Year of the Boar, Eleventh Month, Day 7.

 It has been another most pleasant day - the weather has been warm enough to remain outside without being uncomfortable and Aoki tells me that the birds are now trained. He will train birds to reach Pale Twilight, Purple Lightning and Laughing Spider so that he, Haru and Keita will be able to convey messages to the rest of my network as well as between themselves. I had intended to get myself back on the road late this afternoon but it was so pleasant sitting by the fire eating food we had cooked over it and drinking hot sake that the sun was on its way down before I had noticed it. It did not seem sensible to begin my travels again so I intend to start out first thing in the morning.

 Although I am not in a tearing hurry, I do want to get on my way to Purple Lightning as soon as I can. I suppose I could simply travel down through White Lake and Silent Thunder but I think I prefer to stick with my original idea to try and convince Nanami to come with me and then go down the border in the Seventh. It will give me an opportunity to see a little more of the Seventh in any case...