black sand, black heart

Hattori's talons dug into the black sand as he set his gaze at the horizon. At a glance this place seemed remarkably similar to Obsidian Beach, but the difference was in the details. How even the grains of sand felt different beneath his paws, rougher and course, not like the fine powder back south. And then there was the sea, the waves were choppy, furling in on themselves as the cold northern current did well to encourage him to remain on dry land. Not that he wanted to go for a swim, not at this time of year and not in these conditions.

He was content with his life in Ashen, or at least that's how he ought to feel. And yet as of late he felt a twinge beneath his skin, as though what he had just wasn't enough any more. For the longest time they'd been striving to grow and expand the Empire, and yet after everyone had left those efforts had slowed. Hattori feared they would soon become complacent and fall back into old, tempting habits. And then there was their relationship with the newly formed Fenmyre, an alliance Hattori did not approve in the least.

Things were changing and Hattori wasn't entirely sure it was all for the best.