DFS Chapter 15.
Dense moss is a common sight, far more than grass, and most of what Tsuru's seen comes in patches between spruce trees.
She is not allowed to go far.
So when Sachihiro makes the announcement that the two of then would be making an excursion into the wilds, Tsuru practically vibrates.
She follows him eagerly past mat like vegetation, covering even the rocks and marvels at the multiple hues of lichen when the landscape slopes up, further into the spruce forest. Beyond the rocky hills that steadily become steeper, and sharper. The rock darker, more pourous.
Below them lie bird cliffs, trenches and valleys filled with long, winding rivers. Farmers growing barley on the hillsides, in volcanic rich soil.
When they reach the lowest one Tsuru digs her toes into the soil that allows the patches of thin, stalked branches, and birch like shrubs to grow in abundance.
Her brother then takes Tsuru further inland, following the branching streams. Grasses slowly replacing the bryophytes she has known since childhood, and sedges, and rush overtaking the other the creeping shrubs. Ferns. Moist mires, and strange, wet smelling marshes eventually greet them. Cress floating in the murky waters.
And after a few days, they begin to back track. Head towards the coast, past the river deltas and salt marshes.
Their final stop, the shore. It's ridges lined with thick mats of sea sandworth, and beautiful flowering oysterleaf.
0o0o0
A young, black-haired child tugs on Momochi-san's pants, and his face takes on that constipated look Tsuru associates with concealed emotion.
"The kid's been shadowing him for weeks," Kisame tells her, as if its a secret. "I think you might of been replaced."
Tsuru snorts, wrapping her arms around his head. Blocking his view. "I've got brains, muscles and a man with a good heart right here. Why would I need anyone else?"
Kisame's green skin flushes.
"I'm not a good man."
"You are," she insists. "Even better than me. You just haven't realised it yet."
His hesitant smile slowly becomes fierce. "You are going to break a lot of men's hearts one day, Tsuru-chan. Were you a terror in your last life?"
"As long as its not yours," Tsuru answers, and then shrugs. "I don't know, maybe. The person i was then was to afraid to let people get that close. If they did, i panicked and i ran. Far."