Missing
Disclaimer: I own none of them, nothing at all. sad face
Rating: R (to be on the safe side)
Sage sighed as she watched the clouds pass by overhead, it was already getting dark out the sun hanging low in the sky, but what was the point of going back if all that was there was fighting. Shifting her position to rest more comfortably on the tree branch, she let her gaze shift from the sky above to the forest floor below her.
The forest.
The one place she felt at home. The only place that she could call home now. Nevertheless, she was not here to think not of that, however it seemed the more she thought about things the more they looked dismal and hopeless.
Because when she began to think she thought about what happened a few months ago. What was probably still going on right now and what was going to happen to her if she ever was pulled back into that. She did not want to go back.
Ever.
All the things that she had been through that she had been witness to were something she never wanted to experience again, never wanted to expose her mind to. However, nothing lasts forever. Hence why she is now residing in a tree in the middle of nowhere far from a bed and warm room with food.
A rustle overhead startled her out of her musings with out thinking she reached into her side pocket and pulled out a shuriken, throwing it in the direction the noise came from. All with in seconds.
The noise stopped right as a small bird dropped from the leaves and landed on the ground below. Still on alert, she kept her hand by her side pocket while her eyes scanned the area her ears straining for any foreign noise.
Nothing.
Turning her attention to the bird below her, she disappeared only to appear on the ground next to the unfortunate creature. Sighing she pulled out the weapon before cleaning it off and slipping it back into her pocket. The world was not a forgiving place and it seemed neither was fate.
Fickle and cruel thing that it was.
A nightingale.
The songbird of the night. That was what her blade had killed, what life she had chosen to end, turning away; she stopped a few feet away before going back and picking up the broken creature. Finding the fox den that she had seen earlier she left it outside the door before disappearing back into the forest.
She made her way from tree to tree jumping from branch to branch keeping her ki and charka hidden as she passed through different territories, it would not do her any good to be caught now.
Stopping a few feet away from the river she had spotted earlier, she climbed into the tallest and heavily leafed tree. Digging through her pockets, she pulled out a small cloth, unwrapping it showed a small collection of edible berries that she had gathered a few days ago.
Three.
Not enough but it would have to do. Grabbing one, she plopped it in her mouth, letting it roll around on her tongue before sucking on it. After a few more times of doing this she bit down on the soft outer flesh, the semi bitter sweet taste washing over her taste buds and making her hungry for something more fulfilling.
Re wrapping the clothe she placed it back into her side pocket and settled against the tree for the night. Half way into the night, she heard the sound of soft footfalls. Eyes snapping open she became fully awake, her body ready for what ever was about to happen.
The adrenaline pumping through her veins, heart pounding wildly in her chest as every muscle tensed for the attack. The forest went silent before a hand full of stars cut through the air and hit the bark where she used to be.
Moving swiftly through the trees she slipped into the shadows avoiding another handful of shuriken as they rained down upon her. Eyes and ears straining to see the enemy she spotted a shadow move a few yards away.
Keeping him in her site, she stealthily moved through the shadows before being struck by a sickle, the weapon going through her chest and out her back.
A shadow emerged from the darkness and stood over the fallen body before watching it vanish, a log in its place. Eyes widening he turned around too slowly to avoid the barrage of weapons as they sliced through his body to pin him to the tree.
Not waiting to see if he was a copy or not Sage darted through the forest heading towards the river. She could feel two bodies following instead of three. Well at least that was one less enemy to fight. Skidding to a halt she darted into a near by tree the chain just missing her body, only skimming her upper arm.
Shaking from the adrenaline rush she tried to calm her body down but it was way too wired from running for so long with out proper nourishment or sleep.
She was not going to make it.
She could feel them closing in on her, hear the sound of the chain as it sailed through the air towards her just missing her. She glanced once at the clearing before jumping from her hiding place and rushing towards the water.
If she could get there then she would be safe. Pushing her already weary body past its limits, she dodged the blade coming at her, jumping over the person her body twisting around to kick the figure in the face, her left leg following the first to knock the figure back.
Without missing a beat, she landed on the ground and kicked out at the figure's feet before plunging his own weapon into his forehead, his blood splattering across her face and clothes. Pivoting on her heals she blocked the claws coming at her before moving away from the katana coming down at her, the blade grazing the side of her neck.
Eyes flashing she lashed out at the figure, the sound of metal clashing echoing through out the clearing as the two continued to fight. Using what little charka she had left she pulled the figure forward, using his captured arm to pull him to her.
Putting him off balance for a moment, she moved her face a few feet from his own before her lips parted just the slightest, the figures eyes widening in understanding. The image of a girl the last thing he saw before everything went black.
Sage backed away from the headless corpse, letting the body fall to the ground. Quickly digging through their pockets, jumping at every little noise she only grabbed the essentials. Before lumping the bodies together, a few hand signals later and the bodies were burning, the pale blue fire consuming every inch of the three enemies.
Casting one last look around the clearing, she raced off towards the river, keeping to the water she made her way back down river hoping to throw them off by heading back into the last place they thought she would go.
It was dawn by the time she had found a safe place to rest, her body tired and worn out. Cuts and bruises marred her once soft skin, dirt and blood stained her clothes. Clothes that she had worn on her graduation day, her birthday, the ones that her sister had picked out for her saying that just because she was a ninja did not mean she could not try to look like a girl.
She could feel the tears welling up but she did not let them fall. She could not that would be admitting defeat and she would never give in, not to this, not to death, not even to him. Especially not to him, she would rather the enemy have her then fall to him.
If he was still alive.
But then hadn't she tried before? Hadn't they all tried before, everyone that had opposed him and his ludicrous plans. Hadn't they rallied up and fought against him, thinking they had destroyed him only to find out it was a trap.
So they scattered, retreated to survive and fight again. Only they didn't escape. Instead, they were hunted down and killed not as a human should be but slaughtered like animals. Those that had escaped were children the oldest ones being herself and two others.
Rounding every one up they took the smaller children's head bands making sure no one could tell where they came from, telling them that if they told who they were that would mean their life. That they had to forget about everything precious to them because they weren't getting it back.
Then they cast them to the four winds sending a small group to each corner, each with a different story to tell praying no one would ask too many questions but who would once they saw their eyes.
Broken was the only word to describe the look inside them.
No. No one would ask questions.
So with that task taken care of and promising that they alone would take care of the past they set off together. It wasn't long before they were found not by the enemy but by them, those that had betrayed them.
They fought bravely enough, skillfully enough but in the end, she was the only one that had survived. Now she was running from moment to moment wondering when the next attack was going to happen, where it was going to come from and if...she was going to survive it. She had to survive it, because there was someone she had to kill.
A promise she made that she had to keep, one that was made long before those kids, before she watched as everyone precious to her was slaughtered like cattle, before the only thing she saw was death and blood.
It was the promise she made when she was small like them, when she was unable to run, when there was no one to help her escape and hide. It didn't matter if he was no longer alive, if they had failed in their plans and were destroyed. As long as she was hunted, she believed him to be alive.
Alive and waiting for her, to continue where he had left off. To come back and finish tearing apart her soul, blackening her heart and poisoning her mind and body. She knew he wasn't finished; he only delayed it because he found something else to occupy his time.
She was grateful for that until she learned what it was that had saved her from further pain and torment. Shivering she curled up around herself, hugging her knees to her chest. Trying to stop the shivers that racked her body, she hugged her arms tighter hoping that would stop it.
She could feel her body shutting down, her conscious mind slipping away as the rush wore off, and she came down from the high. She just had to rest for a few moments before she continued on again, she couldn't stay for longer than an hour or so.
She couldn't afford it.
The outline of a small blue bird was the last thing she saw before darkness consumed her and she fell into a deep sleep. Missing the four shadows that were coming towards her and stopped a few feet away before moving quickly towards her.
Four shadows stretched out and covered her body just as the four figures stopped to stare down at the girl they had found. Reaching out a tanned hand brushed against her shoulder before being pushed aside by a large pale hand.
The larger hand brushed up against her neck checking for a pulse, after a few minutes the hand pulled back.
The shadows retreated leaving an empty space on the forest floor, where a young girl had once been all that was left was a small imprint of a body. The four shadows were retreating back from the direction they had come from, one looking a little misshapen.
So what do you think? I'm not done with it yet probably going to be a few more chapters. Thanks for reading and reviewing!
KB