Dances with Wolves [Mission]

[Jett Kuroi]

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Name: Wolf Runner
Rank: D
Description: Looks like we have a bit of a wolf problem in the surrounding area of the village. Apparently a few packs have been attacking travelers as they move to and from the village. We can’t allow something like this to damage not only our reputation but the safety of our residences. Move out and slice up some wolf burgers.
Reward: 100 experience, 500 ryo
Minimum Shinobi: 1
Mission Status: Interminable

Wolves were one of the denizens of Mizu no Kuni for a long time. For many years, tales of their ways in the wilderness were told everywhere. Even in the broken, uncaring home that Jett came from, he had heard such stories, and marveled in awe of the wolves’ ways. The way a wolf pack behaved seemed like a family, to Jett. Or at least, like the way a family should be; the strongest leading and protecting, the weaker being protected and lifted, not punished and beaten, and finally, those that harmed the unit… were disposed of. For a long time, Jett felt a connection to wolves on a spiritual level. He felt the ways of the wolf could teach others. Because of this, he felt bad having been assigned to go deal with a bunch of them that had been acting out. Now, they had caused damage, and harmed travelers. For that reason, he did agree to go, however, he still felt bad about having to do this. It wasn’t like he could try to talk the wolves down, and have them go peacefully. There would be a fight. This time, he would not have Rael with him.

Jett was a capable ninja, and did not need someone with him at all times. At least, that was what he told himself, as was, apparently, the belief of the higher ups. Perhaps, though, they were simply trying to get Jett to be more prepared, and to act on his own better. Whatever the reason was, Jett had already agreed to set out on this mission, and there was no turning back now. After he had checked to make sure he had all the equipment he would need, he set off from his home, out of the village, and into the wilderness. The last report of their actions had them on a common trade route that went from Kirigakure, to a market village in the north, where people from all the other villages in Mizu no Kuni could meet to trade goods and buy supplies. Hopefully, the wolves didn’t get that far, because while the marketplace no doubt had guards, they were probably not shinobi guards. An organized wolf pack would tear through them.

Arriving at their last known location, Jett would begin examining the wreckage of a cart. The carcasses of two animals were picked clean, nothing but bones left, scattered somewhat, but still discernable as having been horses that pulled the wagon. The contents of the wagon were also picked through. All food that had been in it was gone, and all that remained were crafted goods such as clothing and home decorations such as statues, candles, and other small bits of luxury. No one had come back to retrieve anything, as that which was left behind was not all broken. The people probably hadn’t come out to retrieve it, not wanting to lose anything more to the wolves. Upon inspection of the wolves’ tracks, Jett could discern that they went back into the woods from this point, perhaps to find a spot to rest, their ‘home’ perhaps. With that in mind, Jett would move to follow the tracks. If he found this wild pack to their home, perhaps he could conclude this issue in a single encounter, and not have to torment himself with fighting wolves again.

Sure enough, following the tracks led to a small cave in the woods, where at the mouth of the cave, a trio of wolves was watching, while a literal dog pile of other wolves was situated deeper within the cave. Jett kept his distance at first, watching the group to see if what was going on. All seemed peaceful at first glance, but he wanted to make sure the pile of dogs was asleep before engaging. After continued silent staring, Jett would begin planning his assault.

[Jett Kuroi]

The wolves, though regarded as having a lesser mind than a human, had been taking watch in shifts. The three wolves standing at the mouth of the cave when Jett had first arrived had since moved in, and taken place within the pile of dogs, only for a different three to move out to the mouth of the cave where the last three had just been. They continued the watch. However, Jett’s plan was already made, and he was already in motion. He made a bit of noise as he moved through the trees, rousing the attention of the wolves, but as he moved he tossed his kunai towards the mouth of the cave. The three on guard managed to evade the kunai, but he was not aiming for them. Attached to the end of the kunai were explosive notes. The kunai would slip past the guard dogs, into the depths of the cave, hitting the back walls, and falling to the floor with a clatter. Still, the paper hissed, sparking into flame, and exploding. The rock at the back of the cave would crack, as the structural foundation of the cave would begin to crumble.

Jett kept moving, running away from the cave, as the three wolves on guard gave chase. Jett weaved through the trees, pushing lightning chakra to his feet to give himself small bursts of speed to make it to the location he was seeking for his final trap. Within a small clearing, Jett lept up, focusing his chakra into his feet, and ran up the length of a tree, till he got to one of the higher branches. He would perch himself upon it, pull out a few shuriken and toss them to the spot at the edge of the clearing, where the wolves would be coming from. After the shuriken were let loose, he pushed off the branch, and followed the Shuriken, as one hand moved to the hilt of one of his kodachi.

The first wolf was hit with all but one of the shuriken, the one that missed simply digging into the ground. As the first wolf fell, the one behind it would bound over its body, launching at Jett, only to be met with his blade, as he drew out his kodachi in a wide arch that slashed across its body, from one shoulder to the other, across its neck. Jett would plant one foot after that, launching himself backwards, as the third wolf bounded into the clearing, towards Jett. It bounded around the other two, instead of leaping over them as they fell, and closed in on Jett’s right. After the swipe of his sword, the wolf ducked under the blade, and went for Jett’s feet. Jett kept backing away, but the wolf kept itself low, and out of the reach of Jett’s short blade, pushing him further back. Soon, Jett would be backed to a tree, and the wolf would move closer. Jett swung his sword back, but the wolf stopped short, just out the sword’s range, then launched at Jett, as the blade missed. However, the wolf would miss. As those fangs clenched for one of Jett’s legs, his body disappeared, straight into the air.¹ With chakra focused into his feet, he pushed himself back down, throwing a fist for the back of the wolf’s head. Jett closed his eyes, and turned his head away, as the retractable wrist blade shot out from its position hidden within the sleeve of his jacket, jabbing into the back of the wolf’s neck.

With the third wolf down, Jett collected himself, cleaned off the blood from his weapons, and prepared to check the cave, to see if any of the wolves had escaped the collapse it was bound to undertake moments after he had thrown the explosive notes in. Once there, he would see that the cave had, sure enough, collapsed in on itself. Blood stained some of the rocks, signifying that wolves had been caught in the collapse. How many had been caught, he could not know, but he decided to take a patrol of the woods to see if any had escaped.

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1: Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique)
Type: Supplementary.
Range: 0 - 10m.
Handseals: -
Chakra: Low.
Special: Despite popular belief, this is not an ability that allows an individual to teleport, or even move incomprehensibly fast. It simply combines high mobility with some disruption of visibility to conceal those movements. That in mind, if you can conceal your movement, it is common for this technique to allow very long-distance dashes before enemies may notice you.
Description: Shunshin no Jutsu is a basic ninjutsu technique used across the shinobi world by all, ranging from the most basic shinobi to the legends of lore. Considered is a high-speed movement technique - to an observer caught in the optical illusion, it appears as if the user has teleported. This allows the user to escape or attack suddenly, should they need to. However, while a high-speed movement, if used in broad daylight, one will still be quite visible and as such, easier to be defended against. In order to achieve maximum effect, the user must to combine it with a distraction.

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[Jett Kuroi]

What had been fast at first had now slowed down to a steady pace. Jett wanted to be done with this mission, and move on to others, since he took no pleasure in killing wolves. Having done it was already something that weighed heavily on him. As he continued his patrol of the woods, to make sure there were no others, he began to drift from his attention on the woods, and sink into his thoughts.

Wolves, the one group I idolize. A family unit that does everything together, takes care of the entire unit together, ensures everyone is fed together, and as a group, destroys those that would pose a threat to them. And I just killed a whole pack. Yes, they were attacking innocents, killing and stealing from them. Just like humans, they possess a bad mix as well. Yet still, what if they had been attacking for a reason? What if their food sources had been cut off elsewhere, and were attacking simply because they needed food? Could I have figured that out, and brought them food to stave off their attacks?

Trapped in his thoughts, he would be unaware of one last wolf alive, hidden in some bushes. Jett came to a stop in his movement, near the bush, and rubbed a hand over his face, fingers pinching in on his temples. He was really taking this hard, and he wasn’t sure what would come of it.

You are pathetic, you know that? Worrying over some wolves. They’re animals. They don’t have emotions or souls like humans do. Their entire existence revolves around survival, pure and simple. They attack to feed. It’s all they know. They know one day they will die, and they will be sustenance to the rest of the pack.

Yet I just destroyed the whole pack, and they don’t serve as sustenance to anyone. They were destroyed, as if on a whim.

Oh please, you did it because you were told to. You never do anything on a whim, you’re either too shy or too scared to do something on your own. That’s why I exist. I take charge where you lack the balls to do so.

A rustling in the bushes and the stirring of Jett’s anger occurred at the same time. A sudden sensation filled his mind, along with the scent of blood. In his mind, he could see a large wolf, with fur so stained with blood it was unclear what color the fur had originally been. The sensation creeping within him was that of pure fear and dread. Jett could not shake it. Yet, that anger was still peaked within him, and it gave him strength to act though he still felt the fear as well. The vision in his mind, h e was sure belonged to one of the wolves of the pack, specifically one that had survived and was about to pounce, Jett reached into his holster on his thigh, pulled out a kunai, and threw it into the bushes as he turned. He saw a flash of blood go into the air, though not enough to have been a fatal wound. He pushed past the bushes to see… a wolf pup. Just like that, Jett’s anger was gone, and he could take in the whole scene. The kunai was dug into the ground. The mother was laying in the grass nearby, dead. It had the strength to get its tiny black pup to safety, but died after getting it away from the explosion and destroyed cave. Jett frowned, staring at the pup who was now wounded on one of its back legs, because of the kunai. This tore at Jett’s heart, and he would hurry forth, to scoop up the pup, and carry it off. It offered no fight in exchange, too young and too afraid.

“I’m so sorry little guy. I had to do it, but I won’t let you die with them. I’ll take care of you from now on.” He glanced down at the small pup in his arms, and smiled though a tear glistened in his eye. “I’ll call you Shō.”

[~Kohana <3]

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