Of Beasts, Love, and Nation

[Taiga]

Taiga scrunched the notes in his hand given to him by Tenzin. With the tides of war rolling in he had been asked to use his connections to find out more about Kirigakure's intentions. His hand moved methodically in the air as a small rasengan formed shredding the paper to all but dust in the wind as he looked up above to the sun, which kissed the earth in hues of gold as the waves whispered secrets to the shore.

He didn't want to be here- because it only further propelled a fate he was desperately hoping to avoid. A fate in which he was forced to choose love or nation. He walked along the shore of a neutral land in the new continent, his heart heavy with anticipation and uncertainty. He'd used his jinchuuriki pendant, 1, to call about 2, Shinji. Shinji was perhaps the first person beyond Masami that he had ever truly connected too. He wasn't sure what he felt for Shinji, but it was something different than the feelings he had for Masami or even... him. It was complicated. Confusing.

They were by all counts destined to slay each other on the battle field. Bulls raised and burdened with glorious power to fight for their respective villages and nations. As he stepped along the shore lost in thought each footprint etched a story of his inner turmoil.

No matter how he painted it he confusingly admired, perhaps even loved Shinji. Their interactions had been brief yet profound, leaving Taiga yearning for more, yet unsure of what exactly he sought from this foreign, far off man.

As he walked, the rhythmic melody of the waves crashing against the shore seemed to echo the turmoil in his heart. He gazed out at the vast expanse of the ocean, its infinite depths mirroring the complexities of his emotions.

Shinji.

Somedays he wished the Jinchuuriki could just unleash wrath on all their governments. All their villages. Raise them to the ground and return the world to a primal state where they were free to do as they pleased. Free to be animals- to be beasts. Retrieving his pocket watch from inside his winter haori, the bannin looked at it and sighed.

Here we go.