Hattori did not come here often at all, after all his time spent in the Bamboo he supposed he didn't have much of a taste for open spaces any more. Which wasn't to say paranoia had set in in his old age, but rather he'd become accustomed to his way of life, and it suited him well. Tojo was not for everyone, he was well aware of that fact. In time even more dangers would find their way to his borders, this life was not a peaceful one, but he felt they were more prepared than most. Not that he knew what had happened to Norad, or how it had been effectively torn apart, pilfered for all it was worth.

The sky above was dotted with shooting stars, leaving bright trails in their wake as he approached the tallest of the stones, pale brows furrowed. He had always wondered why they glowed, on clear nights he could see their light from the edge of the bamboo.

"Speech" || "Thoughts"

Fic was still young in a sense. Adventerous although she was more calmer than being a yearling. Days turned into nights as she wandered this strange new kingdom many had called home, claiming lands of their own. Tonight was different, not by much but still different in a sense.

She had not known how she wandered so far from the willows Identification grew fond of. Lights littered the darkened obsidian like sky with their twinkles. Her eyes caught glimpses of a few that shot across the skies. Her heart ached.

Ached wishing that she could call some where home - even for a little while. Right now though she was a loner. Identification understood and accepted the fact.

The female lowered her skull allowing a sigh to slip from her lips, while Violet flew around almost soundlessly. Fic known the male was always around, never leaving Fic out of his sight, unless a female caught his attention.

Attention was torn away as she turned to see the outline of orangish amber splatters upon a obsidian pigmented coat. The young female lowering her body, relaxed but tense. Ears swiveling forward as she crawled on her belly a little closer.

Tilting her head just enough, curious as to what this horned canine was. Or was it a canine. Her tail dancing around behind the frame of the woman. Her tone was relaxed but cautious. "H-hello" Was honestly all that was mustered.

Hattori glanced at the stranger, pale brows furrowing slightly. No real aggression to be found in his posture, but he wasn't throwing off friendly vibes either-as i the was even capable of such a thing. It was rare indeed to see loners wander out this way, for the most part he expected them to stick to Boreas, Auster seemed like an afterthought to many. But they weren't exactly unwelcome, as far as he was concerned anyway.

He observed the woman, she seemed young-most wolves seemed that way to him these days- but he didn't get the sense she was overly naive. Well, the crawling was a little strange but he wondered if she was just the wary type. Though if she intended to flee she would have a far better start if she'd been upright, on all four paws.

"Hello." He returned her greeting in the common tongue, his accent thick and noticeable. "Why are you... like that?" He flicked his tail, gesturing to her posture, not sure how else to put it.

"Speech" || "Thoughts"

Identification turned to him, his height and statue scared her slightly. But there was a demeanor about the brute that didn't frighten her as much as some others would, or other. Understanding that she probably appeared to be submissive - and having no care about it. Fic was a shy woman in a way some would take for a weakness. That was understandable though.

Nostrils took the masculine's scent in - storing it for future use. Ears swiveled forwards listening to his words that flowed out. "I.... I don't know." She would slowly rise up, so hind haunches were placed upon the ground. "I was always taught to respect those around me, well learned the hard way." Which in a sense was not far from the truth at all.

A few loners had taught her that upon her travels. Tilting her head to him as her paw swatted at a rock. Watching the stone slip away out of reach. A sigh released. "Why are there horns upon your head?" Lowering her head, as looking still at him, his hues blessing the obsidian coat. Wondering why he stood so tall, and had odd markings. But not wanting to be rude she held her tongue.

Although Fic known that she was just that, and there was nothing that could be done about it now. Not with the question about the horns that adorned his cranium.

"Hmm." Hattori acknowledged, understanding her logic to some degree. And yet he imagined that many would take her submission as a show of weakness, that many were not nearly as tolerant as the Kaicho ended up being. Perhaps he wasn't a good man, but he prided himself in being a reasonable enough one, predictable in that as long as he and his kin were left alone he was content to remain out of whatever drama was taking place in the world. Perhaps some saw that as weakness, an old man set in his ways, but Hattori knew better. Or at least he thought he did.

Her next question had him blinking slowly, his gaze flitting over her form once more. If she thought his horns were overly unusual then he idly wondered what she would make of the wolves with wings, not common of course, but not unknown to roam Boreas.

"They are a common trait in my bloodline." It seemed dominant to an extent as many of his children had inherited them from him, but not so oppressive that all had them. "Many wolves here have…features you would find on other creatures." He himself also had eagle like talons on all four of his feet.

"Speech" || "Thoughts"

Fic was greatful in a sense that the masculine before her did not bring harm her way. It was still early, and caution still raced threw her mind like a storm. 'He can still harm you.' The thought alone sent a shiver along her spine, causing the white tipped ears to twitch. There was no sense in hiding the caution that lurked within those emerald pools.

Identification however did not fail to smile as he spoke about the trait that runs threw the bloodlines of his family and generations before. The white and matching eyebrows also didn't go unnoticed. The orangish red markings complimenting his obsidian coat like a fine blanket. "You remind me of those fish, I only seen a few in my life. I was told the names of them before but however the name is not coming to me at all."

Oh how she hoped that she did not over step any boundries as her plumage danced around behind her, relaxing more and more. 'Koi' Her own thoughts would be blurted out shortly after it entered her mind. "A koi fish, that's it. With the orange, black and white hues that adorn your figure." A smile curled her lips up excitement now replacing the caution.

"How is that possible? I mean, after all I know Boreas is still new to me, but a wolf with odd markings or even colors seems a little different. But in the same way fasinating. I hope I stated that right." A frown and a tilt of her skull. 'Shut up now Fic, before you do cause him to attack. You don't know the wolves around here.'

Koi fish. Well, she had narrowed it down quite quickly, Hattori wouldn't go as far to say he was impressed but she had reached the conclusion far quicker than most. That was something, even if only minute. He wasn't entirely sure what she wanted or expected him to say, he didn't have an explanation for how or why he looked as he did. He was away that genetics were a thing, of course, that traits could skip generations or be found in nearly every litter, but he could not sate her curiosity. Not in the way she likely hoped.

"I presume the same reason as to why your eyes are green, or paws white." He said, gaze flitting to the stones again, there was so much he didn't know. He assumed he'd die that way too, only having so many answers.

"Speech" || "Thoughts"

Jaded pools turn up to look at him, listening to the words that fall from his own lips. Her hind quarters lowered to the soft ground. Lifting her paw to see it dipped in ivory, why had she never taken complete notice to this. Her tail curling to her side, the tip tapping against the terra firma.

"I am sorry if I offended you." Stating with a smile. "It wasn't right of me to comment about the markings that bare across your coat." Tilting her head, hoping that she would be forgiven.

Her attention was drawn to the ruins. Wondering why they appeared to withstand any storm at any given time. The different markings all along them, and the ground. It was covered in the most softest of mosses. How did Fic not take notice to that before.

Her travels had been tiring though, never staying in one place for too long, even a place or territory owned by a pack. Pondering and tossing thoughts around in her mind for a moment longer. "It's just all fasinating. I know there are lands that I still need to explore, but at the same time. I am not naive enough to believe there is no danger that lurks."

Rambling. That is what Identification was good at. Some would state that she dealt with add and adhd, how her mind would go from one thing to another almost automatically. A few birds danced in the winds above them both.

"I'm Identification, but I also go by Fic." Stupid girl, not introducting herself before hand. Violet swooping it, his wings beating rapidly as Fic looked up to the bird and smiled, her bodice began to relax. Violet turned his attention to the male then to Identification. Floating there in the air.

Hattori did have rather stern sensibilities, but he wasn't overly offended. At least not to a degree that the loner ought to feel concerned about, he wasn't about to maul her for speaking her mind-even if he didn't quite understand how it worked. He paid her apology little heed as he felt it unnecessary and instead pondered on her name. An odd one. Hattori knew it to be a word in the common tongue, but it seemed...rather abstract, no?

"You are right to be wary, I would think you a fool if you were not. My name is Hattori, Kaicho of the Tojo clan." He regarded her a moment longer, her coat like sand on a beach, a softness to it as though the grains sodden with sea water. The tide rolling in slowly. "Where are you from then?"

"Speech" || Thoughts

She watched him with complete interest. It wasn't bad, but fasinating that he was dressed as a Koi fish, but understanding the fact as he stated it ran threw his blood lines, although some may not have the same looks that others have. Her tail swayed behind her, as she sat relaxed. Hattori, Kaicho of the Tojo Clan. Her thoughts not stopping there, as she asked out calmly, almost like a innocence from a child. "What is a Kaicho? And it's nice to meet you Hattori."

Thoughts pulling her away briefly, as a shake of her head is given as he asked where she was from. She didn't know honestly, she couldn't remember to say the least. As attention once more was pulled from him towards the stones then back. "I - I don't know, I can't recall." Fic stated simply, she wondered more about where she was from. But couldn't recall any memories or anything. It was almost like having amenisia so to say.

Wanting nothing more than to simply change the subject, her heart hurting due to not remembering where she was from. "Why do you think these stones and ruins glow like they appear to do Hattori?" Her voice wanting to break, and tears threatened her jaded pools.

"A leader, chief, king. It is all the same," he shrugged slightly, not feeling over pedantic about it. She was an odd one, curiois but harmless, by this point everyone who was anyone knew he could be a bit wary of those who strayed too close to his Maze, but he wasn't so territorial that he would snap at loners a territory apart.

She stated she didn't know, which earned him a side glance as he watched her, the silver of his eyes glowing in the dark. The light not quite as bright as the runes, but a glow all the same. He did not think she was lying, suspected she would ramble on if given the chance, so she truly didn't know, it seemed. Hattori couldn't push for the unknown, would be like struggling against an indomitable current, nature would always win.

"I do not know for sure. There is a beach to the north of here, that glows at night. Perhaps something is growing on the stones, like the algae found there."

"Speech" || "Thoughts"

His voice was pleasant to the ladies ears, as Violet arrived. His small wings allowing him to hover, the small eyes taking in the other wolf. As flying towards him, then back to Identification. His wings lowering him to her ear tip, where he would rest, causing the peak to fold ever so slightly. The bird was small and light so it didn't bother Fic where her companion laid ever.

Identification smiled watching the bird fly towards Hattori. Then back towards herself. "The name appears to match you though." She paused, he did have the confidence of being a leader. So yes, it did match. "What ever causes it, is something to witness." Words soon passed from her, not knowing of what else to say. Her tail curling around her back legs as she gave a small tilt of her head. Nature was something so beautiful but also could be so deadly.

Hattori's gaze flitted to the little companion, watching it for a moment before inevitably losing interest. He did not truly consider his companions to be friends, they were loyal and had served him well, so he did respect them in that regard, but their relationship was professional and nothing more. As far as Hattori was concerned, it was all it needed to be. He turned then, wondering what else should be said, if anything needed to be said.

"Well, should you have any more questions or need anything of me, my back is to the east of here. The Bamboo."" He used his snout to gesture to that direction.

The young lady watched as the male turned his face towards the east, his home laid there, The Bamboo. Somehow the name fit him, and she gave a small nod. A smile crossing her lips. "Maybe one day I will come visit, if that is alright." A home, something she could only wish for. Who knows what laid in the cards for her. Rising up, she finally noticed how much taller he was, but didn't comment, giving her respects. "Until next time." Her voice soft and gentle as a cooler breeze promised that of winter was to come soon.

Identification

table coding by bunni ♥

They parted ways, amiably enough. Hattori could not say for sure if Identification would come to visit, or need anything in turn, but it wasn't as if the Maze's location was a secret. What happened within was only of the clan's concern, but more out of preference than any real sense of caginess. There was solace and comfort in their isolation, in knowing they could depend on one another if no one else. All was as it should be.

That is how Hattori saw it anyway, his thoughts musing as he wandered back East, heading to the maze he called home.