Escape From the Northlands [Travel: High Tundra - Hinowa no Kuni. Sui or Invite]

It seemed that the grand experiment had failed. The village was dying, the last grasps of the populace fading into the howling arctic winds. Oh, there was a mas of humanity left in the decaying ruins of their homeland, hundreds upon hundreds of thieves and murderers and horrifyingly terrible humans. What was good was dead, or long since fled; gone into hiding and exile in the tribal lands beyond the mountains and deep forests. They where all that was left, it would seem. He and Sui had stayed behind, tasked to hold the fort, as Sixx had said; to wait for them to return with supplies and help from somewhere; he wasn't sure he could remember. His mind was... mostly intact once more, but his memory was forever ruined; he easily forgot things that happened, and he had long since started to forget what life had been like since Vivian had saved him from the old regime. Outside of his sister and the fleeting wisps of memories and images... it was becoming cloudy again, there was nothing to anchor him to anything but his sister, and he was loosing those things beyond her. It was the price he paid for his madness subsiding; his ability to grasp new memories for long periods was gone, and there was no telling if it would ever come back.

But that was a problem for later.

They had barred themselves in one of the larger, but less used, offices in the build that Vivian had used for administration work. They where both so small that they could use the ventilation shafts to move about; getting into the storage rooms that where blocked off by cave ins and lost to memory, thankfully the water system of the city still worked so they had a supply of fresh water to keep them going. They had been grabbing what they could and bringing to their hiding place, he was formulating a plan to escape, even if he hadn't said so to his sister yet. He didn't want to scare her, and she was rather... devoted, to their missing friends. He was as well, but with how his mind was slipping... it was harder and harder to justify staying. He would forget his arguments from moment to moment, let alone day to day and weeks into months.

He'd found a fresh stash of dry wood, and with the windows of the room cracked enough to allow the smoke to clear without loosing the heat, he'd lit a fire so that they could dry clothing and stay warm; hand washing laundry was normal for them, but with the power mostly out and no extra rooms to work safely in, they had to be... cautious, of what they did and when. He'd been working at their clothing for hours, getting it cleaned and hung and repaired and ready for the journey, while she stayed warm and comfortable in their blankets by the fire. He was working over a set of boots with a massive bone needle and awl held between his teeth; a fresh patch of leather being rubbed between his calloused hands to soften it for the repair. "Sister... we must... discuss something."

Living like this.. it wasn't truly living. It was surviving at best, but even still how long could they last? Sui had kept up her happy face, or as much as could be expected given the situation, but she was truly beginning to lose hope. They had been left behind to hold things done with the promise of help and supplies, and yet that never came. No one showed up, nothing was sent to relieve them. As it was they had had to contend with sneaking about to take food and supplies from places no longer accessable save for their means. Sui had no idea what had happened to Vivian or any of the rest of them, but the hope she had once held in her heart of being reunited with them was gone.

She had kept this to herself, however, as she had not wanted to add more stress onto her brother's shoulders. Already he worried himself something fierce over her, and already he suffered. She did not want to add to that. She did not want to burden him further. But, days has turned into weeks, and then into months, and there truly seemed to be no help and relief coming. Perhaps it was time for them to do something, to save themselves, before all of their supplies ran out and they truly found themselves in a troubling situation. Of course, Sui was terrified about leaving; just the very idea of having to make their way somehow through the village and out of it was in itself a nightmare due to the dark and seedy people who now lived there. But going to a land they had never been to before? Still, it needed done.

Sui lifted her head, shifting her attention from the fire in front of her - she was seated as close to it as was safe - and onto her brother only to find him busy working on something. Before she could open her mouth and speak, he did, saying that they needed to discuss something. Sui nodded in response, speaking her usual gentle soft whisper, "Yes, I was thinking the same thing." Sui shifted her attention for a moment to a blanket she had had laid out near the fire; a bit closer to her so that it could absorb a good bit of heat. In her usual lithe way of moving she gently picked up the blanket and then got to her feet, crossing the distance between herself and her brother. When she reached him she would shift the blanket and drape its warmth across Gen's back. "What is it you wish to speak about?", she would ask curiously, having no idea what it could be, and yet wanting to put off her own conversation at least for a moment or two.

The warmth was welcome, he was so very small for his age (he thought, anyway. They thought they where teenagers, maybe, but how could they tell? Neither had grown in years, and neither had any idea of the years that had existed before and after they lost their family), and so very thin. While he was all but immune to the cold, he still felt it, in some ways. It crystallized his mind, causing things to crumble faster and break away harder. Heat didn't really help, but it slowed the process a bit, or so he thought. When she was settled with him, he took the tools from his mouth and placed them on the scrap of cloth he was using to keep them clean in between uses; He needed to chew on the leather a bit more it would seem, his hands, while strong, weren't enough for what he needed.

"Sister... how long has it been? They left... I can't remember anymore. My mind... I lose my memories the longer we stay, the longer they are gone. We are not safe here, that much I know. We will run out of supplies soon, and the time to travel before the winter snows cut us off is now. We need to decide, do we try to survive, or do we flee?"

Do we survive, or do we flee? The words echoed through her mind over and over again, just as they had for days now. Only, this time it wasn't her own voice inside of her head she was hearing, but her brother's voice. His thoughts matched her own; he was of the same mindset as her. In truth this made things so much more easier: she had been worried how he would react to leaving, to the changing of setting. Yet, here he was bringing it up himself. It calmed her, truly, for the first time in over a day.

"Oh, brother. This is the exact topic I wished to speak to you about.", she would speak softly, shifting in her seated position so that she could lean ever so lightly against him; enough to make physical contact without getting in his way. Closeness helped, it always helped. It kept her sane, it kept her nightmares from replaying over and over again in her mind, and the fear that she felt at bay. It was what she needed right now, what they likely both needed. "I've been thinking about it for quite a while now, but I didn't want to add to the burden you already bare for me, for both of us. I think we need to leave, to escape while we've got the chance. It's been too long, far too long, and I've lost all hope that help is coming. I feel like we're truly on our own. While the idea of going anywhere near those... beings ... outside terrifies me, we cannot continue to be hold up here like we are. We deserve to be free."

I've been thinking about it for quite a while now, but I didn't want to add to the burden you already bare for me, for both of us. I think we need to leave, to escape while we've got the chance. It's been too long, far too long, and I've lost all hope that help is coming. I feel like we're truly on our own. While the idea of going anywhere near those... beings ... outside terrifies me, we cannot continue to be hold up here like we are. We deserve to be free."

Oh... she had been... but why didn't she say so sooner? Protecting him at the cost of her own comfort and a forced silence... he didn't want that, not for her. She deserved better, they both did. He stopped moving for a moment, letting the leather patch fall from his hands before they lifted to his chest to clutch at the seal hidden beneath the bandages that he wore across his chest. There was no pain, it was a literal tic, he couldn't help it. He knew what that seal meant, with it he would never be free, and Vivian had never managed to find the information they needed to attempt to remove it. Sighing softly, he just leaned into his Sister, savoring the soothing warmth that spread from her to him. It was always the same, so long as they where close together, or touching, they where calm and able to push the world at large out of their minds.

"We shall leave, then. Maybe we will find them... maybe not. I have stored enough supplies, I merely need to gather water while we still can, and we can leave. Well, that, and finish patching our clothing. We should leave at dusk, while the rabble is getting drunk and hunting their next score. The old tunnels, I can get us well out into the plains using them. We do not need the sun to travel these lands, after all. Is this acceptable to you, my Sister?"

Leaving. They were truly going to leave. It was time, and it was definitely was what was best for them. That was what they needed to focus on now: them, their own safety and well being. Sui was as loyal of a friend as one could be, but there came a time when you just had to take care of yourself, or in her case herself and her brother.

Sui nodded her head, signaling that she agreed with her brother's plan. "Yes. I think that's the best way to do things. I really do not wish to run into any of those people if we can help it, and waiting until they're all busy going about their various sins will help." Sui couldn't help but shudder, goosebumps spreading across her flesh. It wasn't the thought of leaving that terrified her the most, but the thought of any of those evil people who resided within the village. She knew how they looked at her, and given her past she knew exactly what they would do to her if they got their hands on her.

"I hope that where ever we end up it is better than here; that's all I want. A place where we can be free and accepted. Where we don't have to worry about someone trying to harm us.", she said with a soft sigh.

"With luck, we will find a nice little village in the deep woods that we can trade furs and such in for what little we cannot make ourselves. It would be almost like how it was, you and I and a little cabin in the woods... it would be nice; we could just be alone and free and safe. I do not believe we could truly be accepted in the human world, not as we are." He had... issues, with normal humans, obviously. They both did; for similar and different reasons. Maybe he had grown bitter, or maybe he was just scared, he didn't know himself, honestly.

"I will pack the supplies then, when I finish your boots. If not tonight, then tomorrow we shall leave. There is a few days before the storm on the horizon ends, while it would be good cover for our travels, we are both... soft, from spending so much time in the city. I am not sure if the risk is worth it, now." He wasn't scared, he was merely concerned. They where creatures of the cold and forest, yes; but they weren't ice demons. They could still die of exposure, they could still become lost and die. Better to be cautious, yes.

Sui found herself smiling as she attempted to imagine what it was that Gen was describing. Living in a cabin in the middle of the woods, deep enough in so that no human would cross their path accidentally. The ability to once again live off of the land, to provide for themselves and take care of themselves. To be able to go through life safe and sound with a place that no one would have reason to take away from them. She could imagine all of it, and she found it both intriguing and lovely at the same time.

"Alright, that sounds like an excellent plan. It'll give us a chance to rest up a bit too before we start out." Sui spoke, the thoughtful expression she often got when she was deeply thinking crossing her face. She was already planning for the future; a dreamer really. They would be able to have a lovely garden - Sui had made it a habit of venturing through the greenhouses when Vivian had been around after all, and had learned a lot about the various plants and such - and truly never have to worry about food again.

"Maybe we can even make our little cabin in a tree; completely hidden."

"I can make you one, Sister. A house in a tree would be simple, if we find a big enough tree. Use a special rope ladder that we can pull up when we don't want anyone to be able to get to us, lots of little rooms in the branches where we can store things and have our spaces. Little work rooms and such." He was letting his mind wander, trying to imagine such a happy place, and happy time. It was difficult, as he barely remembered what peaceful and happy was; even these most recent times had still been full of pain and worry and stress; for multiple reasons and multiple places.

He picked the tools back up, placing the bone needle in his mouth and picking a small, very sharp knife up to pre-cut the holes for the needle to move through. It was a simple prick and move on, once he had all the base holes he switched the knife for the awl and pushed it through to widen and condition the holes. With that finished, he used the needle and awl in conjunction to pass the thick thread through the holes and bind the patch to the boot. Once he finished, he tugged and adjusted the material; picking up a small pot with a thick headed brush sitting in it; using the brush to coat the patch in a resin that would seal the edges and return it to being water tight. "Let the resin dry, and the boot is repaired. It will be ready to wear by the time we can leave."

He placed the tools down, moving them away from them a bit so that he could shift to his feet. He reached for his sister's hands, tugging her back to standing and bringing her close to the fire once more before sitting down himself. "Sit with me, I need to warm my hands. The resin is flammable, that's why I was working away from the warmth." He was silent for a bit, before returning to allowing his thoughts to escape, "We should head for the jungles of Hinowa... I read about the country once long ago. It is a wild place, full of deep jungles and wild tribes of humans that are like the peoples we used to trade with. It will be warm, but it will be safe."

Sui's mind wandered even further; the idea of a rope ladder that they could pull up when they didn't want bothered, or at night for safety, was definitely a good one. It was a place they would be safer than ever before: who would look up in a tree for someone? Who would possibly think of even building a house in the tree? Well, besides them of course.

She allowed her brother to tug her to her feet, feeling the difference between her warm hands to his cold ones, and followed him back to the fire. Once more she sat next to her brother. She would take his hands gently now that the warmth of the fire could be felt, and rubbed them between her own in an attempt to help warm them. She would start with one hand and then move to the other; her own were still rather warm from how long she had spent in front of the fire while he was making repairs, so the cold hardly bothered her at all.

"I don't think the warmth will be too bad; different yes, but not too bad. It might take a while but I'm sure we'll adapt to it, and it has to be safer than here. Espi used to talk to me about the other villages; not just the one she was from but Hinowa and the rest. She said they were different than Fubuki; safer, and there were laws that kept people safe and kept things from becoming like they are here." She fell silent then, thinking about such a place and once more allowing her mind to wander.

"The warmth would mean we can grow food all year, and hunt large beasts whenever we want. We won't have to struggle to grow and find enough food to survive the winter anymore. There will be snow in the high plains, but not like here. It will take adjusting, I agree; but it would be worth it to try. If it becomes too warm for us, we can always move a bit north, until we find a balance. There is much open space between the southlands and edge of the tundra... we will find something."

He allowed her to take his hands, he was enjoying the contact and it was better than risking pain by putting them too close to the fire. His hands where always very cold, their natural body temperature was extremely low; but this was dangerous cold, and the fire would be too much of a gradient different; it would be enough to cause pain once it was of significant warmth; similar to running snow chilled hands under warm water. His ears slowly began to perk up as his blood warmed, they always seemed to droop when he was particularly cold; and while they didn't rise to the same level they where on the odd instances where he was particularly happy or excited, it was enough to signal that his mind was easing, and he was feeling hopeful once more.

"I only wish I could have learned more before the city fell; had I not slacked in my studies, I would know more about the southlands. I had started reading of the plants and animals there; so much to learn, so much different. We will need to be extremely careful at first; many of the fruits and plants of the southlands are toxic in ways that are terrifying. I have read of fruits that kill in horrifying ways; they literally dissolve your insides when digested. It is unfortunate that we lost so much of the knowledge of the libraries when they were burned and looted."

Sui shifting her brother's hands gently within her own, continuing to rub them and work on warming them up to their natural temperature. She didn't expect his hands to get too warm given their natural body temperatures were a bit colder than the norm, but they were still too cold for her liking. So, while he spoke, she worked on bringing them the rest of the way up.

"I spent a good portion of my time helping Espi in the greenhouses; she liked to tend to the various plants native to different lands. I leanred a lot about some of the more dangerous ones from the Hinowa region, I'm sure that will help. I also read about others. I have some money saved over, I have kept it hidden so no one would find it and take it, we can use that to procure what we need as well; a little starting bonus for anything we cannot make. If we don't use it for materials and such then we can use it for books; at least some guides on the area that will help us to survive better."

Sui then paused and yawned: she was exhausted. Sleep wasn't exactly something that came easy to her during the best of times, but especially now that things were so dangerous again. "Hnn..", Sui made a soft sound before releasing her hold on her brother's hands. She shifted, laying down in her usual spot: close enough to the fire to stay warm while far enough away not to accidentally get burned were she to move in her sleep. Like usual she curled herself into a ball. Given how long she had gone without sleep she was out seconds later, her breathing becoming light and gentle and a peaceful expression falling upon her face.

He was silent for her words, there was no real reason to respond, she wasn't asking questions and he needed to think, to plan. Her having knowledge in these areas would help, yes; and it was good that he hadn't started speaking. She moved to lay down to sleep, and this made him happy; she needed to rest, she was as bad as he was about that, but one of the effects of the seal on his chest it seemed was stopping him from sleeping; or else it was some response to his horrifying PTSD. He just... didn't sleep, nor did he really need to eat; tiny or otherwise he basically drank some water rarely and that was enough. It must have been an effect of his stunted growth, but there was no way to know for sure. There had never been enough time to study him properly; so everything they 'knew' about him was speculation.

Hours passed easily, he stayed beside her as long as he could justify; but time was short, and they needed to get moving. He was able, while she slept, to push himself harder than she was comfortable with; and because of that he was able to gather their supplies and fashion what they needed but that couldn't be found himself. All that was missing was weaponry; they had knives and such that where meant to be tools versus weapons; he created his own swords, and she had enough jutsu to make up for the lack of weapons. If anything, it was good that he wasn't carrying a metal sword; they appeared to have less of value, and anyone that came at them would be less wary, seeing them as defenseless children; until his ice was freezing their hearts into popsicles. His work finished, he returned to her side, allowing himself to drift out of focus and just... exist; at least until she awoke again. It was the closest to sleep he did, really; and it would have to be enough.

For once Sui slept deeply. Even when her brother moved away to go finish preparing for their trip, something that would have normally woken her up, she remained completely at sleep with a very peaceful expression on her face. She was too exhausted to wake hourly like she normally did and instead slept for many hours until finally she began to stir. A slight shift of her body before eyelids would flutter open. The first thing she would do was look around to locate where her brother had gone to, or to see if he was still next to her.

Following this she would stretch out from the ball she had remained in yawning very softly as she did so before sitting up. She blinked in a sleepy manner, looking towards the window in hopes of being able to judge what time it was: she could tell that several hours had passed already which caused her to feel a bit disorientated: something she didn't like.

A whimper of a sound escaped her as she curled herself back into a ball, ears swiveling and twitching as she listened for anything out of the ordinary. "How long did I sleep for, Brother?", she asked softly. The blanket was tugged around her a bit more tighter, recovering the portions of her that had ended up uncovered: she was half tempted to cut a hole in the thing and wear it like a poncho of some kind; it would certainly add warmth to the rest of her robes and pant-like attire, though she wasn't quite to the point of wanting to destroy one of the few supplies they actually had.

"Many hours, but it was a good sleep; a peaceful, deep sleep. We are still safe enough, Sister. The sun is only beginning to set beyond the clouds. I have gathered more supplies, I was able to slip into a new room and found several packs of survival supplies." He had them gathered about, he was in the middle of mixing doughs and such for hardtack and iron breads, the more they had the better. His personal recipe did not need to be dried really; so long as it was kept cold it would sublimate slowly without needing to be heated, and after a day or so it would be the same as classical survival breads. "I found a few juice pouches..." He had them beside his leg; neither was open, he'd been waiting for her to awake before touching them. They where a rare treat this far north, likely some of the last imported foodstuff left in the village.

He passed one toward her, as well as half of a loaf of fresh berry bread; he'd been making that while she was asleep and such, the portion he'd made wouldn't be much of a snack for anyone else; but to them it was nearly a full meal. Combined with a strip of jerky for him, and a bit of cheese for her, and their juice pouches; it was the best meal they would have had in weeks. "Let us feast, Sister; one last time before we move off. Once we're safely into the deep forests I will set up line traps for rabbits and hopefully we can find some eatable cattails to supplement what we're taking." Yes, he would hunt rabbits; they didn't eat them really; it was for the furs and for bait for fish and lures to keep predators away. The furs they could trade to the human tribes in the far plains, it would make the long journey easier to just try and pass as fur trappers versus fleeing refugees.

She had slept for many hours? So it was true then and very odd for her. A little bit of sleep here, a little there, and she tended to be good to go. But, with all of the stress? It wasn't surprising; at least not from what she had learned having spent a good portion of time around a medical nin.

She tore herself from her own inner ramblings as she heard her brother say that he had found some packs of survival supplies. This caused her ears to perk up a bit: a habit when she became exceptionally curious about something. It wasn't odd for them to stumble across a new room every so often so that part hadn't been what intrigued her, but the idea of actual survival supplies? It would increase their chances of getting through all of this greatly depending on what those supplies were.

When her brother handed her the juice pouch a soft 'ooo' sound escaped her and she took it happily enough. This was definitely a rare treat, rarer given the circumstances of the village and the way they had been living. Yet, her attention was mainly focused on the half of a loaf of berry bread that her brother had also passed her. She shifted the blanket she was wrapped in a bit so that her hands were free and then shifted her position into one where her legs were crossed. She placed the juice pouch by her feet and tore off a small piece of the loaf of bread before eating it: she knew herself well enough to know that if she started with the juice first she would likely down it before getting anything proper on her stomach.

Sui had no complaints about the idea of hunting; furs were worth money, and it would help them to survive in their new home. It would also ensure that they were less of a curiosity; fur traders came and went, and them living far away from the main village would cause less questions if they ended up being known as yet another trader selling goods. "That's a good idea, people will ask less questions if they think we're traders. The better we blend in the less likely we'll be bothered." She went silent then, focusing on eating and drinking the juice she had been given; a lovely treat, and an excellent meal to have before they would set out.

"I have a scroll full of untanned furs; there is nothing special about them, but once we've moved far enough out I can stop for a day or two and finish them. I found them outside, someone must have either stolen someone's pet, or managed to get a luck shot on a deer, and they where attempting to freeze dry it. It was... horrible; they hadn't cleaned it right, and it was very close to being ruined entirely. But I was able to salvage it, thankfully." He took a moment to nibble on his bread, taking tiny, shallow bites. Eating was not something he did normally even when there was food to be had, so he had to eat very slowly or else his jaw and throat would cramp from the effort, and throw up the mass because his stomach couldn't handle it. He reached for his jerky and pushed it toward the fire, letting it heat up and soften a bit. Strong teeth where a thing, but the meat was frozen and rather stiff. It wasn't going to be fun to chew that without warming it up a bit. He was going to save the juice for as long as he could; he had a full waterskin anyway, so it wasn't like it was the only liquid they had; but he wanted to enjoy it once his hunger was sated. He did make the waterskin known, making sure it was visible to his sister and well within her reach.

"I am almost tempted to make a run around the village and check the old traps; there might be something worth taking... but that is extremely dangerous, and there is no telling if anything we did find would still be usable." He sighed softly, shaking his head over the sheer wastefulness of the whole thing. All the death for nothing.

Sui ate her bread in silence as she listened to her brother speak; the fur he mentioned would come in handy. It could either be sold or traded for supplies, or otherwise used for their own needs. The fact that he had saved it from going to ruin was also a plus: not everyone knew how to properly perpare things such as furs and it was sad really in an environment where the smallest mistake could lead to failure and death.

She was just about to take another bite when her brother mentioned checking the other traps. It caused her to freeze like a classic startled animal; ears drooping a bit and a mixture of fear and worry crossing her features. She knew that if there was an animal caught the fur could likely be used, but the risk.. the risk to her brother's safety scared her greatly. She couldn't imagine what she would do if something happened, and while she knew he could protect himself she still was scared. Still, she didn't tell her brother no: so many people had had a chance at controlling him that she refused to even suggest he not go - she wouldn't do that to him too. Instead she simply curled into a ball by bringing her knees to her chest the rest of her loaf of food in her hand, but ignored for the moment.

"I....", she paused, not knowing exactly what she wanted to say.