He leaped from one ice laden rock to another, the atmosphere ahead of them manipulated at a whim to provide ghost bursts of wind atop which to step as opposed to the slippery surface. It was more efficient and made travel quicker, easier, for all that they were accustomed.

"Aa. The Itezora are one of the principle shinobi clans of this country," Yamata replied, his tone level. "We can't afford to lose them."

Not now and not in the future. It was more than a slight inconvenience that this incident had come to pass at such a time. He had hoped to gain the support of the Itezora clan in ending the warring period the shinobi of Ice still clung to; and yet, that possibility seemed significantly slimmed for someone's efforts. That the who and the why were unknown to them was a matter to be dealt with par the course. With any luck, their child giant would have the answer and, really, it had to be a child judging by that handwriting at the contact station. What a setback.