The Bliss of Ignorance
(Disclaimer: We don't own Naruto or any characters other than Amaya/Miyome)
The sun was just falling under the horizon, casting long ribbons of gold into the vibrant sky. Shadows of the mountain lines could be seen in the distance. Fireflies swarmed from their safe houses in the thickets as crickets began a continuous hum. Two hooded figures riding a massive shimmering white wolf plodded from around a tight bend. They continued at a reckless pace, whizzing past birds at full speed. Dirt kicked up in their trail leaving an impenetrable curtain of smog behind them. Not a single note could be heard from the soft padding on the wolfs feet. The three came to an abrupt stop at a fork in the road, the first figure slid from the pearly white back of the canine whilst the other clung for dear life, its fingers intertwined with its snowy strands. The black hooded figure pulled back its hood to reveal her pale white eyes and bright silver hair. Two silver streaks sat on her creamy cheeks, her name was Amaya Inuzuka, of the Inuzuka clan. She diverted her attention to the second figure, she too pulled back her hood. Her name was Miyome Ryuu, of the gallant Ryuu clan. She had bright orange hair and deep burgundy orbs, she rummaged through her nap-sack she had pulled from out of her grey cloak. Amaya tapped her foot nervously as her translucent eyes scanned the forest for any movement. Finally Miyome yanked out a large map from her sack and stashed her sack away as Amaya snatched it from her hands.
"We need to go right." she whispered, examining the beaten trail.
She kneeled, placing a hand on the trail looking for any previous visitors. She took one last look before pulling herself back onto the wolf's back. She patted the wolf's neck as he leapt from his immobile position. Her nose tinged as the smell of burning wood met her nostrils. A small plume of smoke rose from the behind them in the south. It didn't phase her in the least bit, there were several small villages out skirting the dense forest.
"What do you think that could be?" she heard a whisper in her ear. Miyome had leaned forward as close as she could get to Amaya and was desperately clinging to the shaft of her sword. 'she's more worried than I am.' she thought.
"Probably a Village, there's a whole crap load of them back there, we passed a few on our way in here."
"You don't think it's the Trackers do you?" Miyome mumbled in a shaky voice.
"The trackers are water ninja's from the rain village, not fire." Amaya replied. In truth she found it hard to convince herself. The ninjas from the rain village were just as capable of setting fire to a village as the ninjas from the fire village.
Darkness quickly enveloped the land, striking it with an ebony shadow of endless clouds. Amaya pulled on the pelt of her wolf companion as a rushing sound echoed around her. 'What is that noise' she thought to herself. Than it hit her, like a bullet to the brain, the smell of dampness and moister wafted her nostrils.
"Rain." she muttered as an colossal wall of rain headed their direction. Almost immediately her canine steed dodged into the safety of a tall elm tree.
"Is it them." Miyome whispered as silently as possible.
"Not sure, but we best keep moving." Amaya uttered. Amaya was always calm and collective when it came to being outdoors, Miyome however panicked easily when it came to being out on missions. But her sheer perfection of Taijutsu masked this imperfection. Like all of Amaya's family, she was well suited in tracking, hunting and could survive in the harshest conditions. Amaya was extremely skilled in marksmen ship and could hit an enemy in the eye from well over a mile away. The two worked well together as a team, and could come out of a battle unscathed and untouched, when they were out numbered and out-skilled.
Miyome fumbled with the shaft of her sword, picking at the delicate embroidery. Her father had given her the sword, and although it was much larger than her, she was able to master it in a few short years. Amaya used silver needles as a main weapon, they gave her pin-point precision and the upper hand, they were silent and deadly. She lacked in hand-to-hand combat, and although she could hold her own, she proffered to attack from afar, hidden in a cluster of bushes, or even disguised as a black wolf, her Kekkei Genkai.
Kangetsu, the enormous white wolf, lunged from tree to tree, avoiding the slick puddles that dotted the path below them.
Miyome breathed heavily in Amaya's ear, her bright red eyes scanned the quickly passing forest. Soon an open clearing came into view and all trees disappeared. Kangetsu, her canine steed, stopped on the last branch before the meadow, nearly throwing Amaya and Miyome head-first into the tree stripped clearing. A light wind carried the rain, creating a rippling effect on the long emerald grass. The ocean of greensward swung in the delicate but harsh breeze. Miyome pulled a soggy map from her sack and gazed at the washed ink.
"It should be right over that hill.". Her voice echoed in the empty meadow and scattered the blackbirds hiding in the under-brush.
Amaya took one swift glance at the map before pulling her hood over her eyes. Kangetsu launched from the branch and landed heavily on the faint path, its once prominent features now washed out by thick grass. Miyome and Amaya slid from kangetsu's back and he returned to normal size in a puff of pale blue smoke.
"No sign of Human life."
"Don't let your guard up." Amaya replied in a dull whisper. She took a final glance-around before following Miyome up the water-run hill.
"So what do you think these body guards will be like?" Miyome gasped as they pulled themselves through the thick muck.
"What do you think the house will be like? It better not be a hut, or else I'll take my chances with the rain ninja's." she mumbled, pulling her foot from the mud with a loud sucking sound.
Amaya looked up from her mud-ridden feet just as she came to the peak of the hill, a softly lit cabin sat beside a clump of pine trees. From what she could see it appeared that it was two stories, she stared through the long windows that enameled the front of the building, giving a clear insight to the living room and staircase. There were two balconies jutting out from the walls on opposite sides, the rest of the cabins contents were shrouded by thick fir and pine trees.
The moon peaked from the ebony clouds above the three-some illuminating the steel plated bands on Amaya's neck and above Miyome's bangs. The two turned to stare at the iridescent orb high above them.
Miyome had forgotten it was night, her senses had become so sharp from Tsunade's training that she had forgotten what it was like to know the difference between night and day. She trudged up to Amaya who had become immobile at the peak of a large rolling hill, mud swimming up to her heels. The rain had slowly evaporated and few stars were visible through the haze that lay on the open pasture. Miyome stared at the pale lit house and then gazed at Amaya. She stared at her for advice on what to do, when it came to being out-doors, Miyome was completely lost. Amaya yanked her foot from the dense mud, causing a small golden pendant to slide from her cleavage, it had a silvery-white pearl on the top peg, but the second was empty. Miyome had wanted to mention as to why there was only one pearl like gem-stone on the necklace, but never conjured the courage to do so.
Amaya Trudged down the hill, sliding a few feet every so often, sending her heart a-flutter. She squinted her eyes, watching for Miyome and Kangetsu as they made their way slowly down the hill. She felt the touch of cold metal grace against her supple chest, her heart did a back flip, but when she realized it was only her necklace and not a shuriken, she quickly tucked it away.
"Come on your guys, it not safe out here, lets go!"
Amaya muttered loudly enough for them to get the point. Still shaken from the necklace incident, her foot steps quickened to a near running pace before she realized that Miyome had stopped at the foot of the hill. She turned at the silent figure, her companions cloak clinging to the breeze. A silvery tear slid down her cheek but her feet began to move once more.
Miyome tried to brush past Amaya, but she refused to budge. So without escape from Amaya's cold gaze, she turned with her head held low, a ninja never showed their emotion, and she would rather be damned than have her best friend and idol see her cry.
"What's wrong?" Amaya could sense Miyome's hesitance, like she didn't want to express her emotion. It was perfectly understandable though, Miyome was never one to want to show weakness, for as long as Amaya had known her. Miyome had always been her best friend and the two shared a secret bond, both idolized each other.
"I don't want to leave my family." Miyome replied, wiping a stream of tears pouring from her blood-red eyes.
"I don't want to leave my home, I miss my family. I didn't want to train with Tsunade. I knew we would have to leave our family. I've broken all of my family bonds just so I can run in fear?" She practically screamed.
"I know, I hate this war just as much as you do. But this is where we have to stay until this whole thing blows over." Amaya replied in a calm voice, placing her hand on Miyome's shoulder. Amaya began to hum a little tune before a solemn voice popped up from beside her.
"I said I was depressed, not deaf."
"Haha, your so very funny." Amaya glared at Miyome's back.
In secret, Amaya smiled at Miyome's antics, for she too felt the strings holding her heart fail, letting her heart plunge into a deep depression. Amaya had disowned her family long before her training began with Tsunade and the war between lands issued. Before she realized it, she was walking on smooth stones, each leading closer to the cabin, which was now a mere 10 feet from her.
Miyome paused at the door and turned to Amaya. She stood there next to Kangetsu in the rain while Miyome stood beneath the shelter of the front porch. Finally Miyome had had enough, she was now anxious to see who her body guards were, and not to mention get the heavy pack off of her back. Miyome had begun to get impatient, her hair stuck to her face and back in the most annoying way, her legs were chaffing from her soaked dress, and on top of that, she had mud caked on her toes.
Finally Amaya walked to the door and placed her hand on Miyome's, pushing the door open together. The threshold was warm and inviting and smelled of cinnamon. Sitting on a large couch a few feet in front of the trio sat a long haired chunin reading a magazine with the words 'The Insider' printed in bold letters on the front. A second chunin stood in the corner behind the first, his pale aqua eyes shining in the dark shadows that contoured his cold features. Amaya was hesitant and looked to Miyome for advice, Miyome found it hard to trust anybody, but when she gazed over at her, she had to take a double-look. Miyome was gawking, Amaya was stunned! She had never seen Miyome gawk at anybody. The long brown haired boy with pale lavender eyes stood in front of her hesitantly and bowed a deep bow, nearly touching his feet, in her opinion.
"I am Neji Hyuuga." he announced to the group, "And this is Gaara-san." He noted to the silent red head in the corner of the room.
She looked to the second chunin, he pushed himself from the corner and walked over to her. She pulled her hands close to her body, making an invisible shield between him and her. Her heart pounded every time his feet touched the ground. She felt faint and light headed as he neared her. 'Oh dear god please don't touch me.' she thought in fear of fainting. Just as Neji had done to Miyome, he bowed deeply, keeping his eyes on her, something seemed odd about him, he had deep black lining encircling his eyes, contrasting his pale iris's.
"I'm Amaya Inuzuka, this is Kangetsu and Miyome Ryuu." she said in a near whisper, pointing to Miyome and her silent wolf.
Miyome's throat had clenched up and she couldn't even mutter her name. 'AHH he must think I'm retarded!' she screamed at herself, blushing furiously. she now became increasingly angry at Amaya, she had to save her from this most embarrassing situation.
Miyome cleared her throat. "You two must be our body guards that Tsunade sent to protect us, right." she said with a sour note on the word protect.
"Correct." Gaara-san said, his voice sounded like a thousand singing wolves in Amaya's ears.
"And your future room mates." Neji noted.
Both Amaya and Miyome's heads began to ring, as though everything was finally settling in. 'Room mates? What am I doing here.' the two thought in unison.
