Emberwood Old Rhythm, New Beats

@Takeshi! Taken place after the group visits KO! Will keep the that thread vague since it's not done!

The visit to Kaistleoki was an emotional roller coaster. The to-be-empress was torn on her feelings about the reunion with the place she had called home, her chest hurting just enough to remember the details of the event and linger on them to this day. 

Once the group had settled back into the vale, Reiko wandered off on her own. Sneaking away from @Hiromi and @Yuudai's ever watchful gazes to go and check back on the old stomping grounds of Uaine Gorsedd, hoping to find more stragglers who lingered wondering why the pack was gone. The two Clan members were a sight for sore eyes, but there were certain things Reiko wished to do on her own. She had spent to much time already fending for herself (with a lot of trouble), and so it felt wrong to burden others after such a long time of having to do it yourself. 

Though she was certain the two would have different opinions about it. 

As she wandered the woods, a sense of sadness overcame the young woman. Ibis had worked so hard to bring the pack together, just for it to crumble and leave behind only the little carved flowers in the trunks Reiko had done for Ibis' brother to find them. Now it was just as desolate as anywhere else. From the far end of the previous pack's territory, she sighed and turned back around to follow a new path back to Northstar Vale, to go back to the small group and help them all settle down.

Wandering to new lands to search for his property would yield him great reward. Because his property hadn't wandered so far away. He'd come after Hiromi, finding the girl's scent tangled with Yuudai's- it lit a fire in his gut. Imagining that incompetent man with his side piece only served to anger him, and he'd set off to follow the trails for as long as he could. Yet it was only natural that the scents faded eventually, washed by rain or some other phenomenon.

But Takeshi knew he was close. Rather than Hiromi, he would be greeted with an even more precious pearl today, not that he was really aware of it yet. 

He wandered the wood, blending right in with the snow. Old pictures were carved in the trees- in some places, the bark had crumbled and fallen, making the image difficult to understand. But preserved ones here and there keyed him in on the flower. He wondered momentarily what sort of people had once lived here, who had spent their time carving rather than doing useful things? He let out a scoff to himself, releasing a plume of breath into the cold air. 

A scent, then. Floating on momentary wind that rose and fell, and had his blue eyes widen, his tail raise like a banner. Following, following- he would hunt her down like a piece of meat. He was a predator. Something that had belonged to him, that he'd been in possession of, and she'd slipped from his grip. He would make sure to find her again, and when he did- 

Reiko! 

He barreled towards the wandering little girl, tongue lolling from his mouth with some excitement, before he would come to a screeching halt in front of her. Babe, I missed you so much... If she didn't stop him, he'd move to plant a wet tongue-kiss on her cheek, whether or not she really wanted it.

It would seem her travelling to Uaine's old territory would yield... something. The woods were not as empty as she once thought but it was not the face that she had expected to see - though it made sense considering that Hiromi and Yuudai had come to just days ago. 

For a moment her eyes were lit in excitement at the mention of her name, her name! Someone called out to her, a familiar voice, but who? Who! But it all faded oh so fast. The smile upon her lips faded and shoulders did drop as the figure quickly approached, that face, it was him. 

Very few good things came out of her exile from the clan, one was her freedom, the other was she would leave behind her betrothed. The man her parents had promised to be her husband, bound to one another at birth through a promise. Did this mean she was bound to the promise still? Did her parent's decision, no, curse, find its way back to her? 

She could only hope he forgot, moved on to a new would be lover, a new possible wife than the once princess of the Izuka Clan. Surely he had lost interest by now. A flinch made her vulnerable to his lick attack, wincing and letting a sigh slip through as she finally addressed the young man. The would-have-been-prince. 

Takeshi, you came too. Try as she might, she simply couldn't be as excited to see him as she did with the other two.

But of course, he would never forget. How could he? His favorite possession, his since birth- his darling little Reiko. Now that she was back in his sight he'd never let her leave him. He'd made a huge mistake to let her dissapear the first time- especially when he breathed in her scent now, and found the traces of Yuudai.

How many times now had she been unfaithful to him? How many times had she found herself in the arms of new lovers? It made his blood boil to think about. He wouldn't let it happen again. Everywhere she went, he'd be just behind her. Making sure his wife-to-be was a good and modest woman outwardly, careful in her actions and hesitant with other men. Only he deserved the right to strip her to the most vulnerable version of herself, to see her submit.

Of course, he couldn't dwell on his anger. So his attention comes back to those shining blue eyes, that lithe and girlish figure. And that deadpan voice that greeted him, if you could even call it a greeting. His brows furrow as he glares her down. Aren't you excited to see me, darling? What's with that attitude? You better learn to be careful. Seems like time away has made you into quite the daring little woman. He rumbles deeply, still breathing in her scent with a strange eagerness.

Takeshi must have grown out of his old ways. It had been so long since the clan, they all had grown up individually, in their own ways, on their own paths - her parents, the previous king and queen of the clan must have chosen him out of good faith with Takeshi's parents. He was young then, brash, bold and full of himself - it made Reiko uncomfortable; but maybe that was then, this was now.

She looked at him with mild hope filling her gaze, he did grow into such a handsome young man too, growing into his prime. Maybe she could over look the past and honor her parent's wishes to marry the man they had hand picked out for her - but no. Hope faded to dread as her posture slumped just enough to make her feel small under his gaze. That cold fire that bore into her, even to this day she couldn't shake that chill that ran down her spine. 

Of course I'm glad. My apologies... What was she saying? She didn't mean any of that! He should go, he wasn't right for the group. Nothing's changed! In fact, she didn't have her mother to hide behind and listen to in times like these so perhaps things have gotten worse now. It's been difficult here the past few months, I haven't felt like myself for a while. Excuses, find something to sooth his anger - to distract Takeshi somehow from the truth. 

The truth was, she wanted him anywhere but here.

short post sorry:">

Her posture slumps, and he admires her petite size. Too adorable. A satisfied smile touches his face then, and his eyes fill with warmth. She apologizes readily like she should, making a little excuse. She really was the perfect bride- okay, well, not perfect. She had her little mistakes now and then, but he only had to reprimand her once and already she was behaving again. It was certainly the time in these lands that had given her the audacity- he would be sure to hammer that sort of rebellious behavior out of her as soon as he could. 

Good girl, He praises with a sweet little grin, as if she was a small child who had just tied her shoes. So darling, what's been difficult? You need me to help out?

She could feel his gaze and it only weighed on the small woman further. It was like she could feel the pressure they were exerting, each eye ball pressing into her further by the moment. Good girl, the words felt toxic despite how kind they should have been. 

Were it any other man she possibly would have shown some teeth, told him off! She belonged to no man, not now, not ever, and she was in charge of what her future held from now on! But Takeshi, he had this way of drawing that rebellion out. To crush and kill it under his paw like he did now. Maybe it was their past, how tightly they were woven together. That history of theirs that choked any sense of self-pride out of her. 

What's been difficult? The famine, the earthquakes, the jumping from pack to pack, the attack in the field of flowers, the list went on and on! But she bit back he words, he didn't have to know. Darling, ears flattened at the word directed to her as if it were the only way she could reject such a title. 

Looking at him from under pale brows, she answered the best she could without giving too much details. Shed be defiant one way or another if she could help it! I lost the pack I was a part of... we are... re-building. Leaving the invitation out for him to join, she was certain he'd insert himself into the picture anyway. So long as those words didn't come from her, Reiko supposed she could forgive herself.

The flattening of her ears does not go unnoticed- and he narrows his eyes slightly, wholly unaware of the amount of emotion that brewed beneath that little gesture. She was great at concealing her emotions- which was good. In Takeshi's mind, it didn't really matter whether or not she was truly happy with him, as long as she acted like she was. She could be angry on the inside as much as she wanted as long as she would still submit to him at the end of the day. She was his. 

Once she mentions a rebuilding pack, just as Reiko suspected, he was eager to include himself. Rebuilding your pack? Good job. He commends her like a child, and adds on, I guess you'll need me around too. You know, to help you out. What's the pack called? He inquires with a pleasant grin, despite his wholly unpleasant character.

His compliment oddly felt good. A genuine smile brightened her features with a mild thump of her tail, she couldn't help it - the feeling of doing something good was uplifting. Even if his obvious offer to come with her back to the pack was enough to slow the thump and give her smile an awkward tinge to it. 

We called it the Reneian Empire - come, I'll introduce you to everyone. Even if she would have preferred for him to go his own way, it would be against the empire ways of a new beginning and forgiving the past. She had to have faith in Takeshi, and hope that everyone else would accept him too.

Getting up from her seat she turned her back on the man and began padding her way back from where she came from, this time, she didn't look back and simply knew he would follow her regardless.

Her smile and wagging tail warmed his heart. There she was! His little princess. Hidden until a veil of coldness and unfamiliarity lied the precious girl he'd adored all along. His smile reflected her own as she offered to introduce him to the other members. Thank you, darling, He purrs, satisfied, before following behind her as she lead them away.