Okumi Chrysanth
Wiping her brow of sweat, Okumi sighed to herself as she sat up, resting on her shovel. Briefly tugging on the collar of her outfit to air it out, she looked over the work she’d done so far. There had been so many dead, a mass burial would have been the easier method. Out of respect for the people here however, she’d been individually digging graves since her arrival. It was exhausting work, and she was thirsty and hungry, but she wasn’t about to risk removing her mask in public like this. These people had been through hell these past few days. If they had to deal with a plague like the Wilt after all that, well… She didn’t wish that on anyone else.
The makeshift graveyard was fairly bare, apart from the small set of sticks she’d been using to mark each mound, and the notes left flapping in the wind with a short description of the person buried and where they’d be found. Hopefully it would help the families find and mourn them, as there wasn’t time to allow everyone to identify the dead. Cadavers were a breeding ground for disease and illness, and so it was prudent to get them buried as soon as possible, especially with so many wounded still throughout the village. Grimacing slightly as she lifted the dead weight of the man and laid him into the hole, Okumi swiftly got back to work, refilling the hole and planting a small candle of incense as she gave a short prayer. May they find peace in rest.
Sitting up from her kneel, Okumi returned the shovel she’d borrowed to the earth, leaving it half buried nearby the grave to mark the spot. No doubt there would be more dead to come, but until a further delivery, there was no more work to be done. Perhaps she could move to assist in carting the dead? Even though many foreigners had come to bring aid, most were concerned with the less gruesome chores. Taking a few careful steps over to where she’d left her travel bag of meager belongings, Okumi returned her Naginata to her back. Taking a stride down the main street, it didn’t take her long to stumble on something of a scene. A medicine woman, one that had been something of a celebrity in the town for a variety of reasons, seemed to have been set upon by a pair of men. Disgraceful.
Continuing a steady walk past, she kept her gaze level on them gauging whether anyone was about to take action to assist the woman. As the man atop her became a bit more hands on, she’d seen enough. With a practiced grace, the still sheathed polearm was removed from her back, the shrine maiden seemingly walking with it as an aid. Then, just as she came into range of the two men, a simple jutt and hook was enough to pull the leg out from the one holding the woman. Not speaking or stopping her stride, Okumi hoped that the gesture was enough to convince the two to clean up their act and realise how idiotic that were being. Tragedy didn’t need to breed further conflict - now was the time for harmony and working together. Acting as if she hadn’t done anything, Okumi continued to walk up the path, though her senses were trained on the woman and two men behind her if they decided to become more aggressive towards her or the lady they accosted.