Tatakai sat calmly running the stone across his spear head. The battle would begin soon and Tatakai could hardly wait. "Kotai's plan is brilliant, as usual. The Crane will be focused on the main force oblivious of my elite troops. Then once the battle is engaged we attack them from the rear, crushing them in one movement," Tatakai mused to himself.
"Tatakai-sama, the Crane move," one of Tatakai's men said.
"Excellent," Tatakai said putting down his stone, "My blade had grown thirsty."
Everything worked as Kotai had said it would, even that the general would challenge Tatakai to a duel upon his arrival. Sadly, he was not as good as Tatakai had hoped. At times Tatakai wished the Crane would stop trying to cover this up and fight them seriously, these weaklings bored him.
Meanwhile...
"Hmm, it would appear as though my brother has found our quarry," Kotai said to his assembled troops, "Ran-sama had requested our immediate return, however I think he would be most upset if we did not press our advantage. Tobe, Makoto, you two shall go see to it that my brother does not die today. Heizo take your horse and ride to Shiro Tanzei and inform Ran-sama that we have found Naseru's rats and are exterminating them. The rest of you, prepare for battle! We shall show these dogs what it means to stand against the Rikugan no Seifuku!"