A loud "You're late!" issued from a bridge in Konoha. Some birds fled their nests in terror for their lives as Kakashi finally turned up to Team 7's meeting which was scheduled to begin half an hour ago.

After the three young ninjas had calmed down (even Sasuke had to get less peeved eventually), Kakashi finally introduced their mission.

"Okay, this one has no rank, and you're not getting paid," Kakashi began.

"What kind of mission is this!?" Naruto yelled.

"Shut up, Naruto," Sakura stated, about to hit Naruto.

"He has a point," Sasuke said, looking at Kakashi. Sakura stopped at once and looked at the jounin once again.

"This mission was sent directly from the Hokage," Kakashi explained. "You're not getting paid, but this mission is a kind of reward."

Naruto snorted. "What's baa-chan thinking?"

Kakashi ignored him and continued. "We are to meet at this large estate," he said, pointing to a spot on a map. "This is in the Fire Country, but not all that near Konoha. We are to set off immediately, so I suggest you pack now. Oh, and all you need to bring is clothes and toiletries."

"He coulda just told us it was a dud mission." Naruto grumbled as he walked back to his run-down apartment.

"Hn," Sasuke stated as walking to his estate. Sakura followed him, trying to make conversation, and after a long while, walked her own direction, sighing.

* * *

"All ready?" Kakashi inquired, sitting on a short pole, not looking up from his little orange book.

"Hai," the team chorused, sweatdropping at their ever-so-perverted sensei.

So the team set off, walking to their destination. Rather the ninja equivalent, which tends to involve a lot more tree branches.

* * *

The sun was slowly rolling down the sky, which was turning a red colour.

"Time to set up camp, while it's still light." Kakashi announced, "Naruto, and Sasuke, get us dinner, there's a stream a little over there," Kakashi stated, pointing behind the genins. "Sakura, stay here and help me set up."

"Hai, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said as the two set off to the stream. (Sasuke just said "Hn".)

Kakashi head off, coming back with some logs. Sakura arranged them with twigs and dead leaves underneath, then, feeling lazy, called Sasuke over.

* * *

Naruto and Sasuke reached the stream in no time, Naruto walking carefully to the river, rolling his sleeves up.

"Come on, fishies, I won't hurt you," Naruto said, his eyes gleaming maniacally, mouth letting off a little drool, after he got impatient.

"Wow, you really are dead last." teased Sasuke, who already had a pile of fish about a foot from the river.

"Sasuke-teme," shouted Naruto, who, surprised by a fish innocently crashing into his foot, lost balance and fell into the river.

Sasuke looked amused.

"Shut up, Sasuke-baka…" Naruto retorted, glaring and pouting at Sasuke as he stepped back on the stream.

"Hn," was Sasuke's reply. "Let's head back, I've got enough fish for a week."

"Sasuke, could I use you for a sec?" called Sakura from the campsite.

Naruto sighed, picking up the fish as Sasuke went ahead.

* * *

The team sat, their fish lent into the campfire.

Sakura and Sasuke sat at a safe distance from the fire, while Naruto sat as close as he could, since he was drenched.

"Jeez Naruto, can count on you to fall in a river at the first chance you get," said Sakura.

In reply, Naruto just pouted, hunching over a little more in a vain attempt at getting warmer.

They ate their dinner, which was rather quiet, apart from the random shiver from Naruto.

"I'm done," stated Naruto after what seemed his 20th helping. He happily slid into his sleeping bag after Sakura doused the fire.

* * *

Naruto woke up at 2:15 am when nature called. Just as he was returning to the campsite, a cloth of some sort was tied around his mouth. He tried screaming, trying to claw the cloth off, but it was too tight, and his screams were muffled. The creepy figure that muffled him dragged him out of view of the camp and he gave up trying to scream…

* * *

Sasuke's eyes flew open. He checked his watch, and it said 2:16am. He was just about to go to sleep again when he saw Naruto wasn't in his sleeping bag. He's probably just taking a piss, his mind reasoned, but he felt something was wrong.

He checked and saw his other two team-mates were sleeping soundlessly. He ignored the feeling and tried to get to sleep again.

He struggled for what he felt was an hour, before he heard footsteps.

* * *

Naruto felt sick. He was sick, a few times. The figure had left Naruto as a shaking mess, but Naruto curled up into a ball, not crying but shocked out of his mind. When he finally, shakily stood up, he decided he should get back to camp.

He didn't understand what happened, but it was horrible. He threw up again, and after a second he staggered to the stream. He washed his face, but his hands were cold, clammy, and still shaking. Pull yourself together, he told himself, it never happened. Nothing happened, so relax..

He stood up, leaning on a tree for a bit, before walking back to the camp site.

* * *

"You took long enough," came Sasuke's voice. Naruto just got into his sleeping bag.

"Do you have nothing better to do than see how long I piss for?" he muttered to conceal his trembling voice, "you're just as bad as Kakashi, but weirder."

Sasuke blushed with anger, "I just couldn't sleep, not everything's about you."

There was silence.

"…what happened?" Sasuke asked. There was some more silence.

"Nothing, I told you," Naruto replied. Sasuke sighed, checking his watch.

"You took half an hour to piss?" Sasuke said pointedly.

Someone yawned.

"Guys, stop talking about weird things and get to sleep already," Sakura told them sleepily.

Naruto turned away from Sasuke. "You heard her, we need to up early tomorrow."

"Che…" Sasuke said, angry at Naruto's unhelpfulness.