Fall is approaching. The forest around the compound turned into red, orange and brown colors and everyone is preparing for the upcoming winter. Butsuma silently watches a single leaf falling to the ground from his window. He observes the people under his protection on the busy streets doing their daily work. This temporary peace is what makes fighting worthwhile. However, he doesn't have any illusions about this peace being a lasting one. Within the sea of people a lone messenger makes his way towards his leader.
Butsuma stares at the letter in his hands. 'Is it possible? How come we didn't notice earlier that someone intercepted our food supply? I can't ignore it, but I can't just take action like that too' "What do I do?", he murmurs to himself, "I should probably send out a spy…" His emotions are running wild. He has to take care of his clan and ensure their safety and daily meals. Now they have to save as much of their supplies as they can. The trader they bought their supplies from stopped every interaction with their clan. Therefore, he has to assume that someone intercepted their business. With the winter coming along their supplies were already cut short and now they get absolutely nothing. How was he supposed to get them through the cold season? There were no other trading groups near willing to sell them. He had already sent out Shikaku and his team to investigate… He would need to find the interceptor to handle the situation accordingly, but first he has to find supplies to feed his clan. He approached the subject with teams, however, no one they found were willing to sell. He would need to send out a spy master who could investigate the blockade in supplies and find another source of food. But who would be able to fill this role accordingly?
Totally lost in his thoughts Butsuma doesn't realize that someone enters his office. His wife looks at him questioning. She's not used to not being noticed after entering his office. Interested as to what has captive Butsumas thoughts to this extend, Nayuki swiftly moves behind her husband's back to read the letter he's still clutching in his hands. After skimming the paper in Butsumas hands she comments, "This looks serious. Does that mean that we won't get new provisions any time soon? We won't last long with our stores as they are now…" She moves down and hugs her husband around the shoulders. Butsuma welcomes the gesture and greets her with a weak smile. Slowly he draws in a long breath and sighs tiredly, before answering her question, "Yes, we won't get any provisions anytime soon. You remember that I sent out Shikaku and his team some days ago? When they returned, they told me that they couldn't find a trader who was willing to provide us with the much needed food. Everyone either sent them away or didn't have any goods left. Someone is manipulating the trade routes. I would need to send out a spy to investigate the situation and maybe to search for a new food source… However, most of our spies were killed by the Uchiha in the last months and the surviving ones already have important missions. I can't send out someone without any experience either. We are cornered right now…" Nayuki is shocked, without any supplies soon the first children will die of hunger. She has already seen underweight children running around in the compound. She grimaces while Butsuma studies her intently. Slowly she reaches a decision even if it hurts her to go on a mission so soon after the whole Tajima Uchiha disaster, she's the only experienced spy left. Moreover, if she doesn't go, her boys and everyone in the compound will suffer from the consequences. Slowly she nods to herself. 'I have to do it', she thinks to herself. "I'll do it 'Suma, I'll go searching for new trade partners…", she tells him. Butsuma looks at her baffled before asking, "Why do you think you'd be able to achieve anything?" "I was civilian long enough to observe the behavior of tradesmen. I can simply act as civilian without being suspicious because I have a lot of civilian friends out there. Trust me on this, will you 'Suma? If not for me then for the children, they are the first to feel the effects of sparse food rations…" Silently he eyes his headstrong wife knowing she won't budge. As soon as she set her head on something she won't back down until she got what she wants. Thinking about her words he understands her point, but still he doesn't want her to be away from his grasp especially now that Tajima has taken an interest into her. "Take someone with you. How about Tora or Kihee?" "I won't take someone with me. I doubt Tora or Kihee, whoever he is, know how to act as civilians. It isn't common for women to travel on their own I admit, but it's better than to explain the scarred bodies of war torn shinobi", Nayuki argues. "Kihee is Yukimuras father, 'Yuki. You won't accept help on this one, will you?", Butsuma asks, sighing in defeat. Arguing with his wife can be like fighting a lost battle…. Nayuki smiles one of her brilliant smiles, "Hai, I won't give in. 'Suma, I promise to report every second day so that you and the boys won't have to worry, but we need to find a solution soon. We won't even last until the winter has even begun with our stores already being as low as they are"
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Hashirama watches his mother with tear-filled eyes. It hasn't even been a month since his mother encountered Tajima Uchiha and now she's going on a mission again. She couldn't even tell him how long she'll be gone. I just wasn't fair. Who will be taking care of them? With Hanabi soon having to take off from work because of her pregnancy and rapidly failing health, there won't be anybody he knows and trusts near him and his brothers. What if his mother doesn't return and dies in action? He already lost one mother, he doesn't want to lose Nayuki too! Tobirama eyes the scene in front of him curiously. He doesn't understand the problem with his mother going on a mission, a nearly everybody in the compound goes on missions. However, Hashi-nii seems to be bothered by her new mission. Not knowing how to comfort his brother, he hugs Hashirama the first time after a long time. Silently Hashirama returns the clumsy hug and buries his face in Tobiramas shoulder. Hashirama is glad that his brother doesn't seem to understand the grave situation with the upcoming season. Winter is the harshest season, the season with the most deaths of frailty, illness and hunger. It's an unforgiving season. Why would their mother leave facing the coming cold alone? Why was this mission so important? Was there something the adults were shielding the children from? All these questions run through his head and it costs all his strength to not start crying here and now. After composing himself again, he looks at his mother's packing form again. However, this time his mother looks at them smiling a sad smile. "Hashirama, you and Tobirama are going to take care of your little brothers, right? I promise to return as soon as possible, so don't worry. You are my big boys now, aren't you? How about this, when I get back I'll bring you some presents. You do like presents, don't you?", Nayuki consoles her sons, trying to get Hashirama on high spirits again. She's not naïve. She knows Hashirama understands at least the cruelty of the upcoming season. He is old enough to have seen at least some of the victims of the last winter. He is going to worry himself sick on her behalf if she doesn't get him to believe in her. Her gaze lingers on the eldest until he slowly nods. She smiles in relieve. "You won't take too long, will you kaa-chan? You will be back before it starts snowing, right?" "I'll give my best"
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For weeks Nayuki has already tried to find any trader who still can offer vast amounts of food. Sure, she bought every bit of corn and rice she could get and sent it to the clan, but this is no permanent solution. Her summons are still observing their former trading partners to find the interceptor- without luck so far. Soon she'll arrive in the next village. Hopefully, she will find any clues on food sources there. Her steps are heavy, while she watches the first snowflakes fall. She can't help but feel like she breaks her promise to Hashirama. She didn't make it back to the compound before it began snowing. Shaking her head she tries to get rid of these thoughts. Ever so slowly the cold is getting to her and a shiver runs down her spine. She grabs her coat and snuggles even more into the sparse warmth and comfort it offers. Finally reaching the village, she searches out the local inn first. The only things she can think of for now are a warm bath and much needed rest. The only room available is run down, but it doesn't bother Nayuki. Stumbling into her room she puts away her baggage, before seeking out the bath she dreamed about the last nights under the clear sky. The hot water warms her every pore. At last she isn't freezing anymore. Clean she returns to her room, ready to succumb to her exhaustion. The old futon is very comfortable or is it just the absence of any accommodation in the last weeks that is tricking her into believing it? Slowly she slips into sleep. She dreams of her sons and of Butsuma. She longs for taking her boys into her arms and hugging the living daylight out of them.
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The next morning Nayuki looks around the village. On the other side of the village she finds a merchant selling food. "Good afternoon, good sir. Could you tell me about your stock? Would you be ready to sell all of your goods?", she questions the man carefully while observing his reaction. The merchant watches her with interest before involving her into a long business talk. During their talk Nayuki gathers a lot of interesting information. As it seems the merchant was a former trading partner for the Uchiha-clan. However, they recently dismissed him and he lost his main income source. Apparently, the Uchiha-clan found another cheaper trader. Silently, Nayuki thinks to herself, 'Maybe, they stopped our supplier. It would make sense; I had to come a long way here to even meet their old supplier. They probably didn't expect for one of us to meet their old partner… But without any proof…' I doesn't take Nayuki long to strike a deal with the desperate merchant. The merchant looks at her in disbelieve before asking once again, "You'll come with us and act as our protection until we can sell our goods to the Senju-clan? How do you even know, they want our goods?" "I'm a part of the Senju-clan. Does it bother you to be protected by a woman? I will send out a messenger hawk to inform the clan leader of our advancing in order to gain further protection", Nayuki tries to answer the asked questions without giving away too much. The idea of getting more protection seems to appeal to the head merchant and soon every member of his company is informed about their new destination. The time the head merchant took to inform his men, Nayuki took to inform her own clan of the new arrangement. Finally she can return to her children, even if she didn't manage to unravel the mystery of the stopped food supply.