Makoto scoffed at her friend's latest question, nearly choking on the next mouthful of fish. Luckily she forced it down with a swift slam against her chest, seeming none the worse for wear. "Course I am! Not much point in bein' anywhere else." The front line was where she belonged, not performing first aid or coordinating strategy with the commanders. No matter how big or small, Makoto had always thrown herself straight into fights without showing an ounce of fear. "Besides, the others are too green for their own good. I'm not gunna let a buncha kids hog all the glory," she finished with a dismissive wave.
The fact that she mentioned those 'others', inconsequential as she made it sound, was something like a glimpse at her weak point. The Inuzuka's commitment to protecting those under her command was steadfast, having earned her a bit of a reputation for putting herself in greater danger if it meant safeguarding her ninja. Perhaps that was why she was in the Sound in the first place - to reduce the Mist's losses.
Soon afterward, Inuzuka stared towards the campfire with a disinterested expression. "Kinda seems like a waste, us bein' here at all. I mean, didja get a load o' those Sound ninja yet?" Makoto shook her head in disappointment. Few of them left any lasting impression. They were apparently tough fighters if recent history was to be believed, holding out for years with their scattered forces. Unfortunately, Makoto valued actions more than words scribbled in texts, and if the Sound was supposed to be as formidable as the other Hidden Villages, she definitely didn't see how. "I swear, some barely look fit enough to swing a knife 'round. I'm amazed they held out this long. Pfft."
Resigning those thoughts with a loud sigh, Makoto went right back to taking loud chomps out of the fish. "Speakin' of which. How's yer technique holdin' up these days?" she asked between bouts of chewing. Because if there was one thing the old acquaintances shared a love for other than drinking, it was in trading blows of bloody steel. Their respective styles were as different as night and day, but Makoto could never hide her curiosity for such things.
It was a pretty stupid question, something she knew before she even asked it. Makoto was a war hound, one who was born to thrive on the battlefield. It was why she knew she didn’t have to worry about her making it home safely like she did some of the younger shinobi that were being thrust into the conflict. Something that it seemed both of them had thought about. She let out a soft snort while the other lamented the state of those she would be fighting alongside, simply shrugging her shoulders as he lips parted to reveal a set of jagged teeth and sink them into the cooked fish.[break][break]
While the other tore the flesh from the bone, Tsubaki crunched down on the fish whole in her usual fashion, jaws crunching and grinding flesh and bone alike. ”It aint a waste, Maki. it’s strategy.” She waved her sword at the other, lips curled into her usual amused smirk. She knew better than to assume the Inuzuka was one to consider strategy, especially considering how well charging into matters head first usually worked out for her. Not every shinobi needed to be a tactician, after all.[break][break]
”Think about it. Not only is Otogakure a potential ally who shares a border with Kumogakure AND Empire territory, this is a chance to fight against the Empire and help thin the numbers. Yeah, a lot of these sound kids don’t quite measure up. But that’s why it’s better for them to die than your own people. The more bodies on the battlefield, the less likely you are to be the once dealing with casualties. Let the grunts rush in and soften them up, then push in with your team and clean up the mess.” It all seemed pretty simple form her perspective. Why not engage in a conflict alongside your enemies so that they can die rather than your own soldiers?[break][break]
Her lone eye flicked to the blade in her hand as the conversation shifted to her technique. There was a brief moment of quiet as she looked at herself in the reflection of the polished steel. That missing eye was a reminder of what she had become, her masterful techniques that few within the village could rival. But now…? She simply shrugged, smile weakening ever so slightly. ”Well enough that I could still give you a run for your money, that’s for sure. Still getting used to swingin’ with just one arm though. Definitely gonna be a bit before I get back to where I was. But I’ll get there eventually. Nothin’ to worry about.”
"Good." The kunoichi nodded resolutely. "If I catch ya gettin rusty, there'll be hell to pay. Can't have ya go ruinin' yer reputation cus yer sword arm got flabby." She wasn't kidding either, if that serious look on her face was any indicator. No matter the state of Tsubaki's injuries and what she'd been through, Makoto gave off the impression that it was only temporary.
"Better not lose to any of 'em samurai either. Last I checked, yer strong as least a hundred of those armored freaks."
Call it a fool's optimism, or sheer ignorance, or maybe overconfidence. Whatever the case, she was giving Tsubaki her full support and objecting to any notion of her losing prowess over something as silly as a wound. Somehow, her friend would overcome that hurdle - Makoto chose to believe that. She had to believe it. At least in doing so she didn't have to worry about losing someone.
Tossing the remnants of her meal over one shoulder, the Inuzuka appeared satisfied as she proceeded to lick her lips free of scaly crumbs. "Anyway. Have ya seen any good hills in these parts?" No, despite how it initially sounded, she wasn't grasping for juicy intel. Smarter ninja may've tried something like that but Makoto was too stubborn for underhanded word games. Hills meant hills. "Was hopin' I could do a bit of recon closer to the border but all these trees are startin' to look the same," she continued with a pensive stare toward the forest. "Plus I might need to stake out a good trainin' spot if I'm gunna kick these genin into shape."
Any edge to use against the Empire would be useful indeed, which included knowing the land a bit better.
Maybe it was for the best that the two of them didn't go fighting side by side. Not yet, at least. She had a long ways to go before she could put her skills on display without feeling that inevitable pit of shame in her stomach. Just thinking about it was enough to make her guts chun, jaw clenching slightly behind her smile as she gave the Inuzuka a casual shrug. "If you see even a bit of flab on my body that aint hangin' from my chest you've got my permission to lop it off yourself." Even if her skills weren't what they once were, she could at least take some comfort in knowing that her body was still in good shape. Her legs and core muscles were still fit as a fiddle, which meant even with everything she lost she still had speed on her side.[break][break]
"Oh please. Even if I lost both my arms back there I'd be able to handle anything those clumsy pricks could throw at me. Gimmie a little credit, would ya?" It was a blatant lie on her part, to be sure. She knew that there were samurai out there that could even give the Mizukage a run for his money. There was a reason she wanted to learn more about them, after all. If she could master some of their techniques...Well, she really didn't have to think about that right now. Not while she still had pleasant company to occupy herself with.[break][break]
Tsubaki bit into her own fish once more, all too happy to crunch the bones of the freshly caught fish between her teeth. As she did, she would casually scan the environment around them with a thoughtful hum. "Oh yeah. I've been casing these woods since before the Hokage sent out word. This is definitely one of the best directions to assault the Empire from. The woods provide excellent cover, heavily favoring shinobi over samurai. It's probably part of why they're pushing Oto so hard. Take this land while they can so they don't have to worry about any strikes from the north." She idly waved the fish in her hand around as she spoke, before eventually gesturing toward the southwest. "Follow the river that way and eventually you'll come across some hills with pretty big trees on them. Lots of foliage too, so you can hide up there no problem. Post a lookout with good up in the tallest tree and you'll have the whole region covered." She should've known that eventually this conversation would turn toward the war effort. But if there was anyone she could trust to utilize this sort of information for maximum destruction, it was Maki.
The Inuzuka cast a wayward gaze toward the south, squinting into the boundless landscape like there was some chance she could see what Tsubaki described. "Heh. Sounds promisin'. I'll hafta sniff 'round and see it for myself." She nodded along with the end of that thought, doing her best to remember the vague directions. River, hills, big trees. Sounded straightforward enough. "Might even catch a glimpse of those armored creeps if I'm lucky~" she added with a snicker of delight.
What she wouldn't give to sink her claws into an imperial or two...But there'd be plenty of opportunity for that come the real battles ahead. Until that deciding moment, Makoto had to keep her bloodlust in check and those fangs nice and sharp.
Climbing to her feet with a light groan some time later, the Inuzuka patted her attire free of dirt while she hid a reluctant frown. "Much as I'd like ya to tag along, there's no tellin' if somebody from the village is nearby." Though she already walked a thin line by interacting with Tsubaki in any capacity, the last thing she wanted was to cause a stir and bring more trouble down on her head. Her drinking buddy had more than enough of that nastiness to last a lifetime. "So I'll leave a couple o' my pups 'round to keep watch. If anybody gets close they'll give a bark," the Inuzuka explained nonchalantly.
It frustrated her that she couldn't do much more, that familiar hint of concern showing in her eyes again. What kind of friend would she be if she left without showing a little gratitude though? That fish had been rather tasty, so posting a few dogs in the forest was the least she could do to repay the meal. Especially if it gave Tsubaki a few moments of respite in an otherwise danger-filled forest.
"An' don't ya even dare think about refusin'," Makoto warned with a pointed claw.
Her head tilted a bit as the Inuzuka stood up, letting out a soft sigh as she realized that soon she'd be alone again. No big deal, obviously. She had gotten used to the long stretches of solitude that came with this walk of life she found herself on. "Well if you happen to spot any of said armored creeps, lop their heads off for me." There were bound to be some scouts trying to slip behind enemy lines before the main force makes their move, which made it all the more important to keep on the watch and make sure these woods were clear. The less intel the enemy had, the better their odds.[break][break]
That frown really didn't suit Maki's face too well, did it? It felt like usually when something upset her she was more prone to snarl and growl like an angry dog than express any form of sadness or displeasure. So seeing her frown over the one eyed kunoichi's current state didn't quite set right. Not to mention that glimmer of genuine concern that tinted her features for a moment. "Yeah, yeah. Don't worry. While you guys are fighting on the front lines, I'll be slipping around back to see about distracting and cutting off any reinforcements. Maybe see if I can find a way to disrupt their flow of communication or something." As much as she loved the thrill of fighting on the front lines, she was unfortunately limited to the more sneaky stuff for now. Not exactly her specialty, but she should do fine if she's careful.[break][break]
Which was why she couldn't help but roll her eye a bit as Makoto told her that some dogs would be left behind to act as guards. Something that the other must have noticed, as before she even had a chance to protest the notion was smacked down. Tsubaki didn't have a choice, those dogs were sticking around. "...Fine. They can stay. But make sure they know I'm not gonna be able to fish up enough to feed all of em." She remained seated as she tossed the rest of her own fish into her mouth, chomping down on the bones in her usual fashion. It was hard enough to keep herself fed. But those greedy mutts of hers would've been a nightmare.[break][break]
The samurai hunter's shoulders relaxed a bit as she stared up at the familiar face, lips curling into a softer, fonder smile than usual. As frustrating as her little offering was, it was still nice to see another example of how deep her concerns went. "...Thanks, Maki. It was nice to catch up. You stay safe out there, alright? I'm not gonna be around to save your ass this time, so you better be as careful as a rabid mutt like you can be."
"Hmph. Safe? Never heard of it." Makoto might've scoffed at the sentimental goodbye, but she still did a bad job hiding that worried furrow of her brow. There was no telling if she would see Tsubaki again or if circumstances would lead them apart. In either case, she didn't want to commit any farewells; the closure sounded like a bad omen. "Us rabid mutts have a knack for gettin' into trouble y'know," she rebutted instead, carrying on with her dismissive tone.
Shortly after that remark, the Inuzuka calmly turned to the forest and gave a sharp whistle. Distant sources of barking rose up from separate directions, giving her a notion as to where her ninken had been roaming all this time. Good thing they knew better than to go far without her instruction, but she would still need to round them up nonetheless. The rowdy pups would probably get jealous once they learned she had a snack too.
Giving a light sigh at that thought, Makoto quietly prepared for the whining she would surely hear ahead.
"Oh. Next time...do us both a favor an' bring some real drinks."
Makoto snickered along with that request, giving Tsubaki one last fanged smile before her departure. Not wanting to overstay her welcome much longer, the Mist ninja soon began trotting down the riverbank before breaking into a sprint. And she was gone in a matter of moments, vanishing into the tree line to regroup with her pups.
A lone snort escaped the kunoichi, not even remotely surprised by the canine masquerading is a human being. She should've known the notion of playing it safe didn't settle well with the reckless hound. That was what she got for trying to be genuine for a second. So this time she just gave Maki a dismissive wave and shook her head. "'Scuse me for not having a proper spread. Didn't realize I was gonna get hit up by some mooching mutt." She shook her head, shifting her weight a bit to make herself comfortable at her spot by the fire. Her single eye followed the familiar shillouete for as long as it could, even narrowing into a squint as it got too far away to manage.[break][break]
It seemed she was alone for the moment. But now that she had a bit of insurance, she could actually relax a bit. How long had it been since she got a chance to just...relax? As much as she usually came off as being laid back, Tsubaki was always ready to draw her blade at a moment's notice. But with this trustworthy pack surrounding her and keeping watch with those keen senses? She felt her eyes starting to get a bit heavy just at the thought. Lips curled into a gentle smile as she fell back into the grass beneath her, letting out a soft sigh as the grass tickled the back of her neck through her thick mess of hair.[break][break]
Her lone eye closed as the gentle flow of the river threatened to lull her to sleep. The fatigue of the past week seemed to hit her like a ton of bricks in that moment, her body practically begging her to just relax and let go for once in her damn life. Her mind started to wander in undesirable directions, prompting a heavy sigh of frustration to be let loose from her chest. "Fuck it." The words were softly muttered to herself as she allowed her shoulders to relax and for the sun to wash over her face. Even the faint misting of water from the river as it rushed against the shore was a welcome sensation. All of these things came together into the most pleasant nap she'd gotten to enjoy in over a year.[break][break]
She'd have to make sure to thank Maki for it next time their paths crossed.
