In the darkness, the unfamiliar brush gave Kurogane more difficulty than he was accustomed to, if only for being out of practice. The Institute had little by way of thick trees save for the few out in the yards, and he'd been enclosed there for over a month now. He hadn't been able to practice navigating more than the same damn hallways over and over. Now he had to find the kids in an unfamiliar area with monster birds seeking them out while sliced up on most parts of his body.

For once, his night was starting to feel less like a chore and more like a challenge.

"Hell..." he huffed without finishing, knowing that he didn't have time or the ability to be thankful for the change-up. He'd wanted to break free from the monotony of never getting anything done at night, but not like this.

Out of practice though he was in the setting, he knew how to track and found the kids' path easily enough, stepping through the trampled grass and catching sight of some of the bent and snapped limbs from trees and bushes. Soon enough he spotted the two near a tree base.

"You all right?" he called up before reaching the two. He knew Sora had gotten clawed at, less so than himself, but he hadn't seen if Tsubaki had been hurt any. The night would be worse if all three of them were injured with what monsters would be catching the scent of their blood.