The hunt with Raijin had been more than he expected, but he was successful in the end and procured a healthy meal for the Kaicho. It certainly wasn't the best he could offer, but it was the most he could do while he was still recovering and he wanted to make some kind of effort. He knew an explanation would be expected of him and he knew better than to wait for them to show up at Usagi's den. Perhaps whoever it was didn't even want a fresh kill for a surprise meal, but he worked with what he had and bringing him something someone else had hunted and prepared seemed just as bad if not worse than waiting on the Kaicho to come to him.

Kunai carried the animals body through the maze and tried to make it look easier than it was. It should've been easy, but he was more than out of shape since Usagi had found him washed up on that beach and with the last grip of the illness holding on with everything it had, it was hard. He hated admitting that he was weak and that he had feelings for someone he shouldn't, or had been told he shouldn't and to this day struggles still with knowing if he's wrong to dream.

He sighed and although he feared the worst, placed the meal down and called for the Kaicho. It would be sooner or later, so may as well get it over with. If he couldn't stay, then there was no sense in getting used to Usagi's warmth at night.

"Speech!"

Code © Skelle 2022

Hattori wanted an explanation at some point but didn't see the matter as pressing enough to outright demand one. That he would be sought out in time. Sure enough his assumption rang true as his ears tipped forward, catching the call of a wolf whose howl was not familiar yet. The tune of the howl told him all he needed to know, a soft request for his presence within the bamboo. The newcomer then, the one Usagi had vouched for, he presumed. Stepping into motion, Hattori wove through the paths of the maze, knew them better than anyone else as he took shortcuts and pushed his way through younger shoots.

Kunai came into sight well enough, the scent of blood in air as Hattori spied the fresh kill at his paws. It spoke volumes, that he carried gratitude and wanted to pay his way. A good start, if nothing else.

"You seem better." Hattori began, leaving the floor open for the newcomer.

To say that he was nervous was an understatement. He waited for what felt like forever for the Kaicho to appear, though in reality it was no more than a few minutes. While he had gone over everything in his mind, once the man finally arrived it was like everything he had planned to say disappeared. He swallowed hard, trying to keep his composure and not give away his anxiety. Kunai had wanted to greet the man first but his loss for words left him open mouthed and quiet for a moment too long and easily giving Hanzo time to speak.

It wasn't the greeting he expected, but an easy one instead. He almost sighed a breath of relief. "I'm getting there," he started in their native tongue, assuming it to be his preferred method. "I wanted to thank you for saving my life, and properly introduce myself. I've brought you a fresh meal, if you have the time." He didn't want to keep the man from any important duties if arranging a meeting later would be better for him.

"Speech!" ─ "Japanese!"

Code © Skelle 2022

Hattori eyed the deer, noting that it was a bit on the smaller side, characteristic of the species that roamed the Bamboo Maze. He hadn't gone far then to catch his prey, probably for the best since he was quick to admit he was still on the mend. Hattori wasn't unreasonable though, saw his effort for what it was and was quick to nod, to accept the offering as it was.

"I have the time." He told him, unsurprised at Kunai's fluency, how their native tongue suited him so well, flowed like water with nothing to get in its way. And his words were true enough, there was nothing at paw the Kaicho needed to immediately handle.

Sitting down he used a claw to rip into the deer's flesh, blood dripped, and its scent filled the air, marking just how fresh of a kill it was.

"Your markings are familiar, what clan are you from?" He'd been told Kunai had resided in Iga, but it was unreasonable for even Hattori to remember all those who'd dwelled there. How some only spent a few weeks on the estate, before moving on like leaves on the wind. He sort of missed that, but not enough to reshape Tojo into something it wasn't.

Thankfully he wouldn't have to wait any further in confessing, essentially, to the man. Although at least it would be the Kaicho's request and not simply him taking time to heal. If he had to wait any more than he already had, he'd likely go insane with anxiety. Already he was struggling to sleep and that no doubt affected his healing, and in order to pay back the kindness or leave if requested, he must have the strength to do it. It was coming back to him in spurts, allowing him to hunt and capture the small deer for this meal offering, though his body tired quicker than he'd like to admit and felt like he could use a rest. The pneumonia had weakened his lungs more than hid body, however, an invisible weakness that left him struggling to catch his breath when he worked too hard. In time he would recover his strength, but that fact did little to make him feel better about it.

The chimera sat as he cut into the animals throat and spilled it's blood. Kunai had been careful to kill the animal as cleanly as possible to preserve it's quality until meeting with the man, in case he would have to wait. A broken limb and neck were all that the animal had suffered through, one to trip and one to kill quickly. The question the man asked next was inevitable, something he still felt some shame in admitting but also knew that it was better now than never. Whether the Kaicho already knew and was testing his honesty or actually curious was a nerve wracking bit of information he'd love to know himself, but he wouldn't give the man long to wait for an answer.

"My name was Hidaka Toshiaki, but I was stripped of my name and exiled by my parents. I go by only Kunai now," he responded openly, figuring it best to explain a bit deeper than answering directly with no context. Though, he supposed the man would also be a bit worried about the exile, perhaps that it was more than just a family dispute. He didn't want to say too much, though, and instead offered the man the time to turn their conversation into an interrogation if he so wished. Kunai would answer his questions honestly, he wanted to hide nothing, but he would not be so bold as to offer details the man might not be interested in.

"Speech!" ─ "Japanese!"

Code © Skelle 2022

Hidaka Toshiaki. The clan name was indeed familiar but it wasn't one of particular note, or really one that stood out amongst the many others that flocked to Iga's compound. For Hattori to take an interest in a clan outside of his own was rather rare, to be honest, perhaps illuding to how close minded he'd been once. How different things used to be. But to now hear Kunai had been stripped of his name and clan rights did little to outwardly affect the Kaicho's opinion of him, he was many things but not quite a hypocrite. He had been ousted too but held onto his name nonetheless, allowing nothing or no one to take it from him.

If Kunai wanted a new start then this was the place for it.

But Hattori was curious, he wanted to know why. What slight, real or imagined, had pushed him down this path.

"And what did you do?" He asked, wiping his paw on the leaf carpet to get rid of the blood. "Was it deserved? Or did your parents expect too much?"

He would never know the mans exact thoughts, if he knew of him or had heard of him somehow, if he knew exactly why his family had exiled him and formed his opinion on him based on that already. If he could sweat, they'd be bullets, but the man hardly seemed phased at first. It made Kunai a bit suspicious, but he kept his own thoughts hidden.

Finally the man spoke, asking him what he had done to earn the position in which he sat now. Would he have preferred to stay with his family even in the best case scenario and his choices being accepted? Still unlikely. It'd likely hurt just as bad being without the man he sought for to find here regardless of his parents opinions. Being exiled just gave him no other choice, though he couldn't say he was proud of it. The shame he was made to feel from his parents was what had affected him now, and admitting it to someone else was hard enough as it was. He had his own feelings for Usagi to sort out as well as his own... admitting them to the Kaicho before he was even fully ready to admit them himself was proving harder to be than he thought.

Best not leave the man waiting though, and if he were to be judged the same he supposed that was best to know now, as well. He wasn't ready to speak, his mouth suddenly very dry and strained, but he forced the words out anyway... though softer than his voice had been before, hiding the fact from any other nearby listeners. "I'mgay," he muttered quickly, mismatched ears pinned back as equally mismatched eyes darted away from the man and towards his paws.

"Speech!"

Code © Skelle 2022

Hattori could think of all sorts of sins that would warrant being disowned by one's family. But in all honesty, he had never thought Kunai's orientation would the root issue, that it was a sore enough topic to warrant such a sheepish response. Hattori preferred to keep himself to himself, didn't meddle in the personal affairs of others, so in his mind this was a non issue. Something he didn't feel the need to bring up again, or question as though it made the chimera koi somehow lesser, or unworthy of remaining here.

If Kunai hoped to receive reassurance from the Kaicho he would be disappointed, but at the same time he wouldn't be admonished either.

"I see." He said, quiet for a moment, his unblinking gaze as hard as steel. "It is not an issue here, I do not care for who you desire."

A rather on the nose way of putting it, but true all the same.