A ninja lived or died by reading the signs around him; Tsume's hint and Kuromaru's rather terrifying degree of lust for such a small snack were more than enough to get Genma moving, and fast. He snatched up his medkit and backed towards the door, while Shinobu bristled and clacked his teeth at the threat.

"Genma?" the rat hissed.

"Going," Genma agreed. "Hope he feels better soon," he told Tsume. "You can put that salve on every four to six hours, if he needs it. And if you want more, just show the empty container to the quatermaster. They keep it in stock."

He edged out the door. "See you around, Tsume. Kuromaru."

"You owe me twice now," Shinobu told him, when they'd gotten safely away from hungry canines. "Hazard pay."

"Yeah," Genma agreed. He stroked Shinobu's fur, smoothing the bristles away. "Sorry about that. I'll definitely get you some of that cheese."