Time gone past

Boy, it had been a while since Raijin had set foot in these lands. Almost exactly a year, to be precise. His little foray back to Ashen had taken him much longer than he’d intended. The journey from Boreas there took almost 2 full months, seeing as he had to stop and get directions. Normally he wasn’t directionally challenged, but he hadn’t exactly been the picture of health during his first arrival, he hardly remembered anything. The trip back had only taken a month and a half now that he knew where he was going, but everything in between had been gathering intelligence and uncovering a secret that had shaken him to his core.

He had two nieces.

It had been the last thing he’d expected to hear, considering his twin’s tragic death, and at first he hadn’t known what to do. Eventually, he’d sought them out and boy were they a pair, but there were little things about their mannerisms and their appearances that assured him that they were indeed of his blood. He’d invited them back to Boreas with him, but both had opted to stay back. They’d been assured they were always welcome and given a detailed map of how to get to Boreas and to Ashen, certainly a dangerous thing to do but for family, he’d do anything. It had been sad leaving them, but to know that there were still pieces of Takemikazuchi in the world brought him peace.

Now, as he looked around the Stone Steppe, he was reminded of his arrival, when he’d first come across Hattori again after thinking him dead. His golden gaze was soft with remembrance, a chuckle escaping his lips as he thought about their quarrel and how cold his cousin was. He wondered how he and Venom’s kids were, if Ashen was well. He’d find out in a few short days, but for the time being he was tired and sore from travel. His antlered fox companion poured him a cup of hot sencha tea that had been steeping over the fire they’d build. He blew on it and raised the stone cup to his mouth, clutched between both paws, and took a sip. A rumbling sigh came from him, it was good to be back.