Country road, take me home

Hattori found that these days strangers were far more likely to outright intrude than stand at the border and call out for an audience. Most polite visitors seemed to flock to the Bay, something about the open space drew them in, evened the playing ground as to not be faced by a fortress of trees. And yet he recognised the call, the soft pitch of her voice marked it as one wolf in his mind, familiar and yet so distant. Gone for too long. He knew she would have her opinions, likely presume there was too much of his Father in him, but no one would understand no matter how he tried to put it. He felt no desire to try and explain himself or validate his actions, what was done was done. It was time to move on.

Emerging from beneath the shadows of the bamboo, he was quick to note his Mother had company. A cripple of a man, grey along the muzzle and well past his best years. She looked different too, pink around the face yet same enough to be his mother, for now and forever.

"Mother." He greeted her with the same respect as he always had, dipped his head lower than he had in seasons. And then to the matter at paw, never beating around the bush, straight to the juglar. "Who is this?"