The Shiba left the training grounds to find a special place to meditate. His room is not really adequate for he would be lonely even if he is not really alone. The young Shiba took a tatami mat ant sat on a clearing to watch the natural path and the wind to strike his long hair. He took a few breaths and watched.

Practicing a little tracking and identifying local plants in the forest, Kuni Mitsuko was in a pleasant mood. This is good, she thought. Help make sure I'm ready for future challenges. There must be something about nature.

Then, Mitsuko's mood starts to sour. She realizes that she's wandered from the trail she thought she was on, and the trees all look much the same. Through a gap, she spies a clearing - with another samurai - praise the kami - and her heart lightens. Then, there's a small squeal from near her feet as a... ferret? marten? ermine? dishes away from her and the Kuni girl, in surprise, crashes against a tree with a grunt. And a couple of choice Crab curses.

Another samurai in training finds his way to the clearing in the middle of the woods. His head finally clearing of the stress of the travels. He politely ignores the curses and simply watches from a comfortable distance for now, breathing in the clean air.

"Huh!" Kuroneko shook his head. He stood up to check on the Crab samurai. "Are you okay?" Tori came out to see what was happening.


As for the Ide a black cat mew asking for food.

Her heavy makeup covering her embarrassment, Mitsuko tries to brush off the outburst.

"Um, I'm fine. Just got surprised by... Something." Annoyed at her clumsiness with feet and words, the skinny Crab girl approaches the Phoenix, bows a little informally - Because woods - and introduces herself.

"Kuni Mitsuko, daughter of Kuni Etsumiko and Kuni Adorai, of the honorable Hida Battle Leader dojo," she says, a little faster and more prideful than usual to soothe her own ego in this moment.

As she starts to feel comfortable again, Mitsuko does a double take in noticing the Unicorn being investigated by the cat. Wait, the over-polite one from the feast.

"And, um, Unicorn-san. Good afternoon. You, um... Kuni Mitsuko. I'm not sure we met properly last night."

"This one is Shiba Kuroneko son of Shiba Michiko former Kitsune clan member." He smiled giving a bow. "I have seen some bunnies coming out of their dens probably that is what you saw... there are also some squirrel and chipmunks running around." He motioned to the tatami mat. "Would you like to sit down and take a rest?"

"I... Yes," she says simply, and then bows and steps to humbly sit beside the Phoenix. "You, um, seem quite comfortable here," says the Crab with a touch of... surprise?

The Shiba took a seat. "Well, I spent most of my time in nature. Be it the forest of the Phoenix or the Kitsune ones. Tori decided to come out and sit on Kuro's lap. "My furry friend here keeps me company and..." He pointed to the black cat begging for food. "Kiba... well he knows who can give him what he wants."

The Crab continues to look a little surprised at such a grounded Phoenix, but the mention of Kitsune woods hints that there's more to him.

"The Kitsune forests," Mitsuko asks gently. "Some Kuni believe there are quite fantastic creatures there," she says noncommittally, looking curiously at the animal in Kuroneko's lap and then up at the young man's face when he responded.

Kuroneko nodded as he smiled. "There are. It is a very mystical place. I always wander around with my cousins. We find the majestic foxes." He scratched the little critter. "And one can find many friends from the different realms."

Mitsuko's eyes fly open in something resembling terror, so she looks away at a random tree briefly.

"Oh, um, so you... You're comfortable around... Spirits and things?" She looks at the ground, contemplating scooting away but giving a heavy exhale and holding her ground for now.

The Shiba chuckled. "Not all spirits, just the ones from the Realm of Trickery and the Animal realm." He tilted his head as the girl moved. "Um Kuni san... I hope you don't mind the cat." He pointed to Kiba sitting in the gap that the Kuni made between the two. "That one is Kiba." Kiba mew and begged for food.

The Kuni looks uncomfortable thinking about spirits, but especially -- "Ye-You're comfortable with trickster spirits?" She looks at the Phoenix like he can't be serious. She's so distracted by that that she doesn't really notice Kiba, though she offers her hand for the cat to sniff and then pets it a little without thinking.

"Yes, why wouldn't I? Saru and Bakeneko are tricksters some may cross the line like pekkles but they are rarely here to harm people. They are clearly misunderstood." Kiba smelled the hand then purred as she scratched his head. "The funny one is the orochi who lack the sense of humor the other being of Sakkaku have. They are quite the serious and don't understand their peers."