I took a little journey to the unknown

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far too used to being forced awake at the crack of dawn, he'd woken some time ago, but hadn't yet been ready to put his limbs back to work.

the sound of the other's voice rouses him further though.

“unfortunately,” he grumbles, voice cracking a bit more than usual.
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while unsure how to feel at the other's attempt at comforting words, he doesn't much linger on the thought.

rising steadily to his feet, he follows suit in a much needed stretch, popping each shoulder with a grunt.

“the view is nice this early,” he hums, taking a step or two forward, chin rising to meet the soft whip of air that flies by.
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Kyo didn't come back last night. Not that she was trying to breathe down his neck, but it was something she noted as she left that morning. She could look for him, but the key was huge, and it's not like he couldn't handle himself, so she decided to make better use of her time. Exploring. As they have been doing so often the past few days. Admittedly, the whole 'why not rebuild your home' thing started as a time waster while she had company. Nothing more than an idea to toy with, but the more they worked together, the more she believed it might just work.

Kyo had found the dojo behind the falls, and the outlook they opened up to each other on worked great for future Acolytes to earn their name. The pieces were falling into place; all they needed now were members. Easier said than done, really. Maybe if they had been a normal pack with a normal way of life, it would be simple, but the Order had always been secretive. Outsiders were rarely taken in...and now she was faced with recruiting precultured wolves or a collection of children to preach the Honiyah to and ensure they actually followed it. A game of trust really, but it wasn't like she had much to lose. The old order was long in the past, and she had lost track of where Kaida even was. If this blew up in her face, at the very least, it wouldn't go back to bite her past.

The dragon had wandered back to the shore with a destination in mind. A tree along the coast had originally caught her eye, standing alone in solitude with sprawling branches despite being housed between stone and sand. However, movement from the corner of her eye would stop her before she even got close. Kyo she recognized almost immediately (too many days staring at the back of that thick head), but the other was equally bearish and— looked... a bit like Shuji. The scents suggested it wasn't, and he was missing the scar across his brow. A wave of disappointment was shoved down before Kei chuffed to draw Kyo's attention. “You ditchin' me already?”

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feet near. then a smaller shadow. a woman? another inhabitant of the key, he guessed.

as the man bid, he stood in wait at the spot he'd placed himself. but he didn't look further to the horizon, instead taking in the scene before him. the words they spoke were inaudible, but he watched anyway. wary.
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Kei quirked a brow as Kyo left his company, only to recoil as he quickly smothered her with his muzzle. She would have shoved him away, cursed him out, something if she hadn't caught the words trailing her ear as he did so. Sneaky bastard. When the message was seemingly delivered, she'd finally shove him away with a firm paw to the chest, then turn her eyes to the man who looked a little too close to her cousin to allow her stomach to settle. “Hey, you gotta name?” Not that she didn't trust Kyo's judgement. Frankly, she didn't, but not because he was untrustworthy. These rules they abided by were still new to him, but he had done good, seemingly keeping this man in the dark.

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the woman addresses him, curious.

did he have a name? he did. but the real question was, did he want to share it?

he mulled over the idea for a few long moments, eyes roving over the woman in a discerning way. “takayuki.” finally, he speaks, opting for the truth. “but most have just ever called me taka.”
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Takayuki. Hm. “どこの出身ですか？ — Where are you from?” Her gaze slid momentarily to Kyo and then back to Taka. Maybe he didn't speak her tongue, but the name suggested he traveled from a similar region. As for Kyo, well, she was well aware that her words likely sounded like noise because of how he fumbled through pronouncing the rank titles. It didn't matter where Takayuki was from; what mattered was how grounded he was to whatever he left behind despite his desire for a fresh start.

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she spoke this language. it was a surprise to him, in truth. certainly was unexpected, but something he could appreciate.

as was his mother tongue, he replied in kind. “私は影山の村の出身です. 戦闘員の一族. 私の父は首長でした.しかし、私には権利があったので逃げました. 彼らは大した家族ではなく、私が守りたいと思っていたものとは大きく異なる価値観を持っていました. — I come from the village of kageyama. a clan of fighters. my father was cheif. but I fled, as was my right. they were not much of a family and held far different values than I wished to uphold.”

did she originate from his land, he wondered. he waited, slightly awed. content, even. it was a comfort, to say the least.
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A village she hadn't heard of, but that didn't mean he hadn't been somewhere in the area. Somewhere she hadn't been. The packs back home could be all-encompassing, expanding at unhealthy rates, or small, filling the cracks and corners where greed could not dig its bloodied claws. “そしてそれはどのような価値観でしょうか？ — And what kind of values ​​would that be?” The dragon stepped closer, her steps slow as she weighed his next answer.

An heir fled from his clan of fighters. Either he would do well here or his values were rather low. Personal opinion, of course. She knew the Honiyah forbid using her bias to take matters into her own hands, but it didn't mean she respected fighters who played dirty. Her paws might not be clean, but she worked for a better life for all, not just those she held in high regard. “あなたは正確に何を探していますか、そしてそれを手に入れるために何を放棄するつもりですか？ — What exactly are you looking for, and what are you willing to give up to get it?”

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she wanted values. the same the other man that had been given. the same he dreaded remembering.

“彼らは殺人者を望んでいた. もっと具体的に言えば、私の父です. 彼に従った者達も一緒に. 彼らは自分たちの力を利用して破壊しようとした. 一方、私は自分の大切な人たち、そしてその保護に値すると信じている人たちを守るために自分のものを選ぶだろう. — they wanted a killer. more specifically, my father. along with those who followed him. they sought to use the strength among them to destroy. whereas I would choose mine to protect those I care for, and those I believe deserving of that protection.”

but what was he willing to give. to prove. 

“自分らしい人生を送ること以外、私が望むことはこの世界にほとんど残っていない. 何かを否定された. — there is not much else in this world left that I want, other than to live a life that is my own. something I was denied.” whether his father gave a shit or not. the old man had no care for what his son, or anyone else around him wanted. “率直に言って、私には失うものは何もありません. 私に与えられるものだけが残っています. — frankly, I have nothing left to lose. only what is left of me to give.” they could decide whether that was plenty, or nothing at all.
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So it was option A then. Good. “そして、あなたが守る使命を負っている人々があなたに値しない人だったらどうしますか？ — And what if the people you're tasked with protecting aren't worthy of you? If protecting them means a better outcome for everyone not just who you think deserves it.” She switched between tongues easily, dropping what was familiar for now so that Kyo could be clued in to their conversation.

The dragon circled, noting the muscle beneath his fur. “Life isn't as simple as what's good and what's bad, but you're right... There's power in strength.” Kei came to a pause standing before Taka, her head craned to meet his gaze. “However, knowing how and when to use that strength is something most fail to get.” Kei paused to inhale and briefly puff.

“Okay. You show potential, but if you want to stay here, there are certain rules you have to live by. If you aren't willing to work for something beyond yourself or under secrecy, then I'd be wasting my time explaining. Maybe that doesn't sound promising coming from a place where wolves want you to use your power for whatever desire your leader has, but I can promise any decisions here have a purpose beyond us. We don't operate on bias or personal judgement. Just what keeps the balance.”

“少なくとも、あなた自身の人生は保証します。 — At least a life of your own is guaranteed.”

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she offered a valid point. something to think of that he hadn't considered.

if they weren't worthy? “then I would set aside my own personal judgement. if it necessary for an outcome larger than myself, then I will not refuse the responsibility.”

here, he would be acting on another's desires. but at least hearing that they weren't for ill purpose made him feel slightly better. but whether he trusted her word or not would be left to be proven. “I will believe what you say, for now. I have no issue following you...” she was close already. but he took a step closer, an emphasis that he meant the next words he spoken. “but should you go back on that. should you betray my trust and use me in a way that crosses a line I am not willing to cross, I have no qualms with walking away, just like I did before. I will fight for you, but I will not kill blindly. I am not a weapon to be used for any twisted or malicious intents.”
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