Just another insect.

Old doors, old doors right in the middle of Karakura Forest. There were no walls to a building but simply old doors. They weren't old so much as they were traditional. The wood did appear worn but the varnishing was well kept and the paper windows were without a single tear or hole. They were sliding doors, double sided. The one parted smoothly while the other had a little jiggle and bump. With it came the fresh blast of warm evening air and in return the door gave the forest 3 beautiful butterflies, darker than the night itself. A breath, the world of the living always did smell different from the world of spirits. Takiya's ears perked up first, picking up the lazing droning of cicadas. It wasn't quite fully dark yet with just enough son to blaze the horizon with a peachy brush stroke. His dull green eyes adjusted to the lighting before they scanned his surroundings.

Karakura Forest. It had been a while since he had last been here. The last time he had set his foot on the forest had been very different. The grass had been hot from fresh blood and the trees had been stunted from death and decay. But time seemed to do this forest well. What was a field of self righteous executions was now a gold mine for bug life enthusiasts. Takiya stepped out onto the grass and with that the door had closed and disappeared. Yes, it really was different. The smell of pine and occassional common flowers were in the air. Hmm. Takiya looked at his hands, the fading light cast shadows on them but they appeared to be clean.

Now, what had caused him to return to this place? Two butterflies found their way through the forest and would soon return with more of its brother and sisters. Yes. That was why. Several Shinigami officers had not returned from a scouting mission in Karakura forest. Normally it would have been the job of a different division but numbers were stretched thin in the Gotei Regiment. Genji had been asked to help and that was why he was here. 3 Lost Shinigami, what happened to them, were they still alive, if not, then why. Their butterflies were still around, so they or their bodies should at least be around here somewhere.

His head turned right and then left, his black hair gently following his movements. He guessed he needed to start somewhere. His left hand found the hilt of Tenryuubito, turning it from its standard safe grip and letting the hilt face outwards. It was unlike 3 shinigami officers to go missing without any form of reporting. Letting out a soft and short sigh, the Shinigami Lieutenant made his way through the forest in search of the missing Shinigami.

It did not take long for Takiya to find the missing Shinigami. One lay against a tree eyes rolled back, another lay flat on the ground eyes rolled back and foam on his mouth. The last was kneeling on the ground, head tilted downwards. His eyes observed the bodies first, dead they definitely were, void of any spirit. Yet interesting point, the first two bodies still had their Zanpakutō sheathed, dead before they even realised they were under attack? Poison? No, the last had drawn his Zanpakutō half way before dying on both his knees. So, they had been under attack. But no blood. His dull sea green eyes faced the same direction the 3 had once faced. Darkness in the trees.