“Well, if this tree was alive,” Takumi sauntered over to the where his partner’s arrow was firmly lodged in the aforementioned maple. Reaching out, he retrieved it with a firm tug, “I’m sure it would be suffering an egregious injury.”

The prince’s long bow was slung over his shoulder, his free hand holding the apple he’d managed to shoot off its bough moments prior.

“You’ll get it eventually,” He continued casually, the ghost of a smile tugging at his lips. There was a pause, as he took a bite of the crimson fruit — the crisp ‘crunch’ casually adding insult to injury.

“Perhaps we should look for an easier target. Though, I can’t imagine one easier than this...”

Warm sunlight filtered through the treetops, as a bird chirped. Another one joined in unseen and their calls overlapped, as if in mutual song. The scent of rain still lingered in the air, and dewdrops clung to the leaves on the lower-hanging branches. 

The gods had blessed Hoshido’s harvest that week, with rain showers throughout the land; the earth was been rich beneath their feet, as the pair made their way deeper into the forest beyond the royal palace.