Blackfeather Woods the assassin's road

then i pledge my sword to your service. for as long as that may last.

perhaps kikyo will be fortunate—his knives will find him one day, as they had in the past, and he would go and see who they had found. more heads would roll.

he dips his chin. it is an act of deference to masa, but not quite deep enough to be a bow, and does not expose his throat or his neck to either the man or the boy. with nothing else to say, kikyo moves to part from both of their company and seeks the rotted carcass.

he does not go far, though. a step, maybe two or three, before he stops and regards masa once more. do i have leave to finish my meal? one ear is turned towards the boy among them, but otherwise kikyo no longer regards them as an enemy, or a friend, or there at all.

masa is the one that matters in this moment.

your blade is accepted. for as long as it is drawn in honor. the only thing that masa would ever step forward to enforce. he was not a leader of men—at least, he did not wish to be. that was something he had left behind long ago. and yet more and more people floated to his side.
his response is flat, lacking grandeur, but it is not dismissive.
when kikyō turns again, seeking leave for the kill he was denied before, masa does not hesitate. you do. eat. tourmaline gaze narrowing faintly as they drift to shinjou. there will be no more insult.
it is the final warning he will give.

He had simply offered a faint smile and a small nod to affirm his lord’s words. It was the only response he could manage to calm the anger simmering deep within him. It didn’t take much to unsettle Shinjou — even the slightest frustration was enough. A rather poor attitude for a samurai, who was meant to be in control of his emotions.
At last, he turned on his heels and made his way into the depths of the forest. There was nothing more to be said, no orders left to question. For now...

exit grumpy Shin <3