Induction into the Brigade

As they made there way into the cave after their rigorous fight with the wolves, Kami looked around as much as she could within the dark and damp cave. Raika tore the wolf apart practically and suggested everyone to get in a wolf. Kami waved her hand in disagreement. “No. I’d rather die.” She said in return. As the two bickered back and forth, small whines and barks could be heard from the cave. Her head turned toward the direction of the noises, hard to make out in this damp cave, but she tried at least. Kami started to jog towards the noise in which she found a group of pups, three to be exact and to match the amount of people who were there. Her eyes blinked at the sight as they all huddled up to each other, whining and shivering. Their fur was not enough to keep them warm, let alone everyone. She squatted down and placed her hand near them to let them sniff, one pressing their nose against her hand. She moved her hand towards the chin of the pup and scratched it, making her way down the throat and to the chest, eventually petting the wolf pup all over. Her eyes sparkled with the emotion of happiness.


As she petted each wolf pup, some still whining, Sero appeared which made them whine more from fear. Her head turned to look behind her which made her adjust her body, allowing herself to block the pups from Sero’s view. He began speaking about taking shelter but at a cost, in which we had a few choices. Take in the pups or kill them to spare them the pain. Kami looked back at them once more, her eyebrows furrowing from distress. She inhaled and exhaled, making a big sigh. She picked up a male pup and turned to Sero. “I will take this pup.” Her eyebrows narrowed down with an intense look on her face.

As Raika split open the wolves and told them to get inside, Azrael couldn't help but feel as though she was right. Even if the cold did not bother him, he knew his body would only be able to withstand so much. His sister's refusal as well as the arrival of his master, would slow the process. As much as he would love to stand and talk with his master, he knew they were running lower and lower on time before the wolf corpses are as cold as the air around them. Seeing his sister go and grab one of the puppies, Azrael would let out a small sigh. He knew all too well the struggle of survival, in truth it would be easier for them to kill the pups and be done with it. Unfortunately, Azrael had a soft heart much like his sister, though not quite as sentimental as she was, he could not bring himself to leave the pups or kill them. Azrael would pick up the other two pups and shove them into Kami's arms, "they stay together." would be all he said before beginning to push his sister into one of the carcasses. He knew what it was like to be alone and considering the fact that the three pups were together when they found them, it was only right that they stayed together. If they survived the night, then they could deal with it in the morning, but for now they needed warmth and it was fading the more they debated or refused to enter the carcass. "They need warmth, as do you dear sister," he would add as he pushed her. She was about as strong as he was if not stronger, so he couldn't force her the way he was trying, of course if she resisted, then he would have no choice but to put her under a genjutsu to get her within the wolf carcass.

Once Kami and the three pups were within a carcass, Azrael would look to Raika with a nod before looking back to his master. With a nod to Sero as well Azrael would begin climbing into one of the other carcasses, the smell was horrible but nothing that he couldn't handle. Warmth was far more important than his smell, and his mask would at least help filter some of it. They would make it through the night, at least that was the goal. In the morning they could talk about the pups as well as their plan for the criminals of the island but for now surviving the cold was all that was important.

Raika grunts when Kami suggests that she'd rather die than climb into the warm and steaming bodies of one of the wolves, and she's about to tell Kami that this is literally the other option she's choosing, probably by freezing to death, if she doesn't get into the body when she hears the sounds of pups whimpering and struggling. She frowns when she sees three pups, as wolf litters are usually larger. They likely didn't find much food on the island, then, since they might not have been able to feed a full litter the way they usually could. With Kirigakure's focus on fishing, the wolves might have been finding less salmon on their shores to eat. Raika considered it a shame; they might have been able to pit the wolves and the pirates against one another and had to deal with a few less enemies. But it was too late now and they had needed the cave for shelter from the freezing weather.

She feels the presence of Sero in the cave, and her skin gets goosebumps. She hadn't expected him to show up, although she supposed that he would have had to ensure they weren't going to get any sleep somehow. Then she rolls her eyes as Kami claims one of the pups for herself, and Raika grabs hold of her wrist, firmly but not hard enough to cause pain, and she physically helps Azrael to push her into one of the wolves' bodies with the other puppies.

"It's a deadly predator, not a puppy bred to sit on your lap and tinkle when it pisses. It'll grow up to tear your throat out. But if you want to keep it, then fine, but both you and your wolf pup are going to freeze to death if you don't get in."

Raika stares at the other wolf pups and does feel a bit of sympathy for them; she sees herself in their whining, shivering forms, and she knows that without their mother, they're going to starve, just as she nearly did. Unfortunately for Kami, Raika's version of sympathy would likely involve killing the pups if she could to ensure they never have to worry about starving again, though she doesn't immediately make a move to do so. Instead, she watches Azrael pick them up and stuff them into the wolf with Kami.

"There. Now you can get in and live with your new puppy or you can stay out and freeze to death with it; the pup's parents had warm fur, and you don't."

Although Raika isn't stronger than Kami, she and Azrael working together would likely be too much for Kami to really fight back agains them, especially as the temperatures drop. She gives a quick nod to Azrael before he climbs into his own warm body, and then Raika slips into her own wolf carcass, though her eyes remain open, staring straight at the entrance of the cave and keeping a close and watchful eye out for any person or animal trying to catch them out; she hadn't had time to effectively clean up the bloody mess outside of the cave, but in this weather, it might be too cold and dark for that to be noticed. Regardless, her claws remained out, and she would eat and nibble on some of the wolf carcass's flesh to ensure she was keeping herself warm and well-fed.

Sero would watch as the pups would be collected and kept alive for now. The pups were old enough to be off milk but the choices for food here would be limited. He wondered if they would eat their own kind or if they would feed them human meat once they got their hands on some of the hostiles on the island. Either way the pups would need meat to survive. The matter of warmth was their current issue that Raika had a temporary solution for. None of them were crafters by trade but those furs even left as furs would likely provide some protection. For now the meat pockets steamed as they seemed to wrestle Kami into one who had made it clear she would rather die. He would simply watch to see how it turned out before shifting to look over his shoulder. The pirates were wise enough not to be out in this without reason. These genin had not yet been discovered which would suit them for the night. As long as the warmth of the meat lasted anyway. His attention turning back to them. Speaking to them as he did.

"The end of the first day draws near to a close. Already you have found shelter and fought for survival. The cold is your greatest enemy here so it is important to find ways to stay dry. I suggest when the sun rises you build a fire and keep the smoke from being noticeable. Dry your clothes and cook some meat while you can. I will return in the morning for your next objective. Do not attempt to sleep or there will be consequences. Day two brings its own challenges as it is without them."

With that his eyes would fall on each of them in turn. Their solution for immediate warmth would suit them until morning but they would likely wish to clean themselves after. Sero himself held no issue with the cold. He could have provided them with fire and water for bathing yet he did not. Instead he would turn and leave them to their blood and gore. Their need for survival over their humanity. Those pups would need food soon though and water. Young enough perhaps that they would not remember the slaughter of their family. Young enough not to resent Kami for it and young enough not to bare their fangs in hate. Yet they would need these humans to survive and the humans would face greater challenges now because of it. Sero himself would seem to step back and fade into the fog and night. Yet his eyes seemed to be ever on them.

Kami continuously fought the others but ended up failing as she got pushed into the the corpse of a wolf. The clear visual disgust on her face as she held the now three pups close to her. They were warm but they shivered from the cold which made Kami hold them a little bit tighter. Her eyes slowly closing but then reopening due to some reason. He body jolting up, one of the pups licking her or just remembering that she’s in a disgusting corpse. Kami sighed, looking around the damp cave. Why did she agree to this. After some time, she ended ip scooting herself out of the corpse, still holding the puppies. She walked to the back of the cave, her mind traveling at speeds she couldn’t comprehend. So many things went through mind. Then only Azrael popped up, making her shiver but somehow feel sad. Raika popped up next to him and she began to feel angry. The two of them together in her mind struck a chord, which made her burn up from the inside to the out. Her eyes glowed a soft hue before calming back down. They had a better relationship than she did with her own brother. She felt jealous.. angry.. disappointed. She was trying her best to be a sister but she didn’t know how to be a sister.


Suddenly, her image changed. Tears fell down her cheeks as her knees hit the floor, while she still held the pups. This new transformation wasn’t just any transformation. It was her true self that she constantly hid from everyone. She hated this look nor did she want to be in it again. Unfortunately, now was the time to let it go. Her emotions became unstable, causing her to lose the transformation into her flatter self. This new woman had a bit longer white hair, her ears and teeth remaining the same. Her body curvier with a bigger bust and thighs, complimenting her figure in her regular attire of the button up shirt and black pants. Assuming nobody was around, she hugged the pups hard, whispering to them. “Why can’t I be the person he wants or needs.. why can’t I protect him.. why can’t I be a sister to him. I’m trying my best aren’t i?” Her voice soft and in a whispering tone. Some words echoed while some did not. The pups looked up to her and licked her tears away, making her give a soft smile.

From within one of the wolves Azrael would listen to his master's words, remaining where he currently laid wouldn't be a problem for him. He had dealt with far worst situations and his mask helped with filter the smell so he did not have to worry about it and could stay within the corpse throughout the night. Even his corpse, he was still connected mentally to both his sister and Raika. Raika's mind was calm as she ate the raw meat of her corpse, yet Kami's mind seemed almost restless. He could hear her thoughts as they passed through her mind as if they were his own, he listened to it all in silence as he watched the entrance to the cave until she finished speaking aloud. In her mind his soft whisper would be heard by her alone, "You are mistaken, Kami Yurei. You are our sister, and we will protect each other. Raika Ryuutei may be this one's only friend, but you Kami Yurei are this one's only sister. You do not need to try, you already are." Azrael's voice within her mind would fall silent as Azrael used his ghost sight to check the area around the cave ensure that there were no one was near, the snowstorm would seem to deter even the pirates from roaming the island for now at least but he would check again later when the storm lessened. Images would flash within Kami's mind of Azrael's own memories of being alone in the dark with only his chakra ghost, followed by the moment when he discovered the truth that she was his sister and the joy he felt as he was not alone. His connection to his master had kept him more than happy and he was never truly alone, but Kami may be the one person that could understand him and his problems. "You and those wolves need to return to the corpse; you will freeze to death if you do not. We will not allow you to die. Now Please, Dear Sister. Return to the warmth until the morning." Azrael would whisper once more into Kami's mind before he would fall silent once again waiting for her response. Azrael's eyes would not leave the entrance to the cave, his chakra sense covering the entirety of the cave so he would know whether or not she actually got back inside the wolf. Of course, if she didn't willingly go back, he could always force her, which he did not want to do which was why he was pleading with her. If Raika decided to talk to him, he could also maintain a conversation with her, but for now his focus of communication would be Kami.

Raika stirs in the wolf corpse as she hears Kami stirring, but she only watches as she gets up and goes to the back of the cave. For a moment, she considers just letting her sit there and freeze, but she knows she can't do that, especially not to Azrael when he's a member of her Pride. She grumbles softly to herself and climbs out of the wolf despite the cold; the best thing about the cave is that it at least protects them against any wind chilling them, with the shape of the mouth making it quite difficult for wind to push up against the air pressure inside the damp cave. Not that Raika knew that the air pressure inside the cave was making it difficult for the wind to actually blow in, she just knew that the air was more still inside the cave than it was outside of it, and that let the heat of their bodies propagate a little bit more. It would also make a fire into the cave quite dangerous from the smoke, but Raika didn't know anything about that either, as the Ryuutei didn't necessarily need their food cooked like the more "civilized", or rather more squishy ninja in Kirigakure.

Regardless, it's still cold in the cave, with the stone walls and floor only able to protect them so much from the chill outside, and she wants to get herself and Kami back into a wolf as soon as possible, if only until the morning. As it is, she's extremely surprised when she sees Kami playing with the cold and shivering pups. They had been too young to get a real winter coat, and so they were shaking as much from the cold as they were to try and cheer their new parent, with no memories retained of their old parents. For the first time, Raika saw a bit of herself in them, and she no longer thought about eating them as food. But there's a sight that surprises her even more; there's some other person here now, not Kami, someone with a more full figure and longer hair, though hers was also white. She's about to do the equivalent of ring an alarm bell in her mind at Azrael, but then she seems to recognize something about the woman's voice. Raika recognizes Kami again, but this wasn't the same Kami she'd known before.

She slowly approaches Kami, lightly placing a hand on her shoulder. A warm hand, certainly, probably almost hot to the touch, since her chakra was quite dense and had at least some minor warming effect. Not even nearly enough to keep her alive in this cold weather any longer than Kami or Azrael, as the warm skin was simply a side effect of how much chakra she had. Raika speaks softly to the crying Kami, in a soothing tone for the first time; a tone she only remembers faintly from her mother when she'd been spoken to. It's the oldest memory Raika has, and it's very fuzzy, too fuzzy for her to even remember what her mother looked like.

"Kami, you're doing a fine job. But for now, you need to keep the puppies warm somehow, and if you go, they won't survive a single night on their own. Just like your brother."

This time when Raika leads Kami away, it's more gentle, but still firm, leading the puppies back into the carcass with her. Thankfully, the wolf's corpse also hides her form from Azrael, though Raika isn't aware that her appearance was a secret.

"What is... all this?"

As she asks such a question, she pulls the warm body she's using over herself, ignoring the sensation and still speaking too low for Azrael to catch what they're saying, while Raika keeps her mind blank to stop Azrael from peeking in on their conversation with his genjutsu. They stay chatting until the sun returns and begins heating up the snow again.

The eyes were blind to the outside. The storm raging forth and blotting out all sight...sound and scent outside of that cave. Once more it was as if they had entered another world all to themselves. The harshest conditions that were survivable just outside their reach. Measures taken just to survive that most would never be able to comprehend. The instinct to survive in their dark cave holding them closer together. Thriving within the warmth of the dead or freezing outside of it. This first night would be crucial to them with so little time to prepare. Their clothes and cloaks only doing so much to protect them outside of the meat bags provided. The combined blood of the slain having been torn open would pool next to the bodies and move along the frozen cave floor into cracks and down the slight slope leading to the entrance. Cutting through the storm as if driven unnaturally towards something. Lines of blood cutting through snow by force as Sero held out his hand. Beckoning it to him as he would absorb it slowly into his body. Gaining its nutrients and letting nothing go to waste. The blood rising up from the snow in a thin tower of its own making as it slowly absorbed into his hand and became one with him.

Another Sensory nin sat next to Sero using a heavy fur cloak to keep warm. His job was simple. He kept a close eye on those three and watched for waning vitals. If they slept or faded Sero would soon know. Though the pups would tire soon if they were given warmth once more. Too young to remember their mother who their new owner helped slay. Unable to form that hate that could come of it. Still for anyone using sensory within the cave it would be clear Sero stood outside with this stranger no more than thirty meters from the entrance. They were being monitored...though that chakra that chakra sensory or life sensory would pick up...it had driven weaker minds mad. Even the sensor next to Sero was doing his best not to look to the commander. There was a void there. Corrupted and dark as it threatened to consume the mind and hearts of all around it. As if it were an endless hunger that could not be satiated or fled from. Dripping with the darkness from so many lives taken.

Sero was watching....Sero was waiting.

However they got through the night the storm would quell around sunrise. Just as the morning light began to spread around the cave entrance. Now was their time to establish the camp they had found and make it more livable. That storm was expected to fill most nights. Sero expected them to figure out the wolf furs for new cold weather outfitting. As well as how to maintain warmth without giving away their position. Or to scout the enemy and discover their numbers and fortifications. Sero had not moved in the night though as the sun rose the sensory nin would head off to change shifts with another. Sero never slept...Sero never tired....Sero never blinked. Still those cold blue eyes shifted towards the opposite end of the island they had arrived on. The enemy was so brazen...they had already begun their morning fires and several smoke pillars could be seen in the sky.

Foolish humans.

Kami’s eyes shifted side to side when hearing Azrael’s voice. This made her cover her ears, clenching her teeth, wanting to not hear him. She felt guilty and she didn’t know what may be false or true to her. Kami was very much jealous of the two, wanting… No, needing. Needing that feeling of family and reassurance. Azrael’s affirmation helped her whether Kami avoided it or not. She not only tried but she really wanted things to be different now that she had someone. Her mind went against her, distorting what Azrael said but making out what he was trying to say. ‘Get back into the corpse. Please. You will die.’ She stopped covering her ears for a moment and her mind went silent. Lost in her own thoughts, she began to zone away.


Kami continued to have tears stream down her face as her gaze stared endlessly in front of her. She was suddenly startled by Raika’s warm hand, resulting in a gasp. Her eyes shifted to Raika, her head turning to see Raika, showing her a more adult face of Kami. She hicc’d a little bit and sniffed, the pups shaking but still trying to comfort Kami. She was so stupid that she risked injurying the pups while being out in the cold. Raika’s tone of voice was different this time and somewhat comforting to Kami, leaving Kami to be able to easily be lead into the Corpse again. “Don’t.. tell.. Azrael of this… Please… He need not know of this form… this form burdens me of my mother and I cannot stand it..” She softly spoke to Raika, her voice just above a whisper as Azrael would normally speak. Getting back into the corpse and covering herself and the pups, she stared at Raika and closed her eyes, focusing herself once again and applying the transformation jutsu again, her face and body returning to how it was before. She sighed and looked to Raika once again, continuing to talk to her about what we may need to do, even suggesting to skin the fur off the bodies and applying it to the capes they wore.


Seeing the light of day come through the cave, Kami raised her head out of the carcass and looked out, her eyes wincing from the light that began shining in. Morning. Kami began to wonder how long this would last and when she would be able to sleep again.

---

Stuff:

Azrael would feel Raika's chakra moving as she left her wolf corpse as well, he would almost sigh until he realized that she moved towards Kami. He would leave them be, allowing the two to talk as he kept guard on the entrance though he knew Sero was just beyond with another. The other's chakra dwarfed in comparison to his master, but still present. His eyes unable to see them but he could feel them with his sensory and the feeling of his master's chakra was a comfort to him, reminding him of the days long passed when he had first become free. He cared little for what was said between the two women so he would not be ease dropping on what they were saying, at least with the two of them together they would provide some semblance of warmth. His mind filling with its own noise as he replayed his memories, passing the night with fonder things as his eyes remained locked on the entrance to the cave. Even as he felt the warmth slowly fading from the outside exposure he would remain inside, unmoved watching and waiting. Whenever the sun rose and the storm stopped, Azrael would rise out from the inside of the wolf's corpse blood stained and a few entrails hanging from his cloak as he rose. The first of seven nights done, he wondered what the other days would hold in store for them. Azrael would begin moving towards the entrance, both of the others would hear his voice within their minds as he walked. "Come, Master waits."

Stepping out of the cave Azrael would head directly to Sero, stopping in front of him to await orders. Looking around the island from where they were and seeing several smokestacks in the distance, it was obvious that their presence had not been noticed yet. Either that or these were the dumbest criminals that he had ever seen, he wouldn't bother using his ghost sight yet, it was clear that the smoke was too far away from their current location. Azrael would need to scout the area once they were done talking with Sero, though they also needed to figure out their shelter better considering they would not have the nice warmth that the carcasses had provided last night any longer. He had no physical strength for providing what they needed to block off the entrance, though he could gather wood for a fire of some kind for them to cook, he was more concerned about scouting out their enemies to learn the numbers and patterns. If he could catch one alone of course he could gather information from them, one way or another but for now he would await orders from Sero.

Raika feels some softness come over her as Kami speaks about her mother, reminding the Ryuutei of herself when she had been young and Nameless, but she squashes that softness. Even still, she's more comforting for Kami and insists that she won't be telling Azrael of it. As the white-haired woman explains that they might need to skin the wolves for their fur and apply it to their capes, Raika scoffs quietly at this suggestion, knowing that they had nothing to adhere the pelts to their capes. She explains that the best plan is to use the wolves' pelts as capes themselves, with the inner flesh salted and tanned to leather while wearing the fur on the inside to trap heat. She also insists that although she doesn't need fire for cooking food for herself, they need a fire, and a smokeless one at that. The cold rarely bothered the Ryuutei, animalistic as they were they typically used the heat of fresh kills to keep them warm, but Raika knew that in this cold place, they would need much more than simply fresh blood.

Their conversation takes them all the way to the morning, and then Raika quickly shifts her attention to Azrael himself as he mentions "Master" whom she knows from their interactions is Sero. She throws off the body of the wolf and leaves her own body covered in entrails and blood, though she kicks off the additional viscera, not wanting it to slow her down as she moves out to the snow to stand behind and to the side of Azrael, nodding down to Sero in something approximating a bow. She didn't seem interested in formality, and she mutters to Azrael a bit, though Sero is still likely to hear her words.

"You might as well stand. The pirates could have search parties on the island to look for food, and if they see you showing homage to Sero, it would absolutely get them to thinking that Sero is important enough to try and kidnap. It'd be less annoying for all of us if they think he's no more important than we are, if the interlopers are out and about."

Raika herself keeps her eyes looking about and her head on a swivel, though she always keeps an ear facing towards Sero, ensuring that their leader knows that she's actually listening intently to him.

Sero would watch each of them exit the cave. Blood soaked into them as they seemed to settle in rather well after a long night in disgust. The storm had wiped out any trace of their arrival or slaughter there. Buried under fresh snow and ice. The powder crushing out of each step they took. However where Sero stood....where he had stood through out the night no snow resided within ten meters of him. Steam rose from his shoulders and head as cold blue eyes remarked each of them. In a perfect circle around him any grass had wilted and under his feet the earth was cracked and blackened. No natural storm could sway his katon. No cold to hold him and force him to remain solid. He would look to Reika as she spoke about not marking him. A good practice to maintain in war. Though not relevant given the situation. Which he would choose to explain now.

"While a good practice to keep it is not viable if the enemy already knows of the commander. You three are not the first to face this trial....but so far you are the most fortunate. The first to come before you only finished the second day. Two of them fell into a coma shortly after and one was gravely injured and required medical attention. However even having failed...two of the three have progressed further....Two of the three excel still. However the pirates that reside here are from the first trial. I brought them here instead of immediately executing them. We had eliminated most of them...but it appears they have use for this location. They know of me and would only cross me if they were fools or thought themselves prepared enough. You should be wary of both. Likely there will be a patrol out and about so do attempt to attract little attention. I suggest scouting the island quietly. How you go about this is up to you. I do not however advise challenging the bulk force without a plan. Unless you are capable of doing what some of you have seen me preform with katon. Otherwise it will not be enough."

With that Sero would turn to a liquid before their eyes. Seeping down into the dead grass before sliding under the sheet of snow. His katon energy focused on him more precisely to allow him to tunnel how he wished without disturbing the surface. Unless they were using sensory it would be difficult to track him. No scent through all that snow and nothing changing on the surface. He was out there though. Watching from nearby despite being perfectly hidden from the naked eye. Death awaiting in the snow to consume any wicked who wandered across his vision. On the island were four patrols moving around the beach of the island. Spaced out fairly evenly in teams of four. Each equipped with flares and crossbows as they stomped through the snow. However the island was a mile in diameter. Even with four teams there was a great amount of distance uncovered. However if one patrol did not make it back at the end of an hour an alarm would be raised. The main camp was more like a fortress forged from the frozen trees as a wall and two large ships that had been dragged up with thick ropes. A visible bay nearby with four more still harbored nearby. Dozens of pirates stood around cooking fires for warmth or food. A storage of supplies was kept in the center along with their looted treasure. It was away from the main entrance to the sea so people didn't patrol here often....but the water was deep enough to sneak a ship through from an unused route. Raiding the trade ships that came and went from the Hozuki Harbor.

Kami came out of the cave shortly after the others, holding the three pups and setting them down as she came out of the cave, unfortunately soaked in blood from the carcass. The pups wandered around, did their business and being curious with her newly fallen snow. Kami made a small whistle, calling one over, another different whistle, calling another and the third with a different tune as well. Hoping that she could train them to respond to each whistle individually, she would be able to call them over without raising much of an alarm. The wolves seemed to be smart enough to try and catch on however their attention span wasn’t that great which required Kami to continue whistling to bring them back over. The pups soon sat down and yawned, starting to lay in the snow, their fur not thick enough to warm but not thin enough to keep them cold.


Kami glanced to Sero, hearing him out about them being fortunate, with only two out of the three from the older group being put through the brigade. She nodded but before she could ask a question, Sero had turned into a puddle and left them alone once again. She gave a sigh, her breath visible in this cold sharp weather. Her eyes glanced to Raika and then to Azrael. “I can cover our chakra, however, Azrael, it seems you may be able to further than me with our eyes, correct? Are you able to see if there are any nearby?” Whether if they were alone or not or if Azrael were to suggest speaking telepathically, she spoke softly to Azrael and Raika. “Raika, you should be able to take on any up front attacks, right? I can be a support and help defend Azrael if need be.” She suggested to the two, hoping maybe they all could get enough information and go from there.

Azrael would remain as he was despite Raika's words, it wasn't so much that he was showing his master the respect he deserved but rather he liked sitting this way. Listening to his master's reply to Raika's statement would cause Azrael to look back towards the smoke clouds in the distance briefly before turning to look back as his master turned into a puddle of water before disappearing once more from sight, but Azrael would still feel him close-by. As Kami asked her question, Azrael would simply shake his head in response. Having scanned the five hundred meters that he could around them in every direction when he had first exited the cave, he could safely say that there were no pirates nearby though he would look towards one of the many smokestacks in the distance. Azrael would look to both Kami and Raika, their mental connection still intact from the day before, they would both hear his assessment within their minds.

"It is unlikely that they would expect someone to have arrived with that storm, therefore it is also unlikely that they would be patrolling the interior of the island. This One is incapable of seeing far enough to find them all, however it is likely that they would have patrols along the outer edge. This One suggests moving within the forest itself to maintain cover while we scout, go unnoticed and observe patterns and gather information to make a plan before attempting any attack against the criminals. Raika Ryuutei, you can lead the way due to your abilities, Kami Yurei will need to keep her playthings from making noise while we observe. This One will provide details as we can, however as of now there are none close enough for us to observe." Azrael would wait for either of the other two to make suggestions on what they should or should not do, whenever Raika began to head out, he would be moving right behind her. As they moved every hundred meters or so Azrael would use his ghost sight to make another scan in search for a target, once one was found he would alert Raika so that she could adjust their course while he kept an eye on them.

Raika simply shrugs at the statement that the pirates are already aware of him and his station above them, but it's too late to bow to him now. Not that Raika seemed to be in the habit of bowing much to anyone directly. Then she looks to Kami and nods as she suggests letting her take lead while Azrael provides sensory support. When Azrael suggests that it's unlikely that the pirates have scouting parties looking for them inland with the storm, she simply shrugs again. It sounded just as likely that they would as that they wouldn't, but it didn't matter much to her. She was lucky she'd saved several scraps of wolf meat when they'd set out; she used some herself, eating away at the flesh and giving some to Kami's wolf pups to keep them from making too much noise. With the only sounds their munching, she headed off in the lead, coming across one patrol moving through an inland route, but thankfully caught by Azrael before they could become a problem.

Once past that troupe, she hisses softly in annoyance, but her thoughts are much more calm, if still slightly tinged by annoyance.

"Unlikely my ass."

In any case, those were the only exact words she thought up. The rest of the information she sent to Azrael was more in the form of quick thoughts, images or moving figures, and the occasional unspoken questioning sensation; almost like some of her thoughts had the same mental sensation as if she'd spoken and turned her tone upwards at the end of the question. It basically boiled down to asking how he wanted to proceed; she recognized he was really the smarter one here, and she should rely on him to find out what their next step should be now that they knew for a fact that there was at least one interior patrol, and that there could be more.

The one patrol would shift through the inland but not really keeping an eye out for the three of them. Finding that avoiding them was easy enough. However there would be plenty of signs of their passage. Blood in the snow for one. Along with footprints. The men would follow the tracks as they moved a little quieter now. Attempting to track back the footprints and find those responsible. Blood in the snow with the clear imprint of human shoes was a dead give away. The snow making it so even simpletons could track in it. The blood making it obviously eye catching. A decision would have to be made about the pirates inching forward. After all they were close to breaking formation and sending back two of the scouts. In a matter of moments two of them would break off from the rest of their team. Their job was to report what was found so far. If one of them were to be taken down or captured the other could still make it. Splitting up to go in different directions from each other with the ultimate goal of reaching the camp alive. If engaged they would evade and continue running.

However This was only part way into day two. They hadn't covered their tracks well or made any attempt to clean themselves up. The enemy was going to discover the location of their base. Even if they eliminated them all...by nightfall it would be clear a patrol hadn't returned. Meaning that there were likely hostiles on the island. Hostiles to be hunted down and put to the sword. Their relaxed time here was over. If they avoided the enemy their base was compromised. If they eliminated it their presence was clarified. Sero however would merely watch and let them make their choices. Personally he wasn't one for remaining quiet. If it were him he would scorch the land in fire and ash and let them bleed until all the snow turned to water and the water dyed red. He was a nightmare descended upon the unjust. However they were new to this particular hunt. Gaining their understanding of the situation and their power. He would wait to see what they would do here and simply observe. He doubted they would simply ignore it and allow their base to be taken. However it would be up to them entirely. A silent observer always watching.

Kami crossed her arms, awaiting the other two to really start their plan. Kami had no real input in this as she was mainly the support to go along. Raika was the lead as she had more experience or keen senses where Azrael was the look out. Kami was to follow and try and defend as much as she could but with the three wolves she took in, it would be a little hard. Her eyes travelled down to the pups as Raika handed them a few pieces of meat, giving her a few slow blinks, saying thank you. ‘Might as well make the best of this as a training course..’ She crouched down and pet each pup before standing back up and placing a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her red eyes going between the two. “So we have an established plan. But a question remains, what if our base becomes compromised and we can’t find another one in time before tonight?” This question should be important enough for everyone to think about, seeing as they could have a bad storm tonight as well. Her eyes fell low, not really looking forward to the challenges they may encounter, especially risk of not having a base if it were to be compromised. “I suggest we start moving once we decide where we go and what to do from then on…” Her voice low, almost as if she wasn’t confident in her suggestion. Would they be okay?

---

[attempt exit]

Sensing the presence of the patrol, Azrael would mentally call for Raika to stop. Quietly observing the patrol for a few seconds before the realization of what they were doing occurred, the patrol had discovered their trail meaning their presence would be known. Without any more hesitation, Azrael would activate his Chakra Ghosts combining it with his Genjutsu: Akayurei to instantly catch the entire patrol within his Genjutsu. Once that was done he would alter the entire patrol’s perception of what they had seen, changing small details to ensure that the trio’s presence remained hidden as it should have.

To the patrol, the bloody trail the three of them had left would be a trail of wolf tracks dragging a fresh kill back to their cave to feed their young. If the patrol continued towards the cave he would ensure that they would be met with the howls of wolves within their mind as well as the sighting of a few, more than what the trio had dealt with but not enough that would raise suspicion as to why the pack hadn’t been noticed before. Should his plan work the patrol would abandon their search and return to their normal route in which he would be able to observe them more, while the patrol was under his Genjutsu he would extract key information about security around the island as well as protocols and anything else that might be useful to the three of them in the completion of their mission.

The sighting of his ghosts erased from their memory so they could not know their minds had been altered as well as making the three of them invisible to the patrol should they look at the three would all be accomplished by the end of his Genjutsu. As he worked on the patrol’s minds, altering them all to suit his narrative and to keep the three’s presence hidden a while longer, Raika and Kami would both hear within their minds. “We have been careless in our movements. Raika Ryuutei, Kami Yurei, This one will handle the mind of the patrol’s altering them to hide our presence on the island, the two of you need to erase our tracks and we need to return to the cave.”

Once they were done hiding the tracks and Azrael was done with the minds of the patrol, he would turn to the two with him. “We have gathered information from the minds of the patrol and made them believe what they had found to be wolf tracks, we must return to the cave and make plans to move without drawing notice. Come now.”

Raika lets out a short sigh of relief as Azrael seems to take care of at least this patrol, but it gives her some ideas about how to get at least a few of them. While trapping isn't Raika's favored method of catching her meals, it is at least a method that has to be taken into account, particularly when she'd been young and had need for food to catch herself. On the way towards their cave hideout, she spots a rabbit, and it's thankfully facing away from them; she reaches over slowly and catches its head, and with a savage twist, breaks its neck with a barely-audible crack. She doesn't start feasting yet, however; more blood, even animal blood, might be investigated by these pirates. She's careful to only step on the grasses at first, considering for a moment if she could leap along the trees instead, but she realizes that her claws might leave marks to guide the pirates to their location. Raika wasn't used to being anyone else's prey, but this group was too large to take on alone. She mostly covers for Kami's and Azrael's paths by snapping off a tree branch with a multitude of leaves and dragging it along behind them. It was no broom, but it served the purpose of obscuring their footfalls so they no longer look like human tracks at least. She's careful to be as stealthy as she can be, like she's hunting, but she's somewhat unfamiliar with this place, unlike where she usually hunts.

Raika brings the tree branch and the dead hare back into the cave with her, and immediately begins eating the small prey raw. She takes a few moments to speak between bites so she's at least somewhat helpful, and can now express the idea she'd had.

"We can lead them back into the cave. Azrael can use his little party tricks to make it appear that they have some intruders in the cave; it doesn't matter if they look like us. We'll let them rush in; and then we kill them all like we're stabbing fish in a barrel."

As though to punctuate her point, she snaps one of the rabbit's leg bones and eats the marrow straight out of it, before leaving the rabbit almost desiccated save for its organs. It still has several hunks of meat left on it, and she lets the wolf pups eat from it to their fill.

"We'll probably have to abandon the cave after, and it won't kill all of the pirates, but if we kill a lot of them, we can take the rest at their camp. Plenty of supplies and fires there, and if we can take the ship as a base, all the better. They probably have some way to cook food on the ship, too. I think they call it a gallery? A galloy? A galley. Whatever."

OOC: This seems like a fine stopping place, so also attempt exit

Sero would watch as the men would shift from their desire to report something to murmuring about wolves. He could tell Azrael had something to do with this. After all he was capable of altering the mind. However this patrol had no interest in open combat with a wolf pack. They weren't pushovers but likely they would get hurt in the process. So they diverted their patrol away from the cave and put it in their report to avoid the wolves in the area. It would do nicely for their base so long as there wasn't evidence of human activity such as smoke. Still they would shift to covering their tracks a little better with some branches as they moved back to the cave. They had already dealt with one patrol but they would need to figure out a plan for eventually engaging the enemy. For now though they were safe into the morning of day two. So far none of them were injured and no loud abrupt attacks had been made. Azrael even had the enemy numbers and lay out of the enemy camp from the interaction. Including that in general they were all roughly C rank npc. However well armed they are.

Still they would return to the cave and quickly Sero would emerge from the snow himself. With a simple wind jutsu he would turn an entire oak tree to kindling. Careful not to let it fall too abruptly and make any loud noises. Even in the cave they likely would hear little more than a creaking of oak being torn apart. With that done he would absorb the oak into his body until he was filled with it. Utilizing his ability to draw out the liquids to rapidly dry the wood. Only gaining about a fourth of the tree this way. With that done he would turn to enter the cave. His presence filling the air once more with warmth and fear. The puppies mewling in panic unable to figure out an escape but returning to their new mother. His blue eyes would fall on them a moment longer before he would hold out his hand. His arm turning slowly into a spiral of water as dried chunks of oak would fall to the ground. All the liquids absorbed out of them. Finally he would speak once more.

"There are three things I will teach you now to continue your survival. First...you smell of death. The longer you remain covered in the viscera you slept in the more it will smell. Dispose of anything you do not intend to use of the bodies and find a way to bathe yourselves. If the enemy can smell you than that is just one more way to be detected. Second...when walking on snow consider utilizing supernatural walking practice. Just as it would keep you above water it will also keep you above the snow. Finally there is the majority of the wood left from the tree I cut down outside. I have dried these few pieces here so you can start a fire but you will need to dry out the rest if you do not want smoke. If you dig two pits and a tunnel between the two, you can place the fuel for the fire in one and let the other be fore oxygen. Make sure your fuel remains at the bottom though and not stacked on top of the fire. This will reduce the smoke to a point that it will not be seen from very far out or suffocate the cave. Providing warmth in your base of operations. If you choose to eliminate the current enemy on the island...know that will not be all of them. It may suit those of you who do not eat raw meat however to steal supplies at some point."

attempted exit
12 posts x 25 per post = 300 exp

Kami’s eyes laid on Azrael, raising an eyebrow before huffing. Once Azrael did his mind thing, Raika began to speak, ending up stumbling over a word that she wasn’t completely sure of which made Kami let out a small chuckle. Her eyes widened just a bit before she cleared her throat, Sero joining with them at this time and laying out some wood that came from him, dehydrated and ideal for a fire. “I believe it’s a Galley.” She looked to Sero, understanding where they had went wrong, nodding occasionally here and there to show that she was listening. “Understood.” She said calmly before looking to the other two. Kami’s sharp eyes moved slightly as her iris’s changed from Raika to Azrael and then to Sero and back over again. There was no time to slack any longer, too many mistakes made already. It was time to get serious.



[exit thread, picking up when we start the next thread]

It would seem that the mind altering he had done was successful and they were able to not only keep the patrol away from the cave but also return to it themselves without further incident. Listening to Raika's plan of luring some to the cave to deal with, Azrael would nod. "That seems logical, Raika Ryuutei. However, we advise waiting to give up our base of operations just yet." Azrael would reply in his whispered voice just before Sero arrived at the cave with the wood. Listening to his master's words he would silently shun himself for making so many mistakes, the smell of death had always been around him, so much so that it seemed as though the smell no longer grabbed his attention as it had when he was younger. His master's advice of finding a way to cleaning themselves up before they tried to infiltrate further would be on his top priority, while he hoped that the two more physical members of this team would be able to handle the digging for the fire pit, and the things that they needed from the wolf corpses. Tomorrow they would look to inflitrate a lookout post for food for him and his sister, but for now the priority was getting better prepared.

{Exit}

[12]