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[Naoto]

Law of the assassin number one;
Conceal yourself in D A R K N E S S... still your B R E A T H... seek a path to your T A R G E T.

OOC: This is before Naoto heads to the Koga Village. Also this is private, just for Akame. :3 The journey had been a long one. In fact, it would have taken her less time to visit the Koga Village than it would have to come here. Yet there was something important here. There was something fragile and tenuous here that might not last. Akame had been in his prime during the war with Akakabuto and the wolves. The stories that they had been told had built him to be a mythic figure within her mind, much like Tesshin who now ran the Koga clan. But with Akame, that was all that there was. Akame, the last Iga. It could be said to be a fallacy considering that she existed, but it was truth. His sons were dead, his siblings mostly dead. Her father was his nephew but he had left many of the ways of the Iga just as her mother had left many of the ways of the Koga. It was a slow, dwindling death for a once thriving clan. And herself? Naoto was neither and she was both. There would be no resurgence of the Iga clan through her because she carried within her veins the blood of the Kogas. That was why it was important that she come here, to this place. It was important that she see Akame and learn what he could teach her. Her parents had not wanted any of them to follow the paths that their ancestors had but Naoto wanted to make that choice for herself. She wanted to see a living legend before his time came and listen to his words. But she didn't allow herself to think on all of that too much for there were many things to think about and many things to observe on her journey. This was the land of her ancestors and the land of many warriors. This was the land of legends and battles long past. It was both similar and different to where she had grown up and she drank it all in as she drove herself forward, legs stretching out to their fullest as she loped along. She was tired, thirsty, but she was driven. She would have her answers. She wanted to hear of the past and the present from the mouth of one who had experienced it. She wanted advice and teaching. Of course, he might very well want nothing to do with her but it was all a risk that she would take for the truth of things. A strong breeze blew over her fur, cooling her some, ruffling the white and brown fur. She gave her head a quick shake as it tickled some of the fur against her ears. When she opened her blue eyes she paused to stare up from where she was standing. Rising like a monolith was Gajou. She had never seen it before except in her mind's imagination but she knew it; what else could it be? A mountain of rocks perched for all to see - a monument to the dead, a castle, a fortress, a place of life and death. Assuming he was not off wandering the land, perhaps visiting old soldiers, this was where she would find Akame. She moved her tired legs forward, pacing slowly towards the structure, blue eyes fixed unerringly upon it. Now, at least, she had found Gajou. She was within Ohu. She was that much closer to discovering the truth of the past, the rifts that had been, of the very world itself it seemed. She drew closer until she had crested the hill and the stone mountain now loomed before her; dark and black and no little bit of intimidating. And here she paused, unsure. Should she announce herself? Weren't there guards? She had been sure that a pack this size would have some. Ohu was supposedly the paradise of dogs and all were welcome here but would they balk if she drew any closer? She was caught in her indecision and held herself there, waiting.

Law of the assassin number two;
K N O W your target. Be able to guess his thoughts, his M O V E M E N T S.

[Akame]

    {{OOC:}}
     Yawning, Akame had looked up to the sky, his eyes watered and made him blink. How long had he been asleep? It had to be later in the day by now; he had slept through the morning. He unraveled himself in the shadow of Gajou and sniffed the air. Everything was serene today, no wonder why he had slept so long. With life so undisturbed it was unlikely that any member of Ohu would awaken one of the elders; let sleeping dogs lie, yes? He had decided to take a stroll in order to wake himself up, it was less of a patrol and more of a way to stretch his muscles. Perhaps he would see some fellow soldiers and greet them; he wondered if Weed or one of the others had needed him. Maybe they had let him sleep, he was old after all. He couldn't be expected to strain himself day in or day out, even though he considered his services toward Ohu to be of greater importance than a few aches and pains. He had meandered his way from Gajou for some time and found no one. They were probably out patrolling; his fellow veterans were probably settled in a clearing away from the sun and telling of old times. That's all they seemed to do, anymore, and he knew it was for the best. Better to tell of old times before the old times were nothing more than rumours. He remembered how many, when he, Gin, and John, had traveled together through Japan, had though Ohu to be nothing more than a utopia; something that did not exist. Some even shrugged off Akakabuto as being nothing more than a child's nightmare, in spite of the fact Akame could show them the trees bordering Ohu that still held the bears' scars. And his sons? Akame could not forget the bears who had taken his sons; that part of the nightmare was not falsified. More than one doubting dog had come to believe the story of Akakabuto after Akame told them of the last minutes of Kirikaze - he could not forget his son's wounds and the regret he had felt.

It had been because of both Akakabuto and Kurojaki that Akame had refused to teach any other Igas the way of the clan; his choice to destroy his past had been to prevent the future deaths of other dogs. He had been thankful that his siblings had not continued the Iga clan, and was grateful for the rumours of his nephew breaking off from tradition and even making a Koga dog his mate; though Akame knew little about that. His life had been spent in Ohu with Gin and Weed, and he figured he did more here than he would with relatives that were not targets of enemies of Ohu. It was when the wind picked up that Akame decided it was time to return to Gajou; he didn't know why. He sensed no storms on the horizon, but he felt the need to circle back to Ohu. His speed allowed him to make great time in his return, and unlike what was to be expected, he did not use the trees. There was no need to, as far as Akame was concerned. As he approached Gajou, he stopped in catching a scent of an unknown, yet familiar dog. It was an odd experience, to smell a dog he could not place, yet a dog he knew had to be someone he knew. As he came closer to Gajou he saw a young white dog; not unlike himself. On her head he noticed the tuft of fur, the mark of a Koga, and tilted his head. Could this be...? He had no idea what her name was, but who else could she be than the daughter of Akihiko? It had been years since Akame had met his nephews and nieces, he could not even place what Akihiko looked like, it had been so long.

He did little to disguise himself as he approached the young dog; her fur was much brighter than his, which had started to take on a slight cream hue over the years, probably due to his age. When he was a ways behind her, he spoke up. "Greetings, young one." He paused for a moment, and looked up at Gajou, where he noticed she must have been staring at. "It is a brilliant temple, isn't it? If one climbs to its zenith, the view is astounding. Even now it stands, though it has seen more than it's fair share of confrontation." Akame then approached and stood next to Naoto. He looked at her, and it nearly confirmed his suspicions. "Are you perhaps searching for something? Few who come here come to simply admire the view." He could not ask her who she was; he already knew, even though her name eluded him. It was rude to make such comments and to accuse her of being the daughter of his nephew when he had little proof. What if other Kogas had interbred with other dogs? He could not know everything that went on there, but all the same. Her eyes showed the vague glimmer he knew to be Akihiko's (he had remembered the pup's eyes while the rest was a blur) - maybe he only imagined it, but every dog had a different gaze. Gin and Weed's locked you in place, you fell under their spell due to their confident voice. Ben's held the stories of the ages, inside their blindness you saw reflected his memories, and his kindness softened them. In his own, Akame's, many saw only red. He liked to think that red represented the blood of his kin and his own; in time, maybe, his eyes would empty and he would no longer be known as the one with the bloodshot eyes. Akihiko's eyes had a misty feel about them; they pierced you with a sense of curiosity that would only become brighter in his sons and daughters. And there it was, her curiosity was no longer hidden behind mist, no, her eyes were clear. This had to be Akihiko's daughter, it simply had to be - little did Akame know there were more than simply Naoto when it came to Akihiko's family.
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[Naoto]

Law of the assassin number one;
Conceal yourself in D A R K N E S S... still your B R E A T H... seek a path to your T A R G E T.

Though Naoto had the heightened senses of the young, she did not have the skills of her elders - especially one such as Akame or other ninjas. As she contemplated whether or not she should continue forward or call for someone, a voice spoke behind her. The young female could not stop herself from whirling around in surprise, feeling more than a little bit of fear grasp at her. The dogs of Ohu were supposedly worthy and kind, accepting of strangers, but that didn't mean it was true; many stories had been embellished over the years. But those thoughts were quick whispers in the darkness of the mind as her blue eyes fully took in the sight of the dog that was standing right behind her. He was taller than she, a bit wider set due to sex and the onsets of age, his coat a creamier sort of white. And his eyes were a crimson red. This had to be him. This had to be Akame. Akame, the last Iga, the legendary figure in the history of two clans, in the history of Ohu. And though she wanted to call him by name, by relation, she held her tongue. Though he looked much like the descriptions of the legends and that her father had given her, that did not necessarily mean that it was him. There were many, many dogs of the breed, after all, many dogs that were mixes. She lowered her head as the older dog greeted her, giving him a respectful greeting of her own. "Greetings, elder." She had been raised to respect those of older age and wisdom, after all and to definitely be respectful in the territory of another. She was not here to cause problems, after all. She was just here to seek answers to questions that her parents would never answer. She turned her head to the side some to look back at Gajou as the other dog spoke of it. "It is remarkable, that is quite certain." She wasn't sure if she would call it brilliant for it seemed more than a little intimidating to her. Perhaps that was simply because she had heard so many stories of the wars that had been waged around and within its walls... or perhaps because it was hard to reconcile her vague and fleeting thoughts of it with the reality. The older dog called her attention back away from the piles of boulders and back towards her purpose with a gentle bit of speech. He had likely known from the start that she was not here for the simple reasons of gawking at stone monuments. Whether or not he knew who she was, she didn't quite know. He might, he might not... or he might be hesitant to assume who she was given how many dogs there were in this world. Naoto turned her attention fully back to the white dog with the crimson eyes. She folded her haunches beneath her and sat before she lowered her head, dipping it down almost halfway to the ground in a respectful bow. "You are correct, elder." She raised her head and met his eyes, the bright and vivid blue to the deep crimson red; old eyes that had surely seen much - perhaps even far too much - in this world and eyes that held what she might seek. "I have come seeking several things. Mostly, I have come seeking a dog of stories and legends." She held his eyes still for a moment longer before she dropped them to a more respectful level. "I have come to speak with Akame, the leader of the clan that was the Igas. I wish to seek his wisdom and hear his words." Naoto allowed her words to sink in and allowed the older dog to weigh them before she spoke again. "And I believe that I have found him. Or, rather, he has found me." She still did not feel as if mentioning their relation was a good thing. Not yet. She didn't want him to feel obliged to do anything. She was certainly not a social climber by any means, not someone who would use her connections to get through places. Of course, it might all be moot. He might already know who she was. She had certainly never met him, but that didn't mean he didn't keep tabs on members of his family and extended family through contact and rumors.

Law of the assassin number two;
K N O W your target. Be able to guess his thoughts, his M O V E M E N T S.

[Akame]

    {{OOC:}}
     "Greetings, elder. It is remarkable, that is quite certain."

To look upon Gajou was something many dogs reacted to differently. Some hardly noticed it, while others found it almost terrifying. As Akame looked over Naoto he could tell she was no stranger to the stories of Ohu - very few dogs were - she had been told of the wars and battles that had taken place both at its peak and within. The last Iga had spent much time in and around the stone fortress, it was like a magnet for the veterans of past wars, for in its shadow lay the graves of the recently fallen, and it was hard for even Akame to tread on the ground lightly knowing the remains of John's fangs lay buried beneath. In a way it was almost surreal, even for him, to walk past Gajou; the only difference between Naoto and he being he had actual memories proving that what had happened was not simply a story or fever dream, while Naoto could only dream of the stories that were passed down to her. He inclined his head slightly in greeting to the pup, smiling slightly at her respect. Although he wouldn't flaunt his rank toward new comers, there was something to be said for a young dog who was noble enough to address others in a respectful way. Not many would, Akame believed.

"You are correct, elder. I have come seeking several things. Mostly, I have come seeking a dog of stories and legends. I have come to speak with Akame, the leader of the clan that was the Igas. I wish to seek his wisdom and hear his words. And I believe that I have found him. Or, rather, he has found me."

The elder looked at Naoto while she spoke, allowing her words to meet him. It wasn't the first time a dog entered Ohu specifically searching for so-and-so. However this young one was different; she was the daughter of his nephew at the most, if his suspicions were correct; and if he were wrong, at least her tuft of hair proved her to be of Koga decent. No other dog he knew had such a feature. He paused when her speech was done and chuckled slightly, his smile returning, although it was no longer a slight one. "How far have you come seeking me? Your fur tells me you are at least part Koga. It has been a long time since I have visited there, but I assume they still teach their history. You are not from their clan, then, are you?" He sat down, perhaps to rest his limbs that already were becoming weary with standing still for so long. "Yet you know who I am, and although many do, not as many seek me out with the title 'leader of the clan that was the Igas.'" He paused again, perhaps making sure he had his facts aligned in the correct manner. "Does this mean you are a part of both Koga and Iga, yet belong to neither? Your existence is an anomaly, to be sure. All the same, I will answer your questions, but only if you tell me if I am correct in my assumption that you are the daughter of Akihiko." There; he had allowed his guesses to be known. Perhaps he would be right, but maybe he would be wrong, and this young dog would begin to scoff at his senile old mind. Was it so incorrect of an assumption however? The way she addressed him, the way she looked - it was not an everyday occurrence. She, just as any other dog, had a right to ask him questions, but unlike most others, Akame believed there was more to it than that. Naoto didn't just come here to hear stories, he thought - could she be coming here to learn of the things he had deemed to be illegal to teach? She would be met with disappointment if she asked for such; but maybe she arrived here to ask for permission to learn it from another source? Perhaps the Koga? Again, she would be met with disappointment - Akame had little influence over them. However he would try to appease her in her quest - if only a small bit.

After stating his facts, the elder found himself wondering just how correct he could be. Perhaps this young female was simply an odd mutt, and knew little about what she resembled. Was it too forward of him to state aloud what he believed? It had to be a shot in the dark, although a slightly educated one. He couldn't be faulted in seeing the Koga in Naoto's fur, mixed with the white that was the trademark of the Iga. But there were hundreds of dogs in Japan – and thousands more across the planet – what if he was in error, and what if this female took advantage of that? What if he had been fooled? Akame broke contact with Naoto and looked back up at Gajou, as if staring at something, waiting for a confirmation or a decline. ”Or if I am wrong in my assumption, I ask your forgiveness. Your resemblance to both clans is...uncanny.” He looked back at Naoto when he said this, desperately trying to decide between the pull of his guesses and the pull of his faults; maybe he was right, maybe he was wrong. In the end only Naoto could decide it for him.
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Edited by Akame, Jul 23 2013 05:19 PM.

[Naoto]

Law of the assassin number one;
Conceal yourself in D A R K N E S S... still your B R E A T H... seek a path to your T A R G E T.

Naoto watched the other dog closely, every muscle tense as she awaited his response to her rather bold and assumptive words. But then, she hadn't been rude. She knew that Akame was the last of the Igas, she knew that he was a white dog, a Kishu Inu, and that he resided at Gajou within Ohu. It was easy enough to assume that the dog in front of her was that same dog. Of course she knew that there were many white dogs and many old dogs and many Kishus. It just seemed right to her, however, to make the guess. It seemed as if she were correct because the older dog chuckled and a smile appeared on his muzzle. Her tense preparedness relaxed some at that. The dogs of Ohu were supposed to be good and kind. She needn't fear some type of trick or subversion here. When he spoke, it was with an amused kindness and she found herself relaxing even further, her curled tail waving briefly once or twice in a short wag. "It has been quite a journey, elder. My family lives far enough that it has taken me several weeks to get here." She could tell him where her family lived, she might even do so later, but for now that would suffice. She didn't think Akame would hold a grudge against her and her family but you could never tell. "No, elder. I am not from their clan." She was, in a way, just as she was from Iga in a way. But she was certainly not an accepted member of either clan nor had she grown up within either. Her bright blue eyes watched Akame as he slowly took a seat and then spoke, his words curious and as if he were sounding them out, tasting them for the very first time. She allowed him to do so, to speak and to come to his conclusions from the words that she had used. He was intelligent and, really, she wasn't playing any word games at all. She had also been raised to not interrupt anyone and to always hold a respect for those older than herself. So she waited until he had finished speaking before she continued. "You are correct in all things, elder." Her tail waved again once or twice in a pleased congratulations for his guesses and his ability to ferret out the truth. "My father is indeed Akihiko. My mother is of the Koga clan." She allowed herself to gaze to travel over the older dog again, this time in a new light. Not just a legend, but a relative. The relation was distant; she was the daughter of his nephew and she had never known him until this moment. But still. She was in the presence of a dog that had seen and done much who also shared blood. It was a little daunting and a little invigorating all at the same time. "And now we meet." Reserved and dignified she might be, but Naoto was still fairly young. It was hard to restrain happiness at meeting someone that you had heard legends and stories of all of your life. "My parents did not wish me to make this journey. They have taught none of us five much from either clan's knowledge, except for those things that will aid us in simple survival. They do not speak much of things outside of stories that all dogs know. But I..." She paused, collecting her thoughts. She did not wish to appear as a rebellious child. She had not just ran off into the night. She had debated with both of her parents before they accepted what she wished to do. It wasn't about learning fancy tricks or becoming a ninja. It was about learning... everything. She wanted the stories, she wanted the heritage. She wanted to ferret down into the truth of why both clans had hated one another so much. She wanted to see the lifestyle for herself and decide if it was best ignored or if it was for her. There were so many things she wanted to know and to learn. That was why she had come to one that surely had much wisdom stored up over the years. "I do not wish you to think a disobedient dog. I did eventually gain their permission. I seek more than just stories."

Law of the assassin number two;
K N O W your target. Be able to guess his thoughts, his M O V E M E N T S.

[Akame]

    {{OOC:}}
     "Greetings, elder. It is remarkable, that is quite certain."

""It has been quite a journey, elder. My family lives far enough that it has taken me several weeks to get here. No, elder. I am not from their clan."

The determination of this young dog was admirable; many made the journey to Ohu. Many still spent their whole lives doing such, but it always brought Akame a sense of joy, a sense of warmness, to meet someone who had traveled here from any great distance. The fact a dog, any dog, made it here unscathed was always a blessing. Akame knew many dogs died before resting their eyes on Gajou or Ohu, many dogs believed it to be a myth, and not every canine in Japan was as kind to travelers as Ohu. He was glad that Naoto had come to no harm, and was glad she had reached this area safely. The fact she may be related to Akame only strengthened his need to be happy. He was sure that had Naoto come to any harm, Akihiko would never let Akame live it down; even if it wasn't Akame's fault, and even if no words passed between them, Akame could not help but take responsibility for Naoto as long as she traveled in between the territories. "I am glad you made it here safely, I am sure your family is glad as well." He smiled, noticing how she relaxed and allowed her tail to wag.

"You are correct in all things, elder. My father is indeed Akihiko. My mother is of the Koga clan. And now we meet. My parents did not wish me to make this journey. They have taught none of us five much from either clan's knowledge, except for those things that will aid us in simple survival. They do not speak much of things outside of stories that all dogs know. But I...I do not wish you to think a disobedient dog. I did eventually gain their permission. I seek more than just stories."

Akame nodded, allowing Naoto to speak. His ears flicked, hearing all that she said, and his eyes watching her. He knew one day, the descendents of Iga would come to him, questioning what he had done. He was glad to know that Akihiko had kept his promise, had not taught his children - if there were more, Akame had no idea - the way of the ninja. It was only a matter of time before they arrived, asking questions, begging to know the ways of old. The old dog would have to decide if he would allow Naoto to know the techniques he had deemed no longer safe to use. Perhaps she would learn them, anyway, it was not too hard to find others who could tell rumours. Akame knew Tesshin and Gin knew quite a few of the ninja techniques, and he could not stop them from divulging information. When Naoto was finished, Akame merely lowered his head in a bow. When he raised it, he spoke, "I am pleased to know my assumptions were not in arrogance. You have every right to ask me the questions and seek out the answers you wish to know. Yet, I am glad your parents gave you their permission, the journey you made could not have been an easy one." He sighed, "however, I refuse to teach you any of the ways of the Iga clan, just as your parents were right to not teach you. It is not because I deem you unworthy, but because I wish for you to remain safe. To bring back the Iga legacy threatens to bring back the bloody rivalry between the Koga and Iga - I do not want to see anyone thrown into a fight they do not understand, especially you." How could he, with a clear mind, send his young great niece into the world when she might be at risk? "You still have a right for me to tell you what I know of the past, young one. All I need to know is where you would like me to begin." He looked up at the sky, "and, if you would feel better within Gajou, where the sun is not as hot and the ground not as hard, we may continue our conversation in there."
    {{Word Count: 716}}

[Naoto]

Law of the assassin number one;
Conceal yourself in D A R K N E S S... still your B R E A T H... seek a path to your T A R G E T.

A small smile graced the edges of her muzzle and Naoto couldn't stop another slight wag of her tail at the older dog's words. He was just as solid and real as she was, something that was a bit hard to comprehend until actually meeting him. Her imaginations had always been like chasing after phantoms - interesting, but not made of any real substance. Now Akame was here, in front of her, and he was quite... familiar. She knew, of course, that he was something like her great-uncle. A family connection could give one that feeling of familiarity but it was more than that. He was polite, every bit the reserved and proper individual that she had imagined him to be in her mental wanderings with just a bit of pleasant humor about him. He reminded her in some ways of her father and the few other relations that she had met but it was more than that. Akame felt like a doting and pleased grandfather more than he felt like anything else at this moment. It was hard to equate the thought of a legend with that mental image, that familiar feeling, but that was what came to her. The slim female shook her head once at the older dog's words. "No, elder, it was not an easy journey and I would not have wished to have taken it with angry words parting my family. They worried, but they did not forbid me." She had always been the more inquisitive of her siblings. She wanted to know why things happened. She wanted to know why the legends had happened, why great figures had chosen those paths. She wanted to know their history and all that surrounded it. She was startled as he spoke further and told her that he would not teach her any ways of the clan. A heavy, crushing disappointment settled over her and yet, had her father not said the same words? And, in truth, it wasn't that Naoto wanted to know how to fight. She did not want to carry the banner of a (mostly) dead clan along with her. She just wanted to know of their history. In many ways, Naoto was not just a seeker of the truth behind legends and mysteries but also somewhat of a historian almost by the necessity of her need to ask 'why'. "I understand, elder," she told the other Kishu, even if there was a bit of disappointment laced in that tone for Naoto was still fairly young in the grand scheme of things. She drew in a deep breath before her sides heaved in a sigh. Well, he was not denying her questions and answers, was not denying her the history of their mutual clan and family. He was not denying her entrance to the legendary Ohu and Gajou. He just did not want to teach her the actual secrets and techniques. She supposed she could live with that. At least she had arrived and had found him welcoming... and it was always nice to have another family member. She tilted her head back some as Akame commented on the heat of the sun. It was bright and though she did not feel quite as much discomfort from it as some canines might, she realized that it would be wise to find a place to be comfortable and relax... and that the older dog himself might be feeling the heat and the hardness of the ground more than she herself was. Naoto pushed herself up onto all four legs again. "It would be an honor to continue our conversation within such hallowed walls," she told him honestly. For it was a place of great honor and sacrifice. Not holy, no, but definitely a place of much history and bloodshed and revered by many. To step within it would be one more step into the journey of knowledge that she had undertaken. "Please, lead the way for me, elder." It was a polite statement, but it was more than that. It was almost a ritualistic, older way of speaking; asking Akame to lead her along the path that was tangible but also along the path of knowledge and enlightenment. She could learn much from such a legend, after all. Even if she never learned the secrets, the techniques, the attacks, of the clan that had once thrived she could at least carry on the legacies and the stories of those that had died and pass them on when she one day had pups. "I suppose it might be a bit difficult to request to begin at the beginning. I know there are records, but I also know that much knowledge has been lost over time."

Law of the assassin number two;
K N O W your target. Be able to guess his thoughts, his M O V E M E N T S.

[Akame]

{{OOC:}}

Akame sensed the disappointment dance its way over Naoto's fur. It was like a cold wind, or a rushing rain, the way it danced over her, and he supposed, would dance over him if he were in her place. But certainly, she knew this? She understood that this was to protect her, to protect her siblings, her sons and daughters, if she had any. "I hope in the end your travel was not a waste," his eyes held a sort of sadness. How many like her were left? How many would seek him out, would obtain permission, to seek him? So seek any of them? He was not the only one of a dying breed, and looking at the young female, he knew that with each generation, the stories would become shakier. While his stories were told with blood and bones, the next generation would teach them as skin and muscle, and the story would continue to devolve until, in the end, it was nothing more than sticks building a flimsy representation of a fable, while his body rotted underground. He shook inwardly at the thought. He owed her his stories, owed her the answers even if, in the end, her journey was less than what she expected. "However both the Iga and Kouga clans have seen atrocities, and I do not wish your parents to go through what they did." Tesshin had grown up with the burden his father had killed himself out of honor, had decided that he was expendable. Akame had raised him as well as he could with the memory of his sons' deaths harnessing him all the way.

Akame rose to his full height and lead Naoto into Gajou. His tail curled neatly over his back, his paws stil carried the regimented march, the tones of a soldier with the training of a ninja. He gave the air that at any moment he could jump back and attack, any moment could be set off into an attack; even now, he could not help the instinct to always be on gaurd. To always be prepared to leap into action. It was not something one grew out of, not something one forgot. He lead Naoto into the entrance of Gajou, which sat a few feet off the ground in a crevice surrounded by rocks. With a grace only he had, he floated to the top of the rock without even clawing his way up, and he turned to wait for Naoto. "You ask for the beginning...." The sun above was caught by Gajou and shaded them, shaded him, as if he was nothing more then a silhouette. "What the true start is... is lost. You will hear stories from Kouga that have different details than mine, I am sure. But from what we know, it started so many generations ago... before Akakabuto, before myself. Before anyone I've ever met, before anyone you've ever heard of." Akame turned and continued into Gajou, which caused his voice to echo, "at this time, Japan was a small nation of small towns and lords. No cities. The Kouga, at that time, were our allies, and we were not the white fur that we know now. There was spying involved, and the Kougas, they turned on us for reasons we were never sure. Perhaps it was wealth, perhaps it was greed, maybe we were at fault. The Igas and Kougas had masters then, samurai, who raised and trained us. My great ancestor's sons and daughters were just born when the Kougas rebelled. There was death everywhere."

Akame continued further down into Gajou, where even though the light began to fade, one could still see. "Generations past, and while the true reasons were lost, the bloodshed never ended. Eventually, the humans who raised us began to breed us to be all white, in the belief we could balance the Kouga. They thought we carried the purity needed to fend the Kouga off. In time, you see, the humans themselves grew to their sense and abandoned this feud, or died. By the time my father's father was born, there were no humans. Only dogs. Life was hard; it was not uncommon for a wandering Iga to be killed simply because they slept out in the sun instead of the shade. And likewise, the Kouga would be murdered if they dare linger too long in the shadows. We took over where the humans left off, the feud becoming worse and worse, more advanced. We had the texts from these times, we guarded them with our lives. We had resources left from the humans, old ornamental swords, poisons, armor... we used these to our advantage. The war caused desperate times. Pups were murdered, pregnant females skewered. We did everything we could, suicide ravaged both clans." Akame sat down on straw or grass, it was hard to tell, and in the light that broke through the boulders of Gajou, one could see he was, silently, crying. "Eventually, our war proved to tax us in ways we never imagined. Food became scarce and the Kouga....they began to cannibalize us." {{Word Count: 987}}