I wrote this just to ask you when you'll let up on me

Settling into the key quite well, he spent his days getting to know the area, ensuring he knew every entry point. Should someone come upon the land, he would know the perfect places to spot them. The water surrounding the island made sure they were few vantage points for any possible threats, so they were pretty well off when it came to securing the territory.

He'd risen with the dawn on this day, unable to sleep in and aching for a good stretch. What had started on a slow walk, turned into a full ran, spanning along the treeline that bordered the falls. It felt good—freeing, even. Here, there was nothing binding him. No one forcing him to stay. No responsibilities and expectations that he despised. It was his choice to remain, and so he would. Just as he'd promised.

---

@Kei for a follow up thread, maybe?

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Small, yet mighty, a lesson some learned the hard way. That was what the Order had become as of late. The old order had grown so large that the group she now ran would be seen as a simple task force, and yet they were making strides to turn this place into something more. Numbers didn't come overnight, nor would their loyalty. Kei had taken extra care to patrol along the southern borders beyond the island. Travelers crossing their fresh claim were likely to come from the mainland.

However, it wasn't a stranger's scent that passed her nose that morning, but Takayuki's, and fresh at that. Kei paused, her head craning to look behind her before deciding @Kyo could finish up where she dropped off if he was tailing her. Kei's trot turned into a sprint as she followed the scent, eventually making out the woody colors of Taka's pelt along the shoreline. He was fast, but she could be faster. Taking it as a challenge, Kei slipped along familiar paths, trailing the edges of the jungle for better footing while she gained ground.

Her steps were light, careful of roots and vines like a dance before she burst from the shadows of the treeline to skid into Takayuki's path. A lopsided grin sat on her maw as she uttered a simple, “Boo”, ready to sidestep the man should he be unable to stop before her sudden entrance.

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He'd been running, running. No attention given to the outer world. Just for a moment, he could be relaxed and truly feel.

But sudden rustling roused him from his stupor. Then a flash of fur appeared. Taka skidded to a halt.

Fangs appeared, assuming a challenge from a threat. But when he heard the voice of Kei, then saw her, his expression morphed and he chuckled. “Trying to get yourself wrestled to the ground, eh?” Snorting, he shook out his fur, heaving a breath to relax his racing heart.

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Well, he managed to stop. That was good for both of them, but more importantly, it meant he had control of his body. Fortunately, her little stunt wasn't met with fangs to her neck as it rolled off Taka's back with a chuckle of his own. She snorted, “I think you'll find that task harder than you think. Where ya off to in such a hurry, or are you on some morning regiment?” It had been years since she ran any drills, and they weren't even at the Kaicho's discretion. More often than not it was Shuji who somehow convinced her to put in the extra leg work. Maybe she should pick up some of his old exercises considering she was now a Kaicho.

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Whether a tease, or a challenge, he didn't know. But he words amused him nonetheless. “I bet it can't be too hard. Might take me a try or two. But I might feel bad if I actually managed to.” He grinned to himself at that, actually imagining the scenario.

“Was out for a morning patrol, but decided a run would do me some good. Can't look this good without trying a little.” Shooting her a quick wink, he shifted his weight slightly. “Guess I could ask the same of you. What brings you out so early?”

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“Ptff— What, 'cause I'm not big and strong like an ox?” She gave a playful shove of her shoulder into Taka's side as if to prove his likely immovable stance. “If you wanna pin someone, it's about movement, not just power. Even if you do, I'm not gonna break.” The dragon rolled her eyes as the word 'princess' crossed her mind. She'd rather die than be some damsel in distress.

This guy on the other hand, seemed to be trying to live up to a knight in shining armor. Kei gawked, a huff of disbelief slipping from her maw that poorly hid the faint curl at the corner of her lips. This fuckin' guy. “Yeah, okay, well, some of us work out because it benefits the pack, mm? Or is that an unfathomable concept?” Sarcasm dripped from each word before she shed the tone from her voice with a shake of her head.

“Patrolling. We've staked out all of Niawaki, so at this point, it's about presence. There's not a lot of us, and we don't know what is beyond the key yet. Best way we can ward off another pack or anyone who wants to stir trouble is to make it seem like we are bigger than we are. Not too hard considering we only really have one side to watch.”

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“You don't have to be,” He conceded with a shrug of his shoulder. “I'm imagining now all the idiots you've put out on their ass.” Another scene he couldn't help but envision.

She took his jest a little too serious, he thought. In that which made him frown. “My ethics aren't of that low standard. Honing my ability is never just for my own sake. You forget, there were others I stood to protect before this place.” While he didn't want to seem brash, he couldn't help the way his jaw hardened.

But his expression fell away when she returned to the subject at hand. “It is a new claim, but with how little neighboring territories know of us, they'd be foolish to think too highly of themselves and assume we are incapable.” Such a mistake could do grave damage to anyone who had too big a set of britches.

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She chuckled lightly, a few memories from the past crossing her mind. She wasn't the strongest and she didn't win every spar, but there had been some good rounds where she was thoroughly underestimated. Unfortunately, her sarcasm seemed to go over his head. “Lighten up, I was kidding.” Her words weren't aggressive by any means, but it did cause her to huff.

“You'd be surprised.” She sighed. It wasn't uncommon where she grew up. Small groups who decided to claim a small place to call home, only to be steamrolled or bullied into service to something larger. Their lives didn't matter in the eyes of greed; they were just another number to control. But Taka was right; they wouldn't roll over so easily. “That does lead to the next order of business, though. We need to know who and what is out there. If we have neighbors, we should establish ourselves before they come with questions. We would need them to trust us without truly knowing us...” And that was always the challenge.

“The less others know about who we are, the less likely we are to be resisted. Those with power don't like hearing about groups like ours, and exposing ourselves means we've just painted a target on our home and any children in our protection. Those who think they're on the right side might try to kiss our asses in hopes of earning loyal dogs or for us to turn our eyes from their true motivations. All around, it's safer. And another reason to use a fake name once you've earned it.”

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She had only been kidding, as he'd figured. He regretted how cold he'd suddenly become in the moment, but she seemed to look past it.

“I can imagine many get a little pig-headed,” he snorted at that, rolling his shoulders with a light grunt. His limbs were certainly warm, albeit now a tad sore.

“You speak truth in that we will need to make ourselves known. Perhaps once we have enough bodies to defend the key, some would take to the neighboring lands to offer word of our arrival to those that would hear it.” While it may have been something she'd already pondered, he offered the suggestion up nonetheless.

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The dragon nodded, “That's the plan. I would have left already, but things are too fresh. Can't leave everyone if they aren't settled or well-versed in our practices. I don't expect that to happen overnight, but gotta put my house in order before I worry about the outside right? Or, whatever that saying is—” Kei waved a paw, almost shooing her thought away. “Speakin' of, I know it hasn't been long, but got any questions? You're undertaking Kaichi's Scripture, right?” Teaching might be new to her, but the Shinobu path was not. It was technically Kyo's seat she was trained to fill, but this had worked out better.

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“Mm, yeah. It's too soon.” He agreed with a nod. “But we'll get to that point, eventually. Everything takes a little time, but it works out in the end.” Usually.

Questions, she asked. He couldn't think of any. At least, not yet. “None that I can think of. And yeah, that was the plan. I'm not much else of use skill wise, unless for fighting. It's what I was raised to become.” Whether he liked it or not.

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Heh, usually. Don't ask her how many times things didn't work out.

“Well, Kaichi's Scripture isn't just about fighting. Strength, the physical body—yeah, that's all important, but it doesn't have to be centered on battle. The real meaning is to balance a physical presence with your spiritual. Usually, wolves look to the spiritual when they want to reflect, but we have bodies for a reason.” Kei stamped a paw in the sand twice for emphasis before tilting her head toward Taka. “You were running. What do you feel? The sensations. Signals your body is telling you.”

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She speaks wise words, which doesn't surprise him. It seemed in her nature.

When he ran, what did he feel? “The wind, tugging at my fur. The earth, cracking beneath my feet and leaving crumbs of dirt between my toes. The sun, warm on my back. My lungs certainly seem to have a lot to say when I push myself too fast,” He chuckled, knowing well that feeling, as he'd just experienced it minutes ago.

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