Traversing the tundra of Water Country was exhausting - both mentally and physically. The lack of landmarks - aside from the obvious light originating from what could only be the ruins of Kirigakure - makes it feel like no progress has been made. To avoid slipping, one must practice caution on the ice, which only makes traveling even longer. Cold air makes the young Byakko's usually dexterous body stiff and slow, and his usual determination to uncover the undiscovered was beginning to fade. Perhaps it was time to rest?
Having decided that would be the best course of action, Yanji found a patch of earth that jutted out from the ice. Placing his travel pack - currently filled to the brim with essentials and specimen he'd gathered from within Kumogakure's Ancient forest - he removed several pieces of fire wood, flint and steel, a cooking pot, and a package of instant noodles. One can't be picky when traveling, after all. It took a moment to spark a flame due to the wood being wet from snow, but it was worth the effort. After allowing himself a moment to thaw his hands, the boy gathered snow into his pot and placed it atop the fire. Once the snow melted, and the water boiled, he poured it into the open noodle container and began to eat.
The warm noodles rejuvenated his soul, and gave him a new found determination to continue his trek into the unknown. Once his sleeping bag was laid out, the boy looked up to the sky and admired its beauty as the clouds began to clear. Without the light pollution from any nearby villages, the countless stars gleamed with an indescribable beauty. Unfortunately, he was unable to appreciate this beauty for long as thoughts of home flooded his mind. The stresses of his past once more made the boy anxious, and his disregard for the time limit set for his journey clawed at the back of his mind. Lord Kuro's statement that he was to be the heir to the Toraono clan worried him as well, what was he to do with all of that responsibility? He'd lived his whole life being allowed to roam free and pursue his desires, but to have the safety of an entire clan thrust upon his shoulders, and what of his clansmen? Would they really accept a mere child as their new lord? The young Byakko still wasn't sure how he was going to handle it.
Perhaps he would have to inform Kuro that he simply wasn't ready to take over, that he still believed himself to be too naive for such an important role. But wouldn't that be a mature enough statement to convince that beast man of the exact opposite? There truly did not seem to be a way out of this, and he may end up having to deal with his own prodigious past... Hopefully things would not be as taxing as he expected them to be.
Eventually, amidst all of his thinking, the boy drifted into sleep. The fire gradually died throughout the night, and the boy could do nothing but hope that things remained uneventful...
Having decided that would be the best course of action, Yanji found a patch of earth that jutted out from the ice. Placing his travel pack - currently filled to the brim with essentials and specimen he'd gathered from within Kumogakure's Ancient forest - he removed several pieces of fire wood, flint and steel, a cooking pot, and a package of instant noodles. One can't be picky when traveling, after all. It took a moment to spark a flame due to the wood being wet from snow, but it was worth the effort. After allowing himself a moment to thaw his hands, the boy gathered snow into his pot and placed it atop the fire. Once the snow melted, and the water boiled, he poured it into the open noodle container and began to eat.
The warm noodles rejuvenated his soul, and gave him a new found determination to continue his trek into the unknown. Once his sleeping bag was laid out, the boy looked up to the sky and admired its beauty as the clouds began to clear. Without the light pollution from any nearby villages, the countless stars gleamed with an indescribable beauty. Unfortunately, he was unable to appreciate this beauty for long as thoughts of home flooded his mind. The stresses of his past once more made the boy anxious, and his disregard for the time limit set for his journey clawed at the back of his mind. Lord Kuro's statement that he was to be the heir to the Toraono clan worried him as well, what was he to do with all of that responsibility? He'd lived his whole life being allowed to roam free and pursue his desires, but to have the safety of an entire clan thrust upon his shoulders, and what of his clansmen? Would they really accept a mere child as their new lord? The young Byakko still wasn't sure how he was going to handle it.
Perhaps he would have to inform Kuro that he simply wasn't ready to take over, that he still believed himself to be too naive for such an important role. But wouldn't that be a mature enough statement to convince that beast man of the exact opposite? There truly did not seem to be a way out of this, and he may end up having to deal with his own prodigious past... Hopefully things would not be as taxing as he expected them to be.
Eventually, amidst all of his thinking, the boy drifted into sleep. The fire gradually died throughout the night, and the boy could do nothing but hope that things remained uneventful...
WC: 523 Let's do this!