[Graded][Plotboard] Aftermath

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Niro
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[Graded][Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by Niro » Sat Nov 02, 2019 1:49 pm

The day was young when Tatsuo sent a messenger with word to Iwamaru to meet him and to be prepared for at least a week long excursion. Tatsuo would be showing him another true of the village, also ugly. He had shown the boy the dangers of what lied in the dark below but now it was time for him to face the harsh realities of their village and its day-to-day workings. A lot of the younger generation were squeamish about the usage of slaves in the village; he had too at one point. Several truths and realizations of life out in the wilds of Rock Country made him realize that even as a slave, life in the village was much more prolific than a 'free' one outside.

A light giving off a soft glow powered by fuuinjutsu allowed Tatsuo to pack a large travel backpack filled to the brim with wilderness survival tools, which would more than likely come in handy during the trip, as the sun was just beginning to crest the peaks of the mountain range. He packed little in the way of preserved food as there was only so much food one could carry and Tatsuo was one who preferred to live off the land rather than waste supplies that could be used elsewhere. That was also something he hoped to show the boy; how to live off the land and survive away from the village. He strapped a large scroll to the top of his pack before leaning against his desk while he awaited Iwamaru. Their trip would be the main event but first, they'd be going over the somber tasks Iwamaru had taken the responsibility of performing.

Ever so slowly but surely the sun began to crest the peaks of the mountain range, basking both him and his office in an almost ethereal glow as its rays shone through the large window at the back of his office.
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by ShinobiTruth » Wed Nov 06, 2019 12:10 am

Ever since his first visit into the Catacombs, Iwamaru had been pushing his training as hard as he possibly could. The young adolescent had continued to progress in leaps and bounds, his powerful will being harnessed to great effect within Jousai. He was now so physically mighty that he was close to toppling most average jounin. He hoped one day he could become as strong as Tatsuo, and while that was still a ways away, it didn't feel like such a far-off dream anymore.

Tatsuo, as usual, hadn't really told him much about the excursion they were about to conduct, meaning that it was likely another reality check for the already wisening chuunin. Traveling with the materials that Tatsuo had instructed him to, Iwamaru now carried a backpack with a variety of survival supplies and equipment. He had everything from a rolled tent atop his back to a bedroll to matches to preserved food... He'd packed extra clothes, a thermal blanket in case they ran into a harsh storm (though he was already wearing a thick, hooded cloak for that, too), spikes and a wooden mallet for his tent. The list went on and on. Iwamaru had to admit that he hadn't anticipated how involved and thorough preparing for even a few days in the wild required you to be. Even just the smallest oversight could mean significant difficulty or real danger out in the field.

Thankfully, while most would likely struggle under the weight, Iwamaru carried the entire bundle with an absurd amount of ease. Chakra-based training for his muscles certainly had its benefits. He was more likely to get fatigued from the walking than he was from carrying anything. Iwamaru would firmly knock on the door to Tatsuo's office and await permission to enter. If there was one thing that Tatsuo wasn't likely to change, it was the iron-clad military etiquette that Iwamaru was now famous for among his Jousai comrades.

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by Niro » Wed Nov 06, 2019 12:40 am

"Come in." Tatsuo replied to the knock with a slightly elevated voice so that Iwamaru would be able to hear him through the thick oak door without issue. "Welcome. I'm glad you took my words to heart, like always. Your pack looks fine from here so I won't even bother to check it." He gave the chuunin a once over. The boy had upped his training regimen after the dive into the Catacombs and Iwa's presence in the Starfall Tournament. It was definitely showing, the evidence easy to see in how Iwamaru's body had filled out. Tatsuo pulled a rolled up piece of parchment from his desk before standing and spreading it out on his desk. The parchment easily covered it and detailed a map of Rock Country.



Tatsuo placed a finger on the large black dot in the southeast portion of the country. Anyone who passed the Academies geography course knew that but they might not know of the other two. He tapped it twice before dragging his gloved finger across the document towards the center of the map. Tatsuo tapped it once before looking back at Iwamaru.

"Do you know what this spot in the middle is?" Tatsuo asked but knew Iwamaru would have no answer. He let the boy stew for a couple seconds before continuing on. "It's a barbarian encampment. One of the many clans the village...interacts with. They have merchandise but something was off about the messenger. The village still wants someone to go, even on the off chance it's a trap, and deal with the situation. I volunteered myself and you." Tatsuo let the information sink in that they'd be collecting and bring slaves back for Iwamaru before continuing on.

"We go get 'em, bring 'em back, show the savages who's boss. Ever rode a horse before?"
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by ShinobiTruth » Wed Nov 06, 2019 6:01 pm

Quickly walking over to the map, Iwamaru's eyes quickly locking on to the point that Tatsuo was directing his attention toward. He'd seen maps of Rock Country many times over, but he'd never seen anything marked at the center of the country as the bannin was showing him. Iwamaru shook his head, and it seemed that Tatsuo expected that answer. Once Iwamaru heard Tatsuo explain exactly what, or more to the point, who was there, it flipped a switch in Iwamaru's brain, much like a red flag. Tatsuo wasn't afraid of colorful language, but he'd never heard him refer to anyone that wasn't a direct enemy of the state as a "barbarian." The shift in the bannin's speech pattern wasn't something he'd miss. His eyes narrowed as Tatsuo explained, but he said nothing. He implicitly trusted Tatsuo. He usually did this with Iwamaru when it involved a work that was necessary but possibly trespassed on his sensitivities.

The chuunin could see why the village suspected there was an issue. It seemed like these 'traders' had a long-standing relationship with Iwagakure and had likely established a set procedure and pattern for how they conducted business with each other. If there was something unusual about an otherwise routine delivery, it merited further investigation, however slight the possibility was that something may have gone wrong. The fact that he was complicit in human trafficking definitely made his stomach turn, but even if he wanted to affect change, it wasn't going to happen right now. He'd have to bide his time and wait until he had power, influence, and resources.

The mention of horses caused the chuunin's eyes to light up and nod to the affirmative. "My mother took me for rides before," he replied. Iwamaru didn't feel like he needed to bore the bannin with needless details, but Iwamaru had a soft spot for animals, particularly horses and, strangely enough, ferrets. He'd never had pets, but he held a certain kinship, and while he'd never cultivate the trait, he always did well with animals.

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by Niro » Wed Nov 06, 2019 6:53 pm

Tatsuo rolled the map back up and put it back where it belonged among his various files. It wouldn't be something they would need as he had traveled through the country enough to have an accurate mental map already remembered. He hefted his pack onto his back before signaling to Maru it was time to leave the headquarters. Tatsuo had already put the house in order; Kotaru and Mitsuo were aware he had a mission and so were their lieutenants. Even without its head the snake would continue.

Tatsuo stepped out from the front entrance of the Jousai headquarters and was greeted to a thick blanketing of snow covering the ground and buildings. He pulled his insulated duster a bit closer to his chest as he took the crossing the village to the wall with Maru at his side. Their footfalls crunched throughout the nearly silent morning as shopkeepers began to open up and groups of children heading to the Academies passed by. Every now and then Tatsuo would stop by a shop to check on an elder shopkeep or inquire about a family member but soon enough they'd find themselves in front of the impossibly thick wall protecting the village.

A tunnel opened up seemingly out of nowhere as Tatsuo rapt his knuckles against the wall in a specific series of knocks. Fuuinjutsu powered lights lined the tunnel as they walked deeper until they came to a stable of horses. Stable hands mulled around until they arrived and directed the two shinobi to a pre-selected pair. Two shorter, stockier snow white horses that were easily able to hold them and their gear were in front of them.

"First pick is yours."
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by ShinobiTruth » Wed Nov 06, 2019 10:45 pm

Quick to follow his leader, Iwamaru was right behind Tatsuo, his cloak drawn close as the snows of winter had crept in the night before. Their echoing footsteps, punctuated by the muffled crunches of snow beneath their shoes, the pair wound through the mountain paths that led to Jousai headquarters toward the village. Iwamaru's eyes caught many of the same sights as Tatsuo's did, but the relationship he created in his mind with each one was different. As he set eyes upon each shopkeeper who was up and about, he wondered how their businesses and families fared. Seeing the groups of children heading to the Academy made Iwamaru wonder how their classes were going and what changes the Academy had made to their syllabi. Seeing the older shopkeepers that Tatsuo visited personally made him thankful that they still were granted the dignity of working for themselves by their aging bodies. He imagined that Tatsuo likely saw those things as well, whether that was true or not. Such was his faith in his mentor, having found no fault or reason to disavow it.

As they came upon the grand wall that towered over the both of them, Iwamaru was as breath-taken as he had been as a child. The structure was massive, as well as being an engineering marvel. It was true that if the children of Stone set their minds to something, there was little, if anything, they couldn't accomplish. It sent chills up his spine realizing that, for the second time officially, he would be stepping outside of that wall. He'd remembered his first time going through, being escorted by two other shinobi tasked with maintaining and guarding the wall at all times. Iwamaru's sharp mind kept note of the order and spacings of the knocks that Tatsuo made on the wall. Though he was certain he would be granted the privilege of that information if he proved worthy of it, the chuunin figured that familiarizing himself with the process beforehand couldn't hurt.

After walking a substantial distance down the tunnel, Iwamaru could start hearing the telltale clicks and clamps of horseshoes on the ground as they echoed through the tunnels. Perhaps getting a bit overexcited, he briefly accelerated into a brisk trot forward as his eyes lay upon the two gorgeous animals before him. His features visibly softened and brightened, and for perhaps the first time ever, Tatsuo saw a look of peace on his face as his normally stern features gave way to a gentle smile. Looking at Tatsuo for a brief moment as he was given the choice, Iwamaru looked to each side, clearly searching for something. Once his eyes set upon it, he walked toward it to retrieve what he was looking for: a pail of feed. Taking two handfuls from the pail, he walked over to the horses, he held his hands out, one to each, for them to take from him. Both horses did so gently, without issue. As they chewed, however, Iwamaru stepped in just slightly to place his hand on the side of their heads and then on the forehead and bridge of their nose. The horse to the left bobbed up and shied away from his touch. The horse on the right, in contrast, remained calm, leaning forward as his hand slid down to gently pet the horse's nose. He nodded. "This one... Does she have a name?" he asked, performing a quick visual check to make sure he was being accurate.

He didn't hate difficult horses. Matter of fact, earning the trust of a difficult horse was something to be proud of. But in a country-side he was unfamiliar with, he needed implicit trust right from the get-go.

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by Niro » Thu Nov 07, 2019 5:13 pm

"Oh so you leave me the wily one?" Tatsuo teased Iwamaru as the boy was drawn to the other horse. He couldn't fault him; leaving the senior, more experienced shinobi who was used to traveling in the countryside and more difficult horses was smart. "No names. Feel free to give 'er one. Most of these horses are just transport and aren't given actual names. The handlers might have given 'em nicknames though."

Tatsuo strode up to the more adamant beast and leveled the horse an icy glare colder than Iwa's winters. It stared back at him with an equally intense fire in its gaze and he broke into a small smile. It was as steadfast as its home and Tatsuo could respect that. He secured his pack to the horses back before saddling up. He swung one leg over as if it was second nature and made himself comfortable on the saddle.

"Let's get going. We've got a lot of ground to cover." Tatsuo took the reigns and nodded to one of the stable hands to open their stables up. Soon after they were off, the horses keeping a quick yet steady pace as they traversed the nearly mile long distance through the Wall. The fuuin-powered lights gave away to torches until they cleared the tunnel and the crunch of snow and gravel overtook the sound of hooves.

A massive coniferous forest blanketed in pure white snow surrounded the duo as they officially left the protection of the village and its Wall.

"Tell me, is this your first time outside of the village besides for the Starfall Tournament?"
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by ShinobiTruth » Thu Nov 07, 2019 7:30 pm

Iwamaru chuckled at Tatsuo's joke. "There's no easier way to break your neck than getting bucked off of a horse that doesn't want you there. Given time, I could earn that one's trust, but for where we're going, it's important to have that right from the get-go." Looking at the horse and its pure white mane, an icy coating that belied the warmth of its flesh, Iwamaru decided. "Snowfire. Your name will be Snowfire," he said quietly, looking into its eyes.

The horse leaned in closer and rubbed its head into Iwamaru's chest. Though he couldn't tell for certain, he was confident that the horse approved.

Saddling up, Iwamaru swung up just as easily, almost like slipping into a comfortable pair of shoes. Awaiting the signal, the doors opened, and Iwamaru gently egged Snowfire out into the open, taking off on a fast trot as he and Tatsuo rode down the massive tunnel, the sound of the horse's hooves and shoes crackling and echoing through the tunnel. Eventually, after some time, the light at the end of the tunnel swelled. For only the second time, Iwamaru looked back at the wall from the outside. He imagined he would think nothing of it after some time, but for now, it was still a marvelous sight.

The trees were always a wonderful contrast to the stark rock that prevailed throughout the village. Iwamaru was truly grateful that he had grown to the point where he could see more of the world. Even just seeing more of his country was a privilege in his eyes, despite how tasteless the deed he was about to complete would be in his eyes. He had to learn to take the bad with the good and content himself with what he had. "Yessir, it is," Iwamaru confirmed. "It's still amazing to see what the outside world looks like after only knowing the village. Even its deepest darknesses can be so fascinating."

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by Niro » Thu Nov 07, 2019 9:27 pm

"You'd think our worst enemies are above ground yet sadly they are not. Instead we are besieged by those rambunctious spirits who refuse to comply from below." Tatsuo complained to his junior. He highly doubted that any of the other four villages had to deal with an infestation of spirits directly below them. "Some days it makes me wish we had more border skirmishes. The last one was some dumb rogue from Konoha who thought he could encroach in Rock Country... It didn't end well for him."

"Did the academy teach you how to track, by chance?" Tatsuo asked a bit farther into their ride. He had spied some deer tracks in the snow and although they had rations Tatsuo preferred anything else to their poor, dry taste. In his head he was already cleaning and cooking the poor animal. "Hunt? Clean animals? It's been awhile since I've had any contact with the Academy curriculum with both of my sisters finally out and now chuunin."
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by ShinobiTruth » Fri Nov 08, 2019 12:34 am

Iwamaru was both somewhat surprised and yet strangely understanding of Tatsuo's sentiments. He'd never squared off against a shinobi from another village, yet he could immediately understand the dangers of the Catacombs from even his first time here. He'd gotten stronger, but he still wasn't certain he could square off against one of the ten-foot spiders yet. "I can see that. Fighting a human can seem trivial when you're up against mutated animals with their already sharpened instincts heightened to eleven," he agreed. "Still, it's not too terrible. At least you don't have to hear the animals monologuing like some villain."

Iwamaru was not one to talk at all during combat. Even something as simple as speech could give away information. His body betrayed enough secrets on its own; there was no reason that loose lips needed to play any further role in putting him in an early grave.

Iwamaru looked to Tatsuo after his second question and shook his head, understanding based on their environment why that wasn't a good answer to give. "Not in-depth, at least. I'm ashamed to say that I didn't retain much of anything from that section of the class. My teachers pushed me to focus on things that I was naturally attuned to, like my physical strength," he admitted, ashamed that he had nothing to offer in that area in this moment. "I'm always willing to learn again, though. Now's as good a time as any."

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by Niro » Tue Nov 12, 2019 1:07 pm

Tatsuo nearly stopped and slapped Iwamaru for attempting to jinx him with his comment on monologuing villains. Instead he just leveled a blank, soulless stare at the teen and shook his head profusely. His horse continued to plod along the path in the snow, unfazed by the antics of the two. If anyting, he was glad the horse was stubborn and would continue on without much input.

"The spirits can talk and boy do they go on when they get the chance. They're always so hoighty toighty about being sperior until you kick their asses scampering back to whatever hole in the wall they crawled out of in the first place." Tatsuo let Iwamaru in on. "The older, more sophisticated spirits are intelligent and much more devious than those of the Lesser varieties. We haven't dealt with them yet but one day we'll go down to the Colony and you can see some of the more advanced ones."

"Well, we can't clean one without hunting one." Tatsuo said as he withdrew a kunai from one of his holsters. Long and extremely sharp, the tool was more than enough with Tatsuo's strength and accuracy. "Tracking requires using your brain. I think you're pretty good at that so let's get to it. There's signs everywhere: broken branches, footprints in the snow, feces, urine markings, etcetra. Your job is to find it and I'll kill it."
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by ShinobiTruth » Tue Nov 12, 2019 3:44 pm

The look on Tatsuo’s face was one that approached abject horror, and Iwamaru paid close attention to the words coming from his lips. The chuunin, unwittingly, had stumbled upon a rather frayed nerve. The sudden nature of the reprisal made Iwamaru curious about what experiences Tatsuo had suffered with spirits. He couldn't remember the way the spirit that had invaded his senses from the attack had conversed with him. There'd been too much pain to pay it any mind. It was a good thing he was planning on learning Tenkujutsu because of the catacombs; otherwise, this information would not be nearly as useful.

Snowfire felt his rider stumble momentarily from the blow, but he'd recovered quickly, and though she did sway slightly, a single pat on the neck was enough to ease the horse as they galloped along. He was glad that the horse was so in tune with his present state, but he was concerned it might cause the creature to spook if something considerably more dangerous presented itself, something Iwamaru would have to be ready to help it with.

Nodding and continuing to keep his eyes peeled for several long minutes, Iwamaru spotted large tracks in the snow. Holding up a closed fist, he gently pulled back on the reins to slow Snowfire to a stop. Dismounting, the chuunin noticed that the tracks wound through many large rocks and boulders, which Iwamaru stalked carefully, making as little sound as possible. Peering from behind one of the boulders, Iwamary spotted a large, elk-like creature, ambling through the winter trees and chewing the fruit from short, hardy bushes. Assuming Tatsuo was behind him, he wave the Bannin forward and point toward the target.

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by Niro » Fri Nov 15, 2019 5:33 pm

Tats was glad Iwamaru was a quick learner it seemed. It hadn't taken the teenager long before he found a set of tracks belonging to one of the herbivores that populated the lands around the village. They followed it on foot rather than continuing on the horses, Tatsuo selecting to tie both sets of reins to a sturdy low-hanging branch offered by one of the many coniferous trees.

His own footsteps provided no noise but his apprentices crunched, however lightly, against the snow and underbrush. The elk caught scent of them as a gentle breeze came wafting through the area. It's head spun to face them and it locked eyes with Iwamaru before darting away deeper into the woods that surrounded them. Tatsuo shrugged his shoulders before he began to examine the surrounding area for clues toward a different prize.

"We'll have to work on teaching you to move without making a sound. Makes hunting and overall stealth a lot easier." Tatsuo commented on their failed attempt. "Also something to mask or eliminate our scents if we are upwind." He found something of Interest off to the side. It was another set of tracks and as he examined it his face broke into a smile.

"Have you ever tasted bear before?"
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by ShinobiTruth » Fri Nov 15, 2019 11:54 pm

Iwamaru reprimanded himself for being so easily seen by the elk, their quarry plodding away through the underbrush. Tatsuo's critique was kind enough, but Iwamaru was a little more harsh on himself. "I'm not well-suited to stealth. To be honest, I've not yet had any missions that required too much subtlety, so I never thought to train it," he admitted. "I always figured that learning how to spot your enemy before they could spot you was sufficient to get the job done."

Considering his failure, Iwamaru sat down upon the rock and searched through his pack until he came upon a folded pair of tabi, a set of footwear he kept around specifically if he needed to be more quiet. He would lose access to the shaped charges, but his footsteps, in general, would be much quieter than before. He'd been given the chance to succeed or mess up on his own tracking. When Tatsuo signaled that there would be a bear nearby, he wasn't about to let his lead feet mess up his mentor's hunt as well. "I'm willing to try just about anything," he replied. Bear was a meat he'd not yet eaten, but he'd had some wild game before. He was curious to see if it was any more different than other non-domesticated animals he'd dined on before.

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by Niro » Sat Nov 16, 2019 1:27 pm

"We'll leave the horses back there for now. It'd be a bad idea to draw them closer to a predator, don't need either of 'em to spook or cause any issues right now." Tatsuo commented as he begin to pick up on the bear tracks. "We're shinobi; although we're equivalent to human bombs now at the beginning our practices were founded in stealth and doing things in secret. Spotting your enemy before they spot you is sufficient...when it works." He stopped next to a tree and examined it. Large bear claw marks were gashed into the thick, sturdy wood. The Bannin ran his fingers over the destroyed wood and easily pulled away some of the newly chipped wood. It was fresh, probably not too far ahead of them. Tatsuo dusted his hand off as he searched the ground around the tree for any clues to which direction it went from here.

"What happens when it doesn't? Are you always confident that you'll see them first?" Tatsuo asked as he stepped around the tree and found a new set of tracks in the snow. Large, clawed prints. "When does that confidence turn into cockiness? Cockiness will get you killed. Not having contingency plans for what can and WILL go wrong will only expedite your exit from this world." He began to follow right in the tracks, his own leaving barely a print that anyone had been there. Tatsuo focused on his hearing as he walked. The usual sounds of nature were almost completely mute now and the forest seemed unwelcoming.

"Notice how quiet it got." Tatsuo pointed into the tree tops and deeper into the forest. Not a bird stirred or a squirrel or anything within the branches of verdant green. "The ambient sounds of the wild will fade when a predator is near. It's usually a cause for concern when you're out by yourself but I think that predator is our prey." Their trail continued deeper into the woods, a detour northward, and a worrying sight soon came to pass. A large amount of blood, viscera, and gore and drag marks indicated the bear had gotten something before they had gotten to it. The gore was more beneficial than detrimental as its smell helped to hide their own. They weren't too far now from wherever the beast had taken up shelter.
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by ShinobiTruth » Sat Nov 16, 2019 3:42 pm

Say what you would about Tatsuo, he was almost certainly always a font of knowledge. It was true that Maru's sight had failed him this time around... but that didn't necessarily mean he couldn't improve. It wasn't like he couldn't increase his perceptive abilities or maybe even attain new ones. He knew that pride quickly led to arrogance, so at least on that front, he heard Tatsuo loud and clear... but Maru was starting to realize that, for the immense amount of respect and camaraderie he had for the Bannin, they were two separate people. "So my choices are to either not be seen... or to see better than anyone else," he mused to himself. Perhaps it wasn't the answer Tatsuo was wanting or hoping, but it showed that Maru was at least seriously thinking about what Tatsuo was saying.

He put in more effort to listen to the ambient noise around them, now no longer worried about the large boots he was wearing due to the footwear change, and he could indeed see that things were much quieter. Silence did indeed help the prey animals protect themselves against the dangers presented by predators. As they continued forward, the crimson spray of red bloomed in the stark white of snow, the grisly trail leading to the bear's den. Something about this, however, felt odd... The dragging track didn't seem like something as big as an elk, and there was a lot of blood for just a single kill. What could the bear have possibly caught?

Curious to see the outcome, Iwamaru followed Tatsuo's lead. The answers they sought, as well as food, rest in the bear's den.

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by Niro » Sat Nov 16, 2019 6:08 pm

The trail in the snow soon came to an end. The many dense trees surrounding them began to thin considerably as they pressed on. The thick forest was met by a tall stone wall, the base of some mountain no doubt. Blood-soaked snow provided them with an easy path to follow and Tatsuo was keen to take advantage of that. He turned left at the wall to keep following the blood.

The trail was becoming more and more fresh. Certain pockets of snow were so inundated with blood that they reminded Tatsuo of tomato soup rather than puddles of blood. The cliff face gave away to a large cave opening. The smell of death escaped and assaulted their noses first. He huffed as if he was blowing his nose before stepping into its mouth.

Tatsuo was careful not to step in the gore coating the cave floor. Slipping in it now was gross and more than likely hazardous to their health. Patches of bloody fur were litter here and there, two different distinct colors. Tatsuo picked up and ran his fingers through the separate clumps before delving into the inner portion of the cave. The sunlight from outside was barely helping by this time they found the bear and its prey.

In the middle of the room was a gigantic brown bear with a boar attached to its stomach. The large boar had gored the bear's stomach open before being killed. The bear had been unable to dislodge the beast and bled out eventually.

"We're going to have so much meat."
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by ShinobiTruth » Sun Nov 17, 2019 6:50 pm

Iwamaru was not easily repulsed by anything, but he became more apprehensive as the two of them drew closer and closer to the source of the sanguine trail staining the otherwise unblemished white snow. The smell was the first to hit, that of an intense spilling of blood, viscera, and gore, strong even in the winter. Thankfully, Maru had a strong stomach. Besides, he had to learn how to tolerate these kinds of smells. It would only get stronger as they continued forward, anyway, but the chuunin acclimated quickly.

The pair eventually made it to the cave, from where the blood had flowed so freely that the mouth served host to a deep scarlet river that slowly poured from the frozen rocky maw. Stepping inside with Tatsuo taking point, he was relieved to see that the source of all of this were two predators, a large boar and an even larger bear, having found their ends in mutually assured destruction. Seeing that it was simply the unfortunate, sometimes grisly way of nature assuaged his nerves greatly. Good. They wouldn't have to worry about fighting something several times his size. He was fairly confident he could handle most contests of brute strength, but he knew that he was inexperienced at the same time. Confidence could easily lead to arrogance if he wasn't careful.

At the sound of Tatsuo's references to meat, Maru chimed in and added his own input. "Well, this'll be good practice for skinning and harvesting the animals for all its useful parts and bones. I take the boar, you get the bear?" he suggested, adding some levity to this otherwise quite macabre situation.

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by Niro » Sun Nov 17, 2019 10:13 pm

"Yeah. You can take the boar, it's lighter. Not sure how messy this is going to be though..." Tatsuo commented with a nod for his voice began to trail off. His mind raced as he thought of the best way to remove the two predators from each other. Tatsuo walked forward, his boots clicking against the stone which made up the cave. The Bannin stepped up to the two entangled beasts and looked for a way to gently remove them from each other. His hand poked and prodded the boar until a sigh escaped his throat.

Tatsuo placed one hand on the base of each tusk. Both were deeply lodged within the bear's stomach and made it a difficult task to remove them. Fortunately for them, they were among the strongest shinobi in the village when it came to pure, unadulterated strength. He gripped each tusk tight before sharply twisting his wrists. Two loud cracks reverberated throughout the cave and then the body of the boar fell to the stone floor.

"All you." Tatsuo told Iwamaru with a grin as he heaved the giant bear over his shoulder with ease. "Sun's going to set soon. We'll haul these back to the horses and make camp. I'll show you how to clean them once were set up for the night."

The small hike back to the horses was gone in a flash. The setting sun introduced an urgency in Tatsuo's steps that he hadn't had previously. It wasn't that he was afraid or worried about them particularly being caught in the dark but it'd be a perfect opportunity for other prayers to attack the horses. The last thing he wanted to do was return without a mount.

Again.

Tatsuo gulped as he remembered the ire of the stablemaster the first mission his donkey had been turned into a meal. He was but a mere genin back then but a fear had been instilled within him to not let the transport die again needlessly. It was more work in the end. They soon came upon the horses, who were unharmed and unfazed, and Tatsuo unceremoniously dropped the corpse.

'Please get the fire started and your own tent up while I prepare these two." Tatsuo asked Iwamaru as he withdrew a thick coil of rope and began dragging the bear corpse, and then the boar, in between two pairs of trees. He divided the rope up into 8 different segments before he tied two a piece to a tree. One satisfied with the knots, Tatsuo tied the ankles of the bear's hind legs with the rope and then it's front ankles, lifting and holding the bear between the two trees so that he could work on it without too much issue. He repeated the process again for the boar before calling Iwamaru over.

"Do you have any idea how to remove hide?"
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by ShinobiTruth » Mon Nov 18, 2019 1:23 am

Iwamaru grabbed hold of the boar carcass that was handed to him with one hand. Though Tatsuo was considerably stronger than Maru still, the boy had one of the highest levels of outright physical strength in the village, and he almost certainly had the highest strength level of any chuunin. Yet again, he could sense the urgency in Tatsuo's voice and responded to it immediately. It had saved his life in the Catacombs, and he'd quickly learned to trust it immediately afterward. It was a pity that the tusks had to be broken off, but such was the circumstances. They could have made good components for longer weapons had they been left intact.

At Tatsuo's command, Maru dropped the boar carcass and immediately tended to the creation of a fire. Likely a bit different than what Tatsuo was expecting, the boy first gathered enough large stones, along with wood to start the initial fire, and created a ring with the rocks. The rocks served the purpose of containing the coals and embers that would eventually form, allowing the fire to last a bit longer. Then, he structured the wood in a rather odd V fashion, taking several logs and essentially creating two holding racks for additional logs he had gathered. Next, he'd dig a small trench with his hands and grab smaller twigs and slipping them into the trench as kindling. Digging into his survival pack, Iwamaru struck one of his matches close to the kindling, and with the wood from the fire sheltering the flame from excessively strong winter winds, the kindling soon caught fire. The structure of the firewood was odd, but its purpose would become clear with time: as the first logs burned down and turned to smoldering charcoal and embers, the next logs would slide down and catch fire, keeping the fire sustained with minimal effort from the two shinobi. With the way he'd built the fire, it could easily last through the night.

At the question about removing hides, Iwamaru shook his head. "I'm eager to learn," he stated. For as grim as his last visit to the Enkouten compound was, he'd enjoyed seeing the wonderful craftsmanship of their fur clothing and bone equipment. He'd been wanting to learn such skills for himself as well.

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by Niro » Wed Nov 20, 2019 7:24 pm

"We'll need these later, then." Tatsuo commented nonchalantly as he walked up to the two strung up animals. A single melashiin tentacle spawned from his lower back, the dark violet appendage immediately wrapping around the bear's neck. A wet, squelching pop echoed throughout the clearing and then its head fell to the snow-covered ground with a muted thud. He repeated the same process with the boar head before dismissing the tentacle and drawing a kunai.

"First cut should be around the ankles and we'll work inward." Tatsuo started the lesson with four cuts down each of the bears ankles and wrists. He motioned for Iwamaru to copy him, but with the boar. He got his fingers under the hide and slid his kunai between the layers of hide and flesh. The Bannin began to work the hide from around each leg, tugging and sawing as he went. He stopped periodically to double-check how Iwamaru was doing until all four of the bears limbs were red and raw and hairless. The sun was rapidly setting and they'd soon only be working by firelight.

"Your next cuts are two long ones down each side of its stomach. You're aiming to connect your other cuts with one large one. It'll make it easier to peel." Tatsuo went on, dragging his kunai down the bears sides, connecting the cuts of the back left leg with the cuts of the front left leg and vice versa. His fingers gripped the hide and pulled up lightly so that he could slide his kunai between the hide and flesh. He gently sawed away at the left side until he hit the spine and then shifted to the right side where he copied the actions.

"Make sure you leave that middle strip otherwise you might puncture its stomach. If that happens, the majority of the meat will be spoiled." Tatsuo explained as he sawed at the flesh. He finally finished and the headless bear body was now almost skinless as well. Only a strip on its stomach heading up to its headless neck remained along with the tougher exception connected to the spine. "The stomach isn't too bad. Use your kunai at the top and slide it under the strip. As you come down, your kunai is going to sink but don't let it. Go over the belly and just move the hide all the way down through the groin." Tatsuo began to demonstrate, his kunai sawing through the flesh. The strip of hide fell to the ground and the snow turned red from the remaining blood.

"Next is the spine. Work your kunai down it, it'll be a bit tougher due to their back muscles being so tough." Tatsuo slid behind the bear and begin to saw through the tough muscle connected to the spine. It only took a few minutes before a headless bear hide was separated from its source. Tatsuo dug his kunai into the back muscle of the bear and cut away a slab of meat with some fat still attached to it.

"I'm going to cut off as much of the red meat as I can. Can you start setting up the tents?"
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by ShinobiTruth » Wed Nov 20, 2019 9:46 pm

Iwamaru closely followed Tatsuo's instructions. It was a bit more difficult, despite the boar being smaller, to get the initial cuts around the ankles of each of the boar's legs, as there was less muscle and flesh in those areas, but he managed to make them well enough. The rest of the incisions were fairly easy enough to make. The main difficulty was making sure that his kunai didn't sink through the flesh, and though it wasn't perfect, Iwamaru eventually managed to follow through with the skinning of the boar. It took him longer than Tatsuo, of course, but the boar pelt eventually peeled away, leaving only the headless, skinless corpse of the boar hanging from the tree upon which it was strung up.

Immediately cleaning off his kunai, Iwamaru began immediately setting up the tents. He'd set Tatsuo's up first, as he was busy harvesting the meat from the bear to cook for the both of them. This was something that was a little more straight forward, and it wasn't long until the first tent was already set up before placing Tatsuo's pack inside the tents. He'd make certain to doublecheck the ropes on his mentor's tent, making sure any strong winter breezes wouldn't end up ripping the spikes up from the ground. Iwamaru would then move onto his own tent. He was certain that by the time he was done with setting up his own tent, Tatsuo would likely have meat cooking over the fire for them.

Iwamaru would emerge from his tent after having set his pack inside. He would take care of unrolling his bedroll later. "The tents are set up, Tatsuo-san," he stated as he walked toward the campfire.

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by Niro » Thu Nov 21, 2019 11:49 am

"Good, thank you, 'Maru." Tatsuo looked to his right and called over his shoulder while he continued to butcher the bear and boar, strips and chunks of red meat piled up behind him to his left, different cuts in different piles. His kunai sliced through the strips of red meat as Tatsuo separated the bear's shoulder muscle from it's skeleton. He let it fall to the floor, the snow being a fine enough barrier against the ground, before repositioning himself on the opposite shoulder. The Bannin was careful to keep his fingers away from the blade as he lifted and cut at the bear carcass. With the shoulder meat separated, Tatsuo began to remove the fore shank meat from the bears forelegs. His kunai slid underneath the muscle and across the bone. It cut through the tendons and ligaments holding it in place before coming free.

"So your cuts of meat are separated based on where you cut it from the body." Tatsuo began to explain to Iwamaru. "Shoulders are, well, the shoulders. These meat from the forelegs? It's called fore shanks. It's not the best bit of meat on 'em but it'll keep you alive." He moved to the chest of the bear and tapped the muscle there with his kunai. "This is the brisket, a quality cut of meat from most animals." Tatsuo slid from kunai into and under the muscle, sawing back and forth before it came loose and revealed the red-stained white bone of the bear. He tossed it near the shoulder meat, aka 'quality meat', before moving to the back legs.

"These are hind shanks. Just like the fore shanks, not the best piece of meat." Tatsuo tossed it in the less desirable pile. "There's better meat on the back, too." He explained as he slipped behind the bear carcass. Seeing as it was skinned, it didn't need to be strung up anymore. "Watch out, I'm cutting it down." Tatsuo called as his knife cut through the ropes holding it. It fell forward onto it's stomach as Tatsuo moved in on it's back.

"Back here is the chuck, ribs, short ribs, short loin, sirloin, rump, and round. All quality pieces of meat. The chuck is the bit of meat at the top of it's back right below it's neck. Ribs are obvious, as are short ribs. The loins constitute it's...lower back would be the easiest comparison. The rump is the top of the butt and the round is the bottom." Tatsuo explained, using his kunai to point out each cut of meat to Maru. He flipped the kunai in his hand, blade now in his grip and the pommel pointed at Maru.

"You try while I go grab some stuff to make cooking and storage easier." Tatsuo told the chuunin with a smile. "I believe in 'ya." He gave him the kunai before disappearing in his tent for a moment. While inside, he immediately made way for his travel pack. Tatsuo undid the straps and pulled out a tightly rolled scroll from within with a satisfied smile. He exited the tent a moment later, grin on his face and scroll in hand. He placed it on the ground, unfurled it, and activated the fuuin. A small poof of smoke filled the clearing for a moment before it cleared revealing a large meat cooler and pot and pan set.

"Kami-sama do I love fuuin."
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by ShinobiTruth » Thu Nov 21, 2019 12:15 pm

When Iwamaru had started on this mission with Tatsuo, he hadn't considered the possibility that he'd be receiving a lesson in how to butcher an animal. In the long term view of things, however, it made sense. Animals were few and far between here in Rock Country, at least wild ones. Knowing what each cut of meat was and how they should cut from the skeleton and prepared. Some were easier to cook and preserve than others, and they likely even had differing nutritional contents depending on the cut, especially the fatty pieces versus the lean muscles. Not to mention that properly butchering the animal meant you were getting every last bit of meat possible from the animal. Iwamaru nodded in recognition, watching Tatsuo's movements closely. Though his cloak was well insulated, he could feel the coming of night as the cold started to creep in on his cheeks.

"Yessir," he complied before taking a moment to look at the skinned boar carcass that hung before him. Maru would carefully inspect the animal all-around before deciding where to make his first incision into the beast. He took his time, starting with the legs of the beast first. Maru suspected that, even though the legs were likely tougher than domesticated animals, the meat on the thighs would still provide ample sustenance, not to mention that it was a good piece of meat to eat while traveling. It could likely be prepared quickly, with maybe ten to fifteen minutes over an open fire. He'd have to save the back legs for last, as they were still being used to support the animal with the rope. Instead, he took care of the cuts on the outside of the animal before moving inward. Next would come the brisket, taking great care to cut that meat carefully. Considering it was held in high esteem, it could be used both for sustenance as well as possible goods for barter. Then came the shoulders. Unlike Tatsuo, Maru would make sure to handle each cut being set carefully on the inside of the boar's hide to prevent contact with the ground.

If Tatsuo took a particularly long time in his tent, he'd be finishing up with the animal when he came out. Otherwise, assuming his task inside of the tent was relatively short-lived, Maru would likely be working on carefully butchering another part of the boar's carcass when Tatsuo came out. Maru was surprised to see cookware in his hands. Perhaps he had a storage scroll for them? Maru would keep that in mind for the future. He would focus on his task, making certain to cause as little waste as possible. Eventually, the hide would be stacked high with varying cuts of meat. Maru would, at least, separate the hind legs from the rest of the skeleton, the popping, squelching sound echoing through the night sky as Iwamaru slid the tip of the kunai into the joint on the pelvis and twisted, ripping and tearing the cartilage away. Still holding the rest of the carcass in one hand, he lightly set it down on the ground. Gathering the corners of the hide up, he picked up the skin with the cuts of meat inside and brought them next to Tatsuo. "Done," he said simply before moving to take a seat by the fire near his tent

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by Niro » Thu Nov 21, 2019 12:56 pm

The cold was something Tatsuo didn't really worry about. The man burned hot like an engine even in the most frigid of temperatures but he could see the developing rosy cheeks of Iwamaru. It'd be best to finish things up for tonight. Tatsuo brought his fingers together in a cross symbol and another puff of smoke filled the immediate area. An exact doppelganger of the Bannin stood next to him with a grin.

"Take care of the meat storage and begin scraping the hides for any left over fat and flesh. There's a solution in my backpack, too, use that for over night soaking. Also, gather together any fat from the animals into two separately but tightly packed balls. That's the most expensive part of these animals." Tatsuo gave the clone it's orders and it saluted. The clone grabbed the cooler from one side before dragging it over to the two carcasses. It begin to pile and pack the meat within the cooler while Tatsuo and Iwamaru were situated next to the fire. "Oi, last thing! Toss me a piece of sirloin and some fat!" Tatsuo called and a moment later the clone came over with two short strips of dark red beat meat and multiple kebab-sized pieces of bear fat.

Tatsuo took the cubes of bear fat and placed them into one of the medium sized pans. He moved the pan over the fire and began to rotate his wrist to assist in properly distributing the heat across the metal pan. The heat began to penetrate through the pan and into the fat as the cubes began to dissolve into bubbling liquid. The cubes slowly rendered down more and more until only little crispy bits of bear fat remained, along with liquid oil. Tatsuo smiled at the little crisps before grabbing a long fork from the set and stabbing it to pick it up. He held it out to Maru and gave him a nod. "Try it, if you don't like it I won't make you eat any of the rest."

After Maru took or refused the crisp, Tatsuo took the meat he had been given by the clone and placed them within the roiling oil. They sizzled as the oil covered them and cooked them. The Bannin had stopped rotating his wrist at this point and was instead using the long fork to move the strips of bear meat when needed. A couple minutes on each side was enough for the meat to deep fry in the oil and Tatsuo took the pan of boiling, popping oil and bear meat from the fire and placed it in the snow. The heat from the pan immediately turned the snow to water and caused it to boil slightly before calming. Tatsuo used the long fork to pull out the first strip of fried bear meat and handed the entire utensil-with-meat to him. He pulled a kunai from his pouch with lightning quickness and instead used it to eat his meal.

"After this, we'll head to sleep and my clone will take care of the rest of the work with the meat and hides. It'll take a couple days of work before they're useful as cloaks or blankets or anything."
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by ShinobiTruth » Thu Nov 21, 2019 3:39 pm

Maru sat patiently as he watched Tatsuo work. The young man normally sustained himself on foods that were preserved and smoked or required little preparation. To see Tatsuo busting out pots and pans wasn’t something he’d seen for a while. Not since... Since...

His heart ached just a bit. He shook it off. Now was neither the time nor the place to consider those memories.

Maru reached out and accepted the crisped fat and blew on it before popping it into his mouth. The fat was rich, pungent, and incredibly gamey. It was definitely not for the faint of heart, but Iwamaru found the strong tastes to his liking. His blocky features lit up brightly as he shook his head. ”I’ve never had bear before... I quite like it,” he confirmed, eager to try the rest of the animal.

He waited patiently as Tatsuo finished the preparations for the meat, deep frying the bear meat in its own fats and oils. Giving the meat time to cool for just a bit after Tatsuo handed it to him, Iwamaru bit down into the meat, the full taste of the meat punching his mouth like a charging carriage. It was juicy, though, and it hit the spot after a long day of traveling. ”Yessir. I’ve got a bedroll and blankets, so we should be good for now at least,” he confirmed to his mentor.

After finishing their meal, they’d likely quash the fire to avoid further announcing their location to any suspected ne’er do wells. They weren’t likely targets, but one could never be too sure. Maru would hit the sack as ordered, quickly slipping off into the dead silence of sleep.

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[Plotboard] Aftermath

Post by Niro » Thu Nov 21, 2019 5:52 pm

Tatsuo bit into his piece of meat and a warm grin spread across his face and his eyes closed in bliss. The bear meat wasn't pungent by itself, rather it was similar to venison but deceptively sweeter. The oil made from the bear fat helped increase its natural flavor and make it just a bit stronger. The strips he had fried weren't small but it seems like within a blink of an eye both of their dinners were gone. Tatsuo leaned back a bit and patted his stomach before eventually getting up and heading into his tent. They'd leave the fire burning for the clone to work by as they turned in for the night. Tatsuo wasn't worried about any danger; his shadow clone could deal with most threats and if it was dispelled he would be alerted immediately. Bonus, his chakra would replenish throughout the night.

The clone worked throughout the night. It scraped both hides of any remaining flesh and fat before removing and soaking them in the aforementioned solution that Tatsuo kept in his backpack. Those buckets were kept closer to the fire to make the rest of the process in the coming days easier on them. The clone debrained both skulls, collecting both brains in separate containers before placing them atop the meat and fat in the cooler.
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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