[hider=Three hearts, one hunt]
"Are you sure you're all set, milady?" Mikoto asked, adjusting Ashara's hem and checking the knot on her sash.
"I am quite sure. I have kept Sir Gromgard and Lord Chompy Bits waitijng for far too long as is." The white-haired fox replied, letting out a tired sigh. Her blonde cohort looking at her mistress with concerned ruby eyes.
"I still don't understand why Lord Rodias would need all three of you to go hunt some... Weakling humans in a forest." Mikoto voiced her mix of frustration and non-comprehension. "Sir Gromgard and Miss Mamoru already proved that they were more than a match for the previous batch they met. Couldn't our Lord just have sent either of the those other two?" She asked, now kneeling down and adjusting and checking the straps of cloth tied around Ashara's shins and feet.
"There were only a handful of them at that time, and we do not know how many lurk in the woods." Ashara replied, eyes closed, seemingly in deep thought - or just sleepy. "I do not know our Lord's reason, but I can only imagine he wishes to ensure that none of these unpleasant individuals manages to flee or escape." She then added, opening her purple eyes and looking at her sibling with a slight smile.
"I... Still don't like it." Mikoto said, now done with fixing Ashara's garb, taking a step back and folding her arms infront of her. "You're not supposed to be running around out in the muck and mud, chasing troublesome nats and bugs. You're supposed to be here, with us, protecting the Chateau." The younger fox said with a huff. Ashara poked her little sister's chin, which caused the blonde to recoil in surprise and let out a small, but cute [i]'Hyah~?!'[/i], which made Ashara laugh.
"But I [i][b]am[/b][/i] protecting the Chateau, Mikoto. By doing this, w are removing a potential thorn that could grow to a poisonous bramble later on, if not dealt with now."
"I know... I just... I worry when you go out there alone." Mikoto muttered, kicking at nothing with one foot and scratching her arm. Ashara titled her head quizzically.
"I shall not be alone... Lord Chompy Bits and Sir Gromgard will be with me." She explained, to which Mikoto sighed.
"Alone, as in not having any of us with you." The slightly more intelligent younger sibling explained.
"Oh~ Not to worry. Between the three of us, this should be a quick task. As long as nothing unexpected happens, of course."
"... And now I'm even more worried..."

Ashara laughed, moving forward and embracing her three-tailed sister, gently patting her head. Mikoto pouted, but said nothing, instead letting her head rest against Ashara's shoulder. The blonde had always been a bit of a worry-wart, and perhaps Deka_Ribbon was to blame for that. Mikoto's personality parameters were set to be more observant, cautious, meticulous and overall just more intelligent than Ashara. It was for that reason that Mikoto was the [i]actual[/i] leader of the Shadowtower Shrine, while Ashara was more of a figure-head. Naturally, nobody knew about this aside from Mikoto and Ashara themselves, along with Deka_Ribbon.

After all, Ashara spent very little time in the shrine proper - as her duties required her to be out and about, patrolling the Chateau every single day. This meant that the shrine's supposed leader wasn't around to give orders, instructions and carry out the duties needed to keep the place running. As such, Mikoto had been created to act as a 'big sister' or 'mom' for the other priestesses within the domain, so as to allow Ashara to perform her designated role without interference. Of course, back in YGGDRASSIL, this had all been nothing but flavor-text and roleplay-fluff, but ever since coming to this New World, it had been made reality.

Breaking off their hug from one another, Mikoto and Ashara nodded to one another.

"Well then, milady. Safe journeys to you."
"I will return shortly, Mikoto. Take care of everything in my absence." Ashara said, smiling warmly, as she walked out of her room, then out of the shrine and finally back towards the blue gate.

[i]Later...[/i]

Now outside the Chateau's main gates once more, Ashara took a deep breath and brushed a few stray strands of hair from her eyes, as the wind blew and caused her long, white hair to dance and flow serenely  Now all that was left to do was to wait for Gromgard and Chompy to show up, so that the trio could get going and complete the task assigned to them by the Sable Lord.[/hider]