Blackfeather Woods 負けるが勝ち

He had withdrawn alongside his lord, ears keenly pricked as he listened to his assessment of the situation. He was already eager to move—not such a foolish notion, after all. Better to remain in motion when one sought to erase one’s tracks. But what was there to flee from here?

I have sensed no pack in these lands, nor any sign of threat, Shinjou declared, bolstered by his patrols and reconnaissance forays. Had danger lurked nearby, Lorroakan—that lanky kid—would surely have been devoured by now. And yet, was Shinjou perhaps too sure of himself?

Where are we heading, like this, with all these people? he asked, intrigued. Not that he would complain about the presence of the striking young woman, but she had not entirely dulled his sense of reason. Two warriors, and two… burdens. Civilians. And given the pace at which Masa-dono seemed to collect strays from the roadside, there would likely be more before long.