And Let Slip the Dogs of War

Katsuro smiled as he jumped through the trees that were in the path that he had chosen to take them to the Land of Snow. The wilderness outside of Kumogakure had become like a second home to Katsuro due to the fact he spent much of his life traveling through it on his way to missions and on the way back. Katsuro had been stricken with the disease of patriotism since a young age and spent much of his younger life traveling the land making sure it was safe for shinobi and civilians alike. Then, after he got his first Genin squad, he trained them to love the same thing. It was in these woods that he accomplished his true dream. Keeping Kumgakure, his home, safe from those enemies who wished to harm it. And now here he was again keeping the village safe and expanding her influence, this time he was doing it with a group of like-minded individuals he had personally chosen to lead this task.


He wouldn't utter a single word to his squad, even if asked a question until they were well past Kumogakure's borders. Then his mood would ease slightly. The first leg of the journey was over and they would be allowed to slow the pace slightly, to save stamina, and he would talk every now then. Though the first thing he said to his group was rather simple. The first plan.


"So far the best approach will be for me to approach our operatives already apart of the invasion. That's why we are wearing Kumogakures symbol so openly. The squad is more of a display of power to the citizens of our target. That we can keep sending shinobi until they are compliant. It's not the most glamorous jobs or one that matches our doctrine exactly but it is our orders. But back on subject. I will go in first while you three form a perimeter around the area to insure none of the enemy shinobi escapes. After a certain amount of time passes, I will inform you of this once we arrive at our target, you three will come in from three different directions and focus on the target I am attacking. That is why you guys must be ready to act when I call for you. Any delay could result in the loss of Kumogakure lives and the loss of territories already fought for. The plan is that you three come from three different directions and attack the target I am attacking. Then we split up and kill any stragglers."


That was the basic plan that would probably be the most likely scenario. But he also filled them in on the secondary plans and the contingencies for all of them. This was to make sure if he were to fall they would be able to continue the mission without fail, though he still wasn't sure how they would react at the death of a comrade if it should happen. Then he remembered what Kuraudo had told him the previous night. The Genin wasn't the strongest in any one area and he was sure if the kid witnessed the death of one of his comrades he would react in one of two ways. The first, which was the most likely, would absolutely lose his shit. Resulting in him breaking down in the middle of combat or losing control of his anger. Both would result in him most likely dying or at the very least broken mentally and physically. The second would him bottling his feelings up inside and using that hatred to take vengeance and get stronger. Which could cause him to leave the village for little reason. He couldn't let Kumogakure lose such a promising shinobi and made a silent promise that he wouldn't fall on the battlefield.


As they traveled through the various lands, he slowly felt the the change of temperature. It would be a few days until they would arrive at the Land of Snow but it wouldn't be long until their winter robes would be necessary to keep frostbite away. And it wouldn't be long until the Genins' first taste of what war really was.

She followed the group along, jumping limbs of trees from one to another like gliding along air. With what was to happen she already had worries on the cold air coming in, sorta feeling panicked. However she seemed to keep composure as she went on. Her blonde hair trailing behind her like a flame being blown from a candle. Each tree passing by just seemed to blur into the same thing, over and over without a change. She was used to room, seeing all surroundings and warming in the sunlight. The forest wasn't too foreign however she didn't like the environment, so secluded and closed up. It was like claustrophobia was this place right here.

However as she made it onwards with the group she overheard Katsuro, their leader, speaking on the trip and talking on the mission they needed to carry out. Keep them in and surround them, square them off as if no exits existed. Easy enough for herself, and then to go on one target as a team. This target must be fairly lethal and dangerous if a warning such as that was realized. Kumo shinobi could be killed if one mistake happened, she thought back on the team and then begun to realize how dire the situation really was.

Finally after that obstacle was overcome, others that ran off were to be exterminated as well. It was there than she knew her chipper attitude wouldn't help anything here. She could take death, she's seen it in all it's dark dreaded ideals. Especially to those who she had to kill on her own. It's hard to do so when new to it. You realize they had a family, a life, they were shinobi, they were human. They ate and slept, they were and always had ideas and lived life. Of course she knew that didn't matter anymore, they chose to be here, to die out here rather than be a coward and seclude themselves within their homes.

Soon her chipper smile faded, just as the warmth of the land did and fell into a cold chill. She now seemed intent, serious, almost deadly it seemed. Her entire mood freezing over and becoming hardened into this. Who, but herself, not the ditzy woman who hugged everyone, but a person out to made for order, a soilder. Just as she had been trained to be back home, a soilder...a soilder of war, to follow all directions. Like a switch flicked on and and idea crushed.

WC: 415

Out of the village gates was somewhere Kuraudo had never been before. Before his passing, his father always promised to bring Kuraudo beyond them one day, though the opportunity never arose due to his death. Seeing the outside was a bit like being reborn into a world that you knew nothing about. Everything was new and fresh and allowed for close observation. While he was sure his allies were quite familiar with surroundings beyond the village, he himself had no clue what lied here. He would make sure to stick close to Katsuro-san in case he got lost.

With his sensei constantly in site, he passed through more greenery than he'd ever seen in his life. Upon their travel, Kuraudo attempted to ask the sensei where the group was heading exactly, only his silences were answered with silence. It was clear that Katsuro wouldn't respond to the questions of the curious Genin. While tempted to make conversation with the other two in the squad, Kasai and Akki, he decided not to seeing as there was some underlying feeling between the two. He would feel as if he was intruding on something between them so he simply kept his distance and assumed he and his teacher would be busy with scolding them should they all make conversation.

Upon jumping from tree to tree, the rough bark against his skin reminded him of nothing he'd ever felt before. It was moist and hard like normal tree bark, but it put a tingly feeling in his palm as if a miracle. Perhaps these were ordinary trees and his nerves were simply getting to him. However after some time, Katsuro slowed the pace and began talking as the group traveled. He explained once more the importance of their cloaks and gave out the plan the squad was to follow. Whoever Katsuro attacked, they were to back him up. Whether it be the Raikage or a peasant, disobeying this order would call for their headbands to be turned in immediately.

Katsuro-san also mentioned death to the three. That meant this mission carried a good bit of risk and rigor which made the Sutomu feel eben more on edge. His hair poked his eye, allowing him a distraction from the grim thought of one of them not making it back alive. Statistically, he had the highest chance of death. He had few techniques and those would have to be used more on defending himself. Though he'd do his best to help his teammates as well. He could pull them out of danger quickly but he couldn't shield them.

The air began to get thinner as they traveled and the temperature was getting considerably cooler. The cloak would actually need to be used as warmth before long. While he was sure that they wouldn't make it to the designated area any time soon, he continued to push on, keeping Katsuro's pace, hoping to make a good impression on the man. What he lacked in Jutsu, he possessed in stamina.

WC: 502

The trees had a small amount of dew on them as Akki had jumped and swung from each of them, moving from limb to limb, jumping off of some of the trunks even. The day had pressed on and the sun had continued to rise into the sky. Thankfully the cover of the canopy had provided more than an adequate amount of shade. Akki had the robe strings tied around his neck loosely, allowing free movement as he continued to travel through the forest. He had followed the troupe, but stayed lightly behind the rest, thoughts running through his head that he wanted to keep from himself. That was when  he heard their leader, katsuro, speak up in front of the group, still keeping his pace. Akki perked up his ears and listened to the man. He talked about plans and contingencies, of killing and fighting and waiting.

Akki waited patiently for the man to finish, keeping his eyes on the kumo symbol on the back of his robe. Akki continued jumping from tree to tree, staying slightly behind the rest. Rays of light still peaked through the cover of the leaves and Akki did his best to avoid them. Light was light, no changing it, and there was only one light in his life that he actually enjoyed. Akki looked over at Kasai, almost feeling her her entire persona shift. It was almost as if she had become an entirely different person, cold and dark. Akki smiled, enjoying this change, and wanted to see more. His inner darkness enjoyed it as well, picturing how she would dispatch of their foes. He wanted to have rageful carnal relations with this woman in the blood of their enemies. Akki licked his lips as his eyes seemed to darken, looking devilish.

The air had dropped in temperature, and Akki could start to see his breathe. The dew gave way to frost as they continued their travels to yuki. It was almost serene, and he enjoyed the change. He obviously wasnt as bothered by the cooler degrees than the rest, and he only wished that it was much darker than it was at that point in time. Be that as it may, by the time they arrived in yuki it could be night, and that would put him right in his element. Akki thought of the tortured bodies and the sweet entrails of the residents of yuki being strung up in the streets, of the blood curdling screams echoing through every window as the village was terra formed for the uses of kumo. Akki couldnt wait, as kumo would help his dreams come true.

[WC: 440]

Akki had been the first to start his journey home, carrying his heavy burden, the taste of pine still in his mouth. Akki smiled the entire way home, constantly refreshing his palette to keep the taste of his leader's blood in his mouth. He wanted his power, and if Katsuro couldnt teach him, he was gonna take the power for himself. Akki trudged through the days as the temperature grew warmer, showing he was getting back to kumo. He had to immediately go to the kage and tell him the news.

[exit]