Breath of Bird

The **Breath of Bird** is a Breath Style derived from Breath of Wind. It mimicks the ferocity and elegance of birds both in wild life and folklore.

## Overview

Breath of Bird, or Bird Breathing, is a breathing style derived from Breath of Wind. This style is graceful and requires a large amount of agility and speed, having the user move around mid-air most of the time. To master some of Bird Breathing's forms, the user must be flexible enough to move through small spaces fast.

Most forms of this Breathing Style are aerial moves, meaning the user usually attack from above ground or midair, or at least continuous change in their footwork. Unlike some other Breathing forms, Bird Breathing includes the usage of two forms at once, becoming stronger when a Bird Breathing user joins in the fight.

### History

This Breath was created by Suzume Ōtori, famously known as "Litle Sparrow", and was a swordsman and a Wind Breathing user. She developed Bird Breathing after deciding Wind Breathing should use more defense, agility, and flexbility. Suzume studied birds and owned an aviary, and later utilized her knowledge into this Breathing Style.

## Known Techniques

There are eleven known forms in Bird Breathing.

* **First Form - Ripping Claws**: The user lunges forward and delivers four slashes either crossing each other or parallel to each other, slicing the target apart.
	+ **First Form - Ripping Claws, Strike of the Flightless:** Created by Ahiro Nakada. In birds such as ostriches or cassowaries, they lack the ability of flight. But to make up for it, they deliver incredibly powerful kicks. The user, upon landing or in a kneeling/sitting position, lunges forward low and delivers either three slashes or one incredibly powerful upward slash.
* **Second Form - Call of the Morning Bird:** The user dashes around the target in blinding speed, switching between fast and slow movements. This mimics the feeling of faint bird calls in different directions. It helps in hiding away the user's position and distracting the target enough for the user to land a slashing blow.
* **Third Form - Swooping Hawk:** The user, from above, lunges down at blinding speed and unleashes a powerful downward slash. This form builds momentum quickly, having the user cutting through and blocking every obstacle on this path. This is similar to Thunder Breathing's First Form, though doesn't create the effect of thunder.
* **Fourth Form - Hunt of the Owl:** This form is designed to be an ambush or a sneak/surprise attack. The user lunges from an unpredicted place in absolutely silent manner, which requires them to stop their heartbeat for a few moments, before delivering a swift and clean decapitation.
* **Fifth Form - Feast for Vultures**: The user strikes with a large amount of swift slashes while moving around the target. The slashes weave onto one another, creating a dangerous flow of slashes that intertwine and cuts. The amount of slashes usually overwhelms the opponents, as if they have been swarmed.
* **Sixth Form - Birds of a Feather:** The user protects an ally by moving around the shielded person while deflecting off every blow and incoming attacks. This form can also be used without the need to protect a target by simply deflecting off blows.
	+ **Sixth Form - Birds of a Feather, Crow Song**: An improvisation of the original form. Crows are known to be community birds, often looking out for each other. In this form, upon finding another swordsman, Crow Song enhances harmonic attacks, shielding each other. Crow Song additionally adds more attack opportunities, protection, and openings for the swordsman.
* **Seventh Form - Flight of the Hummingbird:** The user solely focuses on dodging all attacks, moving from places to places at fast speed. This form also requires the user to be very agile and flexible, able to slip through small openings from multiple attacks. The user also needs to twist their body, often changing directions constantly. This form is also suitable if there is a lack of stable ground to consistently move on, thus helping the user change footwork fast.
* **Eighth Form - White Heron Dance**: The user leaps into the air, generating six powerful slashes that tear up the target immediately.
	+ **Ninth Form - White Heron Dance, Foreboding Storm**: Created by Takeshi Kajiwara. A more powerful but more draining alternative to the ninth from. The user generates six powerful slashes in a cyclone pattern, able to rip off the ground. Though for a beginnner or intermediate, this form is really draining and requires firm strength.
* **Ninth Form - Scattering Sparrows**: Using this form, the user can dash back and forth mid-air, using objects, obstacles or attacks as levarages to move around. This is described as them flying, when in reality is moving on different things very fast. The user delivers fast and swift straight-on cuts in different directions, dotting back and forth.
	+ **Ninth Form - Scattering Sparrows, Changing Gale:** While the user is falling, they can create a force mid-air, pushing them to find the nearest leverage. Then they are able to dot around, delivering attacks and fast cuts to the target.
* **Tenth Form - Unfolding Wings:** Created by Takeshi Kajiwara. The user delivers eight powerful slashes that crisscross onto one another, creating a protective field around the user and tearing everything in its path. This mimics bird wings unfolding out to take flight.
* **Final Form - Fenghuang, New Dawn Arisen from Ashes**: This is the most difficult Bird Breathing form to master. It requires a lot of meditation and spiritual experience. When a user is on a verge of death, they use this form as a kickstart on their body and mind. Users are often described to almost journey to the afterlife, before being pulled back by a large phoenix and engulf them in painful flames. The pain immediately jolts the user back to life but incredibly exhausted. This form can only be used once of twice in an entire lifetime.

## Known Users

* Suzume Ōtori
* Karasu Kajiwara
* Ahiro Nakada
* Takeshi Kajiwara
* Uzura Washi

## Trivia

* Bird Breathing is inspired by my love for birds and my knowledge of them.