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"Henge has its uses, though I prefer the safety of my own technique." as if on cue, his shadow arose taking on the exact shape shape of its master. His brow perked however, as the jingling never ceased.

"I can send my twin here to scout ahead, and I'll be sure he leaves us the proper signs amongst nature so that we may better prepare ourselves." whether or not he liked acknowledging it, seek and destroy missions were particularly his forte'.

Producing a scroll from his pocket, he waves it in Kira's direction.

"Inside are the meanings of every one of my scout markers. I've memorized them through the years, and you're welcome to use it if we're to ever be separated of course."

((My apologies...things have been a bit hectic IRL.))

"This twin is capable of melding with the shadows. Otherwise it'd be useless in this situation." Kage patted his shadowy concoction on the shoulder before giving it a set of orders, "Pursue the jingling person, and remain undetected. If things become problematic leave me a few symbols as to their whereabouts."

The inky-black twin gave a subtle nod, and leapt towards the trees, it's target locked in the depths of its dark mind.

((Yeah, that's fine by me.))

"Ayumi-sensei..." Upon muttering her name the young jounin felt nostalgic. The memories of being trained by her in the years past only seem as though they had happened yesterday. Now hearing from the princess that she has gone missing has picked away at his normally calm attitude.

"I have no doubt the landscape of the Country of Snow is, in itself, treacherous, but for Ayumi-sensei to simply go missing without a trace, and with no message of any sort. Is there any possibility that the Akatsuki may be behind Ayumi-sensei's disappearance?"

"As you wish, Princess." he said, with a bow. Now was not a time to dawdle, and the seriousness of the situation was apparent on everyone's face. The jounin then turned to his team leader.

"Do you need to retrieve anything before we leave, Kira?"

((Sorry I haven't posted in awhile..I've been working 12 hour shifts 6 days a week...leaving me dead on sundays. At least now I've recovered enough to where I can attempt to keep this team alive...^^;; ))

After the 15 minute prep period, Kage returns wearing a white long sleeve shirt zipped up to the point just below his chin, his cargo pants are white as well and his boots are completely enclosed as to not expose his toes to the cold weather they're soon to endure. Lastly he wears the cloak he once wore when he was a genin, a tattered grey cloak made from the grey-black furs of the great wolves from the forbidden country.

"Now that we're better equipped, we should be leaving..." he says whilst craning his neck from side to side. His chakra is then released and dark blue markings snake their way up his neck, covering every inch of his skin and changing it dark blue in the process. The cracking and morphing of his bone fills the air as a set of four horns extend just above his headband and bend around and behind his head. Having unlocked his curse seal his eyes change into a shifting inky black as he observes his left arm; the surface morphing into a thick scale armored surface.

Within minutes his horrific change is complete and he extends his left hand out to his team captain, saying, "Take my hand...an we shall leave for our objective."

((Again sorry for the long a** wait.....))

Despite his demonlike appearance, Kage manages a smile. Upon grasping Kira's hand the shadows swarm over them like a lion pouncing upon its prey. The physical realm around them bends and distorts, turning their surrounding into an even more brooding visage of hell.

"Time to go..."