Rumors were going around the Kumogakure about ninja from Otogakure being seen sneaking around by the Fire Daimyo's outcropping of buildings. The choice was easy enough to make, the trio of family quickly pack in the middle of the night and left the house to go check it out. One member wasn't allowed to go on missions, being seen as a useless member of society by her village since her fall from grace. Hoshimi sat on the boat heading towards the Land of Hot Water, where they would carefully make their way towards where the rumor's were situated. Kuroi sat on the boat, her orange eyes staring at her sister sadly, she hated it when Hoshimi got silent because it meant that she was thinking about it again. Raiden set his hand on his youngest daughter's shoulder as the two of them watched the older girl brood in silence; it was difficult for them all. It had been three years since she had come back. Hoshimi was glad to be getting away from her village, as much as she use to love where she had lived she now no longer did; she set the tips of her fingers against the top of the water, heading towards the Land of Fire was hard for her. She'd spent a year of her life their, with the boy she had almost fallen in love with, her golden eyes stared down at the water under the boat as they rode, her eyes sad and dim colored.
"-mi!" Kuroi's voice finally got through to her sister as she blinked and looked back.
"Yes?" She asked staring at her sister.
"I've been wondering, what are we going to do about this whole thing." She asked crossing her arms.
"We scout the area, look for any signs of movement, if we find any track it, eliminate the threat of Otogakure bothering the Daimyo before it happens." Hoshimi answered seriously, her eyes changing to a color close to bronze as she shut down her feelings.
Hoshimi was seventeen, and the girl was still only the rank of Chunnin, although that was just for show anyways since she wasn't allowed to do missions, she wasn't allowed out of the village unless she went to train on Turtle Island, a place she went to for days on end. It was the only place she could even get peace. Kuroi didn't like going inside the dark forested turtle, the animals were larger than her and the whole place screamed danger; she just didn't like it and wouldn't dare to step in alone. Hoshi on the other hand thrived in the area, she'd probably completely move out of the house if Raiden had let the older girl; but he wouldn't not when she was stuck and not allowed to live as she wanted. /Time skip/ By the end of that night they had landed and made a small camp, Hoshi laid in her blanket staring up at the stars above her, they looked the same as they did in Kumo but the feeling was different, she almost felt as if she was free. In the morning they left carefully looking for any signs of movement or tracks around them. The family split up, Hoshi into the trees to the right side, Raiden to the left and Kuroi right down the middle as they searched. Hearing talking coming her way Hoshi quickly crouched down on the branch silently waiting, the voices rang clearly, voices she knew very well.
"Lee knock it off." Neji's voice had grown mature, a bit deeper.
"Yes of course Neji!" Lee said in his usually cheerful voice.
"We're going to get caught." Tenten said with a sigh.
They stepped out into the clearing below her, seeing Neji after all these years made Hoshi's heart pound while her chest tightened, with a painful throb she grabbed at her chest trying to keep the physical pain from overwhelming her, it actually hurt to see him right before her. He still wore his black hair long and held back in his usual loose ponytail, how long his hair had grown, he wore the more traditional outfit of the Hyuuga clan signaling that something had happened between the family. Seeing him so grown up and mature was something Hoshi hadn't been expecting as she stared down at him from above, she turned rustling a branch to her side as she quickly jumped away from them.
"Stop! Show yourself." Neji called out sternly.
Hoshi paused on the branch she had jumped to, she had two options, she could run away like a coward and not face him or she could control herself enough to face him, she took a deep breath closing her eyes before turning and jumping down into the clearing to face him. The emotions that played across his face hurt her worse than she thought it would, recognition and then curiosity and finally a small amount of warmth.
