[kaede looks for Kyoami. will he be with layre? for him also, she has brought a meal of rabbit and tiny delicate mushrooms. her children do not need her so much, and yet it is pleasant to provide for them. she hopes he has not eaten already; she would like to share a meal with her son. her son. he grows taller each day. the echo of her father is in his bearing. it devastates kaede that there is no way for them to know one another. her smile in the fading light is for him alone. she has given him pride and lore. she has given him the story of his father. now tianlong will propel him forward.]

kaede looks for Kyoami. will he be with layre?

for him also, she has brought a meal of rabbit and tiny delicate mushrooms. her children do not need her so much, and yet it is pleasant to provide for them. she hopes he has not eaten already; she would like to share a meal with her son.

her son.

he grows taller each day. the echo of her father is in his bearing. it devastates kaede that there is no way for them to know one another.

her smile in the fading light is for him alone.

she has given him pride and lore. she has given him the story of his father. now tianlong will propel him forward.

Kyoami practiced alone in the fading light. He still struggled to find his footing here amongst these Tianlong people. But he tried to watch, to learn, to practice their language.

He missed the island with the purple flowers. He missed when it was just his family, but he did not complain. He never complained. He was here, and he would make his mother proud. He would honor her, his sister, his fallen father.

The unmistakable scent of his mother met his sensitive nose, light and floral, rabbit and… mushroom? His eyes brightened and he trotted towards the scent, tail wagging, ears back. He wanted to bound forward like a pup, but he was determined to look like a young man, and not a child.

“Mother!” He greeted, smiling at the sight of her pale fur. He pressed his head up under her chin, and bit back a whine of happiness. He sat back properly. “How are you?” He asked.

[kyoami. they are alone, and kaede is relieved to speak in japanese with him. she kisses his face, his forehead, seeing how much he has grown. eat. eat. tell me what you have been doing. are there friends to make? kyoami must be seen. he must be visible. the Son of Heaven must take his notice. she imagines that in the future, he too may make a match within nobility. both of her children are on assured paths, so long as she guides them to stay their course. but now the mother pauses. she reaches to cup his jawline. are you happy, kyoami?]

kyoami. they are alone, and kaede is relieved to speak in japanese with him. she kisses his face, his forehead, seeing how much he has grown. eat. eat. tell me what you have been doing. are there friends to make?

kyoami must be seen. he must be visible. the Son of Heaven must take his notice. she imagines that in the future, he too may make a match within nobility.

both of her children are on assured paths, so long as she guides them to stay their course.

but now the mother pauses. she reaches to cup his jawline. are you happy, kyoami?

Kyoami was pleased by his mother's fussing. Perhaps he should have grown out of it, but their family was small, and he felt isolated. The familial closeness warmed his heart and his tail continued to wag.

He set about eating, taking a bite. I have made no friends, he admitted, licking his lips. It seemed like a personal failing, but he was young, and he was not sure who he could even mingle with. Mostly I train. I try to learn the mountains. It teaches me things, he added. If I can become impressive, then maybe someone will notice me… It was an insecurity. He was not impressive. Not yet. He was nearly his full height but he was still a small wolf, and the emperor was as tall as a mountain.

He nodded. I'm happy, he said with a grin and a wag of his tail. It was not wholly true, nor was it entirely a lie. Are you happy, mother? He sounded eager and hopeful, but his soft forehead crinkled with concern.

[kaede hides her hurt on behalf of kyoami. i am happy not to wander and to move. she tastes the food in consideration. tianlong has no boys your age, she observes. it might be necessary for you to look above friendship, to the emperor himself. there would be heirs. that her son would exceed them in age was important for his own standing. the mountain has a thousand things to say. only a handful of ears will listen, kaede quotes, a snippet of some erstwhile speech. how long ago those days are. and you are already impressive, she added, and urged another helping of the small mushrooms on kyoami, because you were born an ichimonji.]

kaede hides her hurt on behalf of kyoami.

i am happy not to wander and to move.

she tastes the food in consideration. tianlong has no boys your age, she observes. it might be necessary for you to look above friendship, to the emperor himself.

there would be heirs. that her son would exceed them in age was important for his own standing. the mountain has a thousand things to say. only a handful of ears will listen, kaede quotes, a snippet of some erstwhile speech.

how long ago those days are.

and you are already impressive, she added, and urged another helping of the small mushrooms on kyoami, because you were born an ichimonji.

Kyoami nodded. It was an answer he would accept. He had grown to know his mother's secretive nature, and, polite boy as he was, he did not press. Instead he listened, and his golden eyes widened.

The emperor… Kyoami wasn’t even sure how to approach a man of such standing. Or how to even act around an emperor. In his narrow chest, his heart quickened, but he was not sure if it was entirely from fear, or also from a dash of excitement.

His mother's words caught him off guard and he tipped his head, looking at her curiously. His ears flicked and he smiled because he listened to the mountains! Is that… from something? He asked.

To be called impressive, however, it made his ears warm, but it also warmed away the fear that had started growing in his heart since the mention of the emperor. A light shining and keeping the dark at bay.

Because he was born an Ichimonji.

He stared at his mother, thinking of the story she told him, of his father. He ducked his head and lapped up a small mouthful of mushrooms.

I will seek out the emperor, Kyoami said once he sat straight once more. What... what should I do when I find him? He asked, more uncertainly, ears pulling back.