Journey to Tsunadoragakure

Katsumoto decided that his time in Arashigakure was done. He had overstayed his welcome or so he had thought. The Kage left in the middle of a conversation towards the gates of the city due to a huge disturbance so Katsumoto went on his way to the outer villages. There he helped them against a mercenary band while working his way to Tsunadoragakure. It was going to be a very long journey, he would have to go from Arashigakure to Tsunadoragakure which was three major countries away. Why would a man want to go to a frozen waste? Well Katsumoto was looking for help everywhere and the people of Tsunadoragakure were some of the hardiest. Not only that but once he got there maybe he could find someone who'd be willing to journey with him. Not a lot of people were, and he had already met a few. Katsumoto thought of all those who he'd met along the way. Skar, Ai Takahashi, Takeshi, Raleth, Nami, etc. Yet none would journey with him or help him directly with his quest. He had been a ronin far too long. It was dishonorable, but his loyalty to his dead Daimyo was more important. He had to avenge him.

Looking into the distance Katsumoto saw the rolling hills and beyond a huge forest. "Well it looks like I am going to have to go through the land of vines again. Yay." Katsumoto said sarcastically.

The tree's were just another thing Katsumoto was SO happy to see. The land of vines was full of them, some villages were made on them. The pollen messed with his allergies. The road was the only thing that gave him any solace. The one place where he could actually not have to step over every root, branch, or poisonous plant. It made him laugh because it was here where he finally decided to get down to business. "Must have been all the damn tree's haha" Katsumoto bent down and picked up a branch on the road and started cutting notches in it with his kunai. "Yep, this trip is boring. There is no one to talk to and I literally have barely made a dent in trying to get my quest on track." Katsumoto thought of the next place he'd have to go through the sea. He hadn't been on the ocean since his armies last retreat from their country. Now they were all dispersed. Farmers, fishermen, etc. The world wasn't kind to his people, and definitely not to him. The journey's he had to take were starting to age him. But it had to be done.

The waves rocked the ship, the sea water poured on the deck. Katsumoto was on the mast's tying them up to keep them from being ripped away. The man across from him yelled a sea shanty out to help calm his nerves "weigh hay and up she rises, weigh hay and up she rises, weigh hay and up she rises early in the morning!" The captain down below joined in the fun as the thunderstruck above, the lightning lighting up the sky. "What do we do with a drunken sailor, what do we do with a drunken sailor, what do we do with a drunken sailor early in the morning!" His voice boomed over the bow of the ship. This was the fun Katsumoto was having while travelling on the tempest to Tsunadoragakure. Deep inside Katsumoto knew these men were pirates, privateers, whatever you want to call them. But they were his pirates. Some of these men were part of his old outfit back in the day and he was surprised to see them. They gave him free passage. The names they gave themselves were pretty hilarious considering that most of these men used to be the most respected soldiers in his old nation. But he'd have to reminisce later. "LAND HO!" The shore had just been spotted, and beyond the city.

Katsumoto took his first step off the gang plank onto the docs. Right away he felt his skin get hit with the fabled frost. It was freezing and the people here had to be very hardy. Luckily Katsumoto got a few layers of clothing on and started on his way. Climbing over snow dunes, cliffs, running uphill on mountains. This frozen waste was a formidable foe in itself. Katsumoto was starting to form icicles on his face when he finally got to the outskirts of the city. Beyond there was the gates, inside he would find warmth and be able to meet the Kage of the village.

Still it was too far away for comfort, at least five miles away. He had to use a map to even come close to finding the city due to the natural barriers all around the continent. He even saw some very strange creatures. They were black and white, looked like birds and yet they couldn't fly. It was so very very weird. One of them squawked at him as he got close, and it slid on its belly. Katsumoto couldn't help but think that the creator had a sense of humor and a good one at that.

Finally he got within 200 ft from the gate...little did he know something great was to happen.