart he felt like he shouldn't be shown the kindness, he was part of this group. but killing a man to injured to fight back was dishonourable, plus there had already been enough death here, maybe this would set the guy on a more noble way of life. 

"If you think it's best, I'm not well verse in the method of care giving." Shou answered moving over to the thug, ready to help Saito move him inside as gently as he could. Even though he wanted to be less then careful with the man. But Saito wanted to care for the man, and it had been him that had saved the women's life not him, and so he was willing to follow his lead. 

"So where do you even go to claim the bounty on him. It not something that's ever come up for me in the past?" Shou asked. Running messages didn't normally interact with with bounties and the like. Except maybe taking messages to a noble requesting a bounty actually be placed on someone. Not that he would know as most messages he delivered he didn't know what they contained. "Carrying someone's head, is slightly morbid to me." He added with another cringe. 

[Shinomori Katsumi]

Upon picking up the man and moving with Yamabara, Katsumi said with another nod, "I have enough experience."

She didn't particularly care to think about all of the injuries she had to fix on herself from her father's beatings, and when he was injured and unconscious from consuming enough alcohol, and so she blocked it out. Instead, the girl thought about her Haji, and the archer's heart warmed.

They entered the teahouse and Katsumi asked owner if they could have water and use their hearth. Readily accepting due to the two saving their lives, Katsumi moved over and set the man on the table. She then removed her supplies from her bag and Katsumi began making a salve with herbs she already already had. A pot filled with water was put over the fire, and Katsumi worked on crushing the herbs into more of a pasty consistency, answering the man, "The nearest village is the best bet. From there, we can find out where exactly to go. I'd assume one of the bigger towns."

She glanced over at him upon mentioning the morbidity of the situation, and looked down at bloodied bag. Katsumi had seen so much bloodshed in her short life that she didn't even bat an eye. Head raising up, her expression remained impassive, and her brows arched up.

"I can carry it, if you like. A head is far easier than an entire body."

Later, she would check the body for anything else that could help prove that this was, in fact, the bounty. For now, she finished making the salve and removed the hot water from the fire. Soaking some towels, the archer would inquire that Yamabara hold down the thug and proceeded to remove the arrows with her small hands, quickly yet carefully. Cleaning out the wounds with the warm water, she applied pressure to the wounds, especially on the one at his side. Katsumi did her work in silence, lids drooped slightly. She was clearly practiced in this.

"The blood flow will need to slow before I can use the salve and bandage you up," Katsumi said aloud, to no one in particular, although it was aimed as if speaking to the thug.

[Yamabara Shou]

Shou helped carry the thug through, and then watched as Saito got to work preparing some kind of medical concoction. He was glad however when Saito mention that the closest larger town would be the best bet in order to hand in the bounty. He could deliver the package, and swing by and pick his horse back up on the way out of town. It should have rested enough since he left it tied up a couple hours back. He was even gladder when Saito said that he would carry the head.

However right now the task of helping the injured man was in front, and at Saito instruction he held him down to stop him from struggling in pain as Saito did his best to treat him. He had to use his weight to hold the man down more then his strength, the man was physical stronger then he was and currently in serious pain. As the smaller man dealt with the arrow wound. 

Mentioning out loud, something about blood flow Shou wondered if that meant the man would be okay. "So what exactly are we going to do with him after you have bandage him up anyway? Handing him over to anyone would likely just have him executed making helping slightly redundant." Shou pointed out. "Also do you mind if I lay claim to the thug weapons. As I'm sure my liege would love being able to arm a few more soldier in these time for nothing." He added looking out towards the back door, where the fray and the thugs bodies and weapons would lay. "It's either that or let the people hear arm themselves, with them." 

[Shinomori Katsumi]

There was nothing more to do for now, and so the woman masquerading as a man pulled out a chair and released a sigh. She had been having to do this a lot more recently. It was odd to heal those who she had shot, and to not kill them. And yet she did not dislike such a notion.

Running fingers through the hair at the top of her head, Katsumi answered Shou coolly, "Take him to the town to be incarcerated, along with the bounty. The authorities will take him in. What they do from there is not determined by me."

And she didn't particularly care. While she was changing due to Haji and even valuing life more, the mercenary wasn't going to turn a complete 180. She was still a trained killer, and while she did not like what she did, neither did the archer hate it. She saw it as a means to an end and that there wasn't anything wrong with it.

Shou wanted to take the weapons and Katsumi blinked, before fluttering her eyes closed and leaning back, shrugging nonchalantly. "Go ahead, Yamabara-san. As long as I can search the bounty's body for anymore evidence and for valuables, I care not in the least."

Needing to constantly be at work, Katsumi began sharpening the blades on her bow, cleaning the blood off from earlier. The injured man was shifting, groaning as he did so, and Katsumi commented, opening one eye before closing it when she was done, "Stay still and rest, and you will heal all the faster. Trust me. Don't want that stomach wound opening up further. Lucky nothing vital was hit."

[Yamabara Shou]

Shou listen as the man said he didn't care what those in charge did with the man once he left, his care and only cared about the belonging of the dead if they were valuable in nature or evidence against the bounty. That was something Shou didn't really care about. These men had given up the right to any possession they had when they attacked these people. Heading outside, Shou quickly gathered up the thugs weaponry and checked them over for anything else. The were some valuables not much, but as agreed he left them there for the archer to claim. 

Returning inside he dropped the few knives and katana in a corner of the room, and took and seat on the ground nearby them. Looking over at the injured man, fire in his eyes. He wondered where these men had come across these weapons, probably looted from a battle filled of some kind or someone they had killed in the past. The thought disgusted him. 

"How long do you think it will be before he can be moved then. The package I need to deliver isn't a urgent one but it does need to get there eventually. Would slinging him over the back of a horse be a bad idea?" Shou asked a slight grin of grim satisfaction of the mental image of seeing the men in pain shaken around on the back of a horse. "And what brings out such a proficient archer as yourself out here Saito-san?" He asked curious getting the best of him.

[Shinomori Katsumi]

After Shou left, the innkeeper was kind enough to bring two glasses and pour warm sake, and Katsumi nodded her head. "Thank you."

Downing the glass, the archer pushed herself up. May as well get it over with now, right? Katsumi left the back and first checked the leader. He had a ring with what looked like a family insignia, and that would be the further evidence she needed. Excellent.

From there, she gathered any money they had and, while there wasn't much, there were a few items here and there she was sure she could get some value from. Katsumi followed some time after Shou. The archer took her seat next to the groaning bandit, pouring herself more sake and slowly sipping at it in silence.

Shou spoke and the woman dressed as a man glanced over at him, brows arching to show that she was attentively listening. She then glanced over at the bandit and pressed her lips together in a tight line.

"Normally I'd say a couple of weeks, but..." but this was a thug. As long as the ride didn't kill him... "maybe two, three days. The side wound is the one to worry about most. As long as you don't ride hard, he could potentially be alright by tomorrow. Maybe."

The girl blinked at the compliment, again shifting to show she was uncomfortable with such, still not used to it. "Oh, I... I really do still... have much to learn. But... well, I'm constantly on the move to find work. Life of a mercenary, and all."

She tilted her head and asked curiously, "And you are a courier?"

[Yamabara Shou]

Possibly 2 to 3 days, wow that was quite a long time, maybe by tomorrow. He guessed that was better. Yet another mercenary in the war torn lands. He  should have been unsurprised by such a fact. With war came mercenary, just as well as the thugs like these.  Though in his mind they were a little bit better. Getting paid to fight was a few steps above killing to steal. And depending on the work a mercenary choose, well it seemed this was one of those that would take jobs base on some form of moral code. Otherwise way help save the women like he had. 

"Yes I am a courier and commonly messenger boy. So I move about a lot to." Shou said, realising it probably wasn't as much as a mercenary might do, and probably was a lot more structured were he was going when not delivery urgent messages. "It's the best way I've found I can serve, I'm normally a runner rather then a fighter. If those thug hadn't being about to hurt someone I never would have acted so decisively." He explained gesturing to the still living thug, as he reached out and took the cup of sake he hadn't touched and sipping slowly. 

[Shinomori Katsumi]

She nodded. Starting to improve with small talk due to spending plenty of time with Haji, the woman tilted her head, inquiring, "Do you... like your work?"

Katsumi nodded again and sipped some more at her sake. "I can relate, Yamabara-san. As an archer, I... well, I have to keep my distance. I do plenty of running, as well."

The archer didn't particularly see herself as a moral person, but neither was she amoral. And yet being with Haji resulted in some of him rubbing off on her. Katsumi found herself beginning to help people normally she would have passed by. While she certainly wasn't warm and fuzzy, and definitely no hero, Katsumi found herself trying to help when she could in the only ways she really knew.

"Mm. Yes. Wrong place, wrong time. Or... right place, depending on who is speaking, I guess," she murmured, glancing over at the tea shop owner and his wife. For them, her presence couldn't have been more perfect, while for the thugs it screwed everything up. Katsumi was rather passive about the matter much of the time, although she supposed she didn't mind helping them out.

[Yamabara Shou]

Did he like his work. It was a pretty good question really. He like the travelling, and avoiding out right conflict was a good advantage too. It was that he like his work, but more that he was driven to be good at it. To not fail, not every again. "It has it's days." Shou replied non-committed to the question, unsure how to really answer the question quickly without dragging up memories he didn't wish to do so.

Saito comment of being a runner to made sense, a bow was really a weapon designed for close combat. However he had stood his ground earlier, like he had charge when someone was in danger. So even so the pair of them were runner by nature, they both were willing to stand their ground to protect someone. A admirable trait for a mercenary, epically seeing if they hadn't a bounty on there head he wouldn't of been getting paid for the action, beyond pocket change. 

"Right place, definitely right place. I perish the thought what would of happened had the pair of s not been here. Maybe we made things worse, maybe we didn't. but in the end their safe, and that's all I care about really." Shou said quite passionately, down the last of what was left of the sake in the cup, to shut himself up. 

[Shinomori Katsumi]

Katsumi didn't blame him for keeping his answer short. She often did the same, not wanting to expose too much of herself considering she was always in hiding. The life of a mercenary was much the same, and so she nodded her head in agreement, showing that she understood.

Just like Haji, this man seemed to be the optimist, and Katsumi respected that. She herself was far more a realist, if not a pessimist, and it was nice to see someone look at the bright-side for a change. The archer listened to his passionate words and appreciated them, even if she was generally indifferent and didn't have much of an opinion about it.

"Mm. Fair enough," she responded, proceeding to pour sake in his glass and then her own, before sipping at it. The warm liquid sliding down her throat felt good and the woman closed her eyes. "Really hits the spot after all of that, huh?"

Certainly more than her tea earlier. There was just something about having sake after a fight that felt more satisfying than a cup of tea, and was happy the owner gave them some. Maybe he was well-versed in such, as well. Who knew?

[Yamabara Shou]

It did hit the spot after what had happened. He preferred the fruit based wines that were made back home in Yamanashi, but a drink of any kind was enough to calm the nerve a little after what had happened earlier. HE was still shocked at himself for acting as fast as he did, and still questioning if he made that right choice to risk the women life. Thankful that Saito skills with a bow had proved true. 

"Thank you" He said lifting the refilled sake cup, and nodding a head to at Saito.  He hoped that the shop owner and his wife hadn't put themselves out to much by thanking them with the bottle, but in the long run they had probably been save more trouble and cost then if they hadn't been here. 

"It does, I have to admit. Just like a drink after a long trip home." Shou mused allowed, he was easily going to be able to pick himself up something from in town after the extra money this day would have sent his way. Slowly sipping his drink. "Thank you for the sake." He called out to the owner. The owner and his wife saying it was the least they could do for them.

[Shinomori Katsumi]

She couldn't really relate to such a thing, as when she used to technically have a home it was hell. Now her place seemed to be with Haji, and she was satisfied by being with him.

Katsumi stayed quiet, slowly sipping at her drink in silence. She wasn't really sure what to say and wracked at her brain for a topic. Any topic. Katsumi really wasn't to good at this sort of thing, and nibbled on her bottom lip.

Remembering his fighting capabilities, she looked over at him, "You... I noticed you are skilled with knives. Necessary for your job?"

She had no idea, although Katsumi never really recalled ever hearing about couriers being skilled fighters. Maybe she had been wrong though. It wouldn't be the first nor last time this would be the case. Pursing her lips, Katsumi said, more as an aside than anything, "Most go with katanas and other blades, it seems."

[Yamabara Shou]

The both sat in silence with there drinks until Saito finally broke the silence again, asking about his knife skills and commenting that most went for larger weapons. "I had to learn to protect myself in some way, knives are something you can keep hidden. Carrying a sword, or say a bow as a traveller was likely to bring more notice to me than I wanted."  Shou explained to the archer. 

"It means I can protect what I carry, if I'm forced to. While just looking like a non-important traveller the rest of the time." Shou told her, flicking a knife into her hand, and then back out of sight. "and if someone attacks me because I'm incapable of protecting myself self, then they are scum, and I'd willing get rid of them." Shou said downing the last of his drink once again. Before looking over to the injured man. "I hope you understands that if in charge feel merciful enough to let you live." Shou spat the words out at the thug not sure if the man would even hear though the pain. 

[Shinomori Katsumi]

"Mm. Makes sense. Smart," she shortly responded, pursing her lips.

It really was quite strategic of him, and she couldn't help but respect that. She nodded in response to the rest. Unless paid, Katsumi generally avoided fighting when she could as well, although, unlike with him, it was always clear that she was a fighter. Perhaps his way was superior, in a sense, but a merc had to travel with their weapons. It was their job to fight and kill for money, and his job was to deliver messages. There seemed to be many similarities and differences between these two and their jobs.

How interesting!

The thug seemed to miserable to hear, or care, about who Shou said, and Katsumi closed her eyes again, sipping at her sake. Upon fluttering her eyes, the girl opened her eyes and tilted her head.

"If you don't have to go anywhere now, we... we could stop at an inn. Tie this guy up, although... I seriously doubt he'll go anywhere. Rest for the night. Take things from there," Katsumi offered with a shrug. "There's an inn really close. A couple of miles east, I think."

[Yamabara Shou]

Could he really take the time, he was meant to deliver the package but it wasn't a urgent deliver. It wasn't uncommon for a trip to take longer then originally expected, plus he wanted to see this man brought to the authorities. It was the temptation of the split bounty with Saito that was going to make him stay, he lied to himself. Who was he kidding.

"That sounds like a pretty good plan. Must admit a good nights rest sounds good."

It beat sleeping out in the elements if he was caught out in them before he could reach the next stopping point. "I'll need to swing by and pick my horse up but apart from that I see no issue with the idea." Shou said sipping his sake. "Plus travelling far after drinking isn't a nice idea either." He added with a laugh. 

"Do you have something to tie him up then. Or are we going to have to find something to do the trick?" Shou asked pretty much confirming that he planned to go with the small man. "And how on earth are we going to get him to the inn, in such a state? He doesn't look like he's in a state to walk." Shou pointed out. 

[Shinomori Katsumi]

A goon night's rest really did sound good and Katsumi closed her eyes.
"Yes."

So the courier had a horse. That was no real surprise and would make things considerably easier. Finishing off her glass of sake, she sat up straight and eyed the man. He made a comment about drinking and, if she knew how to laugh, she would have. The sake they had was minimal, but the thought of them stumbling a long distance was rather humorous.

"We should be alright. At least, I will be," commented the woman. While her expression held nothing, the light in her eyes danced in amusement.

Fortunately, Katsumi was always pretty set and had just what was needed, and so she nodded. "I do. I can do while you get your horse."

The answer seemed rather obvious to Katsumi, although perhaps this man would be intent on him riding the horse. If that were the case, things would be considerably more difficult. While Katsumi was strong for her size and body type, she was still small and there was no way she could carry the thug all of the way to the inn.

"The steed. Put him atop its back, and we lead them to the inn. Shouldn't take too long that way."

[Yamabara Shou]

Saito suggested that Shou go get his horse while, he tied up the thug. It made sense, better use of time, the quicker they get to a nice bed. And the idea of putting the guy on the horse rather then riding it himself, was one that he had already had. "Alright I'll be as quick as I can, left him a little way off." Shou explained standing up again. Turning to the owner of the place again. Shou gave the man a quick thank for their hospitably, respectfully. He knew that it wasn't really necessary, the man was glad to have treated them well after what they had done. "I'll be back soon." He said with a final nod to Saito, while heading for the door before running off. 

He ran close to but not as fast as he could, to go and get his horse. The steed was right where had left it, maybe it had  been stupid to have left it out here alone so long but it seemed to have enjoy the break from travel, but still the horse was glad to see him. "Good boy." Shou said to the animal stroking it before jumping up onto it. The trip back was much shorter, while over a long distance a man could beat a horse. A rest horse was a much better thing over the short distance. 

Jumping off the horse, as he got back. He stepped inside and look to see where Saito and the prisoner were. "Ready to go?" He'd asked walking over, bending down to help carry, what he expected to be the tied up prisoner. Looking forward to getting this guy out of here, and a good nights rest. 

[Shinomori Katsumi]

It would take a little bit before Shou to come back, but it was entirely fine. Katsumi stood up, setting down the glass, and nodded as he bounded off.

"Alright."

Searching her bag, Katsumi pulled out a wrapped rope. Fortunately the thug complied when she asked him to hold his hands out and she bound them, tightly enough so that he wouldn't be able to get out of them but not where they would damage his wrists too badly. Katsumi thanked the owner and his wife, offering to pay, but they declined. Bowing to show her appreciation, Katsumi finished up putting her things away and placing them on her back.

When Shou came in, the archer nodded and took the man's legs, careful not to jostle him too much. Helping take him out, Katsumi grit her teeth, her small form feeling a bit strained by the weight. Fortunately, it was a short walk and soon enough the man was on the back of the steed.

Bowing at the owner and his wife again, Katsumi turned to Shou and said, pointing to the left, "The inn should be about two miles that way."

[Yamabara Shou]

The pair worked together to get the man on the back of the horse. Shou being careful of the man's injuries state even he didn't want to. But the man was as defenceless as the women had been before. To cause harm to the man knowingly would make him no better then they were. IT was a sort of moral high ground, that he regretfully stood atop. 

Saito pointed out the way they needed to go, and Shou gently took the reigns of his horse and started to lead the way. Expecting Saito to be able to keep up with the walking pace he set, as it wasn't too fast. Still a couple of miles at walking speed, was a half a hour trek if they walked fast. He doubt it was a good idea to go too fast, with them man on the horse though. "Treat the guy gently boy. I wan't to see this man face official justice." Shou told the horse, patting the side of the animals neck gently as he did so. 

The horse was wary to have someone other then Shou on top of him, but walked calmly at Shou's urging. "Surprised to see you don't have a horse Saito-san. The lands are vast, surely you don't walk everywhere you go?" Shou asked curious, maybe he was from the area and this place wasn't that far for him. Or maybe he had no choice but too walk, horses cost a lot. Especially a good one, if it hadn't been for his work with the Takeda Shou never would have had one.