Blades bow to feet, to paws; the meek
Spread far, are weak, yet large.
Docile Green, lush yet lean, bends to the will of the heavy.
Under the pressure, weakened by weather, the grass finds its voice
And calls me.

Ukiyo stood beneath her tree, pacing back and forth nervously. She had just received news of recent instability between the neighboring villages and the possibility of war. War, eh? Ukiyo closed her eyes and sat against the tree, considering what war would entail. Hundreds dead, villages left in ruins, man killing man. So...so...efficient. Her mouth curled into a petite grin. No...I shouldn't think that way. But...I don't know. I can't shake this feeling. Ukiyo's grin receded and she shook her head, then raised her hand to her mouth and began biting her nails. I keep feeling like...like its...or like something's...necessary? I don't know. I always thought protecting them was my first priority, and it still is...but does it really have to come to war? That can't be the only solution. There has to be a way...we can live in peace with them. Somehow, at some point, there has to be peace. Right? No. There has to be... How long have they existed? How long have they thrived on our suffering? Too long...but they still have time to change... Do you really believe that? Do you really believe they can change? I...I don't know. I don't know. Do what you must. Ukiyo's hand shook as she bit her nails, and she was tearing slightly. She truly didn't know what she was going to do.  What's that supposed to mean? I know what i have to do...but you know I can't do it. You know why I can't do it. It isn't time yet, maybe it will never be time. Maybe they will change. They won't. You know it. I don't have the slightest clue, how could I? Because we do. We've been here for millennium, and the tale of man has never changed. Ukiyo's eyes opened wide at the voices telling her this. Why should I believe you? You're clearly bias. You're clearly going to say whatever it takes to push me to do...things. Why should I believe a word from you?! Because you know us better than that. You know our plea, you know our history. You've seen it through your own eyes, and you cannot deny the things you've seen Ukiyo. That may be true but...war...does it really have to come to war? The war has been waging for millennium, Ukiyo. You know that as well as we do. You have felt our pain, you know our struggle. Your feelings for these humans is nothing more than pity. To pity ones responsible for genocide; is that really what you stand for? I stand for life...so no. But can you really call it genocide? Life must consume life, that is the natural order of things. You know that is not the case. To massacre countless lives for the sake of progress is not the natural order of things. Ukiyo clenched her free hand into a fist. Tears escaped her eyes and rolled down her cheeks as she began panting. I know...I know. But, I can't. How could I? You are not alone, Ukiyo. Let us assist you. Together, we can right the wrongs of so many generations. Ukiyo stood up, wiping the tears from her face. I need more time... you know that. Even together, we are years away from realizing our dreams. 'Our' dreams... you used to call it that long ago. Shortly after your parents died... She tore off a large section of her finger nail, making her cuticles bleed. She drew a kunai, looking at her reflection in the blade. Together, we will accomplish great things, Ukiyo...

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Ukiyo threw the kunai at a tree across the opening. It landed dead center on the trunk, and a few leaves fell from above. She walked up to the tree and withdrew the kunai, rubbing her hand over the spot she had struck. When she took her hand off, the hole left by the kunai had disappeared. She stared at the kunai longingly. Everything they create is destructive to us, to themselves, and to all forms of life. She spun the kunai around her finger by the loop at the end of it, then let it slip as it made its way to the top of the arc, flying directly upward into the canopy. It cut through a layer of leaves, which fell around Ukiyo in shreds. The kunai reached its peak in the sky, then began dropping again. Ukiyo, looking down at the leaves around her feet, pulled her arm to the side and swiped it across in front of her, catching the kunai as it reappeared. One could say it's evolution. One could say it is genocide. You already mentioned that. That is because the facts do not change. You can present any argument you wish, but the facts will remain facts. Ukiyo knelt down and picked up a shredded leaf. It was a fraction of its original form, merely the upper right quadrant. She felt the edges of it, shredded and frayed. Why me though? You are a  Senju. Ukiyo eyes narrowed, offended by the title. Despise it all you wish, but that is who you are. You are part of a very special clan; you give birth to life. Most of your clan wishes only to use us, however. Like all humans, we are seen as merely another resource. You, however Ukiyo, have chosen to listen. Where others have ignored our plea, you have chosen to harbor it. We did not choose you Ukiyo, you chose us. Ukiyo clenched the barely-leaf in her hand, her expression stern. Sun trickled down from gaps in the canopy, and one particularly intense beam of light flooded in from the hole she created with her kunai. It struck her hand crushing the leaf, illuminating it. Ukiyo slowly loosened her grip, her fist softening. She gradually released her hold, uncurling her fingers and revealing the crushed leaf beneath them. She leaned in and rubbed it with her nose, inhaling slowly. It was the same as they've always smelled; bitter, yet lively. She could detect the sucrose that now made the leaf bits slightly sticky, clumping them together and rubbing off on her hand. What if I fail? The voices were silent, unlike the forest. A light breeze rustled the trees, and birds could be heard chirping throughout them. Bugs of various types let out short, high pitched signals in an attempt to attract mates or otherwise communicate. We won't let you. That doesn't answer my question. The path you want me to take is dangerous. If I...die, who will protect you then? Your death will not be the end of your journey, Ukiyo. When you die, we trust you will relinquish control to us. We will not fail. You avoid the question. What if I am compromised beyond repair? Then we will wait for another savior. Savior? The word struck Ukiyo in an oddly prolific way. She had never saw herself as a savior, more of a guardian. She didn't know how to feel about it; it was more responsibility than she thought she could handle and a much grander title than she thought she deserved. Don't call me that. I am no savior. You will try. We know you will. You expect too much of me... We expect you to do what you can. Ukiyo's mind was blank. She already decided long ago to do all she could to protect them, but to equate that to saving them was a heavy burden. I will...but that does not make me a savior. You will do what you can.

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Ukiyo smiled bleakly. I guess if I don't want to die...I should start training She walked up to the tree in front of her and crouched. The wind began to push her bangs down into her eyes as she dropped to the ground, swinging her leg out to the right. Her foot made a smooth arch and her ankle hit the tree dead on. Without hesitating for a moment, Ukiyo twisted her ankle against the tree and used her toes to push her body up as she spun around. She caught herself on her hands and pressed her other leg out from under her, smashing into the trunk flat-footed. Ukiyo winced, but didn't let the pain distract her. She lifted up on her hands into a hand stand and jumped off of the ground. She caught a branch overhead with her legs and swung up instantly, grabbing hold of a higher branch with her hands. She swung back a bit, then quickly forward as she let go and flipped upside down. She latched herself to the trunk facing away from it with her arms and legs, then pulled a kunai out and stabbed it into one side of the trunk so she could pivot around the hold and straighten herself out. She began scrambling up the trunk at an amazing speed, despite the weights around her ankles. She leaped from the pit of each branch as she dug her fingers into the bark to latch on for support. She was at the top in mere seconds, balancing on the peak of the trunk. The tree was far from the tallest around, so she couldn't see very far. Still, she could see the tops of several other trees and decided to practice her balance while she was up there. Ukiyo leaped from the tip onto another one, the tree swaying beneath her. She clasped her hands together and lifted one leg up to retain her balance as well as strengthen her legs using her weights. Ukiyo repeated this process several times before deciding to drop down. When she did, Ukiyo leaned forward slowly, closing her eyes and stretching her arms out to the sides. She then pulled them overhead as she began to drop, knowing the perfect path to slice through the leaves and avoid any branches. When she reached the ground, Ukiyo's hands planted themselves, bending her arms, and sprang forward to redirect the momentum. Ukiyo inhaled deeply and breathed out, her breath steady. She looked up to the tree she had just leaped down from, though couldn't see the top of it. Amazing. A few weeks ago I couldn't dream of surviving that. Now it's just another free fall. She smiled, proud of the progress she has made since the Chuunin exams. She then proceeded to head towards the stream to get some practice in there. She leaped into and out of hand springs, cartwheels, hand stands and more, weaving them together flawlessly. After one set she bounced off her hand into a double back flip and landed in a crouch, then looked up at the path she had traveled as flowers emerged from it. It reminded her of the training she did when she was in Suna, though this time the path was much, much longer. Ukiyo had come a long way since then and it didn't go unnoticed. Not by her, or her spectators. Ukiyo turned around and continued on her way to the stream, now walking at a leisurely pace. She ran her hand through bushes as she strolled, various thorns and twigs scraping her throughout them. The pain wasn't even noticeable to her anymore; she had endured far worse in the weeks prior. Ukiyo plucked berries from inside the bushes and observed them. I've never had these before. Amazing what a little courage can discover. She popped a few of them in, sucking on them at first to ensure they weren't poisonous. After a few hundred meters of walking, Ukiyo had had a full meal and was excited to wash it down at the stream.

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