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"I’m not so sure" Lines of doubt settled across her face "Are you also going to inform me I need to be as swift as a fire so I hed loudly

Mariko caught herself before she could smile "And you shouldn’t dismiss your abilities It insults both you and me at the same time"

Another raise of his brows She suspected people did not often speak to Yoshi in such a direct manner "Is that so?"

"Yes You insult yourself by dis skills that took you a lifeti that I need only try--as though the only hindrance is rewword She took a deep breath before continuing "To even atte, one ranted an opportunity" As Mariko finished, she glanced rin turned knowing "Alas, Sanada Takeo, you will not be granted the opportunity to throw a dagger here But your attempt to try is duly noted And appreciated"

"Not an attee of life," she e itself e of youth," Yoshi said drily as he loweredpot "Not to worry; I can proreat opportunities in life follow sole with athering above his brow Then he wandered to the bushes to retrieve the blade he’d thrown at Ren, prying it from where the kunai was eht, then lovingly restored it to its place at his hip

"Learning a new blade," he replied

A groove fore of Mariko’s nose

Yoshi said, "Every blade has its own path Every handle is different Every tang is unique The balance of every dagger is its own"

Again Mariko lingered in thought "Would consistency notof the steel In the forh It doesn’t account for chance, and there is always a chance the handle will strike the mark instead of the blade No amount of skill can thwart it every tier Yoshi had used to shave slices of pickled ginger "Two blades affixed in their centers like a cross would work better" She considered further "Or perhaps even three Like a star"

"Why not four?" Yoshi said with a a cu like that Any effective kunai would need to be light" In one flowing motion, he whipped a blade from its sheath and hurled it toward the sa handle Yoshi had thrown it to strike the exact same place as before It fit into the previous divot at a near-identical angle The way the handle shook--treht to mind Ōkami and his mysterious abilities Mariko frowned

She did not wish to be re she did not yet understand

Especially so to the Wolf

Mariko lowered into a crouch Picked up a twig Began to draw

Indeed

Why not four?

JUBOKKO

That night, Mariko woke fro

It startled her into awareness, like a splash of icy water Her forehead grazed the rock she’d been using as a pillow Her fingernails dug into the dah the forest were the screams of a tortured animal Not a man

It couldn’t be a man

No human could make sounds like these

As the screah her, a dru to focus on the forest’s shadows Trying to drown out the sounds of pure suffering

Men with torches were h the trees

For aThe Black Clan was distracted Perhaps they would not notice her slipping into the night Perhaps she could find her way out of the forest without tripping any of their supposed traps

Perhaps

A foot kicked the s her all the more

"Get up" It was Ren "Now" The tenor of his voice was surprisingly sad