[hirana kizumi]

DON'YOKUNA
WOLFKING

Kaede had new apprentices. Good. Fresh blood would be vital to the enduring ecosystem. Don’yokuna, the Wolf King, that massive beast who reigned over the northeastern mountain ranges of Kaminari no Kuni, surveyed his domain as he patiently awaited the arrival of Kaede’s newest selection. Some of his pack had taken to the children, as they were wont to do with certain shinobi of a particular demeanor, but all were aware—Kaede included—that Don’yokuna himself held the final decision as to who would or would not be trained in the Sage Arts. If a child was to learn, it would be from his teachings, and their mettle would need to be tested. He had no wish to unnecessarily fetter away a life. Don’yokuna was of a truly imposing size, nearly as large as the bijuu of legend, though none had rampaged in Kaminari no Kuni in living memory. He rested on the sun-warmed surface of a cliff overlooking the dense forests of Tsuki no Yama, piercing blue eyes seeking out the tell-tale figure of the new apprentice.

Yamatsu

LAIKA OF THQ

[Yamatsu]

The Young Pup

The forest was beautiful, the trees around him looked vibrant and full of life. He had been to a few small thickets and denser vegetated areas before. The streams he would drink from and lakes he would bathe in always had green around them but not like this. He could not help but see the forest for the trees as they say. It had been a quiet trip from Kumogakure to here but not lonely. Yamatsu looked to his right at the timber wolf by his side, Oki. To his left was Oki's twin sister Ino trotting along like a house pet. He had never actually met Don’yokuna, The Wolf King, and was happy his "brother and sister" had decided to travel with him. Each step toward the mountain before him at the edge of the forest was another in his path to becoming a wolf sage. He could already see the form of the great wolf resting on a cliff edge. He was enormous the sheer size making Yamatsu'd steps falter. No he had come this far, built the bonds with the pack he lived with, it would not all be for nothing. Yamatsu excited the treeline Oki and Ino by his side as he looked up to the king. Yamatsu knelt down rolling onto his back exposing his neck like he was taught to do when he was showing submission to an elder. He waited for any response be it an order, question or large jaws closing quickly around him.

Kizumi -- 253

LAIKA OF THQ

[hirana kizumi]

DON'YOKUNA
WOLFKING

Don’yokuna watched impassively as the boy and his two youngest made their way through the forest, eventually coming to a halt at his feet. Oki and Ino crouched, their tails tucked, showing deference to their father. A rumbling sound emanated from Don’yokuna’s chest, though it would likely take Yamatsu a moment to realize that it was a chuckle, of all things. Yamatsu was no larger than one of the Wolf King’s canines: he was infinitesimal beneath Don’yokuna’s gaze, but there was no posturing there, no intimidation, only placid curiosity in the child his pups had brought to him. Kaede was a strange one who attracted strange folk, but all creatures of these lands were his creatures. "You are man,” he rumbled, "not a wolf. Stand and introduce yourself, Boy Who Would Be Sage. Tell me why you’re here.”

Yamatsu

LAIKA OF THQ

[Yamatsu]

The Young Pup

Yamatsu quickly rolled back onto his knees bowing low instead. His face was red from embarrassment, why did he think to approach the king of wolves like a mere mutt. "Apologies Wolf King, I am Ikinokuro Yamatsu, I lived with the wolves of the east mountain for three years. I have come to you looking to learn the ways of the Wolf Sage." Yamatsu sat up on his knees his golden eyes looking straight at the large beast. Kaede had brought his from the wilds back to Kumo but that was no promise of power. This path was for him to walk, he just needed a guide. He looked back to Oki and Ino before raising to his feet taking a trepidacious step forward. "I may not look like much my lord however I survived the plague in Kumo. I survived the wilds of the mountains with the care and hospitallity of your children. If i am deemed unworthy then i accept that judgment but id like a chance to prove I can be who Lord Kaede see's in me. If I am not worthy I will return to the mountains to survive again." He spoke with more confidence than he expected to come from him. He took a deep breath to steady himself waiting for the Wolf King's response.

Kizumi -- 220

LAIKA OF THQ

[Ikazuchi Osoi]

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[attr="class","vgroup"] [attr="class","voguey"] [attr="class","mainv"] KAMINARI [attr="class","vlyrics"] You try everything You can to escape The pain of life That you know [attr="class","vcred"]@yamatsu - 635 words a short note here maybe

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[attr="class","vpostbg"]e was asleep again. He had fallen asleep, again. That’s what this was. This was a dream. It was the only thing that could explain why that wolf was glaring down at him. Yeah, that wolf. The very same wolf who had bitten him in the dream he had a while back but left him with a very real bite mark in the waking world. Except... Except, he hadn’t yet confirmed that it had been a dream at all. He hadn’t received any answers to the many questions that were swirling like a maelstrom in his brain. But there was that wolf again. With those teeth...

"Hi...” said Osoi in his bravest voice.

The wolf, black as the night and about half his side, reacted immediately, but not the way Osoi had expected. The black wolf had dipped its head, snuck its nose under Osoi’s trembling left hand, and lifted it high as he could before that trembling hand fell back onto Osoi’s lap. Then there was a long pause. Lots of staring, and no movement. After a moment, the wolf did it again, and again Osoi just sat there wondering what any of this meant, not that he had any skill or experience in deciphering weird dreams.

The pause that followed was longer. And while he couldn’t be entirely sure, he swore he could see the wolf becoming increasingly irritated. Finally, it happened. The wolf opened its mouth to go in for the kill, Osoi’s heart stopped, and the wolf closed its mouth on Osoi’s hand, but it didn’t bite. With all the gentleness it could manage, it dug its teeth in enough to get a grip and tugged Osoi forward. For reasons he would need explained to him later, Osoi got up. And when the wolf released him, turned, and sauntered into the trees, Osoi followed.

In silence, he followed that wolf for longer than he’d like to admit. At some point they crossed a stream and entered a vast area where the trees were... different. He didn’t know how, he just knew. The sounds were different, too. Quieter, and less varied. That’s about when those survival instincts finally kicked in. He slowed, and the wolf sensed it. It stopped, turned, and stared long and hard at Osoi. A low growl filling the space between them. Unexpectedly, it didn’t come to nudge Osoi on. It turned and disappeared through the trees and left the young shinobi behind.

Osoi was between two minds on what to do next. One mind suggested the logical thing, turn back. Return to where it was safe, and dream something different. The other mind wouldn’t let him take his eyes off where his wolf-friend had disappeared. It kept him planted; unwilling to turn away from proof that this was all very and utterly real. While his mind deliberated, Osoi took a step, then another, and another, before he entered a great clearing that was already occupied. Curious.

Yamatsu, the kid from the mountains, was there. He had two wolves with him. Osoi started toward his new friend with a million new questions in his head but was stopped by a sudden voice beside him.

"Kneel before the Wolf King,” said the black wolf in a low bow.

It talked... It talked to him, just now! Again, before he could react to this, there was movement. Osoi turned quickly and looked up at the mountain casting a shadow on the clearing. Then a breeze came to rustle its fur, and all resolve drained from Osoi. The mountain, it just moved. Oh. No. That was no mountain. That was something else entirely.

"Kneel, pup!” said the black wolf, sharply.

Osoi did as told. He dropped to one knee, but his gaze never left the titan of a beast. One thing was for sure, this was no dream. He didn’t have the imagination to dream up anything this terrifying.

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

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[hirana kizumi]

DON'YOKUNA
WOLFKING

"The Plague was a great devastation to this land,” Don’yokuna intoned, deep and gravelly. "To survive is no small feat—but all those who surround you have survived, as well. Survival is not enough.” Piercing blue eyes shifted from Yamatsu to Osoi, that great maw turning to peer at the newest arrival. "At ease, young one,” he said, to both the boy and his own spawn, so sharp and so harsh. "My children have been busy of late, I see. Rise and introduce yourself, apprentice of Kaede. Tell me what you seek. Each of you—” He paused, and lifted himself up, standing quadrupedal and gargantuan. As he stood, the massive greatsword that was his charge was revealed where it was nestled comfortably beneath his body. "What do you know of Nature Chakra? What do you hope to gain from Nature’s blessings?” This was a test: the first of many that the apprentices would need to endure, each more brutal than the last, and none would be survivable if they did not enter with the correct mindset. If their goals were selfish or greedy, power-hungry or ravenous for violence, they had no place in his pack. They would need to speak certainly, and wisely.

Yamatsu Ikazuchi Osoi

LAIKA OF THQ

[Yamatsu]

The Young Pup

Survival was not enough was he being mocked? Did the King of Wolves think that to just survive meant nothing? Yamatsu almost spoke out in anger questioning their judgment. An animal could survive, a child can survive, what had he done that set him apart from the world? He choked on his words before he could release his venom. What did make him special, what made him worthy of this gift? It was a simple question the wolf king asked but an important one. What did he seek, what was he looking to gain from this? "I seek a place in the pack that is Kumogakure. I seek a way to make myself stronger to protect those around me and those that do not know me. I seek to be the wolf that leads the pack in the storm, the wolf that lags behind to keep watch. The wolf in the heart of the pack giving words of wisdom to the youth." He had never spoken so sure and confident before. It had taken Yamatsu a moment before he realized Osoi was there. His new friend had been called to the same place, most likely for the same reason. Would this make them rivals? Would they have to battle for power? No Kaede lead the "pack" they would be there to learn from and support each other. A smile crossed his face thinking of a future where they stood side by side to protect Kumogakure. He was happy he did not have to do this alone. Again the Wolf King asked them a question, one Yamatsu did not know how to answer. "I uh... Nature energy would be feeling the wind hit your face. A uh... Good nights sleep under the stars. Feeling the gra.. Grass on your feet..." He stumbled over his words not knowing what other lies to say.

Kizumi/Osoi -- 311

LAIKA OF THQ

[hirana kizumi]

DON'YOKUNA
WOLFKING

If he sensed the youngling’s anger, the venom that rose to coat his tongue, then Don’yokuna said nothing of it: the boy was wise enough to reign his temper in, and that was enough. A deep rumble sounded from within the massive wolf’s chest: after a moment, it sounded distinctly like a thunderous chuckle. "A noble ambition,” he intoned. "Hold it close to your heart. It will steady your course in times of strife.” In response to Yamatsu’s description of nature chakra, Don’yokuna fell silent, his gaze boring into the young man as he held himself perfectly, flawlessly still. A great aura of chakra whipped around him like the beginnings of a tornado: a vortex of wind, sudden rain and flashes of lightning, sparking embers and great clods of earth spiraling all around in a terrible display of power. "The breeze that caresses your cheek is the same wind that lifts a great oak from its roots.” The wolf’s voice was sonorous, deafening. "Do not underestimate its power, little pup. There will be nothing left of you but stone.” The tempest fell still. Silence in the wake of chaos was deafening, but Don’yokuna only waited, gauging Yamatsu’s reaction with keen blue eyes.

Yamatsu

LAIKA OF THQ

[Yamatsu]

The Young Pup

After the slight praise Yamatsu received his guard started to drop. His head rose to meet the gaze of the great wolf. Through his fear he could see the dignity and majesty of the Wolf King. He wondered again what made him worthy to even kneel before such a creature. Deep down in his heart he knew whatever made him worthy he would find and hold to with all his strength. Speaking of strength the sudden tempest that exploded around him almost threw him to the ground. His eyes widened as he watched the storm rage with bated breath. The thunder, raging wind and shaking earth had him in pure awe. As quickly as it began the storm ceased as if someone closed a door cutting off the outside world from the peace of a quiet home. His mind tried to grasp what just happened as the wolf spoke again shaping his vision of what could be. Yamatsu rose to his feet his mind playing out the scene that just happened over and over again. "Don'Yokuna Sama... I wish to prove I am worthy of this power. To prove that I can be the protector of Kumogakure and the mountains around it."

hirana kizumi --

LAIKA OF THQ

[hirana kizumi]

DON'YOKUNA
WOLFKING

The boy did not falter. Good. There was no room for fear or doubt in the realm of the Sages: to let slip your discipline for even a moment was to spell your own doom. Many an apprentice had fallen to such folly in the past, and it grieved Don’yokuna’s heart to see such needless waste; he did not wish to see another. "Follow,” the old wolf intoned, turning back towards his cave. "We are going to practice the first step of communing with nature, and blending your physical and spiritual energies with that of nature itself.” The pack dispersed, with only the two pups following Don’yokuna inside. Oki nipped gently at Yamatsu’s leg, a silent indication for the boy to join them within. "There are three key elements to gathering natural energy,” Don’yokuna said as they all gathered within the massive cavern. It was dim within, but comfortable, as much a home as any building within Kumogakure. Bioluminescent moss lined the cavern walls, giving it a warm, hearth-y feeling. "The first is strength of spirit—that your reserves of chakra are deep enough to properly meld with natural energy. Kaede has already identified this within you. "The second is strength of body—your physical form must be able to withstand the effort of holding and using natural energies. It is as a tempest, and you will be exhausted as you have never been at the close of each day’s training. "The third is strength of mind—meditation, utterly still meditation, is crucial to becoming one with the natural world around you. This is how you balance energies. "Do not reach out to nature just yet, but sit and meditate with me for a time. Feel the world around you. Understand what it is that speaks to you, and what you reach out to in turn.”

Yamatsu

LAIKA OF THQ

[Yamatsu]

The Young Pup

Yamatsu followed the great wolf following closely behind Oki and Ino. He was happy they were there with him, their presence brought a calming feeling to his racing heart. The small climb to where the Wolf King had sat previously was hardly difficult at all. However as soon as he stepped into the cave he gasped in awe. It was beautiful here, the moss growing around the cave walls and ceiling gave a soft glow letting him see as if he was inside his own house. It was warm inside almost homely and comfortable, they cave he lived in with the pack was no where near this nice. The young man sat down crossing his legs as he listened to the wise words Don'Yokuna spoke. He was not sure how to reach out to nature but was advised against it. As he sat Ino paced before him before laying down a meter of so before him. Oki the twin he was much closer to lay next to him, the fur of the beautiful wolf warm against his side. Yamatsu closed his eyes and for a moment he only saw the darkness behind his eyelids. He reached down placing his hand on the wolf by his side letting his breathing match that of Oki's. The dark view slowly changed forming into the sight on the mountains around Kumogakure. He saw the cliff faces, trees and flowing rivers he used to traverse with his father. He could the wind blowing and the birds singing their songs from their hidden perches. He saw flashes of movement in his peripheral view as his pack walked from the tree line towards him. Next he was running through nature his pack by his side. They hunted a deer taking it down with a mix of his Katon to startle and the wolves to take it down. He sat there for an unknown amount of time reliving his time in the wilds. Slowly during his vison the pack began to change. The head of the pack morphed into the Raikage Kizumi, another wolf became Shosuke. Looking to his right the wolf next to him slowly morphed to a new form. After a moment Risi stood next to him their hands intertwined. He knew what the day dream meant, he had gone from one home to another and these where who meant the most to him now. "I see the wilds, my pack, my home... but its changing, its Kizumi and Sho Sensei. I see Risi... I see the mountains merged with Kumogakure and my pack a mix of wolf and man." He was beginning to grasp his place in the world. Yamatsu opened his eyes letting a tear roll down his face. He was smiling for the first time in a long time he knew what he was supposed to do. Who he was supposed to be was laid bare before him, a path for him to follow with his pack by his side.

hirana kizumi --

LAIKA OF THQ

[hirana kizumi]

DON'YOKUNA
WOLFKING

It was impossible to tell on such a large lupine face, but the softness in Don’yokuna’s piercing blue eyes belied a smile. "Clarity of purpose,” he said. "A destination, as well as a home to return to in times of strife. The path of a Sage is neither easy nor linear, little pup, but your pack will make the journey bearable. "Now narrow your focus. Meditate and listen to the cave around you, Oki and Ino at your side. Listen—do not reach or take—but feel the chakra inherent to the moss, the rock, the air. Familiarize yourself with it. Understand how it differs from your own chakra, and how it complements. Consider how you would make a space for it within. Nature is speaking to you at every moment, with every breath. Listen to what She has to say, and think on how you might carry that conversation.”

Yamatsu

LAIKA OF THQ

[Yamatsu]

The Young Pup

The wolfs words confused him but he was sure they had a meaning he just had not yet grasped. Yamatsu nodded closing his eyes again letting his mind settle. His breathing was unsteady as he tried to grasp the concept of the words spoken to him. His hand and arm were still placed upon Oki's back feeling the warmth of the wolfs body. He had felt something the last time why was it eluding him now. Almost as if sensing the stress radiating from the boy Oki rolled over leaning his back against Yamatsu's side. Looking down the wolf seemed so calm and collected while he was panicking on words he did not understand. He heard a huff as he opened his eyes Yamatsu saw his brother wolf gazing back at him. He did not speak almost to show the nature of the situation before laying his head back down upon the cave floor. He was used to sitting on hard rock but decided he needed to be as serene as the wolves around him. He leaned over resting his head on the wolfs side listening to his breathing. It took time but Yamatsu had once again been taken to the mountains of his mind. No others were with him this time only the sounds and smells of nature. He stood alone in a clearing the grass tall enough to offer a cushioned seat. He waited wondering what sign would be next, what test he was being given. The wind blew through the clearing before circling around him and blowing through him. He was confused how could the wind have blown through him. Looking down he saw what looked to be a hole in his stomach. The hole was leaking but it was not blood, it looked like chakra. The chakra that left him seemed to flow into the earth before flowers began to bloom around him. He watched until the hole stopped flowing chakra looking to be about two thirds full. Before he knew it the chakra began to return to him however instead of blue it was green like the grass. As the first parts hit him he felt a oneness with his surroundings. He could feel the trees and grass breathing. Something however felt off he looked to his feet seeing them turn grey and hard like stone. Yamatsu opened his eyes his gaze making a beeline for his feet. They were still grey and looked to be made of stone. The worst part was it seemed the stone was growing, spreading from his feet up his legs. All Yamatsu could do was scream.

hirana kizumi --

LAIKA OF THQ

[hirana kizumi]

DON'YOKUNA
WOLFKING

Yamatsu was confused, that much was clear—it was Don’yokuna’s hope that meditation would clear the path. He did not foresee this accident, though perhaps, for all his years of experience, he should have. He did not think it was possible for the child to take in so much of nature’s bounty without being instructed on how to do so; but then, he thought, perhaps that was an indication of a natural gift. "Stop,” the great wolf intoned, rising abruptly to his feet as he felt the swirl of nature chakra begin to coalesce around Yamatsu’s form. "That is enough, pup. You must let go.” But he was lost in his meditation, so thoroughly entranced by the nature he connected with that he could not help but take it in—and before long, nature began to take root, slowly turning flesh and blood to rock and stone. Yamatsu screamed in fear and distress. Don’yokuna would not lose another student. With a swipe of his massive paw he knocked a luminescent stone from the wall of his den, light blue and glimmering; wasting no time, he took it to Yamatsu and forced the stone against the skin of his belly, siphoning the excess nature chakra away and expelling it back into the surrounding environment. The slow progression of stone up Yamatsu’s feet would stop, and then slowly reverse, turning him to flesh and blood once more. "Enough,” he said. "Calm yourself and be still. Take deep breaths. Remember where and who you are.”

Yamatsu

LAIKA OF THQ

[Yamatsu]

The Young Pup

As the stone began to creep up from his feet past his ankles and up his legs Yamatsu struggled to fight it. It kept growing even as Yamatsu pushed his chakra to fight against it. It was no use to fight against nature itself he was going to lose. He heard the great wolf shout "enough" and tried to calm himself. He did not see the wolf grab the stone but saw the giant beast approach. Had he failed already, was the beast about to devour him and cut his pain short? The wolf instead presses a stone against his belly which began to draw the nature chakra from the boy. Yamatsu could feel the cold stone which also seemed a bit warm as it touched his skin. He could feel the chakra run through his body focusing to the stone as his legs began to change back to flesh and blood. Yamatsu's panic turned to steady slow breathing as his visions of the world itself faded from his mind. The boy sat there covered in sweat his steady breathing turned quickly to labored breaths. The wolf spoke again trying to ease his nerves bringing him back to reality. "I am Ikinokuro Yamatsu, I lived with the wolves of the east mountain for three years." He began to repeat his introduction from when they first met. However this time Yamatsu was sure of who he was no longer lost. "I am a shinobi of Kumogakure, the sage apprentice of Wolf King Don'Yokuna."

hirana kizumi --

LAIKA OF THQ