Amuro stood at the front of the shift, in the plainly provided uniform. Despite the temperature and the gloom of the sea he looked at the horizon in the direction the ship traveled. The sea was, of course unsettling here, and it was near the front of his thoughts the fact that the path of pure water they traveled was narrow. It seemed a fitting metaphor of life in general.

It would be useless to try to get a gauge of the days weather in this desolate place but the young mantis went anyways. He wasn't sure if it could storm in the sea of shadows but if there was one brewing and Isora-no-kami wished him to get a whiff about it beforehand it'd likely be for the best.

Noticing the place at the point of the ship already occupied Kaito bows politely. "Good morning Akodo-sama."

"Thank you Yoritomo-san." The man said breaking his gaze from the horizon to turn and greet the Mantis formally as he approached. "And I suppose good is relative when when surrounded by a sea of nightmares."

"Likely so Akodo-san." said the mantis with a nod. "Though I figure that as long as nothing evil is climbing over the sides of the ship it's a pretty good morning in this place all things considers"

Himiko, armored as she had been the past few days, walked calmly to the foredeck, her hands at the ready as if waiting for something to jump on deck and attack. Even as she notices the two other samurai, ones she had only seen in passing, there was a moment of wariness before she bowed. "Samurai-sans. Good mornin'."

"Yes. I'd say so." the man said his eyes moving back toward the water. "I presume that this is not your first time a vessel?" His gaze moved over to the Crab as it approached. "Akodo Amuro," he said in a short greeting giving a quick return of the bow, before continuing his statements. "Just as I will presume this is not Crab-san's first time being wary of evil things crawling over the side."

The mantis bowed politely to the crab girl as she approached. "Mornin" He replied before turning back to the lion. "Yoritomo Kaito, and hai I've been on a few ships over the course of the years... Yourself Akodo-san?"

"First extended deployment. Only one time before too. A three day troop movement. I believe we were supporting the Phoenix in a small skirmish in that war." the older man says to the Mantis. He doubted he needed to remind the Mantis about the War of Fire and Thunder. Amuro held no grudge against the Mantis for that. Now for the Khan's March on Toshi Ranbo, and the Mantis' actions there, he still held a grudge...but it was a grudge he could keep swallowed for the sake of unity in battle.

Besides he was in the Imperial Legions now, not the Lion armies. ""What's done is done, Yoritomo-san. Have you ever sailed through these waters before?"

The mantis nodded slightly at the mention of teh war a war his clan had won but also one that had happened before his gempukku. No grudge's were held from this mantis on that account at least. Soldiers did what soldiers were ordered to after all.

"Can't say I've sailed these waters before know men who have though and I've heard the stories about em." He said as his eyes went back to the sea for a moment. "I figure we'll all have sailed through em twice by the time this training trip is over though.

"Yasuki Himiko," the young bushi said quietly. "A pleasure."

The mantis looked once again to the crab as she introduced herself and flashed a smile. "A pleasure to meet ya as well Yssuki-sama." In the lull in conversation.

"Yasuki-san." The Lion began. "Do you happen to know anything in particular about this...region...of the shadowlands?"

"Only what I've been told," she muttered, keeping her quiet nature. "It's enough that I know that gettin' all loud and excited is a really dumb idea. Shadowlands change constantly, so there's very little that can be reliably said about it save that every single part of it wants to either kill you or subvert you to it's cause."

"True." the Lion says looking out over the water again. "I should be more polite. Aside from being surrounded on all sides by an unspeakable evil that cares nothing for our mortal selves, how do you each find your morning here on our seventh day of voyage?"

Himiko shrugs. "I'll let ya know once we're on the other side. I'll be far happier once we aren't somewhere where I feel like something bad is going to happen any second."

The Lion nods at her comment. That would be an ideal place.