The trees raced past in a blinding green blur as she fled from her pursuers. Her brown hair whirling behind her as she darted and ducked through the brush and foliage. She had been on the run for four days now, her belly aching from hunger and her feet covered in blisters. She had been unfortunate to listen in on an exchange she was never meant to hear and it had resulted in the parties continuously trying to hunting her down. She had no idea who either of them had been and had barely even heard them speak other than a few exchanges she couldn't derive a meaning from, yet it has been still been costly. She scorned herself for wondering of the main path as she usually did in search of berries and other morsels to add to the days harvest. Her name was Rin and she had lived peacefully in the Land of Tea till the recent incident, making a living helping her family harvest crops and sell them to passing travellers and merchants. She was never brought up to pursue a life as a ninja but it had never stopped her from dreaming of being a kunoichi. The only reason she now managed to escape from the clutches of death was thanks to an old rouge ninja she had befriended over 4 years ago who had taught her the basics of tapping in to her chakra and using it to enhance her physical abilities. It had been helpful in her daily chores but it had now proven invaluable.
She was running as fast as she could now, lungs aflame with the efforts of her breathing and tears streaking her face. All she could hear was the hammering of her heartbeat and she didn't dare look back. After she had run till her legs felt like jelly and they could no longer hold her weight, she collapsed. She lay for what felt that felt like an eternity till the looming danger forced her to use her arms to pull herself underneath a bush of wild berries. It was then she heard the familiar sound of foot steps, light an agile as they moved in on her. Rin tried to stop her erratic breathing but it was no use. The gouge marks on the damp soil where she had dragged her body were as clear as day and even the most inexperienced rouge or ninja would spot them from a mile away. They where all around her now, she heard rustling and then felt a strong calloused hand grab her angle. The strength of the grip would surely leave a bruise but at that moment Rin couldn't feel anything. She was shuddering, blinded with terror she dug her fingers into the earth in a desperate bid to cling to something, anything. A hoarse scream cut though her like a knife and the hand released. Shouting and commotion was heard beyond the leafy barrier. She heard a hard thud and then what sounded like gurgling. Moments later another bout of shouts and more thuds. Now there was only silence. She waited. It was all she could do as her was still body frozen with fear. Just as she was building the courage to move another hand grasped her ankle again. Before she had time to even process it, she was lurched out from her hiding place and staring up into cruel blue eyes.
His face was splattered in blood and half hidden under blond hair. There was a kind of wicked delight in those eyes that frightened her more than her previous pursuers and her fear only deepened when the strangers mouth twisted into a lopsided smile. He looked her up and down then tilted his head.
"Well you weren't worth saving" His voice was smooth and deep, though she couldn't help but think it didn't sit right with his soft young features. "When I rescue a dame, I at least expect her to be pretty" he reached forward and wiped the grime off her face from when she had fallen. She didn't dare move, she didn't dare reply. She had spotted what had become of the rouges who had chased her. A knife protruded from a man's neck while another was split from groin to rib cage, his purple innards snaking along the ground.
"P-please don't hurt me". Rin wasn't sure who had spoken, the voice sounded small and strange to her but when the blonds eyes snapped back to hers she realised that small voice came from her own throat. He tilted his head again.
"Why shouldn't I"
"Please" she begged " please don't hurt me, I..I" She fumbled. She had nothing to offer him and tears were now falling freely from her eyes, body lurching as she tried to hold back her sobs.
"Wow, you're pretty pathetic..." he laughed. "And not to mention someone saves your life and you don't even bother to thank them? Add rude to that too."
"Th-thankyou"
"To late sweetheart, its not genuine now" he let out a mock sigh and glanced at the carnage. He was still holding a kunai, rolling the handle between his thumb and fingers half mindedly. Rin pushed her self up with her elbows and tried her shaky legs. The blond watched her, lopsided smile returning. He seemed about to speak when his head snapped to something unseen in the distance.
"Hm...looks like I have to go sweetheart" He disappeared almost as suddenly as he had appeared but not before giving her another smile that consisted more of amusement than friendliness. Rin numbly began her way home. She didn't know if anyone else would be sent after her and honestly she didn't care, her body still shook and she could feel the bile threatening to rise in there throat. She didn't care about anything at that moment except returning to the sanctuary of her own home and family.