The words drew Kazue's eyes from her target for a split second, but just that for her recognition of the voice. It was more than ample preparation for that supportive movement and, rather than inspire a degree of caution for a lack of familiarity, bolstered her focus on the task at hand. Sealing scorpions wasn't a task she was unfamiliar and unpracticed in, but it was one of many tasks treated with respect to the target.

Still, she could afford to speak and the fact of the matter was that she wanted to if the smile that graced her was any indication. Enacting a close range tactic unnecessarily wasn't in her immediate plans, though, and a simple shift of her hand saw Takkun swiftly take his leave from her shoulder to skitter across the sand at breakneck speed. He was equally swift in skidding to a stop, sand made to intentionally fly at the agitated female scorpion. The taunting he would begin would increase that agitation and he was ridiculously speedy in jumping back not once, but twice when she moved in to strike.

Wash, rinse, repeat.

"I may have gotten a little enthusiastic while training," Kazue admitted, glad to see the scorpions had shifted their focus to the tanuki.

With the female scorpion far enough removed from her partner, Kazue used Takkun's last taunt as an opportunity to move in, flip, and seal her whilst directing Takkun to bar the male access with what amounted to a run-by redraw of focus. Of course, it was then that a certain realization dawned on her.

"Did you come because of that?"

Because of her lateness, that is, the possibility earning a measure of surprise. Gaara may very well have eyes shifting between him and the rather humorous display playing out between Takkun and the male scorpion, the latter's attempts to flee consistently thwarted by the tanuki's antics.