After dropping his pack, Neji sat down against a tree on the edge of the clearing to catch his breath. A few moments later Tenten arrived just as winded as he was. Gai Sensei and Lee were already at the Konoha checkpoint reporting in, both were still on their feet and goading the other into running even faster back to town. The mission to protect a trade convoy from bandits had been so easy that they felt the need to overexert themselves on the trip back. As tired as he was, Neji took a moment to smile and admire their seemingly endless stamina.
A slight chill in the wind caused Neji to turn his attention toward the skies. What he saw confirmed his feeling, a storm was coming in their direction and would hit Konoha later in the afternoon.
"Worried about a few rain clouds Neji?" Tenten asked with a hint of fatigue in her voice. She pulled a red handkerchief from a pocket and wiped her excess sweat with it.
"Not really. The pace those two are setting, we'll beat the rain into town by a good half-hour."
"Tenten! Neji! Hurry up," Gai's boisterous voice beckoned from a position already outside the clearing, "we'll leave you behind if you don't catch up…" In the distance Neji could hear Gai and Lee exchanging playful banter, but it was too muffled to hear clearly.
Tenten offered Neji her hand which he used to right himself. Grabbing his pack from the ground, he motioned for Tenten to start out ahead of him.
When the walls of Konoha finally came into view the group slowed their pace. As they settled into a group walk Neji observed the slight bounce that Tenten always had when they arrived home from a mission; that combined with her honest smile were the sure indicators that she was happy. A few steps ahead were Lee and Gai. As they were walking Gai was teaching Lee an odd backwards walk which made it look like his feet were gliding.
Looking backwards Neji could see that they had beat the storm by around five minutes or so. Wind currents had blown it in faster than he had expected, but a quick walk home would keep them all dry.
While attempting the walk Lee tripped over his feet and fell in a most awkward fashion. Gai smiled and chided his pupil, "No Lee, you have to slide your foot backwards. Like this!" The seamless attempt from Gai seemed to leave sparkles in Lee's eyes.
Walking on ahead of them Neji looked over to Tenten and noticed that she was distracted. "Anything on your mind?"
"Oh nothing really. I'm just glad our mission didn't last any longer, I've got to get home to pack."
"Pack, whatever for?" Lee asked from behind. Neji was surprised that even in the middle of messing around with Gai that Lee had been paying attention.
"It's a secret." Tenten doubled her pace and arrived first at the gatehouse.
"Aaagh!" Lee tripped over himself again and landed face first in the road. "Ooah! I'll get it right next time or I'll do twenty laps up and down the hokage monument."
Gai's laughter came out at the same time thunder began to roll in the distant clouds. In an instant the sky seemed to darken. A bolt of lightning flashed in the late afternoon sky and Neji turned his attention forward to Tenten. She was reading a message at the gatehouse, but something seemed wrong. Dropping the note, Tenten ran off, unhooking her weapon scroll she dropped it on the ground.
"Something's wrong." Neji looked at Gai, who picked up Lee from off the ground.
Neji went for the note where Tenten had dropped it. Gai turned to Izumo, dragged him out of the gate booth and promptly asked what had happened.
"Don't bother Gai Sensei," Neji began as he finished reading the message, "Tenten is at the hospital." Handing his teacher the note, Neji turned in the direction Tenten had run off, "Her mother collapsed from a seizure."
Letting go of the guard, Gai put the note in his pocket and in a somber voice said: "I want you two to go straight home. I'll see Tenten at the hospital and see how she's doing. I'll come by later tonight to let you know how things are." Picking up the scroll from where Tenten had dropped it, Gai asked if he could leave it in the gatehouse, which Izumo agreed to.
It took Neji a few moments to redirect himself towards the Hyuuga household. Neither his head, nor his feet, wanted to turn away from the direction of the hospital. A pat on the back from Lee sent him on his way. The rain emptied the streets of what few people were remaining at this time. The night was growing cold and empty, feelings Neji was all too familiar with.