Kitsune

i. demon

He stood face to face with a long stone wall that surrounded the village perimeter. Examining it, he pulls a talisman from the inside of his keikogi and a portion of the wall appears to distort in his eyes like a ripple. That distortion was his entrance. Stepping through the wall and into the front entrance of the manor.

A long walkway of stepping stone leading to the double shoji door of the large home. The hunter stepped from stone to stone until he was at the door. Ready to open it and head inside, he was stopped from a call above him. Stepping back, he looked up. On the second balcony hung casually over the edge was the body of a samurai he was more than familiar with.

"You are awfully bold. Not even bothering to knock- just entering a house that certainly is not your own." The man above tutted with a wave of his hand.

"I was called here for business," the hunter replied. "What reason do I have to announce myself if you all were already well aware of my arrival. I know Shiro knew the moment I arrived at the village gate." The second balcony man climbed and hopped up and over the wooden railing before practically floating down on the wind. His bare feet hitting the stone landing of the entrance. Landing easy, gracefully next to the hunter as he tucked his arms together in the sleeves of his kimono.

His kimono was a pattern of white and fair yellow; patterns of lilies among the fabric. The obi bound round his waist a pitch black. His dark hair strung array as his eyes hid behind the fringe of his bangs. Having just enough hair to pull and tie into a ponytail at the back of his head with a hair string of yellow he favored. String whipping its ends in the winter breeze.

"Yes, she did. However, you should know not to be rude in any case. This still is not your home."

"It does not belong to your either, Taehyung." The hunter informed the casually dressed samurai. Taehyung just shook his head, opening the translucent door as the wind chime above it jingled. He invited the hunter inside to follow after him.

"You sure have been on edge ever since you came back from the continent. Can you pretend not to be insufferable for a change of pace?" Taehyung told him. The hunter slid off his waraji and followed behind Taehyung's back- despite already knowing the layout of his manor due to his previous visits. Treading halls and tatami mat floors in his two sleeved socks. Taehyung soon arrived at a room, doors shut and stopped before it.

Both samurai and hunter dropped to their knees behind the sliding door. "My Lord," Taehyung called, head lowered. "Your guest has arrived." A small sigh came beyond the door.

"You two may enter." A smooth voice called from inside. Both men stood and excused themselves before they slid the door open and entered.

Sliding the paper door, the room was large and nearly empty. A meeting or gathering room of sorts. Along the tatami floors were cushions for guests to sit. On one of those cushions in the back center of the room sat an elegantly dressed man- an equally elegant tapestry hung on the far wall behind him in the tokonoma. Appearing no older than his middle ages and keeping his true age to himself, not even his most trusted knew his age- aside from his wife.

Dressed in a kimono flattered in golds and reds with the bluest haori of silk on his shoulders, the lord of the manor sat peacefully. Running and taking care of the manor he occupied as well as the village he cherished and everybody that dwelled in them. Long black hair that reached his back and tied with a fine gold ribbon.

Taehyung and the hunter sat in front of him, legs tucked under themselves. The hunter replaced his swords from their place on his hip and removed them to rest them on the floor at his side.

The lord smiled. "Hoseok. It is a pleasure to be in your presence again." The hunter- known as Hoseok- bowed his head slightly.

"It has been far too long, Lord Fuuta." The lord waved off the formality. "May I assume Lady Shiro is well?"