Chiyoko's Answer

[CelestialMochi 580]

Spoiler

 

 

 

S.A. 230, K.T. 780, F.A. 2026

 

The soil soaked with blood and turned over due to war softly pushed down with every step that was taken by the Onna Musha who scanned about the scarred lands. She sighs as she looks up at the withered tree that once would have stood tall and full of life only to be riddled with char and embers. Most life had been snuffed out in the area until she came across a few wolfen pups. One was wounded and both were nestled against what seemed to be tufts of hair that was matted against bits of flesh. Seeing the woman, they growled and barked. The Oyashiman would back up and then went to take something out of her bag which was a small wooden bowl and a waterskin. 

Pouring out some goat milk, she pushes the dish towards the pups who then grew quiet and studied the woman. They raised their heads and sniffed and one came slowly closer to take a taste. Yipping at the other, the other pup struggled to move over, but managed to also go to the bowl to dig in. This is when the woman would take out a booklet and start to write.

Day One

I found some grey wolf pups near the main war zone. Their parents looked to have died. One has a wounded back left leg which I will treat. It looks like they have not eaten in a long time and were kept by their parents. I will try to find a pack of wolves to take them in after tending to their wounds. I will avoid touching them too much so they can be accepted into their new family.

The Dedicant would manage to splint the leg of the wounded pup and lure the two with soft bits of duck jerky as she went to traverse the higher parts of the land. Careful to not step too quickly or go on harder paths for the two pups. As days progressed and tending to the pups until the wounded one could finally stand on all four paws, she froze up hearing a howl nearby. It was late in the night and the pups perked their ears up hearing the call. They yipped and barked, waddling away from the campfire. The woman could not see them,  but did hear gruffs and something running towards where the pups were. Then more gruffs and growls. 

 

The Onna Musha stood up slowly readying herself if she were to attack, but there was an eerie silence that came with flickering yellow eyes that reflected from the fire’s light. Many eyes. She mumbled mantras trying to calm herself and then there were a few barks and howls once more a bit further away. Quickly, there was running once more that fled from where she was and went further into the forest. The eyes now gone left her alone with the embers of her fire. The next day she searched for any signs of struggle or fur from the pups, but there was nothing. Sighing with relief, the woman continued the path she sought out to do.

Day 7

 

It seemed that the pups were taken in by another wolf pack. I have collected some seedlings from the area that was afflicted by the war a few days ago. I plan to plant them in this area that isn’t so traversed on. I sadly couldn’t find any saplings of some of the trees, but I am sure that the trees will handle themselves. I had thought I had crossed paths with a dead Arazi Lotus, but it was very much alive when a mouse got closer than I and was quickly consumed. 

 

I assume because it was on the smaller side it was a youngling and will uproot itself to find a more acceptable hunting ground. I noticed that there were little to no corpses around it. Perhaps it is thriving fairly well in these hard times that other animals tend to not. I wonder how the larger variants are doing?

 

Day 19

 

This will be my last day here in the forest area. I managed to help relocate some of the Tinker Weavers to a more dense and thriving set of trees. I had to use my metal fans to lure them and it was rather adorable to see them walk and follow as if they were in a trance. I’d like to think of them as the ground version of a crow. Once I had put my fans away they were in such a daze they didn’t realize that they climbed the trees and rested there. I hope they have a brighter future ahead of them. There were only a few I could find in the end.

After packing up all of her belongings, she adjusted her white hood over her head and continued towards the mountains. It was merely a check to see how many animals traversed there to escape and how much plant life and life in general was consumed there. Taking consideration, she would only note down things and gather seeds from seed pods and plant more. A few times she had crossed paths of dangerous creatures such as out running a Porculon Bear and Manticore. 

Day 31

 

It seems the Porculon Bears are forced to go into higher areas around here and the Manticore do not like that. It is like another war as I have seen them fight for territory, luckily I did not become a meal. I have noticed as well that the Snorgi and some of the mountain rodents are working together to become codependent on each other’s skills since their numbers are also dwindling down with the amount of predators going into this region. I will check other places, but I do not think they will be easily snuffed out. Tomorrow I will start to traverse the desert seeing that I am at its border.

Kato wandered about the sands. Sometimes bumping into fellow warriors and helping them as she could. As she did so she would take note of the life that was around her. Not just the people, but the life that was deeply rooted than any descendant had in this place. One would think that there was no life in the massive desert mountains other than dead bush and cacti, occasionally even a rabbit here or there. But in the savanna she gawked at the tall giraffes that seemed to be in good health. Her Anisama even took note of them for his sanctuary he was making in respect for their ancestor.

 

Though with the shift of what the forest had suffered so does the imbalance was found in the desert. Some animals that should not belong there dwindled and feasted on things such as plants and other animals that were a harm in the natural flow of things in an already harsh environment. Kato would collect samples of various predators to place in strategic places to ward off some of the prey. 

 

Something shifted in the sands as they traversed the dunes. Kato paused and scanned the area and one of the people with her barked at her to come along. She dismissed it as the group went moving along. It was about when the sun was going down that something slithered along the sands. Someone cried out, but as soon as it started it ended with the crunching of bone and flesh. People panicked and looked about wondering what was happening. Something the color of the sands was flickering with a hint of green. A maw lined in razor sharp teeth lined throughout to the depths of its mouth as appendages of short tendrils latched onto a head of one of the descendants drawing it into a vacuum sealed hold as the other six tendrils quickly moved along. Tossing the bone dried corpse aside it went to move to the next victim. 

 

That person quickly drew their bow string back and shot an arrow towards the maw of the  Dry Octopus and it let out a roaring scream that filled the air before flopping down into the sands with a surprisingly light thud. Despite it being the size of a lion, the Dry Octopus was light and the people took its flesh to eat their own over the flickering flames and let the rest of the meat out and around them to deter the others away from their camp.

Day 39

 

The movement in the desert is odd. Odd in the way that you would see wildlife that is outside of the desert such as wolves and deer in the rocks and even near the borders of the jungles. It seems the predators of the desert tend to keep them at bay, but for the most part I have witnessed unique animals and plants. The plants are not too much affected due to war, I just planted more for the animals to have a chance to live with more ease. I taught the people in the desert outside the major cities to plant more and to hunt less while using trades more to sustain life here. Tomorrow I will go to the jungle to see what is happening. I know the war at this time is ending, let us hope the animals can head back and the fruits of my labor of plant life are thriving.

 

Day 41

 

It has only been a few days, however I have seen only slight changes in the area. The Dixie Dart Frogs are migrating away from Balian as the fighting is now over…for the main war that is. Lots of animals are moving over and I have been transporting fish towards Halunor’s area for the Frogs to eat. It may seem like a lot of fish, but those massive Frogs cannot just rely on their other food sources to survive. I am still transporting fish as we speak, just taking a quick break. 

 

On another note, the Musavis are not migrating as there are many flocks of them in various areas of the Jungle and tropical areas that I feel like moving them would harm the environment rather than to help. Especially since they can help the growth of plant life with their use of their fur along with the bees and other insects. I have collected some seeds and saplings of various fruits, vegetables, and flora in other parts of the jungles including the mountain areas in hopes of naturally moving some of the animals and give those who rely on these plants to sustain themselves which in turn will help those who rely on meat to eat.

 

Day 47

 

I had to head back home after the news of the war ending. When home I lost my arm and was informed that Balian isn’t backing down. I have a new arm and it is healing. I figured to continue my travels and to check on the progress I have made. Going through the forest, new life has started with the plants. Some of the animals have made their way back. Going through the desert I have found that life is very much the same as I have left it. I assume it is because the desert being one of the harshest ways of life can only be permanently affected (at least from what I have witnessed) to changes and so the animals just accept it just like the plants and remain forever changed.

 

As for the jungles and tropic areas, the Bearded Pike almost died out and killed a lot of the Thorqal due to the predator being desperate for food. They normally eat the Herntas who are now more towards the mountains. For that it is my fault. So as to correct things, I have killed some of the vegetation from the mountains to force the Herntas back down. I do not want to be the cause of an extinction as that isn’t my duty for this task. I know that the Bearded Pike are an abomination as they are riddled with diseases and are suffering as is, so I left them alone as it is dangerous for me to involve myself. The Bush Tortoise are fine for now as well.

 

I have noticed that even with severe damage and landscars that nature sometimes does not need help as it prevails one way or another, we as Druids should only step in when the Balance is tilted to the favor of that of unnatural things that would plague nature such as Voidal Tears and the likes. Yes, things can change like the desert, but that doesn’t mean that it is for the bad or the worse. The next place I go to is the grasslands to check on the areas of Haense before heading towards the snowy areas.

Through the muck of humidity came finally a cool breeze to the Oyashiman. She brushed her hood back to take in the greenery of the grassy plains. A sigh of relief came from her as she stepped onto the much cooler grounds and with that her hood came back on. 

 

Going in further, she took notes on the destruction of nature due to the war. Most of the land that was scarred was already showing signs of new growth and life. Some of the animals she has crossed seemed healthy and well, a few she had to mend using medicine and the like. The Nichi Jin Monk traversed the areas and avoided conflict of both people and beasts. Every now and then she would journal during her free time. It was when she witnessed a tragic end to some travelers that she hid from the threat. 

 

Low gargled growls and gnashing of teeth filled the air at the dead of night as a deer and faun was captured by a grey looking beast that resembled a shark with four wolf-like legs. They sometimes were mistaken as wolves, but the tail, fins, and especially the head resembled a shark. The Kato swiftly made her way through bushes and tall grass to conceal herself away from the creatures named Caravachorn.

Day 58

 

As I have traversed the plains I have noticed that the animals are thriving. Herds of Shardspine Raptors are mingling well with the larger mammals and the smaller mammals are doing well. As for the signs of war, it seems to be a bit, but since the war has ended the animals seem to have moved back into place and the loss of plants are growing anew. 

 

I am on the coastline in the north parts of the plains. I witnessed a rare haunting and beautiful thing. Sparklights! There were three of the massive and graceful creatures ranging in purple hues and it was during the early parts of dawn. I thought at first I was witnessing the oddity of northern lights in such a close range, but it was too ethereal to call it that. The bioluminescence of sparkling-like stars filled my view. Long tendrils just casually plucking up buffalos to have their early morning meal. It was so…amazing.

 

Amazing how life thrives in this odd world we live in. Whether it is an abomination to nature or not. Luckily I did not get caught up in the hunt that the Sparklights were conducting. I should avoid the Troll dens which were marked on the map that was given to me by a merchant.

 

Day 62

 

While going back inland, I counted about two herds ranging from 8 to 15 Parie Dulks. They were marching back from the snowy tundra as I was nearing that border. As I followed their tracks to see what had become the rest of their kind, I found that there were a few more herds there but many corpses that the Trolls probably killed and harvested their flesh. Volopo Fowls were finishing up the corpses that were left behind. 

 

It is weird to witness the shifting of animals going from one extreme biome to the next to just survive. I had to help herd some smaller mammals about my journey through all of this just to hope that they would survive another day. That is all I hope for in the end of all this. Maintain nature. Maintain life. Hope for a better future.

 

Day 73

 

Today I saw a pack of Dire Wolves fighting something white that was about 7 meters long and a bit thinner than an oak tree. It was snowing, so at first it was hard to see at first until I saw the icy eyes and sharp fangs. The Frostrum Viper latched its fangs onto one of the Dire Wolf that howled in pain before freezing over and dropping limp. It was a fierce battle, but the Wolves eventually took it down and started to eat it. 

 

Day 77

 

I finished my day of harvesting and replanting certain rare plants so as to make sure that the animals that stayed from the plains and the forests have a chance to thrive here and or evolve for this harsh environment. One of the strange white haired humans helped me harvest the seeds of this plant called Bāne Mele Tēmbi which is a red shrubbery that emits steam. They needed help seeing that many nations that fell during the war had moved to colder places and needed it for their crops.

 

Day 81

 

Today I finished traveling the world. I avoided the swamps and caves since the war didn’t affect those areas and the people I have come across who live or traverse through those areas have not reported anything out of the ordinary. Even though the war has caused a lot of damage it helped certain things like the culling of trees to prompt growth of the soil and so on. Even though it was through the means of fire. 

 

A lot of the animals took benefit through the war such as the predators feasting on those we could not bring back home or animals that were hard to catch. Some mammals suffered, but that was either due to relocation or due to the loss of homes. As I went back, I took note of how they were doing. Most small mammals reproduce quickly, so species that I was worried about. I even worried about the Bearded Pike seeing that they struggle already to live, but they thrive too.

 

Though this does not mean that all is well. Some of the plants I have made are either still developing or have died due to the struggles of desperation for food. It will take at least 4 to 5 years to see how this war has affected Aevos fully. Though I do not doubt that the world would fall apart with some death, another life or something new from Chiyoko would come. This Kami will always give and nurture the world. That and the Aspects.

The click clacking of getas hitting stone filled the early morning air as the Kato monk made her way back into the sleeping village of Sakura Gakure. She rubs her sore shoulders as she places her bag down onto the ground of her family’s home and sighed. A glum expression filled her visage as she thought deeply. Taking out her notebook, she flips through it all and softly smiles at the last part. Closing her eyes, she recites something. “He who dreads the uncertainty of the Future clings to the certainty of the Past. He who forsakes the Past clings to the prospect of the Future. He ignores the Present.”