At last, she had found it. The elusive pack had been on her radar for some time now, and before that, she felt like she had met at least one of them before, but she couldn't for the life of her remember. She had arrived in the lands during the winter of the long nights, and she had to admit, whatever had happened during that time was fuzzy, so she couldn't be sure. Whispers of the Koi clan that lived around here had reached her ears, and she wondered if they were related to her in some way. Only one way to find out though, right? Relatives or not, she was eager to meet them and see who they were. And also, she was so very tired of the loner life. It wasn't for her. She didn't leave her homeland to wander the earth as a rogue, no. She ventured out to find her own path, tired of competing with her many siblings for the throne. Tired of trying to fight for her father's favor when he clearly didn't care to show that anything any of them were doing was worthwhile.

Approaching the bay that seemed to mark the lands of a pack, she hoped this was it and not some random other packs. But if the directions she had been given were correct, this should be it...taking in a deep breath, she howled for someone she could talk to.

"Sakura Haruno"

Heeding the call, Hattori was quick to transition from Bamboo to Bay. He moved on heavy paws, ears flicked forward and gaze expectant as sand crunched beneath him. He didn't recognise their voice, soft and feminine, but unfamiliar all the same. More so, if they were a stranger to him then had word of Tojo truly travelled so far? All things to consider at a later date once he was done here, for now he turned his attention to the dark figure standing respectfully in no mans land.

At least they had manners, and a koi pelt it seemed. It didn't take a genius to realise she was of noble breeding, her size alone warranted praise as did the thick fur that lined her form. The markings were unfamiliar to him, a mishmash of colours he hadn't seen combined before, but it had to be deliberate. Worth years of careful and selective breeding, culminating in this woman that stood before him.

" Hello. What brings you here?" He asked in his native tongue, voice low and rumbling, but not wholly unkind. Just aloof, holding her at arm's length, like he did with everyone. Lest they get too close, again.

She didn't have to wait very long before someone arrived. Her ears perked up as she recognized the telltale signs of a koi bloodline, though who's bloodline it was she couldn't say for certain. He was clearly of a more noble line. The strength of his markings proves that. Not to mention like her, he was large and the set of horns on his head was impressive. She hadn't seen someone like him since she left her homeland, and now here she was standing at the gates of another clan. Luckily for her, he spoke the tongue she was most familiar with, further proving he likely hailed from one of the clans that lived near where she had come from. "Kon'nichiwa, sakuradesu. Sasayakigoe o kiita koi ichizoku o sagashite enpō kara yattekimashita. Watashi wa sore o mitsuketa to omoikonde imasu ka?"

She spoke with politeness and courtesy, though she didn't deny the hint of curiosity and bit of hopefulness in her voice. She had been looking for this particular clan for months now, and if this turned out to be the wrong one, then she wasn't sure what to do. Going back home was an option, she supposed, but she didn't want to stay under her father's rule nor continue to compete with her siblings. That battle got really old, really fast.
"Sakura Haruno"

Hattori regarded the woman for a moment longer, his ears tipping forward to take in the familiar string of words. Her accent was similar to his own, marking that she was indeed from what used to be his local area. More so than that she was polite and succinct, made her intentions clear without being pushy or overly needy. From first glance alone he saw no reason to deny her, not when he'd let others in so readily before.

But still, there were questions to ask. Things to know before he could allow things to venture past the point of no return, just in case. It was simply how things were done around here, sponsorship he called it.

"You have." He told her, knowing she'd be familiar with the bamboo towering in the distance. The rustling of its leaves like a tune beckoning them home. "If you wish to join us I need to know you are capable. Tell me about yourself. He imagined she had a long story as to how she'd gotten here, a tale he was willing to listen to.

"You have." His voice and accent brought back a familiar taste of home. A longing for something both similar yet different that she didn't know she had until now. She was not of peasant blood, however. Her vibrant koi markings said as much. Years of careful breeding had marked her as higher stature than most, and it seemed that he bore the same breeding. She breathed a small, quiet sigh of relief at finally reaching the elusive koi clan she had been searching for. "If you wish to join us I need to know you are capable. Tell me about yourself." Now it was a matter of gaining entrance, a task she was confident she could handle.

She nodded, keeping her head high but remaining respectful of his position. Sure she was pure-blooded nobility, but right now in these lands? She held no official rank. "Yes, of course." She would oblige. After all, she had nothing to hide. "I've come a long way, from lands I am sure you know very well." It was a guess, though she was confident of her observations so far. "My father is the clan leader of one of the larger clans in the eastern regions. We are of noble blood, and I am the only daughter out of all my father's heirs. I, along with 8 brothers. While they fight for my father's favor, I got tired of battling to earn the favor of my father knowing that no matter what we did, it would never come to be. He is old and stubborn, clinging to the old ways of the Shinobi. I have no qualms with such a life, however, why waste my life and efforts for something I know will never bear rewards and continued strife? I am sure that were I to fight for the throne and secure it, my brothers would likely fight me night and day until one of them had it. It is unheard of for a female to claim the Koga clan's throne...and not only that, but I would only be inheriting lands ravaged by clan wars against our rival clans. They are just as stubborn as my father."

She scowled, a sharp "tch" escaping her lips. Even if she did decide to take her father's place by whatever means she could, she was a woman of honor and did not have the indecency to simply steal it or take it in less honorable ways. And not only that, but it would likely take years to repair the damage the clan wars had caused. The clans that warred in her homeland were traditional and bull-headed. Where the women were no more than objects and rarely had a say in anything, especially political matters. Turning her gaze back to the koi male in front of her, a fierce look of determination in her gaze. "I ask that you do not mistake me for someone soft. I have plenty of experience, both on the battlefield, and off. I may be considered noble blood where I am from, but I don't sit around on my backside scratching my behind like I've seen others do. Something I am sure, you can appreciate." After all, he looked like someone that didn't sit around scratching his balls all damn day.

"Sakura Haruno"

Hattori took in her words, they fell like rain that drenched the land. A tale as old as time, familiar as the air that filled his lungs, so very much like the home he'd once known. A land he thought he'd reign over, his name written next in the age-old parchments. One title after the other, a never ending chain of his bloodline. And yet here he was having long since stepped off that path and now faced with someone who had only just done the same. Could be blame her? No.

"Then there is a place for you here." He told her easily enough, seeing no reason to deny her. To ward her off for faults that were not her own. "It does not matter to me who you were or where you came from, we are all of the same clan in the end. Your Father's loss is my gain." He decided with a nod.

Let them squabble on their distant shore, it meant nothing to the Tojo Clan.

"Come I will show you the maze." And she'd better learn fast, lest she got lost on the daily.