"Feeding the fishes again, Daddy?"

"Shizune, I love you more than life itself, but say one more word and I will give you such a smack."

Shizune giggled and went off to bother the other people on the boat, while Benitora groaned and continued heaving up his natto.

Samoht's stomach rumbled, and he sat back in his boat.

"Something in that Natto ain't agreein' with me. URRPPH!"

Samoht leaned over the side of the boat and emptied the contents his stomach into the frozen waters below.

"Oh, now that just looks lovely, don't it?"

ooc: mwahahhaha this is why I love stat based rps.

Tenshi took over at the rudder while samoht was bowed over the side.

Matt laughed as the captain of the crud-ship fell under the wave of nausea it cast. Apparently bad liquor canceled out a bad stomach, as the ronin felt none of the sickness he felt before.

Then again, he hadn't bothered to look down anyways. He had blindly began scooping up snow and water into an empty jug and dumping it overboard, grateful to the cold for taking his mind off the rocking, while staring at the mountain ridge ahead of them. He scooped another jug off the side, then noticed a shape in the distance. He blinked and rubbed his tired eyes. He couldn't be sure if it was still there, but he had definetly seen someone-thing perhaps?-move up ahead.

"Does anyone know anything about the inhabitants of the mountain?"

"These mountains are part of Soshi Han I believe." Tenshi said. He had no experience steering a boat, but everything seemed pretty self explanitory. "Why do you ask?"

"Hmm, perhaps I should have asked if the inhabitants don't mind company." Matt pointed to where he had seen the figure. "I saw one over there. They know we're here."

During the breakfast and trek to the boat, Ryoukushen had remained silent, as usual, and, his bowl of natto was still sitting on the monk's table, devoid of rice but otherwise untouched. Upon getting into the boat he had kept on being silent. He was still uncomfortable around these people, but, of course, that was no reason he shouldn't help get rid of the slush. Especially considering that the alternative was standing in it.

Unlike the others, he found the cold on his hands extremely uncomfortable, however, and so he had tucked his hands into his kimono, and was using the long sleeves as sort of makeshift gloves. It didn't work very well, and it made bending his elbows somewhat difficult.

After a few moments his fingers became numb, and he reached into his scroll satchel to withdraw one of his spells, which he began to read slowly, speaking to the kami.

'Kami of the flames I entreat your service, though my need is not great. Grant me but a small flame to warm my cold hands.'

An answer came almost immediately, quickly enough to surprise Ryoukushen. It normally took a moment to contact Kami. However, a quick response was not always a favorable one: 'And why should I give my services to such a petty task?'

Ryoukushen responded, 'If my request is too much of a burden, then I humbly accept your denial, however I do not believe that such a small task should be too much trouble for a being as great as you. I only wish to warm myself and my allies by the heat of your illustrious flame, great kami.'

There was a short 'silence' in the mental conversation as the kami weighed the shugenja's request before answering to it.

'It is true, the task is small, and it should require little effort. I acquiesce.'

A moment later and a small spark appeared in front of Ryoukushen's chest.

'I thank you, Ryoukushen responded, mentally, as the spark grew to a fist sized flame, which radiated heat.

The cliffs on either side of the river extended up for miles it seemed. The snows stopped, but the air was still cold. Tenshi found his fingers were starting to freeze to the rudder and at great pain he broke the ice and stretched his stiff fingers. It was very quiet in the canyon.

With his stomach empty and his mouth tasting funny, Samoht leaned back and took the rudder.

"I'll steer the beast for a while. I should be good, for a time at least." Samoht pushed the rudder and moved away from some rocks on the side of the beach.

Ryoukushen held his hands up next to the small ball of fire, quickly thawing them, and allowing him to get back to work, removing the slush. "If anyone else needs to warm themselves, please feel free to hold your hands next to the flame I have created. It is why I have summoned it here," he spoke outloud as he saw Tenshi remove his cold hands from the rudder.