A mostly unfamiliar figure walks into the village from the nearby woods. Hiruma Heiko has a bow over one shoulder and a furoshiki over the other, with her daisho tucked into her belt.

She looks around, surveying the sight lines, possible vantage points for archers and where it may be possible to hold a line. But, alas, this is nothing like the Crab villages close behind the wall, nor even the Kaiu-planned encampments near the Shinomen Mori. At least there weren't many ways that an enemy could creep around the settlement unnoticed.

Heiko eventually took a glance at the few people passing in the street, and pondered whether she should approach any of them before finding a place to stay for the duration of the storm.