Word count: 179

The campfire flickered and danced, casting a pleasant orange glow across the bamboo grove as Hattori sat beside it, waiting. He had called for Kina and was waiting for the girl to make her way over here. The children were learning fast, but still took some time navigating their home, with its twists and turns he understood it was not so easy to move from A to B. But he expected his children to learn, as everyone else had who now called the maze home. He had been thinking how Kina reminded him of his mother, how their coats were similarly pale and soft, dappled with gentle splodges unlike the crisp edges of Hattori's markings. He often wondered what Kiyo would make of his family, those she hadn't yet met. Or why she hadn't returned. Of course, he respected her choices to live as she pleased, but he did find himself wondering when the night was still and quiet. The wind rattling the longer bamboo shoots

He turned slightly as he sat, hearing the sound of small paws approaching.

Kina

Eager to explore, Kina picked the trail opposite of the den and then proceeded to explore in her usual calculated way but only taking left turns. She went until she couldn't turn any more and as she stood, examining the dead end she'd reached she heard her father call. Ah, honestly pretty good timing. This was enough of exploring for one day. Kina knew instinctively not to push her luck, even though she was only a call away from rescue. Turning around she made her way back, this time taking only right turns until she arrived back at the den site. She grinned and pranced along, pleased with herself for finding her way back.

It was a pleasant winter day, chilly, but at least it wasn't raining anymore. Her gem pink eyes noted the flicker of flames and she followed them to see her father sitting in front of the fire. "Father? You called me?" She sat down next to him, scooting close as a few small flakes of snow began to fall from the cloudy sky. She loved to watch the snow fall when it drifted gently down out of the clouds. It danced in the slightest of breezes as if it was alive. Kina knew only winter. She couldn't imagine the wealth of lands and climates that lay beyond their seclusion in the bamboo maze.

WC:  227
Total: 406

Word count: 260
total:666

Kina made her way in time, though he governed with a firm paw he did not think he was entirely unfair. Nor did he intend to raise his children that way, this time at least. He hummed in acknowledgement as the girl approached, a sweet demeanour that would have made any other man smile. But for Hattori at least his expression was not quite so intense, the lines not so deeply etched into his face.  

"Come sit with me." He told her, speaking slowly in their native tongue, enunciating each word. She was still learning, so he was willing to offer the girl some grace. Learning two languages was certainly easier when he'd been younger, he wasn't entirely convinced he'd be able to pick up another one these days. Not that he had the desire to do so. "I thought I would tell you about where I grew up. Answer any questions you may have."

The children knew some, they weren't entirely in the dark about their heritage, but he'd noticed Kina's sharp wit and mind, thought that she would take to learning about this better than most.

"You know I am from Nihon, my Father, your Grandfather, was lord of an estate called Iga. An estate is similar to a pack, but not the same. The land belongs to the Hattori clan but others are allowed to live there too, those who serve and work at the estate. Rather than pack mates. " Was the roughest way he could explain it, without bogging it down with political and cultural jargon.

Kina

Kina settled in to listen to her father tell of the land he grew up in. She always enjoyed stories and had no qualms about sitting still to listen to one. Her father spoke in their native tongue and she focused on the words he was speaking. Hattori explained that he ws from a land called Nihon, where her grandfather was lord of an estate called Iga. She put the words he was saying to memory, noting the difference between an estate and a pack, or at least trying to. It was quite a number of big words but she did her best to follow.

Kina nodded to show that she followed so far. "Was is pretty there father? With lots of bamboo like here?" She figured her father would explain how their family ended up in Auster so she with held that question for now as her gaze turned from him to the fire. She watched it for a few moments, eyes tracing the smoke into the sky where it danced with the snow flakes before dissipating. Her focus turned back to her father as she tried to imagine what Nihon was like. Did it have four seasons like here? Was it snowing there even now?

WC:  207
Total: 873

word count: 207
total: 1080

Hattori rumbled in confirmation. "It is beautiful, though where I grew up bamboo was not native to that area. The leaves were red and orange all year round, as vivid as my coat. There were even cherry blossom petals that were the same colour as your paws,"  he noted, how soft and pink they were. A result of her albinism.

It reminded him of his Mother, her pelt had been pale and ghostly, though he didn't suppose he would ever see her again. The last they had spoken she had been getting on in years, elegant and beautiful still of course, but time waited for no one and it had been so long. She would have returned by now if she could, so he could only hope that she'd found peace wherever she was.  

He exhaled slowly, noticing the tension gathering in his shoulders.

"Your Grandmother was called Kiyo. You resemble her, though you are far more pale. In marrying my Father, she became the mistress of Iga. It is an ancient place, stood long before my kin claimed it as their own. Wooden structures and bridges over rivers, Torii gates marking pathways.  It was a hard place to describe, his words didn't do it any justice.

Kina

Kina listened and let her mind wander as she tried to imagine a place with leaves as orange and red as her father's pelt. It sounded beautiful and she wondered if there would ever be a time she could visit Nihon. If not then perhaps a similar place? She had heard stories of how wide and big the world outside of Tojo was and some day she would like to see it. Not all of it, for she very much preferred being in Tojo but she was also eager to see these foreign lands, to learn of the climates and wild life there. Perhaps, she could get her father or Aka to take her when she grew more into her frame. For now she was small and delicate, her little legs only able to take her so far. She knew one day she would grow into an elegant and strong being like her father. Patience, she would learn patience. He mentioned cherry blossoms the same color as her paws and she lifted one, turning it over to look at it. That was also something she would like to see.

Her father continued, explaining that her grandmother was called Kiyo and that Kina resembled her. Kina's list of places she wished to see now started to include people. Would she be able to meet her grandmother? There were many wolves in Tojo and having kept so close to her immediate family it would not have surprised her… well, no… a grandmother would surely have visited them by now if she was in Tojo. Kina's brow furrowed as she placed her paw back down. She focused back on her father's words as he spoke of Iga, an ancient place with wooden structures and bridges and something called Torii gates. It was all quite difficult for her to imagine. She had a rough idea of what a bridge was but what did a wooden structure look like? How about a Torii gate? She had never seen such things and so had little idea of how to properly envision them. She supposed she could ask her companions as well or the other members of Tojo if they could draw something she could visualize.

"It sounds beautiful there. One day, will we be able to visit it? Does grandmother Kiyo live there?” If that was the case then she could visit this beautiful land as well as her grandmother in one trip. Again she supposed it would be something that would have to wait til she was older but she loved to imagine the trip and what it all would be like.

WC: 437
Total: 1517