as propriety demands

He took in a few deep breaths and managed to clear his mind of any thoughts besides the present. He listened to the birds at his back, he could hear the waves crashing against the mainland in front of him, and he felt the cold air all around him. He quieted his internal self and mellowed with each exhale. He was finally beginning to feel centered when the unexpected sound of paw steps distracted him. Not long after his native tongue tickled his kohl lined ears from a voice he’d thought he’d never hear again.

There were few good memories he held onto from his life with the Iga and if he thought about it hard enough he would realize the majority of them involved the ghost of the clan. Hikaru turned, jolted from his meditation but his expression was soft. It held none of the turmoil he’d felt before he sat down. ”My Lady” Hike bowed slightly, showing his utmost respect. Old titles didn’t matter here in Boreas but she had earned his respect and then some. ”It’s so good to see you.” He usually defaulted to the common tongue these days, but it felt good to slip into the one he was born into.