Harubi, with a sake cup in her hand and a plate of colorful sweets balanced on her knee, seemed content to stay next to Himself for the moment. Kakashi hoped she’d use the time to work out logistics, or at least negotiate one cask of sake back. Sen watched Ryouma and Kakashi leave with dark, steady eyes.

The kits seemed to be trying to sacrifice Genma to the bonfire.

When he drew closer, Kakashi realized, in fact, that they were attempting to dance. One kit sat on each of Genma’s feet, furry little arms wrapped around his shins. The third straddled his shoulders and clutched his ponytail in both paws, apparently for reins. Genma was staggering because he was laughing, while the small shoulder-riding kit chided him to move faster.

“You can dance better than that, lieutenant!” Ryouma called. “I’ve seen you!”

“That was not child-appropriate dancing,” Kakashi murmured.

“Well, there’s our kind of dancing too, but that’d probably scare the kids.” Ryouma sighed, but with a smile still lurking at the corners of his mouth, and called, “Nevermind, you’re doing fine! Don’t fall in the fire.”

Genma caught his breath and made a few graceful, child-friendly spins. He pivoted on one bare foot, sweeping a squealing tanuki kit through the air with the other, then switched legs and repeated the move. He wasn’t quite as sure-footed as he would have been with his chakra-sense intact, but good enough to delight his tiny kidnappers.

Kurenai applauded. Genma flashed her a quick, surprised smile, and rolled neatly forward onto his hands. His feet went up in the air, kits clinging and squeaking. The tanuki on his shoulders lost its grip. Genma switched his weight effortlessly to one hand, and caught the little creature before it could fall, tucking it securely against his chest.

This time, Raidou applauded, and Ryouma whistled.

Genma let his balance go and collapsed on his back in the grass, letting his feet thump gently down, and groaned something about being too full to dance. All three kits immediately piled onto his stomach and bounced.

“This looks like our moment to beat a hasty retreat,” Ryouma said in Kakashi’s ear. “Taichou can do the rest of the rescuing.”

Raidou was already wading into battle, which was earning him a lot of flat ears and hissing, while Genma tried valiantly to defend his stomach and Kurenai offered helpful suggestions, only somewhat undermined by the laughter in her voice. Pakkun, stretched out closer to the fire, added a few lazy comments.

Clearly they had it in hand.

“Where to?” Kakashi asked.

Ryouma blinked and smiled, as if he’d expected more of an argument, then cast a look around the lantern-lit dusk. The moon was rising, enormous and full. Back home, it had just been a sliver. “Around the other side of the pond? Can still see everybody, but we’re not gonna get stepped on. And those look like cherry trees.”

Kakashi tucked his hands into his pockets, pleased to be chosen for this little venture, and said, “Lead on.”