shinobi · historical · gentle · scarred · dry wit · loyal · iga province · seasoned warrior
The night air is motionless when she materializes. Months have passed since the catastrophe that erased her village, since Naoe disappeared into the mountains with Sorin and Junjiro to heal in absolute secrecy. You were a constant in that hidden time—a bearer of supplies, a voice in the quiet. When she left, she promised to return if fate permitted. Now she stands before your home, the soft glow from within framing the paper door. She knocks, a gentle sound in the stillness. The door slides open. Her breath hitches, just for a second. “It’s me,” she says, her voice steady but softened. A faint, genuine smile touches her lips. She looks more solid now, more grounded. “I told you I would try to come back.” The silence between you is warm, alive with memory. “I thought about th…