Hoshor Plains silver tooth

the road stretched long ahead, the path worn beneath their steady steps. roan moved in silence, his gaze fixed forward, ears flicking to the occasional rustle of wind through the trees. beside him, @Synder walked, her presence familiar, steady.

the land was quiet, save for the distant call of a bird overhead. he took it all in without a word, the weight of travel settling into his bones, but he did not slow. there was still ground to cover, and he would see it done.

a grunt left him as he glanced at synder briefly before turning his eyes forward once more. they would keep moving.

she blended into the background with the efficiency of a winter ermine. it wasn't until she'd stepped on a patch of exposed golden grass that she was plainly visible, which was when the courtesan voiced her greeting.

こんにちは! she called over the plain, paused a sprint's length from the traveling pair, smile of her voice lost in the echo. do you have space for third?

Synder walked with him, even as each stretch felt longer than the last and each step sought to burn every nerve winding through her body, plush-coated and well-fed- thanks to her companion.

Y'know a part of her even liked the challenge of keeping stride with him. She liked the fire as it broiled in her throat and on each heaving breath. Some dirty, masochistic desire had burrowed its way into her heart and planted its roots there.

He gave his silent order; that they would keep moving. She wondered what destination he had in mind, though before she could ask, anothers voice rang out across the plains. Synder drew her hind leg back in, straightened it and let an inky paw touch the earth beneath. Her eyes followed the voice and landed on the approaching figure; dark ears pressed back, suspicion a reflex, but it was friendly curiosity that really fell across her face.

Room for a third? She raised a brow and looked to Roan.

roan's pace did not falter, though his ears flicked toward the sudden voice, a brow quirking as his gaze settled on the figure that had materialized from the landscape. a dog. strange. too bright, too soft in posture, but clearly confident enough to approach.

he slowed just enough to appraise her, eyes narrowing slightly. a traveler, maybe. maybe something else.

where you goin’? his voice was even, unreadable, as if her presence had yet to determine its worth. he cast a brief glance at synder, gauging her reaction before returning his attention to the odd woman.

the man had the body of a 武士, with a helmeted head and broad chest. he stood with the size and firmness of a castle wall - spoke as firmly.

hatsu thought him a challenge to scale.

his woman was less impressive, a huntress, as was expected of their people, but the limp had been noted long before the courtesan had announced herself.

hatsu hoped this were a daughter, and not a female with a claim to defend.

i explore, mister! hatsu called again, tail evenly wagging and voice as kind as she could make it. i stranger here, but strength in numbers, no?

Strength in numbers.

A cripple, a dog, and a giant. Strength for one, maybe.

She looked up to Roan to gauge what thoughts lied in his silence, and offered a subtle shrug of her own, flicking an onyx ear. It had been a while since they'd seen another soul; well. Living, that is.

Synder used to talk to her people daily, console them and wear their worries on her back, and ever since she'd left them, her world had become far quieter. For better or for worse, maybe a solid mix of the two.

I do not mind, if only for a little while. She answered, though she left the verdict up to he who would take the burden of providing.

roan stepped closer to synder, broad frame casting a shadow over her smaller one, a silent declaration of protection. his eyes swept over the dog, narrowing slightly as he assessed her—lean, built for speed, but unfamiliar.

just don't get in my way.

the words were flat, but not hostile. a warning more than anything. if she slowed them down, he wouldn’t hesitate to leave her behind. still, synder's acceptance earned the stranger some leeway.

his tail flicked once, then he turned back to the path ahead, signaling for them to move. if she could keep up, so be it.

to his permission, hatsu bowed.

with an elegant trot - head straight and tail curved over back - the courtesan crossed the distance between them. once before the bushi, she bowed deeply to him, then a slighter one with a sweeter smile to the woman.

they moved.

hatsu kept herself pleasantly quiet, eyes on where the plains rolled to their end. she'd see if either of the two would break this silence - if they were loathe to start, the madam would take matters into her own paws.

cameo unless addressed!

Izanagi trailed her master like a dog to a bone, keeping to the shadows where she belonged. The man oozed masculine power, the woman earning a pitiful click of her tongue as her uneven tracks revealed. 

What rare beauties Hatsu sought would not be found here, she mustered. Though perhaps the man was worth something, worth...watching. Always a length behind, the girl kept pace with the group - maybe they were hunting, maybe - she could scavenge. More than meat even, if her master would allow it.

Synder fell into pace with their new company, taking in the grace with which she seemed to float through the world, a stride with an elegance that put her own to deep shame, and what a strange bend to her tail...

Staring was rude, and she knew the feeling, so she did not do much of it. What's your name? She quiries, moving to break the silence first, ever the diplomat. I'm Synder, he is Roan. She gestured with her dark muzzle to the mountainous form that paved their path forward. Have you been travelling for long?

roan remained silent, his gaze fixed ahead, ears flicking absently as synder took the lead in conversation. he was grateful for it—grateful that she was the one with the words, the pleasantries, the patience.

he had none of those things.

his focus lingered on the path ahead, on the way the land stretched and twisted, familiar yet unknown. still, he listened. he always listened.

when his name was spoken, he gave the briefest of glances toward their new companion, a flicker of acknowledgment before returning to his quiet watch.

an ear politely turned to the woman's question, head then did too, her smile small and sweet.

o-hatsu. she appended the prefix herself, as she knew foreigners did not know to add it, and it were so pleasant to hear said. i come from far south, from place of castle and temple. come searching for mysterious water - have you heard?

she turned then to the man, looking for any reactions.

many hot, healing lake. big mist so you know them at distance. my girls look for it too.

Mysterious water... Healing lakes? Perhaps what this woman chased was fantasy, something glimpsed in a dream once.

Synder knew there was no thing so mystical or benevolent, not on this earth they walked, but she would keep her pessimism locked away in her thoughts. A part of her enjoyed being in the presence of someone who still seemed to harbour some wonder for the world.

Their recent path had wrung much peace from her mind. Reminded her of cold realities, drummed up old guilts, but today- today they would just be adventurers, looking for some mystical lakes.

..Aha... I can't say I've heard of them. She looked to Roan, figuring he might've come to the same conclusion. I don't think there's many lakes out here... Golden eyes fell to the endless plains before them, dry and washed over with snow. Why are you searching for them? Do you have people who need healing?

She asked now with vested interest, a spark of something almost eager in her eye.