Mission Howling for a conflict (A rank)

[Chigokai Yuna]

Snow was lightly falling on the mountain range of the Spine of the World. Anywhere else, it would have been just cold enough for it to be just below the freezing point. But here in the mountain ranges, one would have to be covered from head to toe in layers to stay warm. Unfortunately for ninjas, too much layers can hinder their movements.

A single wolf would sniff around and its pack would catch up to it and they would rush off into the distance, avoiding something. Or rather, a group of people. Yuna was in her usual Anbu gear, fit with a coat that would both keep her warm along with not get in the way if she ends up fighting. Her blank white mask nearly would camouflage in with the snowy mountain. Her and her group that will partake in the mission have already passed the Gates and rendezvous with the first Anbu group and making their way up to the area where the known attack had taken place.

Yuna herself had prepared herself meticulously for this mission after she had left the office. Her own weapons is her blood and bone, so she already had those with her at all times. Her armor though, she made sure to wear it and tighten it to just a tad bit tighter than snug and had a quick meal. While she ate at Sileo Tempestas, she pored over files that could connect to the mission at hand. Looking back over the mission that Hon had went on with a couple of Main branch ninja along with files on all the other people that will be accompanying her on the mission. Most she has met before today, but Daigo is still an unknown to her. He was promoted a little while ago by Kazan, so she trusts that the young man knows a thing or two.

She just finished her food when an agent had come to her office to remind her an hour prior so that she could make her way to the Gates. Much after that was just meeting up with everyone and then heading out. The

Anbu agents would be in a formation around them as they made their way to their target destination. For this mission, she had also summoned a contract that she had in mind. Whilst he was annoying, Swimm Shady was the best one suited for this mission. Just imagine this. An eighteen-inch-long koi fish wearing sunglasses flip flopping and keeping up with ninja and anbu all the while rapping.

Yuna swears by Raiden if she hears "Can the real Swimm Shady please swim up" one more time.... She sighed underneath her mask. The main thing the fish has going for it is that it is an amazing support along with the ability to change other jutsus to water which could prove useful. She thought about summoning Noa, however she is best used for only supporting Yuna. And forget Jormungandr, he is too big and could very well just be in the way. Swimm Shady is the best Yuna has for this mission.

Her comms hummed to life as one of the other anbu groups in a different position on the mountain checked on her. Her right hand reached up and tapped the headset, "Copy, we haven't reached any issues yet. Keep up with the random interval check ins with the other groups as well."

With that she would stop and listen to the area around them. Out in the mountain ranges, the powers of a Chigokai, the listening for blood flows, really comes in handy. In the Village not just is there so many people around, but also different background noises that one would have to try and separate if they are trying to truly listen to a specific sound. But out here in the crisp cold air, the only interruptions that Yuna would hear are from normal wildlife. Of course, she was well aware of everyone else around her, being able to hear their blood flows as well. This power isn't an off and on feature, and she can't selectively listen to some blood flows and not others. It's just that if it is in range for her to hear, she will be able to pick up on their general location. She slowed her own breath to be almost nonexistent as she listened. The Anbu Sennin would definitely be able to pick up something. It....

She would raise a hand and then put a finger over where her lips would be, since she is wearing her mask. And whilst Swimm Shady loves to rap, once he seen her do that gesture, he stopped. Yuna would take the lead and walk quietly as she would climb up and see a grisly sight. Many people were dead. She scanned over their bodies, not really bothering to check if any are alive, her hearing of blood is enough to tell that. A dead person's blood sounds different since it doesn't flow like that of the living, many times it doesn't flow at all, but has a rather distinct sound that she can't put a finger on but can just tell. What she was scanning their bodies for were mainly signs of how they died. Some had been killed by weapons. While others were ripped apart. Many wore civilian or merchant clothing, while a small number wore clothing that would signify that they were part of a militia. And most damning of evidence of a fight had broken out was that there were several bodies of Lycans.

Her eyes flicked from one body to another until they rested on something approaching. It was probably due to his wounds being exposed to the elements and cold that made it hard for her to hear him coming. He had a nasty gash of three claws that seemed to have torn through his clothes and cut deep into his flesh. He put his hands up, and everyone would be able to see that his right hand is frailer than the other, as if it had aged a couple of decades faster than the rest of his body. "I think we both want the same here. And if you lot act cordial, I am willing to comply."

(welcome to your A rank mission have fun)
(small edit for grammar mistakes)

 

[Ryuu Nozomi]

She was early, that had been intentional.

Nozomi watched as the rest of the party joined in their fur coats and combat gear. She had tucked her hair deeply into an Inuit-style coat. It was colored slate blue, ivory white, and a chalk grey. All colors that would naturally blend into the mountainous terrain. The crew began their journey and Nozomi found comfort walking beside Rei as they made their way to the Spine of the World.

Snow crunched softly beneath Nozomi’s boots as the group crested the last rise before the rendezvous point. The mountain loomed around her in jagged silhouettes of black stone half-buried under layers of white. Snow fell lightly, lazily even, the kind that looked harmless until it soaked through cloth and leeched heat away from the source slowly. The wind here didn’t howl or cry, instead it whispered. It came calmly through ravines and over ledges with a patient, predatory persistence that promised continuation. It was a calm that was constantly broken by the 'singing' of this darn fish, if you could even call it singing at all.

Nozomi adjusted the scarf at her neck and rolled her shoulders once, settling the weight of her pack.

She had dressed for motion with reinforced shinobi layers that are flexible at the joints yet insulated enough to stave off numbness from the cold. She wore no excess armor or loose fabric. Clay satchels sat balanced evenly at her hips where her fingers brushed briefly over the familiar contours of her equipment just to ensure everything had come along with her for the journey. She had kunai, wire, and prepared clay charges that were stored in an inert state.

With everything accounted for she exhaled slowly, letting the breath fog and fade. It was in this moment, walking besides her fellow shinobi that she had to remind herself,

'This is not just theory anymore, this is not training.'

As they crested the hill she crouched near a snow covered rock outcropping and waited for anyone who was still trailing. From this vantage, she could see the narrow passes of approach between ridges and a steep descent that funneled movement into predictable lines. Tracks were everywhere if you knew how to look past the snowfall.

She began to note a broken crust with disturbed powder and the faint marks of something heavy being dragged downhill. Then, a more obvious tell, blood. She couldn’t hear it the way Abyss could, but she could see it. Stains that looked like rust barely buried beneath fresh snow. It was frozen nearly solid where it had splashed and smeared.

She took note of claw marks that had been gouged into exposed stone, splintered wood from shattered crates, and signs of a fight that had not been clean or quick. All three of Nozomi's jaws tightened as she came to the realization that Lycans had been here. As the group moved forward, the scent of blood grew stronger. Even in the cold there was a metallic taste in the air that felt wrong in comparison to the crisp taste previously.

Her eyes naturally locked in place ahead as she mentally catalogued the horror of what they were witnessing. She took time to Snapshot this memory, so that she may never forget this moment or the events to come. There were civilians, and a handful of militia mixed in, their weapons freezing over now as they were useless in defiance of the assault. There were even a few fallen shapes that resembled the description of Lycans with twisted limbs and blood-matted fur.

Nozomi slowed her movement and attempted to capture the full scene. Her eyes flicking to the periphery of her vision which allowed her to see him...

The figure approaching moved as if he was injured and snow crunched in an uneven fashion beneath his feet. She felt something 'Off' about his presence but couldn't put her finger on it. Nozomi wanted to speak, but thought better of it. One of the leaders of this mission would be best suited to confront the stranger, and so she would remain silent.

Her eyes would narrow naturally in suspicion and her stance shifted without thinking too hard about it. Her hands sat free around her sides towards the edge of her pouch where clay sat inert, but ready. She would glance to Rei for confirmation without words about the suspicion rising from her inner thoughts.

'He survived when trained militia died.'
'He approached rather then flee.'
'He is wounded but speaking as if he has the upper hand.'

She wasn't sure what to make of this interesting predicament. At the very least, she mentally classified him as 'Dangerous.'

[I'd like to cast Snapshot - C Rank - Mastered]

 

[Ryuu Rei]

Rei was early, and that had not been intentional.

Dressed in her usual, the Sennin seemed something like a sore-thumb compared to the others clothed in heavier garments. Save from choosing to wear more white than usual, the medical professional seemed over-exposed for the heights they explored. Yet the only thing seeming to ail the woman was a lingering weariness that seemed to haunt her always. Even as the cold rushed against her hair, blowing the green strands all over the place it did little to even cause a shiver. Her chakra coil was working a gentle cycle of moving heat to every inch of her body in a small steady focus; low enough, Rei hoped, to avoid the notice of either curse.

Yet laying in the depths of her eyes was a dull shadow to her normally sparkling ruby irises. The sudden promotion to Medical Sennin, having to quickly spend an hour restructuring the office and staff enough for the missions, and the remaining hour spent with her lover seemed all too fast to settle. The latter was what really tugged on her heart. She had meant to spend the entire three-hours of preparations with Shiro in their entirety. The Ryuu leader didn’t need to prep anything more than the serum used to keep her wolf at bay. So long as there was death and destruction to feed from, and with Lycans there always was, she would be more than prepared; she’d have an advantage. Despite this, time had been stolen from her again. Instead of spending what little time they had in embrace, they argued the importance of her being on this mission before a proper cure had been made.

The weariness in her eyes reflected Shiro winning most of the arguments.

But, she was a Sennin again. Which meant putting more than just a foot forward. Nozomi was the one delight in this mission now, as Rei tried to ignore the stinging truths laid bare by her lover to focus on a precious pupil; even as the damn fish tried to ruin even that. The teacher was proud to have such a promising student at her disposal once more. Passing on her techniques, her legacy, was something not considered by the woman before in her short-lifetime, but, a three-year coma can change a gal. Within the little blond child, she saw a chance for the Ryuu to change and a leader that could facilitate that. It also, to some shame, gave her a chance to study the curse in a way she hadn’t had the opportunity to do. Even her own adopted child had been afflicted with the curse before, she had done so. How much push would it take? Would it be fast? Would it be devastating? The possibilities seemed endless, and the knowledge produced tantalizing…

…even if it was at the cost of a child’s sanity.

Movement from Yuna ahead cut Rei’s thoughts to a immediate stop. The scent of death and blood wafted across her senses before she moved forward to crest the hill and take in the sights. Against her better judgement, the sennin nudged Nozomi and reminded her one more time,
“This is not just theory anymore, this is not training.”

As they peered over into the carnage, the mentor and pupil had different reactions. A pool of saliva began to well in Rei’s mouth, causing her to swallow hard as the smell of freshly rending flesh slammed into her senses. Her knuckles tightened with a quickened heartbeat as the wolf inside began to wake up. More than just death, another scent wafted over the rest: power. Virility. Something commanding and respected had been nearby or a part of the carnage though, if it had been the creature they sought or not was left up to debate. It stirred something uncomfortable inside of the Sennin as a film of sweat began to cover the flesh beneath her clothing. She wanted to rip it away and bathe in the destruction before her.

Instead, she crouched down and touched her gloved hand to the snow. Invisible traces of energy began slowly slither towards her from the corpses as she fed off the chaos of battle. Her color paled, but that was a good sign. The sheen of sweat relented, and her own unknowingly locked jaw loosened. It was like she had just tossed an arm to the feral beast within, and felt a hunger receding. The scent of a fresh wound, still bleeding, nearly broke the small peace she had afforded when the wounded man casually walked towards their group.

Unmistakably, Rei noticed the air of power surrounding him. There was no hesitation in his form, no fear of the shinobi he stood before despite the severity of his wounds. She shot a look to Nozomi to see her questioning features. Her left hand gestured at Yuna, suggestion she follow the ANBU sennin’s orders here; as for now she would exert her moment of command.
Carefully, Rei took some control of the situation for Kumogakure to the stranger’s presence. With a hand gently held out over the snow she called forth a small tree to rise, thicken, and then grow itself into a natural chair.
“I have no doubt, but before either side can decide what is cordial or not, the rules of war state no one be this severely wounded on either side before committing to parlay. Come sit, I will at least stop the bleeding; if our wills align, I’ll even regrow your flesh.”

 

[Tamashi Seto]

The wind howled through the dense forest, rustling leaves littered throughout the ground. He could hear small animals scurrying about, some for cover, others fled, for reasons he didn't know, but he had a fair guess , given what he had found earlier. Sitting atop his perch, high into the tree's on one knee, he remained motionless, his crimson eyes doing their magic as he kept himself on overwatch, scanning the tree line & ground alike for anymore surprises. His focused remained sharp, his mindset changed. No longer was he the Tamashi Clan's heir, but a cold blooded killer, ready to move at a moment's notice.

Having arrived earlier then everyone else since he was already ready for battle, a fact known by everyone that knew him. To always be prepared, even during peacetime. The only difference today, was that he had donned a ANBU mask to cover his facial features, even though, in reality, he knew anyone with any real intelligence would be able to easily identity him due to his armor. Due to it being a spare of his eldest sister's mask, he hoped it would at least, perhaps, cause some confusion or fear, even if the Kitsune inspired mask lacked it's iconic purple paint scheme, only sharing it's crimson stripes with it's progenitor, the spare being porcelain white. Regardless, It have to do since he didn't have time to fashion his own.

In his waiting, his thoughts drifted to his apprentice, then to others, hoping nothing had occurred to them. After finding those civilians, mostly innocents no doubt, his blood boiled briefly, his warrior blood urging him forward, to hunt down and slaughter the murderers, the rest of those dam mutant freaks. He closed his eyes momentarily and sighed in an attempt to stay focused. As much as he wanted to do what his honor dictated him to do, he suppressed those urges, for right now, he was on duty, a duty that required him to think logically, and be fast on his feet. After all, the last time he allowed himself to be ran by his emotions, he ended up a broken mess, only to be siezed and captured like some toy to be played with. He shook his head slightly in annoyance, wiping the thoughts from his heard.

As he stood on guard, like a post, a flicker of movement his attention, then several. Tilting his head in their direction, three figures had emerged, the one being the academy student that taken a likening to him and of course Lady Rei and Lady Yuna....Well he thought those things, but he had sensed Yuna's presence ago several minutes ago, no doubt inspecting the fallen bodies of the innocent and the Lycans. A moment had crossed his mind to make his presence known, but knowing her, given her ancestral abilities, more likely then not, she already knew of his presence. He was sure once everyone had gathered and was ready to begin, she would call out for him, or in usual Yuna fashion, as all his interactions with her, suddenly show up either behind or in front of him. Lady Rei and Lady Yuna would could work on the details for now as they waited. He needed to remain in position for any potential threats.

Moments later, his eyes of hatred still active, he could sense the presence of another, one he couldn't recognize. His head instantly snapped in it's direction, his hand resting on the hilt of Masamune, ready to move at any time, but then he could see it drawing close to the two Sennin. His hand faltered, but only slightly. He couldn't gauge the stranger's prowess, but surely two Sennin could handle it? After a few seconds, his attention turned back to his self given overwatch duty, his armor plating clinking soft in place with each gust of wind, the muffling sound of his thick fabric, battle worn haori equally affected by the gust of wind.​

 

[Sato Daigo]

Daigo feared he was running late as he moved swiftly through the forest, his steps light and deliberate, barely shifting the snow underneath his feet. Every fiber of his being urged him to move forward and to let his comrades wait for him. He cursed the time he had wasted agonizing over which notebook or notebook to bring—excitement had made even simple decisions impossible. After all, this was his first official mission beyond the academy walls.

The grin threatening to give him away was hidden beneath a heavy orange-and-black striped scarf wrapped snugly around his neck.

Then the scent hit him.

Daigo stopped. He looked down and felt the sharp, coppery stench of death clawed at his senses. He viewed his surroundings to see a river of corpses littering the white snow. He edged closer, curiosity tightening his gaze, made out elongated snouts jutting from lifeless faces, their glassy eyes staring into nothing.

Lycans in the flesh.

Daigo was tempted to take a sample of the creatures blood and fur for himself but he was not sure if they were actually dead despite their lifeless gaze. He couldn't risk getting his arm bitten off because he couldn't identify a dog playing dead. He continued to survey the area and noticed how terrible the situation really was. There were not just Lycan but human civilians in the midst of the bodies. How long ago was this battle? Could they have done anything to prevent it?

Daigo shook his head. He had to focus. At least they could try to save as many lives as possible. His gaze fell on his comrades, all of them fixed on a single figure. He stood farther back, unable to make out the details until the figure stepped fully into view.

It was a man clad in what appeared to be royal military armor. Glimmering tassels and embroidered emblems adorned his robe, marred by three deep claw marks—the same marks carved into the dead they had passed.

"Curious.

He noticed his young genin comrade steady his hand against his sheath. Daigo's sennin took control as she summoned a tree and retrofitted it into a chair.

Daigo scanned his surroundings, his eyes darting for any sign of potential assailants. If the man was an enemy, it would be strange for him to appear unarmed.

[Marked for Training]
[Attempts to use Situational Awareness (CA - Quick Learning) to check if there any one around]

 

[Chigokai Yuna]

Yuna's perspective​

A few hours ago, the group was ready, all with the exception of Santaru Sayomi. Yuna had let out a sigh and decided to leave one of her Anbu agents here in case Sayomi was running late or just then decided to join the group. Whilst on the way up the mountain, she turned her attention to Tamashi Seto. "With the compromise of Sayomi not being here, you will be acting as support for the group as a whole. Using your sharingan to search for every minute detail and you will need to act accordingly wherever you see fit, wherever the struggle for the group is, that is where you will come in and help. I know this is last minute but we just need to compromise as we go."

Back to the present time, Yuna would let Rei take point for right now. Part of her was happy that Rei was here. If not, Yuna herself might have killed the man where he stood. She has read the reports enough to piece together that this man is part of the ex-revolutionists. She may have been out of the country when the attack on Cloud ninja happened but her hate for all these people is strong for she had lost her father. Again, she shown no emotion, something that she has learned to push deep down to not let it cloud her judgement during missions. Instead, she would wait for the man to react to what Rei had offered.

Uchiha Genshin's perspective
​

The man was surprised to say the least. He genuinely never expected hospitality from the Cloud ninja. He studied the other ninja. Two out of the group had powerful auras to include one of the many masked people. There was a young man and.... A child....

He took a seat on the tree chair that the green haired woman made and then said, "Thanks..." He would let Rei do her work and he would speak as she does, "Me and the company I was with were protecting that caravan of merchants. We had heard word of Lycan movements and the merchants were adamant of needing to cross here in order to get to a nearby town..." He looked over at the carnage, "We train our own when they feel like they are ready. Our goals changed to helping all the non-chakra people. But...." He let out a sigh, "I was the only one that had enough fighting experience to handle these beasts. There were some mutated Lycans, more than when I had helped that one masked man and that girl he was with." If anyone were to look over at the current dead lycans, there were the mostly all the ones that were humanoid, with the exception of one body that was far larger and more beast than humanoid. If anyone were to take a closer look at it, they would be able to see barely recognizable human features, the most telling are the eyes, though lifeless.

Genshin would look at Nozomi and say, "I see that you ninja still train them young. Tell me little girl, do you think you have what it takes to handle what will await you if you continue down this path?"

Yuna's perspective
​

Yuna stood by as the man would speak. What he was saying coincides with what they knew. Lycans had attacked the caravan, and the ex-revolutionist military group tried to defend them only to lose everyone. Except this man. Looking over at the mutated lycan, it had similarities to the one that Hon and one of Rei's pupils had fought a while ago. So... It's not an isolated incident. With what the man was saying, they'll probably face more when they do find wherever this nest of Lycans are.

She had stayed quiet, until the man addressed Nozomi directly. She would step in between them, blocking his line of sight of her, "You will only address either me or Ryuu Rei." She would gesture to Rei as she said plainly, "Now, can we have your name? It would be better for us to know what to call you instead of saying hey you. If we are to work together."

The man hesitated, studying her for a moment before saying, "My name is Uchiha Genshin."

Yuna relaxed only a little bit as she then asked her next question, "If you are alive and in fact had come back to this place, is it safe to assume that you were tracking these Lycans?" Yes, she remembered that he was in fact making his way back here, to this area. What was he planning on doing once he was back here was unknown to her until he says.

Uchiha Genshin's perspective
​

He figured that one of the two extremely powerful ninja would stop him from interacting with the other less experienced ninja. After giving his name, the masked one, sounds like a female that has a lot of authority, had come to the conclusion that he was tracking the Lycans. In which case, yes he was. "Yes. I retreated once I knew that I was the last survivor." He hated the thought of it. But he fought his hardest until he was aware that he was the last human on the mountain fighting these things. Once he realized that, he knew his only option was to run and hide. Once he was sure that he lost them, he had tracked their movements, tracks in the snow, and headed back here, where he figured that Cloud ninja would catch wind of the Lycan movement as well. "They are in some abandoned mines about an hour north of here. I know that some of you may have reservations working with someone like me but I ask to come with. I want these things to pay for killing the civilians and my brothers and sisters in arms." He wasn't an idiot. He was sure that some of them were old enough to know of what had happened some years ago.

Daigo awareness
​

As Daigo looked around for any potential threats, he would notice that all the Lycans are in fact dead. The mutant Lycan body was mere feet away from him with a silver spear stuck deep in its neck. He would see that there were several other wounds on the creature from kunai and shuriken all around its body to puncture holes, presumably from the spear that is now in its neck. He would see a lifeless person that was beneath the monster that still gripped the spear.

(Edit to add in Daigo awareness, since he did basically do a check)

 

[Tamashi Seto]

Remaining in position above the group, keeping his focused on his self imposed assignment, the forest remained eerily silent save for the occasional rustle of leaves being blown away through the towering tree's, and of course the conversation happening below him. His crimson eyes never wavered from his vigilant eyes scanning their immediate position, his Sharingan absorbing every minute detail possible, the way a branch swayed unnaturally, the faintest of disturbances, the scurrying of small animals, to one of their own making a print in the ground. As long as he looked in that direction, no disturbance in the undergrowth could escape his sight, every anomaly registering in his mind like a moth to walling fire. His focus however, waned, or, better, was redirected at the mention of "Uchiha". His head snapped over his shoulder, looking down, pass the branches, his vision pouring down at the group, before they found their target, this self proclaimed Uchiha Genshin, a man bearing his cursed bloodline, yet of different dynasties, bearing the surname of the progenitors. For a moment, he felt something, perhaps uncertainty or something akin to danger. He did not know, and that only further confirmed that this man, the one baring the same cursed blood as his, could be a threat. Under different circumstances, he would have already engaged, and either subdued the man through less then honorable mean, or eliminate him, but he lamented with a faint sight. The man was surrounded by two Sennin and two others that could back them if the situation turned south, so he quickly judged that restraint was the wiser path for now, to continue what he was doing.

In the continuation of his overwatch duty however, he felt a twinge of irritation eat at him as his mind briefly turned to Lady Satomi's absence. He had hoped to work with her in the hopes of preventing casaulties, but she was nowhere to be seen. He couldn't help but release a disappointing sigh on the inside. He didn't know her very much at all, having only shared a few words with her, but he felt something from her that made her different from the other women he had met in Kumogakure, something sadder underneath her heiress facade, but what, he couldn't put his finger on it. Regardless of his curosity over his absent partner, her healing prowess were crucial for any prolonged engagements, and without her, he wasn't sure he could burden the load of being a healer and a towering wall for his allies. He was capable sure, having healed himself numerous times from training and deadly encounters but this? This would be a challenge, especially since he wasn't as capable as Lady Satomi. He had never been a medical nin, and frankly, had no desire to be so. His warrior blood would refuse it. His crimson gaze flickered briefly back down to the Sennin below, one out of place as usual, while the other stood like a weapon ready to attack at any moment despite being at ease, her mask adding to the intimidation factor. Despite his own feelings on the matter, he knew the two registered the same presence as him, sharing it with equal wariness.

With careful movement from his right hand, the sound barely, If any, was audible as he drew Masamune free, one of three blades he had crafted from a daiyoukai's fang, the very same one that had transformed him into what he was now. With every millimeter drawn from it's resting place on his back, his breathing remained completely calm, perfectly even as he inhaled through the nose, moments passing before the massive odachi was at his side, ready to be unleashed. His grip on the odachi's black tsuka tightened, brutally so, as his mind continued to run calculations, distance to Genshin, rough estimate of the reaction times of the Sannins, possible escape vectors for the Uchiha, reaction times for surprise attacks, no matter the angle, the math was unforgiving: any confrontation here would be worrisome at the least If not prepared. The absence of immediate danger registered as its own kind of warning. No birdsong cessation, no displacement of airborne pollen—just the mountain's deceptive tranquility. He didn't like that, despite the possible low danger for now.


Summary of actions

Activation of - Sharingan - Passive(Rank 2)
- Drawing weapon(Masamune)​

 

[Ryuu Nozomi]

Nozomi stood still at the crest of the ridge as the wind cut across exposed skin where her clothing did not fully cover her. The cold needling along nerves that had not yet grown used to the harsh sensations. The field below was silent in the way aftermath always was. There was no peace or safety, but a kind of exhausted quiet where the world had already decided its casualties.

Her eyes took in the battlefield the way Rei had previously suggested to her. Scanning from the edges inward, never the center first. First, the sprawl of broken shapes caught notice and then merchant banners torn across the snow. Then the wolves with their jaws locked in perpetual fury and limbs frozen in their final angles. Only after she had a mental map of the dead did she allow herself to look at the source of the movement.

The man carried himself differently than what would be expected. That was the first thing she noticed. There wasn't defiance or arrogance, but rather a sense of familiarity. This was not the first massacre he had witnessed or taken part in. The wound along his side was deep and signaled that it should have dropped most men long ago. Yet he walked with no visible hesitation as if pain were a factor he had already accepted and filed away. Nozomi knew such things as well, and stored that information about him.

She did not grip a weapon but she did not relax either. Her body held a poised neutrality and a readiness with nowhere yet to move. Fingers brushed over the lips in her palm in a nervous twitch of sorts. Still, she kept weight balanced in the arches of her feet and her breathing slow. Rei’s repeated reminder still echoing through her as well.

Her gaze traced the field again and she tried to put together any patterns, because that would bring more subtle nuance to the situation as a whole. All the while, the scent of iron stuck strong in the air as if sharpened by the cold. The snow beneath several of the bodies had melted into thin pink pools before freezing again into slick reflections. Nozomi’s lungs burned faintly each time she inhaled, but she welcomed the discomfort in this moment. The sensation grounded thought, and thought allowed discipline to remain intact.

She listened as the voices moved around her, orders given and received. She did not speak or insert herself where she was not welcome. She let those who were in command lead the situation as her attention focused on the wounded man. She would spend all of this time focused on watching his posture, his breathing, and the subtle tension that may cross his shoulders if he were to speak words that were untrue.

Patience was the name of the game at this point, and she would remain just that. Patient. With her hands at her sides and fingers moving to stay loose in the cold. No matter what may happen, Nozomi was ready.