Withering winter, sudden spring

There was a time and a place for everything. His loyalty to the bamboo lured him from the northern reaches of Boreas back home. While he wished to stay, mingle with the others, learn and absorb all that he could, there was that incessant feeling beneath his skin that he needed to return. Check on the pack, check in with Hattori, be informed. For safety and ease of transport, he moved through the Oaks to avoid the barren wasteland of the Dragon's Blood trees.

The familiarity of the trees was comforting. Soft, spongy moss beneath his paws. Rotting logs easily leapt over. A quiet burble of a nearby stream as young gooselings squawked and honked as they learned to swim. Rodents, big and small, scurried along the shadows, beady eyes peering at him. At his side, his Akita kept paced and in the sky, his raven soared ahead. More eyes meant more visibility. Nothing got passed him. Not even the movement of his adopted brother, Takeji. The boy was young, inexperienced. Perhaps he would want a lesson?

Changing his path without a second thought, Akito approached on swift, agile paws. Slowing as he neared, maintaining his clouded grey gaze upon the koi-patterned wolf. "Takeji," he rumbled in greeting, allowing his expression to speak for itself. The question that lay beneath the name.