Heron Lake Plateau Lets get down to business

for @Orochi

She had her son back, She had Takara and she had Higoro. Everything was fine and she was almost prepared to head off to do whatever it was she was going to do (she had no clue where they'd go at that moment) but there was one thing that nagged at her. 

Orochi's blatant lack of respect. She was peeved that he disregarded her warnings, that he continued to stray and do god knows what and get into lord only knows how much trouble. Her anger came from the fierce love she had for him, even as a spawn of betrayal he was her little dragon but honestly her anger was also from her natural desire to be the General. She was in charge, she was the one who gave battle commands and gave orders to the lesser wolves and soldiers who lacked the skill to match her. Orochi acted like he already had the power and the skills to slay anyone in his path and she felt he needed to learn it wasn't so. She stood in the center of the plateau and called for the boy, her tone cutting and sharp. Inside her heart shriveled at what she had planned out but her mind felt it was nescessary. If he wanted to be a soldier, a warrior, discipline and respect of superiors came first and foremost.

the young warrior could never let things go. he certainly wouldn’t forget the fight a few days prior. it bothered him more than he’d like to admit. how could anyone beat him up so easily? orochi was the greatest fighter this world has ever seen. yes, of course. maybe he wasn’t in the right headspace that day, otherwise he could’ve taken his attacker down in an instant. right? 

yes, keep telling yourself that. 

orochi wasn’t in a great mood (and honestly, when is he?) so one could guess he wasn’t pleased to hear minori’s demanding call. goodness, he had done what she asked for. he guarded takara from danger and he did it damn well. what more could she want? the boy growled and dragged himself towards the sound.

what do you want? he grumbled as soon as he approached her.

Minori watched as he walked toward her, his expression and tone making it clear just how little he thought of her and just how much he hated having to answer her call. However, she did make note that he came. It was a start that he knew enough obedience to answer her call even though he didn't want to but he needed to learn respect, he needed to know he wasn't the top dog here. "Respect. Something you are lacking. You seem to have quite the ego little dragon" she said her voice gentle though her expression was stern and her eyes made of steel as she studied him. He was a growing boy, much larger than she had really taken the time to notice. Her eyes softened for a moment as she saw the strength in his body, the strength that matched inside as well. "You are tough, strong and have the benefits of youth. You can become a great warrior one day but you lack the most important things. You are not invincible, you are a child and one with no formal training in the ways of life and battle" she stopped there and stared him down, eyes sharp as she expected him to go off.

oh, a lecture. what a waste of time. his eyes narrowed and drifted off to the side. if he could plug his ears he’d do so in a heartbeat. but of cousrse he couldn’t so he was forced to listen to his guardian’s speech.

lacking respect? she was damn right about that and orochi was fully aware. a smug grin spread on his face. no one deserved his respect. he was too great for that.

as minori went on his smile faded and he shot a glare towards her. i am a warrior. a great one. keep telling yourself that. i don’t need to train to know that.

Her eyes scanned over the smug grin, the cockiness he showed toward his own skill (and in her opinion, lack thereof) really grating on her nerves. She rolled her eyes and stretched her legs out one by one, muscles rippling as she stretched "You're a child with a monstrous ego and you'll get your ass whooped by the first person you cross the wrong way" she stated bluntly and then stared him in the eyes, lips curling up over her fangs "Prove it. Surely such a great warrior can beat a woman like me?" she taunted. She didn't recall ever having told him or Deku anything of her past or of her skills in the art of ass whooping.

if this had happened just days before, than perhaps her words wouldn’t have affected him too much. but after being attacked by the man in the woods, the warning rang true. he didn’t want to believe it. he flattened his ears and gritted his teeth to ignore her, but the stinging pain in his side only proved her point.

orochi leaped forward with a frustrated shout. his teeth aimed to lock into any part hey could latch on. he just wanted her to shut up. shut up. shut up.

As she had expected he exploded with anger but instead of words he used his fangs. He sprang at her and because she was ready she reared up and using her forepaws, shoved his face downward before dropping to the ground. Almost effortlessly she lunged and wrapped her jaws around his scruff, gripping and twisting with her whole body to toss him to the ground. Once that was done she stood over him, chin tilted downward to shield her neck because she had no doubt he would probably try again and with his temper he could make the mistake of hurting her badly. "You are untrained. You cannot hone that fire you have and utilize it without training. Get up and try again Orochi" she said firmly, eyes a calm storm brewing with determination and curiosity. If she could get past that rage, make him see he wasn't all he thought he was, then she could work on training him to become the fierce soldier he seemed to envision himself as.

just as before, he was put down with ease. before he grab onto anything, minori reared up and slammed her mighty paws on the back of his head, shoving it into the dirt. but that wasn’t the end of it. before he could even process what just happened, minori latched onto his neck and flung him to the side like a ragdoll. and when he tried to get up, minori leaped over him.

it was all too much. the wounds on his side were set aflame once more. warm blood trickled down his neck. the same flush of embarrassment he felt in orchard cane washing back again, only this time it inspired pure rage. he wanted to win. he needed to win. he would not be beaten again. i. don’t. CARE. he snapped forward to grab her paw.

rolled a miss

lemme know if you want a roll

The moment his wounds opened she smelled the metallic taint in the air so pungent to her keen nose that she could almost taste the sharp tangy flavor of blood upon her tongue. For a moment she was brought up short and her eyes widened before it occured to her those wounds were not her doing, the blood smelled much to strongly for that to be a bite wound and she had not bitten through his skin she was sure of it. He had been getting himself into trouble elsewhere and the knowledge made her eyes narrow once more just before he lunged. It took her by surprise and she lifted her paw, his teeth brushing over the skin and slicing through causing blood to well up through her fur. She growled and lowered her head, swining it so that the hardest part of her skull would smack into his without causing her much harm. If she connected she would body slam him to the ground and once again stand over him, her tail rising and spine going rigid fur rising in a blatant display of dominance and warning. She growled low her eyes firm and dangerous but expression calm and controlled. She gave a short, sharp growl "Stand down and listen. I can help you become a warrior knowm far and wide. Accept my offer and fight or stand down and accept I am better" her eyes softened for a moment as her heart hammered inside her chest, memories of the eyes of her soldiers brimming with fire and rage but determination as well. She believed that he could be trained to have discipline, to use rage as a weapon to destroy for good and the good of his future people and a smaller part of her brain argued he could become a threat, a possible murderer on day if she didn't at least teach him that anyone in the world could hurt him and caution was a nescessity to survival.

his teeth just barely grazed over her skin, but he was somehow able to spill blood. he clenched his jaw, savoring the flavor of its metallic taste. it was good to know what success tasted like, even if it was just for a moment.

 a flash of black and white cane hurling towards him. the boy tried ducking out of the way but it was too late. a bone crack. a sharp scream. orochi was knocked to the floor just as before. his gums bled from the impact. minori’s words were barely registered. his drumming heart and scorching tears made it hard to listen to anything.

stop it. the mumble was directed primarily to himself. stop it. stop. SHUT UP! he looked up at minori now, his expression twisted into a anger. i don’t want your help! i can help myself!. he dug his claws deep into the earth. you’ve never helped me before anyways. he referred back to shadewood. all those days and nights spent alone with the bare minimum amount of care. it was always deku, deku, deku, never him. maybe if she treated him like a son, things would be different.

but she didn’t. and now she stood over a boy who truly hated her. get off.

The fact that perhaps there was another reason why he was so beligerent toward her authority and care. It hadn't occurred perhaps she hadn't pushed her love on him hard enough. She saw flashes of her childhood and remembered how hard her father was and how as she grew she became colder and more isolated. She hadn't ever thought of how she may have wanted more attention from her dad, the one she admired so much. Her mother has been so gentle and soft she had wanted to be like her father so she could protect her, the innocent flower and the light that helped make her head think clearly through the flames. She stepped back and sat down her eyes welling with tears. She had thought he hated her for no reason. He hated her because she hadn't tried. He hated her because she had let him grow to hate her. "I did...try. When Takara and Issun vanished I searched so hard and I kept you fed and warm. My son adored you, he trailed after you because i allowed him to. I knew you needed to be alone and i trusted you to help my son if trouble occured. I thought....you despised me. I just...figured it would be better to leave it while i found your mother. I'm sorry...i wanted to train you to be strong and help protect people like her one day I just....you hated me so blatantly and you wander away...i was scared if i didn't assert myself you would be gone forever" it all poured out of her, her soul bared open raw and then it shut tight because she hadn't meant to ever show weakness to her strongest son. She stood and backed away, swallowing thickly "I'm sorry. Go find Takara. You're right, you don't need me, just please be more careful when away from your mother Orochi, I really don't want you to get hurt" at that she turned and ran away the tears dripping down the fur of her cheeks.

at that moment he was at a loss of what to do. the fire that burned in his heart made him want to spring up and prove that he was indeed a great warrior. but he was so tired. with the blood that dripped from his neck and maw followed the adrenaline of battle. even if he lunged towards her, she’d just knock him down again. that only urged him to defeat her more, but it’d be fruitless. although he didn’t snap again, his fiery glare never left her piercing gaze. orochi would not bow to her. 

minori did not entertain this fight any further. she did as she was told, backing away and sitting before him. he was shocked by how easily she gave in. and were those tears that glistened on her face?

this wasn’t about the past anymore. takara was back and although their relationship was on the rocks, she was still safe. this wasn’t about her, or deku. all that mattered was their fight and what was said during it.

no, this wasn’t how it was supposed to be. orochi should be standing over minori, gloating over his success. ”who’s inexperienced now?” he’d howl. it should have been a battle rightfully won.

but this was just sad. although orochi had technically won in some way, he was the one left bloody and broken while minori stood there unharmed and crying. that glorious vision of him standing y’all over his guardian would never be, for as soon as she was done she raced down the plateau. orochi was left to himself. angry, confused.

dissatisfied.