00044

first: [link] (see also for disclaimers)
previous: [link]
next:[link]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Was hunting, the silly beast. Tomoe forced the cat to quit his prey, a tiny little barn mouse that somehow had managed to sneak in a pantry, then started driving him again along the corridors, this time towards a particular room of a particular Phoenix. The cat took advantage of an opened door, of a tiny balcony and of the distraction of a samurai to jump on a ledge, and walk undisturbed from there until the window Tomoe wanted... all this to give her the second sigh of relief in the morning and, together, the second motion of frustration. Nothing again, if not another suspected to be deleted from the list. The dim light of the morning was far more than sufficient to allow Fetid defining the altar for the Kami and the courtesan praying in front of it, in the solitude of her room. Nothing to do in this case, and the list was reduced to five people... at least one of them seemingly unattainable.
Tomoe snorted openly, ignoring the curious glances, while returning to the warmth of her room. Akemi, her maid, was waiting with breakfast ready. She was a good maid, the best Tomoe had ever had. Not for nothing had been chosen by his uncle Oichi ... who knew very well how much had to be silent and discreet the servants of certain people. She dismissed her, however, wanted to be alone. The cat had resumed his irregular wandering, in response to a lack of ideas of his mistress, then veered decided to the Cranes' lodging, obeying to an order somewhat impulsive.
What are you doing, little samurai from the Academy, at this hour of the morning? Asleep? Praing, too? Making the watchdog, or ....?
He was Nnt asleep. He was not praying, nor he was reading, watching his uncle, not training, she soon discovered. The cat found him in his room, awake and alone as usual, when he wasn't told otherwise. Sitting on his knees in front of his sword, he was closely inspecting it and the tools for maintenance were lying next to him. The eyes on his face spoke of a sleepless night and his look of something that was not going as it should, although his expression was apparently unmoved and quiet as
ever.
Interesting, very. Stood looking through the eyes of the cat for long minutes.