A meeting in the forest

[planking]

It had been two years.

Hope was slipping from him, faster than he wanted it to. It was hard enough to keep going after Hinawa died, but it was the tiny sliver of hope that he could find Claus and keep what remained of his family together that helped him put one foot in front of the other.

Two years.

He didn't spend much time in the village anymore, but when he did, he heard the talk. They thought he was crazy. The house was falling into disrepair while the rest of the town grew. Lucas was getting older, and he wasn't there for him. But if he gave up now... he hated to admit it, even to just himself, but he was afraid. There was a hole in his life and he didn't know how to fill it, or if he could.

The sun had disappeared behind the clouds and Flint realized that he was more tired than he previously thought. He felt heavy. He removed his had to wipe the sweat from his brow, then slowly sank to the ground at the base of a tree. Maybe he just needed a rest.

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[amaterasuomikami]

Only a few months had passed since Yami's defeat by the sun goddess, yet Amaterasu felt she was no closer to restoring the Celestial Plain than she had when she first arrived at her homeland. Having to work alone didn't help. Sure, Waka was good company, but she longed to be around more of her friends. Sakuya, Susano, Oki... Issun...

And so the god found herself on the mortal plane once again, just to check on things. She couldn't let Issun know, or she'd never be able to shake him off (literally) once it was time to go home. It was lonely, but there was peace to be had in this part of the world. Perhaps she'd pay a visit to Himiko's grave later, if the guards remembered her. If they didn't, she'd just Veil of Mist her way in.

She paused, scanning the skies. The sun wasn't visible at the moment. Easily fixed. With a swish of her tail, the sun shone bright once more. The wolf sighed, feeling the warmth against her fur, and looked around. The sunlight shining through the leaves of the forest made such beautiful patterns on the ground, swaying in the breeze.

It wasn't long before she spotted the man slumped against a tree. Was he lost, or tired, or looking for something? Ammy would be happy to help. She walked quietly towards Flint, with her head low to the ground so as not to appear threatening.

[planking]

Flint had just nodded off when he felt the sun's warmth on his skin. He lifted his head slowly to confirm that it had, indeed, come out from behind the cloud cover. Then he saw it out of the corner of his eye: a large, white dog plodding towards him. It had to be a dog, since he knew there were no wolves up here in the mountains, and certainly no white wolves at that. It didn't look like hostile, either. Who did it belong to?

"Well, hey there, fella." He said. He held out a hand towards the white dog.

[amaterasuomikami]

Amaterasu leaned in to sniff his hand, licked it once, and gave her tail a wag. At least he was okay with canines; not everyone she met in her travels was.

She sat down in front of him with a yawn, and tilted her head a bit. What was he doing all the way out here by himself? Just adventuring? Or searching for something? ... or someone?

[planking]

This dog definitely belonged to somebody, it was far too friendly to be feral.

"You lost, pal?" Flint asked, not particularly expecting an answer. "Or you looking for something? Wouldn't have any other reason to be up here on this dirt heap."

[amaterasuomikami]

Ammy twitched her ears, then with a more dramatic yawn, lay down curled up on the ground. She didn't really have any goal in mind when she was coming out here, apart from seeking the company of mortals. And now that she'd found one, she wasn't really sure what she should do next.

Picking up her head to sniff the breeze, she turned to face Flint once more and whined softly. Come to think of it, this wasn't any part of Nippon she new. And neither did the man look like he was from the country she watched over. Maybe she was lost.

[planking]

Flint reached out and gave the dog another scritch behind the ear. Maybe he had spent a bit too long up here this time, but something about this dog just made him want to... talk.

"Nobody comes up here, y'know?" He rambled. "Nobody 'cept for me, I suppose. Everybody back in town thinks I've lost my mind. Heck, maybe I have."

[amaterasuomikami]

Ammy leaned into Flint's hand, enjoying the scritches. She looked into his eyes, happy to listen.

She licked his arm once. She didn't think he was crazy... and even if he was, she wasn't going to judge him. She'd met plenty of odd sorts in her time.