They took the men with the deftest hands and set them about embroidering several new banners. They hit upon a mon for their new clan almost immediately. Nothing was more fitting than the sly coils of a grinning snake all embalmed in red. Its tongue was almost as long as itself – a thoroughly despicable image.
They had them completed at speed as they prepared their selection of men to set out for the forest. As they worked, the entire camp slept, a deep and undisturbed sleep. If they could prolong battle until the following day, Gengyo was certain that they would hold an advantage.
Each man took two rifles, both of them fully loaded, so that they might unleash twelve shots without having to pause and reload. It would certainly be enough to cause some havoc. They loaded bamboo packs with a disgusting amount of ammunition, eliminating the problem of running out.
