Obora Tomoshishi clenched his jaw half from the cold and half from rage. He was kneeling besides a body that seemed to be the remains of his second ranked lieutenants. This was suppose to be Obora’s first victory but turned out to be a very miserable lost. Obora had lost most of his squad members in this fight.
“ So how are you. Son?” Obora looked up and saw his father coming towards him.
“ What are you doing here ,general ?” Obora asked. Obora was a red ribbon general under green who were referred to as assassin’s because f there highly ranked mission. And then on top of them was the ranking of the samurai general. And apparently in the present it was Zendu Tomoshishi Obora’s father.
“ oh, well I think I should be asking you the same thing since you should be in the blue tent having a meeting with are loved emperor.” Zendu replied.
“ Sir, my apologies but I think I could be asking you the same question.” Obora jabbed. Since Obora had joined the forces his relationship with his father had been shacky on many levels and one of them was lack of taking responsibility.

“ Yea, well I couldn’t leave my men to all the work I know how depressed they all are after such a devastating lost.” Zendu replied and started walking towards the men in arms portable quarters. “ and I hope your out doing the same thing rather then just slacking of to below your own problems.”
Obora tighten his fists at their side in a manner to control his rage . “ I’m happy to oblige your acceptations general. But I have to say that I’m not hard enou….” what ever Obora was about to say was stolen from his mouth as he looked down at a body laying down Obora couldn’t stop shaking then he got him self under control and knelled down besides the body. Obora quickly checked the man’s pulse even though he knew the other man was dead.
“ Is he alive? ’ Zendu asked . Putting his right hand on Obora’s shoulder. He knew hoe hard a death of an acquaintance can be to a new general. He’d experienced that pain himself he still did ever time he had to see the face of his man and do the after math of the battle. He didn’t think he could ever get rid of it he knew its not something that you can over grow or get used to it as the time went on. that’s what he worried about his son more Obora was a sensitive man but he was also a good leader. So Zendu couldn’t do anything to keep him from getting a promotion and also he’d still feel the pain even if he was one of the man so their was no reason to stop Obora from becoming a red ribbon general.
“ no’ came Obora’s strangled answer as he closed the mans eyes and stood up. Zendu put a steady hand on Obora’s shoulder reassuringly.

“ I was told you lost more then one thirds of your men in this fight?” Zendu asked. He thought if Obora could talk about it a little it be a bit easier on him.
“ Yes, it’s true. I also lost three of my lieutenants and a few other subordinates under them that weren’t labeled as the squad. I wonder why they do that.” Obora answered.
“ It’s to keep the leaders separated from the soldiers.” Zendu replied as they started to walk ahead. “ so , did you recognize that man?”

’ Yes ,he was assigned to be my lieutenant when I was promoted.” Obora replied and stopped for Zendu as he knelled down to move a body to the side so no one would step on it.”

“ Are you going to be alright ?” Zendu asked the night’s darkness masking his concerned face.

“ Yes, but tell me is it always this way?” Obora asked . But didn’t wait for Zendu’s reply which was good since he didn’t know how to reply to that. If it was some one rather then his own son then he would have come out right and said that this was the life of a general so you better suck it up better learn to stop complaining. Zendu silently laughed at him self I guess it was true when people say that the strongest man’s weakness is his own kids. “ I guess I shouldn’t be surprised I knew it was going to be hard when I accepted the promotion .”
Zendu moved to put a hand on Obora’s shoulder again to stop him from any more movement. “ Look son I know this is different then fighting bandits like before you were promoted and I know what your going through isn’t easy but you have to think about other s and your responsibilities and know that your not they only one going through this. This hasn’t exactly been a vacations for every one of us.”
Obora fisted his hand and his emotions hardened his face. “ What do you think ,it’s easy for me to take all this in and it’s even harder to think that it’s almost always like this. Even if we had won are damage would have been the same. And I wouldn’t even compare my pain with your’s it’s not like you’ve just seen your own mentor and older sempai die in front of you and you couldn’t do anything because your to busy trying to keep you self alive “ the bitterness and the things that Obora said was such a shock to Zendu who was privately cursing him self for his own stupid mouth , that they both stood silent like that. Not knowing what to say to each other.

“I’m sorry I didn’t know that I shouldn’t have said that I was being insensitive but son I have to tell you this I know it could get hard some times but becoming a general means more then just to order troops around in a battle field it means to train man so they could trust you so they can be ready to go into battle. And to know when to accept a lost. And the one thing that I can some up right know is that with great position comes great responsibility. From my point of view the most important job is to protect you men alive or dead.” Zendu said after a few minutes.
Obora suddenly turned around with a determined look on his face that said nobody can stop me. “ thank you father I think I needed to be reminded that but you can be sure know that I will take care of my men fully and wont neglect them no matter what.” to Zendu when Obora said that he felt like he could stop worrying about him. And that rather then reassure his father he was making a oath to him self.

“you know son I think I’m the luckiest father on earth to be able to say that you’re my son.” Zendu replied as he clapped Obora on the back.

“ know as your younger ranks men I’d like to ask you r permission to be able to honor every soldier that has fallen in this devastating battle and the more to come.” Obora asked Zendu as he addressed him formally. Well, Obora thought that , at least things are gonna be more better with father. And bowed to him.

“ come on son , lets go honor are fallen comrade.” Zendu said as they both entered the generals tent.