"Don't be mistaken." Chiyo said, "I don't need you. You're merely... insurance. Walk."<br/><br/>The woman discarded her poncho as they went, revealing that she wore very simple clothes- suna armor over a black jumpsuit, with black sandals and black gloves. Her hair was covered in a bunraku cap emblematic of sand puppeteers. "We'll have to quicken the pace now..."<br/><br/>She looked at Tashi carefully as he spoke, listening intently. "I know this man- Shirō. He knew things that he shouldn't have... he was useful as a mercenary." Her eyes flashed towards Hitomi, "I should have killed him though."<br/><br/>They followed the river for a while at the older woman's urging, moving quite rapidly through the woods... but always, always under her watchful gaze. She had already proven that she could handle multiple opponents, even those who had gotten up close- the traditional weakness of puppeteers. Judging by her age and ability, she must have been a veteran of the last war. They walked for the rest of the morning and into the afternoon, and eventually the woman had begun to speak earnestly, "Since you've been so forthcoming... I'll let you in on something about Aimi."<br/><br/>"It isn't a bloodline that makes her so valuable. She doesn't have our lord's 'gift'... But she does have something<em>much</em>more terrifying. The spirit of the one-tailed beast lies within that girl. It attacks her mind while she sleeps. If she truly falls into a deep slumber, it'll try and possess her. But... but there<em>are</em>ways to release it. She can do so, or we can-<em>with the right chemicals</em>, induce the one-tails to come out."<br/><br/>"That is our deterrence." She explained, "Your Daimyo will be forced to accept our terms of peace and avert all-out war... Provided the Leaf does not get involved." She said, shooting a wary glance at Marise, "Why<em>were</em>you with them?"