Wodan was sitting on a hill overlooking the long forgoten battlefield. His mind was on the things that had happened here long ago. He could sense the metal burried in this place. Alot of it. He sighed as he wasn't wearing his helmet but just his mask as his silvery lions mane was flowing in the air.

As Wodan was sitting there a group was stalking new prey. A group of children lead by a few adults... They had plans for the kids. To sell them for some good coin.

Following them at some distance, although skulking about the ruins and remains was a girl, not really putting effort into hiding herself. So if they really tried, the group could and would easily spot her if they just looked back and waited a moment. She was even following them openly at times, since there was no place to hide. She was befhind them, but not too far she couldn't hear the leaders bark orders at the children. She had plans to rescue them, as suspicious as she looked.

The leader and his thugs seemed mostly focused on getting the kids to there hide out before they'd take them to town for selling. They walked out into the open fields of the battlefield of the past there was one that had spoted there follower but it wasn't made obvious to her that they had as they stoped to make camp for abit. As the leader put it. To not burn out the merchendice.

Wodan meanwhile watched from afar. He was looking for a good chance to strike. But he didn't wanna scar the children for life either by killing people infront of them...

As they stopped, Iza took notice that they were slowing and stopping. She didn't plan on just walking straight into it blindly. Picking up some small rubble as she kept advancing forward at the same pace, she braced herself before charging straight at them. Not stupid enough to yell while running and bring more attention to herself, she leapt into the air and kicked the closest one, grabbing a kid and running off with him.

The kid began to cry as well Iza was leaving behind his sister.

Meanwhile Wodan watched. The Cat girl was agile. He could see that at the very least as he decided to walk forward towards them causing the men to not presuse Iza. Becouse of this new threat that is.

After getting as far away with the first kid as she intended, Izanami set him down and made him look into her eyes. "Stay here, I'm going to bring the others, so don't worry. I just have to do it one at a time, but I'll need your help. After I bring a few more, I need you to run to safety with them. Got it?" She said sternly, not waiting for a reply.

Running back, Izanami spotted this new guy and presumed that he was going to negotiate with the baddies, since he was leisurely walking towards them.

The boy nodded as he stayed in place.

Wodan walked up to one of the bandits and then punched him square in the face as they started to attack attack him as he weaved and dodged out of the way as he looked at Iza as to tell her to get all of the kids out of there. While they where using knifes Wodan was dodging it easily though he wasn't using the Katana that was hanging off his hip for some reason.

Picking up the smallest child, she barked at the rest of the children to follow her. Running slow enough that the rest could keep up, Izanami brought them back to the first one, setting down the one in her arms as she watched the stranger fight. "Stay." She ordered, not sure whether to run back to the stranger or take them home without asking him more.

He was dodging and weaving as he was using his fists to fight as his arms showed some cuts as the daggers scratched him as the one Iza had knocked down was getting up and it looked like Wodan wasn't noticing him.

Seeing the guy she kicked starting to get back up, she ran over and jumped back on him, pulling on his hair as she jerked his head away from the fight. As he toppled over, she hopped off, dashing back into the fight.

Wodan drew his sword and stroke down one of them though it was with the not sharp side as it mainly knocked the first one out as the bandits looked abit paniced before they ran off.

"Who are you?" Izanami asked the stranger after all the bandits were gone. She asked, prepared for a fight if she didn't like his answer. "What're you doing here?" She followed up with, not sure what to do with him if he was a random bystander.

Wodan sheated his weapon as he looked at he watched the woman who had saved the kids. "My name is Wodan. As for what I was doing. Its none of your concern. But I asure you. I have no relationship to these thugs." He said calmly.

"I see. Good day." Izanami said, turning around and strolling back to the children. She had no intentions of wasting either of their time with idle chitchat. Rounding them up she made them order from shortest to tallest in two straight lines, the youngest of them was Madeleine to head back from the direction they came.

Wodan walked off. Though he was still following the children now. Not to do anything to them. But just to ensure there safe return. Even if he did it from the shadows where he wouldn't be found.

As she marched them back towards their town, she knew she was being followed but, so long as he didn't grow in numbers or try anything funny, she would let him do it. As night fell, she allowed them to sit and made them a fire. As she had no food and no intentions of leaving them alone while they were being followed, she had no food for them either. "Sleep." She told them, leaning against a tree trunk and crossing her arms.

Wodan watched the group of children and the woman who was rather protective off them. He knew something was gonna happen at some point. He had delt with gangs like this one before. They would retaliate... Some how...

She wasn't stupid, as none of the guys was really hurt when they had run of, she knew they'd all come back. That's why she was up and waiting. She didn't intend on sleeping until she got the children home, no matter how long it took, even though bags of sleep were going to start growing around her eyes come morning.

Come morning as the kids where starting to wake up. Iza could notice that there was a rather large group of people coming there way. Well counting all three of the groups that was closing in on them from diffirent directions. Apparently they wheren't to happy about the interfearance and they had somehow tracked the group down.

"Took you long enough, turtles." She barked at them mockingly. She knew she would have been caught up to even if she'd kept them marching all night long, but at least this way she knew rested children had a better chance. She wasn't sure how to deal with so many alone, as it wouldn't be hard for them to nab the children. Even making them climb trees wouldn't be helpful. She had no time to dig a pit for them either. "Alright. You're going to have to fight back on this one. If they grab you, fight and fight hard. Weakness isn't going to help you now." She said, her own kind of motivational speech to them as they all picked up sticks and rocks.

Wodan walked up from his hiding place as he looked at Izanami. "You really wanna subject them to bloodsheed this early?" He asked having drawn his sword. His eyes focused on Izanami though he was showing no signs of hostility even as some of the kids was hitting him with the sticks.

"I have no plans on killing the men. Subduing them from their goals only, even if it means a few of them get at most, maimed. Its not like little ole me can scare them off with looks alone." She told him, looking him over before odering the children to stop. "So take it you're here for the 'last stand'?" She asked, prepping herself for when the big attack happened.

"Yes. One adult along with a group of children against this many bandits. Hardly seems fair." He said as he smiled alittle as his mask wasn't hiding all of his face. His sword then changed shape and became a mace. "I suppose I'll change weapon to something more fitting when it comes to subduing." He said calmly. Though despite his calm exteriour. It was easy to tell that he was not fond of what was going on at all... Frankly. He probebly wanted to kill a few of the bandits but he wouldn't... Well at least not infront of the children.

"I take it you're going to take my side then." She said, taking a deep breath. "If you do, then I suppose you'd better brace yourself too." She said, noticing his shift in weaponry. "Fancy toy you got there, hope it doesn't break as easily as it changes." She told him, giving a lazy flick of her tail as she glanced back at the children. "Well, shall we wait for them to get closer, or should we just wait for them to get here and listen to their little speech?"

"Not a toy." He said as part of his mask that was made of metal disapear as it then made the mace look abit more brutal. "I manipulate metal. So even if it would break easily. I could just reform it." He said calmly. "As for what we should do. I belive it would be easier to wait here with the children. That way we'll be able to keep an eye on the third group that might try to take the kids while the other two keep us busy. Though I wouldn't be surprised if they'd attempt to capture either of us." He stated calmly.

"They're not the sort to capture. They've already killed my comrade." She said casually, knowing that it wasn't going to be an easy battle. "We must be close to their base if there's so many." She said briefly as if she was a professional. "Though, it must be nice to have something like that." She said, observing his skills.

Wodan grined abit as the bandits showed up. "Bastards. Trying to take our merchendise away... Time to show you two what happens when you mess with us... Though the woman might be fun playing with before we end it right boys?" The one that seemed to be the leader said as they all cheared out.

Wodan analised the situation causualy and smiled alitte. "Heh I wouldn't count on that. Besides. How many of you have metalic weapons I wonder." He said smirking abit.

"You can't handle what I got, little boys." She said, nicely insulting them. Next time she wouldn't be so polite to them. Taking a seducive step forward, seemingly weaponless, Izanami laughed at them. "Come and show me what you got, if you think you really have anything at all." She said, flickering her gaze around as she picked out her first targets.

Wodan watched carefully as a group of at least ten went forward to attack Izanami as they all suddenly triped... Becouse of one hell of a long mace shaft going along the ground. Wodan grined alittle inocently. "Oh sorry my bad. Some times I just over do it with how I strech the metal I have in my items. I used up about half of the metal on my person just to strech that far out..." He said in a nonechalant manner as if it was well nothing.

"Oi boss isn't that..." One of the bandits said as some whispers started going about.

The boss looked visuably annoyed. "Oh just shut up and get them already!" He called as they all charged forward towards both Izanami and Wodan.

As they ran up on her, Izanami kicked one before hopping on another. Tackling another one, he grabbed her wrist, causing her to fall backwards and kick him in the chin from below. "Heh. And here I thought I had a challenge." She said, running back to the children to do a brief headcount before kicking another guy in the stomach. As she was not so low as to fight by male rules, she kicked that same guy where it would really hurt, laughing as she dashed off for another.

Wodan wasn't one to hold back against creeps like this either. Besides... IT was better this way. Maybe they'd be unable to reproduce... Still he was knocking them out in a rather steady pace as he from time to time annoyed the ones going for the kids with his reach.

The boss growled as most of the mooks where dealt with. "Idiots. I'll have to do this myself it seems!" He said as suddenly wines shoot out from the ground and attempted to wrap around Wodan and Izanami...

Noticing the vines sprouting out towards her, Izanami leapt back, hopping from the man she was standing on to another. "Geh!" She said, lunging for the one she'd overheard them refer to as boss. All she would have to do was take him out the rest might fall back. Or at least get rid of those stupid vines that were seeking her out.

As Iza lunged for the man more vines sprouted this time right under her ready to grab her as that seemed to be there intent rather then impaling.

Wodans mace hand changed to a sword as the vines didn't get a chance to get anywhere close to him. Even if for most of the bandits it looked like he just held a hand on his swords hilt and somehow that was making him cut the vines.

Growling as the vines came towards her she wouldn't go down without a fight. Since it wasn't like she could just move her falling, she just fell into them, curling into a little ball as she grabbed the knives in her boots. Izanami didn't like to use them because they were inconvenient, in the way, and she preferred to use her hands. "Heh, fool." She told him, snickering at his actions, willing to let him think he caught her for a moment.

The boss grined as he watched Izanami. "Oh, Impressive missy. Your quite flexible it seems. Thats gonna become fun to see how far you can go... Drop those knifes. And I wont impale a kid or two. Its not like either of you can stop me from doing it." He said smirking. "And. Honestly. I'm willing to let those kids go if you two surrender... After all Shishi no Tsurugi sold as a slave might bring in more then those brats combined. And then there is you ofcourse missy..." He said grining at her as a few vines sprouted near and amongst the children.

Wodan watched the boss closely as he was still dealing with any vine coming after him as he watched. What would be Izanamis choise in this. Would she prioritise the kids or herself.

Leaving the knives in her boots, she laughed. "Hahahahahah! You can impale me all you want, won't ruin the 'value' as you so put it. BBut I don't dare trust you with the children's safety!" She said, pulling out a small metal nail file from her cleavage and tossing it at the vine closest to the children, cutting it before it hit the ground. Shisui no Tsuguri? What's that? She asked herself, trying to figure out what he was going on about. "Shut up. Your blathering is giving me a headache. Let me return the children and I'll go with you without a fight. Harm them and you won't like the results." She said as her eyes narrowed, preparing her stance for a full on assault. "But I know nothing about him."

((yes shisui no tsuguri was on purpose XD))

The boss face palmed. "I ment that I'd impale the kids you dumb bitch!" He said angerly as more vines sprouted though these where cut down by metalic vines.

Wodan chuckled abit as he walked towards the boss. "You honestly think you'd get your way huh." He said as his helmet and every other metalic detail on his body had disapeared other then a small part of his mask covering his eyes and the bridge of his nose. "Waga na wa Wodan. Shishi no Tsurugi nari!" Wodan said as if he was annoncing his pressance.

((Fyi. What hes saying is. "My name is Wodan. The Lions Blade!"))

"HA!" Izanami laughed, knowing how stupid he was. "You think I'd dare let you impale them. You've lost by fighting me." She said, cutting the vines around her with claws before throwing the knives in her boots at vines going towards the children. "Too bad you weren't smarter. I might have let you and your men live." She said, pulling out another knife from the belts around her torso. She started going after the men, stabbing them in their legs, since they were less likely to get up then as she made her way back towards the children.

((Think you messed up with waga line. Should be namae wa wodan.))

Wodan walked over to Izanami and put a hand on her shoulder. "Its enought. They probebly aren't gonna follow you guys anymore. Even if they could get back up after the thrashing we provided them." Wodan said calmly as he watched her. She'd make a fierce mother. That was for sure.

((Both are valid though from some translations I've seen. Though Waga na I've only really seen used by two chars in any anime or game. But yeah they aren't used often at all))

Pulling her shoulder away from him, she didn't let just anyone touch her. The children were so lucky if she carried one. "Yeah, but if they can get up, they can do it again." She said, not considereing giving them an option if she could help it. Fixing her hair back into its proper style, she looked at him before walking back to the children. "If you come with, you have to tell me who you are, and what you're from." She said, referring to his grand introduction as she rounded up the children, checking for wounds as they bragged about how many they hit throwing stones and swinging sticks.

((Its probably male speech then. Male speech is rarely used compared to standard "female"))