Chapter Four

Cats and Dogs

Kumo, as he had promised, was waiting for Akame at the same place as they had met. Kumo in particular was amused at how the Nīnken was tittering and excited about learning long-range fighting. These dogs really were really fond of melees, weren't they? Ah, well, that would change soon.

The Nekomata led Akame to a field, warning him to tread quietly here. Long-range fighting was often as silent as it was deadly, he explained. One had to be excellent at surveying the battlefield if they were to ever even hope to be a long-ranged fighter. Akame listened attentively, wondering why he had never been taught long-range in the Iga camp. He voiced this concern of his.

"Cats and dogs are different," replied Kumo, although frankly, his voice was indifferent as could be. "Cats like using stealth and cunning. Dogs like battling it out with brute strength. All in all, however, ninjas need both elements to survive. Without strength, a ninja cannot survive for long in a battle. Without stealth, a ninja would be easily tracked in enemy territory. This is the reason dogs, lacking stealth, and cats, lacking strength, appear to balance each other. Until, of course, Kurojaki's clan came along." Kumo shivered. "Eating dogs like that, we'll get blamed soon if he keeps it up."

"You?" asked Akame, stunned; he couldn't help but chuckle slightly at that. Cats eat dogs? Impossible! "What can you do to us?"

Kumo's eyes flashed, half in anger, half in amusement. "We cats know more than you think, pup. As is evidenced by my tutoring of you today. Now, the first thing about long-range fighting is, you need silence. Stealth, cunning, things like that. Another thing is, it must be unpredictable. Projectiles are the easiest to use, although there are certain fighting techniques that guarantee some sort of long-range preparation or style. However, we will stick to projectiles for today. Follow me, pup." The black cat slipped into the forest once again, and Akame followed him good-naturedly.

The two of them arrived at a rather sandy place in the forest. Around the sandy area were far more rocks than any other part of the woods. Kumo grabbed several stones with his teeth and gracefully climbed up a tree. Akame felt himself grin; cats were so lightweight. They could do that too easily.

Kumo put the stones down, balancing them carefully on his branch. Looking down at the white dog, he called, "What long-range fighting is for us, is a simple move-and-shoot." Kumo looked around, found a more fleshy, broad leaf than the others and lifted a stone onto it. Then he pulled the branch back as far as he could without making the stone fall, waited several seconds while aiming, and released, successfully launching the rock into a hole of a far-away tree, making a squirrel jump out and complain. "And that, pup," declared Kumo, "is long-range fighting. Well, the gist of it, anyway. It's harder than it looks, however. Come up here."

Akame scaled the tree, running into trouble with the foliage, and while still slightly blinded by the leaves and the light that filtered through them (so stupid, stupid, stupid), he attempted to find Kumo. The cat, however, was far calmer and a tad more intelligent, and gave a loud mew to pinpoint his position. Akame soon found him.

"Here," said Kumo, gesturing to the same broad leaf. "You will put a stone onto this and launch it to hit..." He scanned the ground momentarily, pointing out a massive rock with his paw. "That rock."

"Are you underestimating me?" Akame asked him, wondering whether or not the cat was taking him seriously.

"No. Rather, I think I'm overestimating you. But really. This is how it works." He took another stone in his teeth, dropped it onto the leaf, and bent it back. "Now you show me what you're capable of."

Akame replaced Kumo, levelling his eyes with the leaf, and aimed at the rock in the undergrowth below. When he found a satisfying angle, he let the leaf go. The rock went flying into the air and Akame watched excitedly as it sailed, arced - missed?

"How is that...?" he asked Kumo, outraged at how he could have missed a massive rock that was just there.

"I told you it wasn't as easy as it looked. Anyway, you did well for the most part, seems like you only missed by a couple of inches. Pay more attention next time you shoot it, you'll do fine."

Akame suppressed a groan. "This isn't real fighting!" Real fighting was being on the battlegrounds in your yoroi and sai, making your enemies fear you, dominating those who were dishonourable.

"You don't expect to get an opponent on the battlefield without training?"

"No, but this is ridiculous. These rocks don't do damage anyway."

Kumo sighed. "No, but boulders certainly do, and all masters of the battlefield have to know something about catapulting. That's what this is called."

"Well, teach me later. I don't need to know this kind of thing." Despite Kumo's protests, Akame dropped back down to the ground via the branches, finding the lesson done. "I don't think I'll become a real warrior like this!"

"You'll regret it." Kumo's voice, now icy cold, sends shivers through Akame, making his fur stand on end. "The Koga are some of the most cunning monsters around. If you don't make the most out of your time, Kurojaki will destroy your precious clan. Mark my words! You will learn that not everything is close combat!"

Hating himself, Akame ran back to the Iga village, Kumo's words more or less echoing in his ears.

Cats. What did they know, anyway.

A/N: 'Tis short, I know. ;A; I don't really know how to make Kumo act. He's one of those snarky mentors, but ... *shakes head* Stay tuned, if you're not disappointed in me! (Because I fell flat on my face writing this chapter.)