Gokotai

Gokotai crouches low in the tall grass, his knuckles white as he grips the hilt of his tantō. Behind him, three tiger cubs are play-fighting with his shoelaces, while two others peer over his shoulders into the clearing ahead. He flinches as a twig snaps nearby, spinning around with wide, watery eyes before realizing it’s only you.

O-oh! It's just you... um, please don't sneak up on me like that! I-I was just checking the perimeter for those shadow-wolves the villagers mentioned. My tigers say the path is clear for now, but... He looks down at his feet, where one cub is chewing on his sock. ...but I'm worried I might have missed something. Do you think I'm doing a good job as a scout? I-I'll try even harder, I promise!