His children were now a few days old and Sedna was recovering like a dream. The time he’d spent with them had made the man realize he didn’t want to miss a minute of it, and so he had made up his mind to return to Abaven to let Theory know he would be leaving. He’d spent the days cutting down the young bamboo on the outskirts of the maze and stacking it into piles, and also sketching out his image for what the layout should be. Bamboo was much easier to work with than planks and nails, but it would still take some time to put up. Time he didn’t have to wait, as his trip would take at least two weeks and the pups would start moving about not long after if their wriggling had anything to say about it. Sedna needed a home and he needed help, so he’d asked his cousin about who he recommended from his ranks for the task.

He was given the name of two young brothers, Usagi and Kuroo. He’d yet to meet them, but he had been told they were also from Iga. The Genji man made his way to the area in which he wanted the hut built before lifting his maw and calling for the pair.

"Speech"

Usagi made himself busy, but no means scarce in the pack. Tojo gave him and his brother many reasons to find a way to continue their original mission on this land - which he now was aware was named ‘Boreas’, and the smaller island on which they now resided ‘Auster’. He had not forgotten the reason they arrived here all the way from their homeland, and basically the only reason why Usagi would even bother to leave. Though, he couldn’t say he was too keen on living in their small village forever, either. Besides - based upon the information his mother had given him and Kuroo, how could they not find their true father, the one who’d all but forgotten the lives he’d abandoned? His ultimate goal was to find this man, and show him just what he so conveniently left behind, as if he and Roo were only as valuable as the woman with whom he’d frolicked two years before. Antlered cat and Akita lagging behind the koi wolf, Usagi weaved through the now-familiar bamboo maze with ease. He’d made sure to score every inch of this place, and had enough landmarks to not turn around and be lost. Deep in thought of some kind - clearly something unpleasant as usual, with scowled lips and cold green eyes, his gaze tracked from the ground the the sky suddenly, one ear perked, as an unfamiliar call rang out not too far away. He furrowed his brow in confusion - it didn’t have the deep baritones of his supposed distant-cousin, nor the mellow notes of Kuroo’s howl. The flop-eared male followed it nonetheless, but growled for his comlanions to come a bit closer, should there be any trouble. When he had trotted towards the strengthening scent - unfamiliar, and overpowering - his first few steps into the clearing to which he’d been called were tentative and tense. His brother was surely not too far behind, but he was still alone here..with this strange man who just happened to be koi-splotched. Just with an alabaster coat rather than charcoal, but he narrowed his chilled chartreuse gaze as he stepped closer but with plenty of distance still between them. He said nothing for a moment, taking in the larger, bulkier fanged male with a swift sweep of his eyes. Flop ear flicked slightly as he did so, then noticing the stranger also had a bobtail. Small world, huh? What were the odds of seeing another splotched, bunny tail koi wolf in his midst? Being that he did not know that this guy was his father, much less that his Kaicho knew him and recommended the brothers for this task, he soon spoke with a flat, but nonetheless questioning tone. He didn’t know him. Certainly did not trust him in this moment. "What have you called me for?" He inquired, lips tense. "I have not seen you in the Tojo-kai before." ”Speech”  ’Thought’

He spent most of his time fishing. Out by the bay with his net and his fishy friends. Okay, maybe not friends, but maybe he could befriend a bird or two. They really seemed interested in his catches as they lined up each day. Kuroo could see the hope in their eyes that he would feed them. When the fish weren't worthy of keeping, he would, but not without careful consideration. Surely, Hattori wouldn't be pleased to know he was feeding the wildlife. Caught up in the moment of towing the net in, he was caught off guard by an unfamiliar howl. The other day, their Kaicho had mentioned to both him and his brother that someone new would be needing their help. This had to be him.

Curious, the lightly splotched boy with his slightly growing vitiligo patches released the net back into the bay. Satisfied that it wouldn't tear with the current, he took off toward the bamboo maze. Having learned the notches Usagi had made in the tall stalks, he lazily wound his way through the fortress. Not quite in a hurry, he could already smell that his brother had approached first. Not surprised as the darker and grumpier half was always patrolling their home, he halted with a spray of dirt. Both pale eyes blinked rapidly as he looked from Usagi to the stranger. "Kaicho told us that someone needed help, remember?" He prattled off to his brother quickly as he stepped up beside Usagi.

Kuroo could already tell that his floppy-eared brother was suspicious and not in a fantastic mood. Not that he was ever in a good mood, but it felt more sour than normal. Turning his attention back to the stranger, he looked the larger fanged male over. Definitely from Iga, but a more ivory version of Hattori. Narrowing his gaze a moment, he brushed off the idea that this could be their father. Hattori wouldn't do that to them, would he? Their silent leader would have surely set up a proper meeting as they had discussed before. Still unsure of the circumstances, he brushed off the questions he wanted to ask. "Hattori mentioned work needed to be done. What can we help you with?" Kuroo asked carefully, his skin feeling tingly as he hoped Usagi wouldn't make a scene.

"Speech"

As expected of a member of Hattori’s pack, the first to arrive did so quickly. He was much smaller than Raijin and quite lithe, and the way one of the man’s ears flopped reminded him a bit of the puppy. The scowl, however, did not. No, that one bore a striking resemblance to his cousin and, if he didn’t know the latter better, he might have even suspected him of being one of his kiddos. He offered him a question with quite the distrusting tone, dismissing the normal formality of an introduction and getting straight to the point. He made a mental note to triple check his lineage with Tori.

A rustling and heavy breathing alerted him to the presence of another, and he turned his head to see the approach of a larger, more thickly built male. The markings across his grey pelt seemed like they verged on koi, but decided not to at the last second. Between the two, comparing their appearances and personalities at a glance, they certainly didn’t seem like brothers. But what did he know.

He offered his signature charming grin as the other sibling got to the point as well. Ah, there it was. ”Well, it seems Hattori has given you a forewarning of my call. Thank you for answering so quickly,”he began, offering a cordial bow of greeting and appreciation. ”My partner and I recently joined Tojo-Kai and welcomed a litter of pups. I have some things I need to square away with a pack up north and will be gone for a few weeks, but in the meantime I would appreciate it if you would begin construction on a hut for us. I have the blueprints with me and I’ve already cut down most of the bamboo from the younger trees on the outskirts, so all you would need to do is follow the guidelines and get as much of it set up as possible. Whatever isn’t finished when I get back I can do on my own.”

Raijin was a social man, a born diplomat, but it still felt odd to him to request something so important to a pair of strangers. It wasn’t that he didn’t think they could do it, Hanzõ never would have suggested them otherwise, but surely they had better things to do. ”Of course, I don’t ask this without a reward in mind. I know of a trader who sells quality Sake, and I’m happy to give you both a bottle for your troubles, as well as a promise to help with one good favor in the future each. I’m a man of many talents, so I assure you that this is a worthy trade,” the Koi Genji offered, sealing it with an impish wink.

Speech

Without a doubt, Usagi knew his brother would approach not far behind. No doubt he was fishing before this and had soon tracked after him at the stranger’s call. Kuroo swiftly mentioned to him how their Kaicho had asked them to perform this task beforehand, and Usagi had a flicker of recognition across his features as the conversation they’d had prior. Now that he thought about it, Hanzo did mention they’d be helping out someone he knew. "Ah, right. I must’ve forgotten," He murmured back to his brother, still glancing back at the fanged dire male in front of them. It wasn’t a lie, either - between the miles of bamboo he trekked through and patrolled, focus on maintaining clear markers in the identical labyrinth didn’t always leave much thought for anything else - even this favor they were tasked to perform. He could feel Kuroo’s faint ebb of worry on his features, hoping Usagi wouldn’t make a big fuss or let his temper flare at this man they both vaguely suspected was..no..couldn’t be their father. Like Roo’s train of thought, Usagi surely didn’t consider Hanzo to be a man to randomly set up a meeting with their true father without prior warning. That wasn’t like him. Yet, he had the appearance of an Iga man, with the crimson and black splotches of a koi herotage to match. And that damn bob tail too..it was close. It was then the large brute began to speak, even offering a polite bow to the duo as he did so. Usagi quirked a brow briefly at the respectful greeting, nonetheless returning to a neutral, scowling expression. He then explained that he and his mate had a litter of pups and required the brothers’ help in constructing a den from some chopped young bamboo. He gave no indication of enthusiasm or excitement, rather a restrained aura maintained on his form. It made sense to buuld a hut for young pups, so as to keep them sheltered and in one place. A baby stranded in an endless sea of bamboo would be, no doubt, a disaster. Younger bamboo trees were easier to cut and manipulate as well, so it made sense to build a hut with them, too. The kicker was the jovial man’s offer for their hard work, should they finish it close to, if not at its completion. He said nothing, offered nothing at the mention of sake. He didn’t much care for the stuff himself, he wasn’t sure if Kuroo enjoyed it much, either - the drink wasn’t even around in this place, so accessing it was near impossible. It wasn’t until the man mentioned one good favor that it piqued his interest. He and Kuroo most assuredly needed closure on who their true father was, and though something deep inside felt this fanged man was something more than just a guy hiring the brothers for their work, he decided to hold off. Just for now. He wouldn’t make a scene, so Roo could be relieved in that sense. He hummed in acknowledgement of the male’s task and his rewards for them. "I don’t drink, really," He said, forcing the tension in his slender but bulked shoulders to loosen a little, "But I’ll hold you to that good favor you mention." He so desperately wanted to spill it all. Desperately wanted to yell at this man and ask if he was who he suspected - their true father. Opening another can of worms in their adventure - what was another can to open, of course? He was barely keeping himself from blurting it out, steely gaze pointed upon the Genji man. ”Speech”  ’Thought’

There was a tense moment when the three of them were all assessing each other. It was if the future was suspended on a tightrope and at any moment, would fall to the ground and shatter around them. Was this their long-lost father? Would the man introduce himself as the Genji Raijin they had been so desperately looking for? Were they even ready for that meeting? Something in his stomach knotted up. Kuroo hoped life would stay on that tightrope just a bit longer. Even as the man thanked them for answering, Kuroo was unsure.

His skin pulled tight over his face for a brief second as the dire man bowed to them. One eye always slightly on his powder keg of a brother. Yet, this stranger seemed alright and as he spoke of a partner and pups, Kuroo began to relax. Sitting his rump down, he relaxed his shoulder against Usagi and flashed the man a bright smile. Though as he looked at the man more, he wondered if this surely was their father, how would they be okay with him siring more pups? No, surely not their father. Impossible, really. He continued to try and brush the thoughts away with a comment.

"I do like pups. Glad to help make sure they stay safe," his medium baritone is a pleasant sound as he nods toward his brother for agreement. He didn't take Usagi as a fatherly type, but they were in debt to Hattori so a hut they would build. With his thoughts distracted, his ear tilted at the word Sake. Indeed, that was something he hadn't truly indulged in before, but a taste of home sounded nice right about now. Trying to silently sort through his feelings, Kuroo was surprised his face didn't twist into a grimace. He wasn't really good at hiding feelings.

Like Usagi, it was the favor that interested him more. If this man was also from Iga, and miraculously not their father, he must surely know where their father was. "I won't turn down a good bottle of Sake, but the favor is more appetizing," Kuroo's lips turn back up into a smile as he was glad his brother had been able to hold himself back during the interaction. "I'm sure you have a lot of traveling ahead of you before your missus gives birth. Any last notes about your hut before you take off?" The boy tilted his head as he kept his shoulder pressed against his brother. They would save the belligerent shouting and their hot mess of feelings for later when the man returned.

"Speech"

The dark man with the floppy ear seemed like he was holding in a big poop the entire exchange. His chartreuse eyes hardly ever left Raijin, narrowed into slits with a glint that spoke of suspicion and questions. He fought the urge to put him in a playful headlock to loosen him up, but he suspected it would evoke quite the opposite intended response. The other brother, however, was much more pleasant. He had a similar air of suspicion about him upon the initial greeting, but as Raijin spoke he could see him loosening up. He even offered a smile toward the end as both conceded to an agreement that they would help in the build. The koi man felt a weight lift from his shoulders, and his nub of a tail gave a small, satisfied wiggle.

”If there’s something else you have a liking for, let me know and I can see if the trader has it in stock,” he offered first to grumpy man. ”I thank you both, you don’t know how much I appreciate it,” he said secondly, offering another bow in gratitude. Then, he moved to pick up the blueprint he’d drawn up from the ground nearby and set it between the trio so they’d have a clear view. Currently, they were at one of the dead ends of the maze. It was a good location, out of the way and not needed for anything in particular. He’d been given permission to take up as much space as needed on their little lot, and with 6 new bodies he intended to do just that.

”We’ve been blessed, or cursed…I haven’t quite decided yet, with 6 tiny terrors, so it won’t be small. I intend for the front of the hut to start several feet more toward the maze itself, roughly here,” the man instructed, pacing several feet away and drawing a line in the soil with his paw. Between his spot and the back of the dead end there were several hundred yards. ”Sedna, my partner, is a healer, so first and foremost there will be a room for storage and seeing patients toward the front. Perhaps around here,” he paced a few feet to the right and drew a sizable square to indicate a room. ”It will join to the sitting area, where we can enjoy meals and have guests over,” a few feet to the left, he drew another large square. ”In the back of the sitting room, there will be a doorway leading down a long hall, where several rooms will be littered. Approximately 7,” he assumed the men could do the simple math. He did general outlines for the hallway and the rooms to the back of the maze before turning around. ”Simple but effective, I think. Do you have any questions or concerns?” He was always open to constructive criticism, especially if there was anything that could help.

Speech

Usagi didn’t take his harsh glare off this suspicious man, and it was clear it was beginning to give off some kind of effect on how he was being perceived. Normally, someone would act like Kuroo - perhaps a bit stiff in mannerisms at first, but quick to loosen up to further conversation. Not the flop-eared male. He wasn’t quick to warm up and even less quick to engage in conversation more than absolutely needed. It would take more than promises to get him to even begin trusting this fanged koi. His thank you was met with a soft nod in acknowledgement, but nothing more. He watched as the man drew out plans in the dirt, pacing about to explain what was needed and what he asked for. Usagi didn’t realize he was asking for all those rooms nd entrances - a hut was well, a hut, right? A simple one-roomed den of sorts? Well, not that he knew anything about planning or architectural design, much less have any idea what that was. He’d build the damn thing, anyways, seeing as how their Kaicho asked them to help. He knew Kuroo would likely accept as well, given they were both set to the job. He didn’t complain - that didn’t suit him. He was fine just watching, and still expressionless yet steely as ever, nodded in acknowledgement of his plan. Not like they had much choice in the matter. "Makes sense to me. I don’t have any questions, myself," He said simply, shifting on his feet slightly as he glanced at his piebald brother. Maybe he had something to say about the rather elaborate hut - or not. Either way, they’d do it. ”Speech”  ’Thought’

Kuroo's ears perked at the mention of anything else that might suit their fancy. A thought came to mind that made his own tail wag across the dirt. "Actually, yes. If this trader of yours has any spices, from Iga or any that would be good for fish, I would appreciate that more than Sake," his smile curled higher. Man, what he would give to have a taste of home. Just one little pinch to help ease the ache in his heart. Feeling hopeful, Kuroo starts to wonder if he and his brother will actually enjoy the man's company once he returns. He appeared kind enough and rather intelligent, something about the man reminded him of himself.

Even as the larger dire paced around the clearing to dictate multiple rooms for the structure, Kuroo's head tilted. This wolf really reminds me of myself, but this is definitely more than a hut. His eyes narrowed slightly and began to wonder if Hattori had a secret reason behind all of this. Possibly behind that mysterious and stony facade, there was more mischief that the brothers hadn't expected. Or their Kaicho didn't really care and wanted the whole ordeal to be over with. So, was this their father? This man with his splotchy coat and nubbed tail who was smooth as silk and personable? The question itched at the back of his tongue when the dire turned to ask if they had anything else to say.

"Well, I wouldn't really call this a hut, but with two weeks, it shouldn't be a problem," Kuroo mentioned as he glanced around the roughly drawn-out lines of where the rooms would lie. Unglueing himself from Usagi's side to get closer to the blueprints on the ground between them, he looked at them with a nod. If he and Usagi could make that net out in the harbor, this shouldn't be more challenging. Looking back up to the charming wolf, Kuroo smiled. "Kaicho must really like you to willingly give you all this space," he spoke with uncertainty. It wasn't jealousy, he was happy to share quarters with his brother. The warmth and comfort they provided for each other were more than enough. Should he ask? They didn't even know his name. Why was that not something Hattori had mentioned prior to giving them instructions? Was it meant to be a secret? He itched to ask, but the anticipation of possibilities made his stomach churn.

Smiling up at the dire man, he came to his decision. "Nope, no questions at all sir. Leave it to us and you shall return to a beautiful home," his tail wagged a few more times as he returned to Usagi's side. "If we have questions while you're away, I'm sure Sedna-san will be able to answer," Kuroo confirmed his own statement with a nod. Maybe it was best he left his undying wonders for later. No sense in ruining the wonderful birth of the man's pups with news that none of them might enjoy.

"Speech"