[[Action]]

[biteoffherhead]

[No time for patrolling the forests today. Those of you roaming in the forest get a free pass! Moro herself is roaming the edge of the village, or rather, where she considers her territory to start, and marking it by rubbing against the trees, leaving her thick, wiry hair caught in every tree's bark

Comments

[entaiho]

[Rokuta is out in the forest today as well, though this time not in kirin form. His reaction to the draft list was to go find somewhere relatively quiet to be alone, meaning that he's perched up in the crook of a tree branch and scowling up at the sky overhead.]

[biteoffherhead]

[Oh. That's a pleasantly distracting scent. Moro stops, looking up into the tree.]

[entaiho]

[Hard to miss a giant wolf wandering around, really. Especially when Moro's blood-scent isn't quite so pleasant to him. Rokuta glances down at her, straightens a bit in his perch, and even manages a respectful sort of nod in greeting.]

Moro. You're... going, aren't you?

[biteoffherhead]

I am. I will have the enemy tremble with fear.

[entaiho]

Ah.

[He dislikes this. He very clearly dislikes this, and very much. Rokuta shifts a little and glances away.]

I'll watch the forest while you're gone. If you'd like.

[biteoffherhead]

I am honored. I leave it in your care, then.

My daughter may stay behind as well, or may join me on the battlefield.

[entaiho]

Why does there always have to be fighting?

[Suddenly restless, Rokuta pushes to his feet again, balancing on the tree limb as easily as though it were level ground and looking out over the rest of the forest. The peace of it is reassuring, even if the thought of those being drawn off to war is not.]

[biteoffherhead]

Even the beasts war with one another.

[entaiho]

But we're not simply mindless beasts, we're more than that. We can talk, and reason, and... there has to be some way, other than fighting and killing.

[biteoffherhead]

Even the gods are warring creatures. Battle is glory, for the beasts intelligent enough to realize it.

[entaiho]

[It's not an argument he'll ever win and Rokuta knows it; he just sighs and rests his forehead against a branch. He'll just... have to do what he can.]

I should meet your daughter. Especially if she's staying behind.

[biteoffherhead]

Despite her human body, she is a wolf.

[entaiho]

[He gives a faint, almost amused snort.]

I can understand that.

What's her name?

[biteoffherhead]

She is San.

[entaiho]

San. All right, I'll keep an eye out for her, too... until you get back.

[Because she is coming back. Everyone is coming back. Or so he can tell himself.]

[biteoffherhead]

I thank you.