"Greetings. Are you bringing both of them?"

"Yes. I was going to bring just Tetsuri, but they said if we're breaking neutrality they should train a successor in politics and stuff."

She'll introduce her companions - Tetsuri, who looks like a young woman but carries themselves like someone much older, and Shikou, who looks like and probably is a gangly teenager.

"Well met to you both. Isobu tentatively agreed to join us. I am going to meet him at his lake, and go from there to the base of the leader of the shinobi in this country, Sasuke."

"Well met," Tetsuri echoes. "I've met him. He's interestingly ambitious. We'll accompany you; it's impolite to spring a new delegation on everyone."

"Can you keep up?" she asks Okami.

"I'm as fast as the wind if I want to be," she says, voice amused.

"Fair enough." Off to the lake.

Okami keeps pace easily, though the boy on her back doesn't seem happy.

Isobu's there - and he's shrunk himself down, until he's about the size of a horse. He looks uncomfortable.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah. I've been practicing being small. I'm not fast on land, though, even when I'm big..."

"Hm. I could carry you, if you can hold on."

"I can stick to stuff with chakra."

"Climb on, then."

He'll do so, somewhat gingerly.

She takes off slowly, and after confirming his grip is secure, they can proceed to Sasuke's base.

Sasuke's waiting for them, with Itachi and Karin. He inclines his head when they arrive, and says, "All three of you are intending to represent yourselves?"

Okami and Isobu make assorted agreeable sounds.

"I assume you have no objections."

"No. I'd suggest you three present as your own political bloc. The Kage will be inclined to see you as extensions of my political power; openly presenting politics different from mine would help against that, and I really don't care about particulars beyond people not killing each other over stupid things."

"Sensible. Our interests are aligned and centered on different points than yours."

"The meeting's in the Land of Iron. We'll be meeting Konan at their borders, then seeing if we can get actual permission to enter. Politely." He might be wrinkling his nose a bit.

"That leaves room for escalation later. Very well."

"It'll damage our argument if we enter violently, too. Konan and I are trying to express that the smaller nations deserve a place on the world stage. Which means acting like we belong."

"A good strategy."

He nods. "Ready to go?"