The Day of Thunder

"My core character, Kai, is a mangy wolf taken into a new pack and trusted, and allowed to become so much more than I was. But I never forget what I knew before, and it's helped me more than once in my new life."

"See. That's good story. Strong. You should tell it more often.

Several stories even. The pack is always stronger than even the mightiest lone wolf. Even the wolf who has lived on fruits alone for a decade has still enough bite to rip off the arm that would harm their own. And so on."

"That's as may be, but who looks to a wolf for hope, hm?"

"There are many stories about babies lost in the wild found and raised by wolves. About people lost in a storm surviving by following a wolf to safety. About a pack of wolves killing a bigger predator and saving the initial prey in the process.

Wolves are the very definition of ambiguity. Sometimes worst enemies. But also sometimes best friends.

The positive symbolic of something like a scorpion on the other hand..."

Sora chuckled.

"Bayushi may be a sneaky, manipulative, deadly bastard, but at least he isn't shy about telling everyone he is."

"A scorpion has to sting, or they're no scorpion. There's strength to be found in a consistent narrative, even when playing the villain. Or the idiot. The idiot is often strong and brave.

However, please prevent the arachnid people from eating their smaller clansmates. There are limits to be found when imitating an animal."

"I think they'll keep each other in balance... ideally."

"Balance is the second B you people are all about, after bushido, right? What's the third? These things always come in three. Two is a boring number."

"Between you and me, bushido isn't all that great, it just seems to be popular."

He scratched at his beard.

"And I must confess, no third 'b' springs to mind."

"Beef? Bread? Breakfast?"

Not famished at all.

"Bushido seems to me like someone liked the number seven so much they had to split anything they could find in seven parts, no matter little sense they made on their own.

The part about honor being stronger than steel is true though. Otherwise immortal deities have died to keep their word. The stronger you are, the more your honor is the only thing making you the hero and not the villain."

"I dunno...."

He thought back to his first encounter with the subject.

"... some of the Kami, the way they talk about it, the Honor the way it's being codified, it seems like just one more damned fool thing to kill each other over."

"Words are complicated, not only for me. Words are twisted, not only by Monkey and Spider.

Virtue exists in this world, and virtue grants incredible strength. But it's not something easily grasped, even by the oldest, wisest Crow. And it's all about the doing, not the thinking."

"Yes, well, there's a difference between keeping your word and between thinking every insult has to be repaid in blood. I'm not sure bushido sees the distinction all that clearly."

"The me that is not me was also very prone to answering every perceived slight with great violence. The bully will always find a reason for their bullying. I'm sure your shaved heads could likewise explain why they club someone to death with words like karma and balance.

Terrible things will always be made in the name of great things. Calling a cat a tiger does not make a tiger however."

"Tigers are cats. They're just big ones. Now, as to whether cats can even dream of being tigers, that's something I'll leave to more philosophical souls than mine..."

"If you can't tell the difference between a cat and a tiger, I hope for you you never find yourself if some of the forests of this realm. You'll lose an arm trying to pet one.

Cats dream of taking revenge over rats by the way. Some grudges are eternal."

"Do I look like the kind of guy who pets cats?"

"Very much. Complaining the whole time of course. Or, in silence and with a smile, but only without an audience.

After all, as long as you don't endanger their kin, wolves are some of the nicest animals around."

"Shows what you know, then."

He seemed amused.

"Too many foxes around the Imperial Palace for cats to get much traction."

"If your foxes have more tails than they have eyes, any wise animal will keep away from them.

In that, cats are wiser than us."