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The skies were dark over Hane's castle. That gloom covered the countryside right up to the horizon. The roads were empty. The forests were filled with a deathly, unnatural calm, as if the animals feared to be in the clear light of day. But a light broke through that dimness; it was a streak of gold that whizzed through the air just a hair above the ground and it followed the path of the road that lead up to the main gate of the castle. It was there that the light came to an abrupt halt. Then it quickly transformed into a huge golden fox with nine tails. It was Mae. The god looked up to the very top of the battlements and noticed there weren't any Oni visible. Nor were there any sentries on the ground or walking the perimeter. She didn't bother calling out to anyone within for entry. She simply leapt into the air and dropped on the other side of the wall. Her landing caused a great heap of dust to form around her, which caused her some slight discomfort and she walked quickly away from the spot so none of that detritus would soil her coat. Once free of that terrible possibility, she looked about the courtyard and found it equally deserted as the ground outside. Doors were left open. Boxes of goods were strewed about without any regard. There was even food left to rot in barrels and on tables. It was as if the inhabitants had abandoned the castle in quite a hurry. But a noise from the keep roused the god and she went in search of answers.
The keep was in a shambles. Every room had been ransacked. Everything of value was taken and that which had been left behind had been ruined to such a degree as to be rendered useless. However Mae couldn't sense any violence behind the destruction. The walls remained intact and upright. Nothing had been burned, nor was there any blood. It was if the regular inhabitants simply pulled stakes and fled and what they couldn't take they left behind. Of course that left Mae with a much more important and pressing question. Where was her sister? Where was Hane? The best place to look first was the main audience chamber. The doors, which had been beautiful when last Mae had seen them were now torn from the frames and kicked in. So that left the chamber itself wide open and in the midst of it was a solitary figure. Mae took a breath and stepped inside. Hane was in her Crane form, sprawled out on the floor, sipping something from a bucket; she would take a mouth full and then rock her head back several times to allow the liquid to travel down her throat. Then she would either cough or breathe heavily once that was complete. Mae kept her distance to watch the frightening scene for a little while longer. In truth, she couldn't blame her sister for her present state; it has been a hectic few weeks, to say the least. Mae then stepped all the way inside. Hane hadn't noticed her at all.
"Hane..."
The Crane started and looked about the room in every direction except where Mae was standing. Then before returning to her bucket, certain the air had been playing tricks on her, Hane noticed her sister. It took her several deep breaths to finally find the wind needed to speak.
"Well, dearest sister, what pleasure it is..." She hiccuped, "...it is to see you. See you. Would like some sack...sack...something to drink?"
