To Reveal Deception...

[Carthrat]

Toshi nods. "Of course. We should be able to do what we have to before he wakes up."

He stealthily makes his way to the guard, and with a single blow, takes him out for the count, then drags him out of sight of the rest of the guards..

[Halbarad]

Hikaru smiles as the lone guard is laid low. "Excellent! Now we just need to find Otoshi's tent without getting anyone else's attention. Hopefully 'Usagi' will still be in his tent or at least nearby."

With that, she begins to move quietly through the camp, looking for the Matsu champion's dwelling.

[Carthrat]

The camp isn't as full as it should be, Hikaru notes. Many tents don't have anyone in them, and there are surprisingly few guards.. so few that even she has very little trouble sneaking about.

After about ten minutes of searching and sneaking, she comes across the Champions Tent..

"Something isn't right," mumurs Toshi. "The guard here is large, but not so large. I can't imagine they would assualt the Capital without a sizable chunk of their force.."

[Halbarad]

"If they aren't here, though, where have they gone? I could see sending SOME of the guard out to harass the various villages, although the fey'ri themselves were taking care of that." Hikaru whispers.

Very carefully, she checks the Champion's tent for occupants.

[Carthrat]

Hikaru can't see anyone in the tent...

[Halbarad]

"It doesn't look like he's here, Master Toshi." Hikaru says quietly. "Do you have any idea where else he might be?"

[Carthrat]

"With the rest of his missing soldiers," whispers back Toshi. "They would have to be fools to assualt the capital without their whole force, though.."

[Halbarad]

"I guessed as much." Hikaru muses. "The real question is, if they're not here, where are they? Are there any other likely targets for an army in this area?"

[Carthrat]

"Not now that the villages have been evacuated, unless they're hell-bent on burning the forest before assualting us," replies Toshi. "Perhaps they want to burn down the forest, then make a killing by selling us horses."

[Halbarad]

Hikaru chuckles dryly. "Somehow I doubt that's the case."

Looking around the camp, she sighs. "I expect the ones left behind know where the main force has gone, but if we reveal ourselves to any of them we might as well write off what we're doing - even if we managed to capture and interrogate one, he could tell the rest we'd been here unless we took him with us."

[Carthrat]

"Perhaps that won't matter," replies Toshi. "They would have to tell Otoshi, and he isn't here, is he? We may be able to act before they can inform him."

[Halbarad]

"Perhaps you're right. What about the guard you knocked out? It would be easiest to ask him if there's any chance of him waking up soon, rather than trying to find another person we could ambush."

[Carthrat]

Toshi nods. "I'll go and interrogate him, and you search the tent."

[Halbarad]

Hikaru nods, stepping inside the tent quickly to search for anything that might reveal Otoshi or the 'geisha's' whereabouts.

[Carthrat]

The tent is relatively bare. There's a large chest to one side, a futon, and a small stove, indicating the champion likes to do his own cooking. There's also a fairly ornamental-looking naginata lying to one side.