"Probably plenty. It's mineral-rich, hence I go there often. It was more frequented before the destruction of the City of Remembrance on the other end of the Mountains of Regret, but it's gone pretty wild over those years after. Nature has reclaimed much of it and is unwilling to give it back. Rockslides and sharp winds or early snowfall could happen up there. It's easy to lose direction, though the tower of the Sacred Light Temple helps..."

Instinctively, he got Utsu into his peripheral while she was feeding the cat. A brief emotion he didn't catch before it crept out was a mixture of worry, anxiety and... care. After that, he turned sharply back toward Kenzo.

"But you'd probably prefer to see it for yourself rather than just talk about it. We can have a trip before the ships set sail. I heard the Prince may be a few days late."

"Huh." Kenzo looked thoughtful a few moments, then nodded. "Yeah, I'd very much like to see it, in fact. It sounds pretty interesting." The thought of getting lost didn't especially worry him.

"Uhhh..." His gaze flickered over to Utsusemi, then back to Sanjuro. "Who'd you have in mind for this expedition?"

Sanjuro's mixture of emotions were not noticed by her, but his sharp turn was.

Still the polite smile remained.

"I don't think I have heard much about that area. Is it dangerous there?"

Kenzo smiled. "Well, it is called the Treacherous Pass. That does seem to give a certain impression. Unless whoever discovered named it just didn't want anyone to visit..."

His smile lingered on Utsusemi a moment more before he shrugged. "But a group with field experience should do just fine. I've got a good sense of direction; if nothing else, I can keep us headed in the right direction."

"Neither of you is new to how to behave in the mountains. There's a bit of climbing." Sanjuro said carefully, looking at the floor for a moment. "But current weather should hold for a few more days." He then turned contemplative. "Funny, I chose the place for what I can find in the Pass. And now that it's time to leave at least for a while, I can't think what exactly I'd like to find there on my last trip before setting sail. Hmmm."

"Hmmm." Kenzo said, his lips curling up. After a moment, he cleared his throat. "Speaking for myself, I've found that I have the best luck on my expeditions if I go searching not for one thing, but for any thing."

He chuckled. "Of course, if I was trying to find a really rare creature, and couldn't..." He shook his head. "New eyes can see the most wonder, I guess. It's why I'm looking forward to this expedition."

Sipping her tea, Utsusemi could quell her thoughts on the Dragons' enthusiasm for mountains and mountain-climbing.

She wasn't the most athletic person, and she preferred the pretty paths to steep walls. Her earliest experiences had resulted in bruised knees and pained feet. And watching her children join Ryuden on small trips always filled her with dread.

Still, she swallowed her concern along with the tea, like she always did.

"It sounds like it could be a nice trip. I'm certain we'll all find something of interest... "

"Mmmm. I tend to swear by the idea that you are responsible for what you displace, so I prefer to be careful about my interventions." He closed his eyes for a moment. "But yes, it should be nice for all of us. We probably look at same things in different ways."

Kenzo shot Utsusemi a quick reassuring smile. "There should be lots of amazing things to see. And hey, I've always wished to have one of your works for reference, instead of one of my sketches. It'll be perfect!"

After a moment, he bowed to Sanjuro, more subdued. "As you say, Agasha-sama." He said, expression composed.

A nod of appriciation was given to Kenzo.

"When should we head out?" she asked the two men.

Kenzo chewed a lip thoughtfully. "As soon as we can, once it's been confirmed that the voyage isn't happening yet, I'd imagine. I'd hate to miss out on that because we had our own little expedition."

He shrugged. "So, could be tomorrow, or could be once we've had some news. Unless Agasha-sama has a different thought." He inclined his head to Sanjuro.

"No, you're right. Tomorrow or the day after should be good. We'll see what weather allows." Sanjuro nodded back, sighing, looking at the flying fish again. "A few sips of tea and I should be getting back to work." He knelt to Utsusemi's side, staring at the cup before dropping on his heels. "Thank you for preparing this."

Smiling gently, she dipped into a small bow. "Always a pleasure. It's the least I can do in return, for your hospitality. Thank you."

Looking up to Kenzo, she gave him a nod. "Feel free to stay as long as you need, Mirumoto-san. Your company is always nice."

There is the briefest of hesitations before Kenzo nodded. "That's very kind of you to say, Agasha-sama." He smiled fondly. "It feels almost strange to talk when a child isn't trying to scale one of us. They're getting pretty good at it, too." Although, he supposed their painting often went uninterrupted. His expression softened a little further.

Clearing his throat, he glanced at Sanjuro. "Perhaps I'll stay a bit longer, then. It's bad for digestion to rush around after eating, you know. And this is a marvelous workshop." He turned back to the painting, studying the fish. "They didn't... flap, did they?"

"You are at home here, Utsu-sama. What is mine is yours too." He took another sip.

On Kenzo's remark about children Sanjuro's hand instinctively reach to his arm as if he was expecting a small hand grip there. He then changed the awkward potion into a pat on his kneck that helped his cervical bones pop before he nodded in agreement.

"Yosh."

After a pause he smiled faintly.

"I think it did. My sister-in-law is like that. I try to poke at what is possible. But she makes impossible possible."

He looked at Utsu briefly, trying hard to be inscrutable.

"You are in good care, Kenzo-san."

He put the cup down and began to rise.

Unlike Sanjuro, Utsusemi had much more experience in adopting the inscrutable courtier's smile as her mask. Her eyes lowered as she bowed her head once more in quiet gratitude of Sanjuro's kind words. "Let me know if there is anything else I can do."

Her head turned to Kenzo. "Oh, the wings, you mean?" she looked at the painting, figuring it was what Kenzo meant. "Not that I recall... they glide with the wings, rather than actually fly with them."

"Don't I know it." Kenzo said in response to Sanjuro, casting a smirk over in the direction of the other two Dragon. For a moment, it looked as though he was about to say more, his lips remaining parted. He shook his head, turning back to his continued study of the painting.

"Thought not." He said, perhaps just a little smugly. "Not the right structure, musculature, bone shape." He sighed. "Very fine, very fine indeed."

A few more moments of study and he turned back. "Do either of you need any help preparing for our little expedition? Or the upcoming big one, I suppose."

"For the big one, I've been preparing for over a year now. For our trip, I'll be fine."

Sanjuro nodded to himself.

"If it comes up in your conversation that you need some specific for either, Utsu-sama, leave me a note before tomorrow."

He quickly bowed to both and left through the screen leading to the smithy.

/exit

"Of course," she nodded to Sanjuro as he departed. She would be picking up some shopping later today, but she felt certain she had gotten all her ducks in a row for the voyage.

"I am not quite sure what I will be looking for on our little trip, but I think I should be prepared as well as I can be for it. I just hope the terrain isn't too difficult," she smiled sheepishly to Kenzo, "I have no wish to slow either of you down because of me."

"Hmmm..." Kenzo turned fully towards her, pursing his lips thoughtfully. A hint of concern flashed in his dark eyes. In truth, he was worried that 'Treacherous Pass' indicated a bit too much of a challenge for an inexperienced hiker. "I wouldn't worry about that, so long as you've got good footwear. It sounds like Sanjuro-sama has been there many times; I'm sure he knows the best paths. And hey, I haven't gotten lost yet." His lips twisted. "Well... not for long, anyway." Whoops, that wasn't a reassuring joke; his smile became more reassuring, less crooked.

"As for what to find..." Kenzo shrugged. "There are lovely wildflowers, found only in the forests. Animals, observed in their natural habitat, living as they are meant to. I'm sure you'll see some wonderful things." He turned suddenly, looking back at the painting. "There is beauty in untamed wilderness, just as there is in a well-cared for garden. Both can be appreciated in their own way." He leaned forward, peering carefully at one of the painted fish.