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[biteoffherhead]

[No time for patrolling the forests today. Those of you roaming in the forest get a free pass! Moro herself is roaming the edge of the village, or rather, where she considers her territory to start, and marking it by rubbing against the trees, leaving her thick, wiry hair caught in every tree's bark.

She isn't even scowling at the sight of humans, today. Rather, she's grinning, darkly, still hatefully, but something's up. ...The most educated guess is that it has to do with the draft.]

Comments

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

[Mouth set in a hard line, Ginko has headed immediately for the forest border. The slight tension in his posture is enough to indicate his mood. Hell, Moro can probably smell it.]

[biteoffherhead]

[Since you usually smoke like a chimney? Yes, she smells you coming. She stops, standing alert.]

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

[because it's been a while and he was totally flirting with your daughter, and he needs as much time to let his cold anger settle as possible, he bows a polite depth-- and stays that way until he's said]

--I have a favor to ask from you, if you're willing.

[biteoffherhead]

A favor?

[entaiho]

[Rokuta is out in the forest today as well, though this time not in kirin form. His reaction to the draft list was to go find somewhere relatively quiet to be alone, meaning that he's perched up in the crook of a tree branch and scowling up at the sky overhead.]

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

That's right. [levelly. Not an unusual thing to ask from a god, at least, and he's willing to offer about anything in exchange]

[biteoffherhead]

And what would you ask of me, Ginko?

[biteoffherhead]

[Oh. That's a pleasantly distracting scent. Moro stops, looking up into the tree.]

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

You are being sent out, because they need more to fight in their wars, are you not?

[biteoffherhead]

Correct. Though their enemy is not whom I truly desire to kill, I will still bring death to them.

[entaiho]

[Hard to miss a giant wolf wandering around, really. Especially when Moro's blood-scent isn't quite so pleasant to him. Rokuta glances down at her, straightens a bit in his perch, and even manages a respectful sort of nod in greeting.]

Moro. You're... going, aren't you?

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

Mm. [he's quiet, looking at the ground. Never has it been so difficult to speak through his own emotion.]

[biteoffherhead]

I am. I will have the enemy tremble with fear.

[biteoffherhead]

Make your demand.

[Wishy-washy-ness is not something she appreciates, Ginko.]

[entaiho]

Ah.

[He dislikes this. He very clearly dislikes this, and very much. Rokuta shifts a little and glances away.]

I'll watch the forest while you're gone. If you'd like.

[biteoffherhead]

I am honored. I leave it in your care, then.

My daughter may stay behind as well, or may join me on the battlefield.

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

[yeah, it's not a good day for directness. But he goes on, in an undertone]

There is a woman from my world, who is being sent on the draft. She's a young mother. [his mouth tenses on the phrase, but his tone doesn't change] She has a mushi living inside her, like I do. [he looks up now] Only she is the host to this one, and it feeds on her. It lives off of her memories, so that she forgets her own day-to-day life. The names of the thing, people's faces, foods.... [he trails off, before ending decisively]

She's even less of a fighter than I am. But you have strength to spare. Will you look out for her safety, in battle?

[entaiho]

Why does there always have to be fighting?

[Suddenly restless, Rokuta pushes to his feet again, balancing on the tree limb as easily as though it were level ground and looking out over the rest of the forest. The peace of it is reassuring, even if the thought of those being drawn off to war is not.]

[biteoffherhead]

Even the beasts war with one another.

[biteoffherhead]

[So she's looking for a human that smells faintly similar to Ginko, to protect. A thoughtful scowl touches Moro's features.]

How do you presume to pay for such a favor?

[entaiho]

But we're not simply mindless beasts, we're more than that. We can talk, and reason, and... there has to be some way, other than fighting and killing.

[biteoffherhead]

Even the gods are warring creatures. Battle is glory, for the beasts intelligent enough to realize it.

[one-green-eye.livejournal.com]

You would know better than I, what is valuable to you. [with the very dangerous quiet that says it could be about anything, at this point]

[entaiho]

[It's not an argument he'll ever win and Rokuta knows it; he just sighs and rests his forehead against a branch. He'll just... have to do what he can.]

I should meet your daughter. Especially if she's staying behind.

[biteoffherhead]

[A low, calm chuckle. She ponders for a bit, before she speaks once more.]

...You were in love with San.