The air around the village was like a vacuum and every creature inside the village was busy preparing for the coming battle.
The children were taken to the bunkers, along with the old and sick. The pets were set loose to find their own places to hide, those hidden places that only animals know. Meanwhile the guard dogs were taken to the village gates. The few trained fighters in the village were manning the walls, maintaining constant lookout for the enemy. The remaining men and women were preparing as best they could as they gathered various makeshift weapons and set up the defenses. Everything sharp was handed out, from kunai to kitchen knives. Everyone had a determined gleam in their eyes and no one was going to run away.
Tati ran up the stairs as quickly as she could.
Why has Oji-sama summoned me now, she wondered. I should be getting ready for the attack. She made a quick turn and continued down the hall to the villagehead's office.
Tati knew she was the most effective fighter in the village. Afterall she was one of the few who were ninja trained. Hah, she smirked, and of those who were she was the only one without a long white beard to hinder her movements.
As she skidded through the door to Oji-sama's office Tati made a quick bow in the direction of his desk. Looking up she saw he was not near the desk as usual, but over by the window that overlooked the village. Tati turned to face him with a self-depreciating smile.
"You called me, Oji-sama," Tati was bouncing on her feet eager to be moving. The potted plants in the room shivered.
He turned to look at her silently. Tati studied him in turn.
He was old with fuzzy grey hair all over his head and while he was short he remained upright. Only a tired sort of slouch in his shoulders showed how many hours he had spent bent over his desk. His bright eyes that normally held a twinkle had dimmed since before they got news of the pending attack. His expression was thoughtful, but unlike usual there was an intensity to it that showed in the lines on his face. All these changes weren't totally unexpected, the village was preparing for battle.
He took a step away from the window and his robes shifted as he beckoned her forward.
Tati walked forward as her curiosity began to be aroused.
"I have a job for you, Tati," Oji-sama sighed and turned away slightly.
"Of course, Oji-sama," she was full of pride that he had chosen her for a specific job. "Anything to protect the village, I'll fight to the death if I have to."
"NO! He cried, and Tati jumped slightly, then he lowered his voice once more, "No no, this job will mean you won't even be in the village during the attack," his gaze was steady.
Tati, meanwhile, was speechless. She wouldn't be in the village. She was was the best fighter the village had to offer. She was, in all honesty, their only chance. Yet Oji-sama was sending her away? It was... She couldn't...But...
"What! Why?" she asked, her frustration clear. "I want to fight for this place, it's been my home as long as I can remember."
He turned back, sighed, and put a hand on her shoulder. Tati slumped knowing any arguments she might have wouldn't help.
"I need you to take this message to Konoha. It's a ninja village no more than a few days away. Unfortunately this means you'll have to go through the enemy lines, which is why you're the only one who could do it," he looked her in the eye and Tati felt the full power of his gaze. "Do this Tati, you have to get there," he griped her shoulder firmly.
"Sure Oji-sama. I'll go to Konoha and bring back help in no time," she smiled bravely. He smiled sadly back and went to his desk.
"Here," he handed her a sealed scroll. "This is the message that you have to give to their hokage, and answer anything they ask, whatever it is" he smiled, "Good luck."
Tati smiled back as she took the scroll and gave him a quick hug, "Don't worry Oji-sama." She began to make some hand signs, "See you soon," and with minor transportation jutsu she was gone.
His smile faded knowing as he did the real reason that he had sent her away, and that this was the last time he would see her. The plants that had shivered with excitement earlier seemed to droop. He turned back to the window and waited for his village's eminent destruction.
Kakashi poofed into the hokage's office only fifteen minutes late. Afterall she was the Hokage so he thought promptness was appropriate. He stood there silently in his attentive slouch, hands in pockets, and waited.
Tsunade merely put aside her sake bottle without looking up, before holding out his mission brief.
"Alright Kakashi, I know it's not quite the standard of mission usual for you, but we're a little short handed at the moment. As a result you're going on patrol for a few days," Tsunade said happily as she reached for a report, somehow she ended grabbing her sake bottle instead.
Kakashi raised a eyebrow as he looked at the C rank mission, "Let me guess, covering the lack of mission able chunin teams by sending solo jonins?"
"Spot on," Tsunade replied, "And don't think you're getting out of it either, cause if you try I'll send Gai with you."
Kakashi sighed and tucked the brief into his vest, "Guess I have no choice then," he made some surprisingly lazy hand signs and poofed elegantly out of the office, away from the threat of spending days in Gai's company. Tsunade snorted and continued to work her way through her bottle of sake.