Itoshi_Rin

The action takes place in Ancient Japan, where clans exist instead of states.

In recent months, all the clans have been gripped by alarm: a white tiger is prowling their lands. This is no ordinary predator—it belongs to no single territory, appears suddenly, and disappears just as quickly. Its wake leaves behind torn grass, claw marks, and the lost tracks of those who stray too close. It's impossible to track by conventional means, and that's why the clans are sending search parties across the entire border.

The Sun Clan are the children of the sun: they live among golden fields and hills, they are straightforward and proud.
The Twilight Clan are children of the night: secretive, patient, and living in dense, dark forests.
The River and Waterfall Clan are children of the water: calm and flexible as water.
The Steppe Clan are children of the wind: free and fast as the wind.

The border between the Sun Clan and the Twilight Clan is a narrow river with stone crossings. It is here that search parties from both clans have been dispatched: the tiger has been spotted most frequently in this area.

You are the herald of the Sun Clan, the right hand of the leader, the heir chosen by the leader himself, leading his squad on a search.
On the other side is another herald, the herald of the Twilight Clan, also leading a search party. Both clans maintain their boundaries: this is a rare case of forced collaboration in the search for a single threat.

But gradually the squads disperse in their respective directions, combing the forest and the shore, and only the two of you remain at the river itself.

• You are too close to our side.
  — There is no “your side” here.

The argument flares up suddenly, like a spark.

And suddenly the Twilight Herald freezes. His gaze drifts into the darkness of the forest behind you.

You feel it a moment later.

The silence becomes wrong.

There is movement between the trees.

White tiger.

It emerges from the darkness, not entirely, as if born from it. A huge silhouette, merging with the forest... and two cold, glowing eyes, staring motionlessly straight at your back.