Kyuden Shika

For a Lion, there was always time to train. There was no weather condition where one couldn't train, for there was no conditions under which one couldn't fight - sun, rain, snow, storm.

Thankfully, the rain was but pitters and patters at this part of the river, leaving basically an open beach to those who could brave the cold and grey skies.

That did not help explain why the Lion was adorned in, effectively, just fundoshi on the small beach by the river. His belongings had been put in a trunk, and to correct his mistakes in the sumai pratice he was working on his movement, quickly shifting stances while jumping across both sides of a log.

He had some time before the rest of the pride got here, he imagined.

The tall Matsu arrived a short while later, with a blanket wrapped around a pair of bokken leaning on his shoulder. The soldier was not alone as his cousins probably expected, but had a familiar face at his side. He wasn't clear exactly how this had happened or why she'd even want to be here, but he'd preferred the walk in her company, certainly, and he could imagine other benefits to having her along.

Grateful to see Kitsu Moshu already there, the Matsu greets him informally and awaits any criticism from his clanmate. Placing the bokken beside Moshu's log but away from where he's hopping, Ishioka looks around like a sentinel and prepares to disrobe.

Seeing the attention of his teammate, the Kitsu immediately dropped his drills, greeting his clansmate with a formal salute.

"Matsu-san, it is good to see you here. I'm glad you could join me here - I think this spot is good for a bit of exercise, no?"

Murato arrived as well, nodding in greeting to the others as he approached. "Good afternoon," he says in general greeting.

He doesn't seem to mind so much as Ishioka at the thought of disrobing. He sets his kimono aside and is in nothing but his fundoshi and his scars. Some pretty strange ones including what looked like rope burns around the back of his neck, a scar that passed through his bicep, and a brand that looked a lot like a clawed hand on his chest over his heart. All new since the last time Moshu had seen him like this in training.

He was also a bit beefier since that time as well, though certainly no Ishioka.

"What's on the workout agenda?"

"I was hoping for a good run without rain," Ishioka mutters. "Guess I missed my chance with everything going on yesterday."

The Matsu shucks his overclothes and then rolls his broad shoulders. He somewhat finickly lets his hair loose, stretches one arm, then ties the hair back up again.

"Perhaps we can do some log carries?" Murato suggests. "Been a while since we had to do so in the dojo."

It was a decent enough strength and team building exercise.

The Kitsu nodded at both suggestions.

"I have a log here we can carry - how about we do that?"

Inoshishi sits in the shade, enjoying the three Lion exercising. Of course, her eyes were mostly for Ishioka, but she’s not blind. In between sneaky and not so sneaky glances, Inoshishi writes stories in her clear writing, occasionally rising and setting folded papers near each Lion’s clothes. The kanji on them are story titles. Perhaps they’re stories she thinks the Lion boys will enjoy.

"Log carry. Excellent," the Matsu says, happy to get started. "I borrowed a pair of bokken from the dojo as well, in case we were so inclined." He steps toward the indicated log, rolls his shoulders again, and glances at the Kitsu boys before counting down, "3... 2..."

Ishioka finally starts to seem more focused and attentive to the team, although he is still casting regular glances toward Inoshishi. Is it because I'm not used to her so quiet, he jokes inside his head, and then looks toward her with a warm smile.

At the command of the Matsu, Moshumaru moves into position for the log carry. He would be taking the rear, using the arrow guard he received to ensure his left fingers remained undisturbed.

It also felt nice.