Early that morning, Hattori waited for his son in the dojo, the tatami mats swept clean. There was a brief respite from the rain, quiet before it would soon start to fall again. Not that he tried that hard, but Hattori always wondered why anyone would want to leave this place, the sanctuary that it was. Still, it didn't matter, his son had returned and Jiro had not left just yet. There was time.

He exhaled as he turned to adjust the wooden training swords in the wrack. One had been put back slightly askew, laying more diagonally than horizontal. Exhaling, he moved to straighten the sword, slotting it in its correct place, where everything ought to be.

The koi wolf paused just outside of the dojo, the familiar scent of rain in the air and the weight of the morning's stillness pressing down on him. His heart beat steadily, though a twinge of unease gnawed at the edges of his resolve. It wasn't that he disliked being summoned, but each call seemed to carry more weight than the last. He had been through this with Kaizen, Seiko, and now it would be Hanzo. What more could be said? What more could be expected of him?

He took a deep breath, steadying himself before sliding the door open. The sight of his father adjusting the training swords in the rack greeted him. The meticulousness of the action was so like his father - everything in its place, no room for error or deviation. It was both a comfort and a reminder of the expectations that always loomed over him.

"Father," Keito greeted, his voice steady but soft, as he stepped onto the tatami mats, the familiar feel of them beneath his paws grounding him into the moment, "You called for me." His amber eyes met Hanzo's with a quiet determination, though the unspoken question lingered in the air between them: What now?

"Speech"

CODE BY SIN

"Are you ready?" He asked, though it felt like wasted breath. Because a fight wouldn't always be expected, or even wanted; one day Keito might not even have a choice in the matter. Hattori exhaled, too many of his own fights had been too close for comfort, forced to take a life when it had been the last thing he'd wanted to do. No matter, he was still alive and they were not, that was all that counted as far as he was concerned.

"I will not go easy on you, fight me as if you are defending your siblings. As if I intend to hurt them."

And then with no warning the Kaicho rushed forward, teeth snapping, eyes glowing the shadows of the bamboo. Barging forward, he moved to shoulder check his son back, to unstablise his footing, to see if he could recover in time.

Hanzō vs Keito for spar
Round 1/2
Age: over 1
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Balanced
Offensive Battle Accessory: Tanto
Defensive Battle Accessory: Shinobi cuirass
Companion 1: Asian Golden Cat, Male - Battle - Boosted
Companion 2: Mountain hawk-eagle, Male - Battle - Boosted
*Companion 3: Akita, Male - Battle - Boosted
Mutation 1: Enhanced vision - Perception
Mutation 2: Antelope horns - Offensive
Mutation 3: Reinforced bones - Defensive
Skills: Master Fighter & Master Hunter
Specialty: Bloodletter

Keito barely had time to process his father's words before Hanzo charged. His body, unaccustomed to the rigorous training he'd once known, responded slower than he wanted. His time spent in the wild had sharpened his instincts but dulled his formal technique. The muscle memory was still there, but it felt distant, rusty. Hanzo's blow had nearly knocked him off balance, and the recovery wasn’t as smooth as it should’ve been.

Still, he couldn’t let that stop him. With a grunt of effort, he corrected his stance and pressed forward, the weight of his father’s challenge hanging heavily in the air. His movements weren’t as fluid as they once were, but his instincts - honed by survival in the wild - kicked in. He sidestepped again, this time more cautiously, using what little speed he still had to stay out of his father’s direct reach.

Keito kept his eyes on Hanzo, studying his next move. He wouldn’t be able to overpower his father, not like this, but if he could outlast him, if he could read the opening... He would have to fight like he had learned in the wild: patiently, waiting for the right moment.

Keito vs Hanzo for Spar
Round 1/2
Age: Over 1 year
Size: Extra large
Build: Balanced
Offensive Battle Accessory: Tantō Dagger
Defensive Battle Accessory: Lamellar Collar Armor
Companion 1: Crested Serpent Eagle, Male - flying
Companion 2: Crested Serpent Eagle, Female - flying
Skills: Intermediate Fighter & Beginner Intellectual

"Speech"

CODE BY SIN

Hattori did not expect the boy to win, it would be enough for him to simply hold his own, to not crumble at the first sign of adversity. And to his credit, he reacted well, Hattori watched the shifting of his weight, the adjustment to his posture, how he side stepped with little energy wasted. But he did not try to retaliate it seemed, biding his time? Patience in a fight was a good, valuable virtue, but inaction was something he ought to watch out for. That it wasn't simply enough to dodge and weave, that he had to press the attack even at the risk of being countered himself.

Hattori whipped around, matching his sidestep to shove back into the yearlings personal space, up close and personal, his teeth making to grab for his closest ear. Simple, precise and to the point.

Hanzō vs Keito for spar
Round 2/2
Age: over 1
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Balanced
Offensive Battle Accessory: Tanto
Defensive Battle Accessory: Shinobi cuirass
Companion 1: Asian Golden Cat, Male - Battle - Boosted
Companion 2: Mountain hawk-eagle, Male - Battle - Boosted
*Companion 3: Akita, Male - Battle - Boosted
Mutation 1: Enhanced vision - Perception
Mutation 2: Antelope horns - Offensive
Mutation 3: Reinforced bones - Defensive
Skills: Master Fighter & Master Hunter
Specialty: Bloodletter

Keito's eyes flicked up as Hanzo closed the gap again. His father moved with the precision of someone who had seen far too many fights, and it was clear now that Hanzo wasn’t going to let him keep dancing away. The older wolf shoved into his space, and Keito felt the suffocating weight of close combat pressing on him.

'I have to do more than survive,' he thought. His hesitation in the wild had cost him nothing, but here, against Hanzo, it could cost him everything.

Hanzo’s teeth grazed Keito's ear as he just barely managed to duck his head, feeling the scrape of fangs against fur. It wasn’t enough to avoid completely, and pain bloomed from the near miss, but it was better than being caught.

'Not enough,' his mind screamed, forcing him to react. He couldn't keep dodging; he had to fight back.

In one fluid motion, Keito twisted his body and surged forward, aiming a low, quick snap at his father’s shoulder. He knew he lacked the raw power to seriously injure Hanzo, but if he could land a blow, even a light one, he might shift the momentum. As soon as his teeth lunged for the target, he pivoted his rear legs, trying to use his smaller size to slip away before Hanzo could counter.

'Strike and move,' he reminded himself, hoping the wild's lessons of survival would help him in this match.

Keito vs Hanzo for Spar
Round 2/2
Age: Over 1 year
Size: Extra large
Build: Balanced
Offensive Battle Accessory: Tantō Dagger
Defensive Battle Accessory: Lamellar Collar Armor
Companion 1: Crested Serpent Eagle, Male - flying
Companion 2: Crested Serpent Eagle, Female - flying
Skills: Intermediate Fighter & Beginner Intellectual

"Speech"

CODE BY SIN