After the collapse of the village hidden in the sound, or rather more importantly, the small countries sounding the hidden sound, the wilderness around the area became dangerous, more so then it already was, however not for Riruko. The black haired girl traveled lightly, mostly on the back of a large boar, carrying few things with her. She didn't need much, she had no problem curling up to the feral hog at night or finding her own food for her dinner.
The forest grew wild, no people this far out to worry about per say besides the occasional bandit and traveler, however in such a state, it allowed for the flora and fauna to get much larger then it would have previously.
Trees grew much larger than any shinobi could jump from and underbrush grew so quickly any path that was not trumped down daily was over grown.
Walking slowly and lazily down a small mound of dirt, Riruko leaned back as her friend's hooves traversed the well packed ground, just has he did everyday.
"Buta, do you hear something strange?" The black eyed girl asked the pig, who grunted in response and stopped in his tracks. The pig bent his neck just a bit, looking behind him. His girl never spoke much, he knew something must be wrong.
He could hear it to. Someone was coming, moving slowly but moving none the less. They walked in moss so as to cover their foot steps, however it mattered not to the bonded pair. They knew every inch of this forest and being the sensory type, knew the footfalls of each creature in it.
"I think I know them," the dark haired girl muttered, Buta carefully maneuvering his trotters to double back the way he'd just came. The group they'd heard was not far behind them.
"I'll be..." She whispered. Her dark eyes looked astonished as her mouth fell a little slack, "Sasuke Uchiha."
"Riruko," he offered, his own dark eyes looked somewhat defeated, the man himself looked tired however his body language was still as proud and rigidly cold was ever. He hand a deep frown upon his face and a sword on his hip, elbow resting on it. He wore black pants, his legs wrapped from mid calf to his ankles with dirty bandages, his top half wore a V-neck that was almost t- shirt looking with one of his family crests around his neck on a chain that reminded her of his brother. A purple rope served as a belt and sling for his weapon. Over all he was filthy from traversing the wilds.
"You grew up," she commented. She herself wore animal skins and went barefoot, the bottoms of her feet so dirty it matched her knee length hair and eyes. She was tan from the sun and her skin was like leather from the elements. The tan helped hide the dirt she surmised, priding herself on her much cleaner appearance than her friend's.
"As did you," the seemingly depressed man stated flatly. She was five years older, of course she would always seem grown up compared to him.
"Your family hasn't been in such a while, I'm afraid I don't have anything for you," she explained in as few words as she could.
"My family has grown a considerable amount smaller since we were children. There are only two of us remaining," Sasuke didn't give any other information besides that and she did not ask.
"Itachi?" She asked. She could almost see a feeling of dread wash over him.
"No," he said quietly. She nodded solemnly, she knew how much he loved his brother when they were young.
"My condolences," the breeze nearly swept away her words with the leaves.
"I need to ask a favor of the Inoshishi clan. My.. My father did you all a great favor in the past, I know," Sasuke's face changed to something unreadable, his tone very proper.
"I will see," she answered, hoping he also got the message hidden in her words that she and Buta were also the only ones left.
Sasuke turned his back then and walked away, not taking a single look back to see if she would fallow. Buta grunted, asking in his own language what he should do, but a simple squeeze with her heels got him moving foreword trailing Sasuke.
His camp was a mess. A blond headed man clad in black and orange sat at one end, resting on a rotted log, while a silver (almost blue really) haired swordsmen sat next to a bispectacled red headed woman clutching an ebony haired baby on a freshly fallen tree.
The air in the camp was stale with tension.
"You found her Sasuke?" The blond was quick to ask before they'd even come to a stop. Sasuke simply nodded.
"Great, here, take him," the red haired woman spat, standing up and stomping to Sasuke so quickly it could have burned a hole in the forest. She shoved the baby, which was clearly Sasuke's into his arms, and walked away, arms folded, and took her seat next to the swordsman. She wouldn't make eye contact with any of them, but was clearly happy to be rid of the baby.
"Tch," the blond man was by Sasuke's side, scowling at the woman's actions, taking the baby carefully from him and rocking him as he began to fuss. The blond smiled warmly bouncing the baby boy softly.
"I'm Naruto, by the way, I'd shake you hand but I'm a little busy," he beamed. Riruko smiled politely and nodded. She was glad his hands were full, she had no desire to touch him.
"That's Karin and Suigetsu, don't mind them," Naruto assured her, earning another nod. The woman, Karin glared daggers at him all while Sasuke stood awkwardly. Riruko was beginning to get an idea what favor Sasuke had in mind.
"No," she said firmly. That was the end of the conversation in her eyes, a simple no.
"Riruko," Sasuke said in a tone that might have been confused for pleading, "I need this favor, I don't know what else to do."
"This is no place for a child!" She scolded, Buta grunting in agreement.
"It's been nearly eleven years since I've been here last, I didn't know the compound no longer existed," Sasuke was getting frustrated in his own cool headed way,
"No," she stated again and she meant it.
"You must!" The ebony haired man insisted, "you owe me, your-" Sasuke began.
"Do not mention my father!" Riruko spoke over him. Once she realized how loud she'd been, she put her head down and sighed. If he was going to play that card then she must. Her father did owe something to Fugaku, even if they were both long dead.
"I will agree to look after him, however, you must make this trade of equal!" She demanded, her boar partner growing restless under her. Sasuke only nodded and then took his infant son from Naruto, handing him softly to Riruko.
"His name is Itachi."