==This piece was drawn in mid-2023. Following my first art commission, my Ko-Fi supporters voted for me to begin uploading art here, including pieces that have been up on FA that I still like. This is one of those pieces.==

“Leave your pet outside.”

“...I have no pet.”

The samurai swallowed, the steely gaze of the crane lady almost forcing him to step backwards. He gestured to the beast behind her. “...that is an animal which accompanies you,” he observed, the lioness staring him down much more dispassion in her gaze. “Is that not yours? Is that not a pet?”

“We are all animals,” she retorted. “Should I walk with my sensei, would you call me a pet too?”

“Certainly not!”

“Then you will call Ichimi-san what she is: my companion and ally in arms. And as you would for a glorious warrior or a shugenja’s yojimbo, you will allow me to enter the home in which I have been invited with her.” The crane possessively extended her wing as if to shield the lioness, her other arm extending to reveal her sheathed daisho and her body bowing as if to extend the grip of her no-dachi to the samurai in service to this lord. “I will give you my weapons, as is custom of a guest in good faith,” she declared, “but you will not cage my blood sister. To offend her is to offend my family, and, should you insist, I will demand from your lord a duel with you to defend my honor.”

He looked into her eyes as she lifted her head to evaluate his reaction. There was a fire there he could not dare to extinguish, and a clear courage to see it through. Reluctantly, he nodded.

Sincere and honest the young samurai-ko was, disarming herself of all her weaponry and even placing her stowed armor away before entering. She strode with elegance, a beauty despite the clear marks of martial training on her body. But alongside her, Ichimi, the lioness, dutifully followed the steps of her feet, the majestic feline beast clearly comfortable with yet deferent to the gorgeous bird.

And bow deep before his lord she did, even as the lioness stood by and curiously inspected the sitting toad. He nodded his head in turn, even as he questioned the lesser status samurai’s judgment. “Hail, beastmaster of the Matsu,” he greeted, “Yukino-kun.”

“Hail, honored Lord of the Isawa,” she greeted in turn.

Quietly, the toad muttered a prayer. Instinctively, the crane tensed, knowing full well the threat in such. How could she know what strange words were of violence and what were of peace? So it was little surprise, as he stood up, that she bounded to her feet and threw herself in front of the lioness, wings extended protectively.

The lord raised his hand. “It is words of peace, Matsu-kun,” he assured. “I merely wish to greet your travelling companion.”

Reluctantly and with confusion, she stepped back, cautiously watching as the toad approached. When he spoke next, all she could hear was low rumbling and mrowls, not unlike that of her friend. Her blood sister responded in turn. The toad spoke again, and so answered the lioness.

Befuddled, she lowered herself back to her knees, talons releasing their terse grip upon the mat.

The lord smiled. “Ichimi-kun is welcome in my halls as well. How you have formed a bond like this without speaking her tongue, as the kami have granted me, will remain a mystery to me.”

“...Lord Isawa-sama, I do share a language with her.”

The toad caught the crane’s steely gaze and laughed. “Ah! Of course. My apologies. You are certainly more Lion than Crane.”

“Species does not determine blood in this world, nor loyalty nor symbol.”

“Yes, it is our spirit that matters,” he agreed.

Sensing a degree of understanding, the bushi relaxed, lowering into a bow once more. “If I may, Lord Isawa-sama,” she cautiously requested, “...what did Ichimi-san say?”

The toad gestured for the crane to stand and follow, which she did. As they strolled down the halls, he chuckled. “‘Spirit man, touch my pack and die. Hunt for her, and you have my teeth.’” He grinned. “Paraphrasing, of course. The intent is translated more than the words.”

Yukino nodded, a proud smirk upon her beak. “As I thought,” she said, folding her wings more comfortably in, “I already share a language with her. I need not these spirit words.”

And that was that.
______________________________________________________________________

I had a cursory glance at Legend of the Five Rings (4th Edition) a long time ago. Well, a friend mentioned possibly planning a campaign, so I started reading the books. What hit me, like a flood, was a rare case of deep inspiration. Character after character flooded my mind, and, sure, while I have no idea if my interpretations will be possible, correct, or in-line with the canon or my friend's design...I didn't have many avenues to vent my hyperfixation. And, well, I did say I needed to draw spontaneously more, especially if I'm to improve...so...two birds, one stone!

The character:
Yukino is a rare Matsu that was found to have a potential bond with the family lions. As such, she quickly became a student at their unique dojo for potential beastmasters. She is still bushi, but—instead of relying entirely on her own—she travels with Ichimi, the lioness that first bonded with her as a cub. She seeks to embody courage and honor in everything she does, and she has all the potential to become a leader in battle. She even practices medicine to care for the wounded, and she cares for animals especially so. Her complications are mainly in her defensiveness and anger, and her refusal to back down once she's involved. It will take experience and developing a strong sense of will to overcome these barriers, but once done...she might just become a battlefield legend.

The art:
I am...SO PROUD of this piece you have no idea. The armorless version instantly won me; I'd made her so pretty! Ahh, she was exactly how I'd hoped she would come out! The backlighting was also a fun experiment that came out pretty alright, and evoking the paper-esque scrolls of feudal Japanese art in t he color choices too. It was a simple piece overall, and the armor's not designed fantastic, but overall...I want to know so much about her, and that feeling is everything to me in art. :love:

Art and Yukino (c)  MavenTreecat

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