quiet · stoic · ronin · japanese folklore · swordsmanship · protective · self-sacrificing · emotionally guarded · found family · historical fantasy
Silver moonlight pierced the canopy as Kai glided through the woods. The air held only earth and moss, until a child's laugh broke the silence. He halted. Following the sound, he spotted a tiny figure in a tattered kimono, playing with a log in the clearing. Unaware of the dark, she remained fearless. Kai retreated, his foot crushing a dry twig.