A/N: Ok this was a shorter one, it was originally because i was going to have a big naruhina bit but it took longer to set up than expected, so it'll be next chapter promise. also, i hate it when people purposefully wait to upload one massive chapter even when the scene is ready. I'm sorry but if i think its a good cliff hanger ill end it there and let you have little bits more often rather than large bits less often. although ill reverse it if it annoys everyone that much.
Disclaimer: i do not own naruto or anything related to it. please don't sue me.
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Hinata was sat crouched in a clump of bushes near the path, across it she could see Kiba and Shino's outlines. She'd been sat like this for at least forty minutes, but it was noon, and this was the time kurenai-sensei said she would expect them to be ready by.
Naruto was crouched right next to her, she couldn't stop looking over at him. Luckily he was far more focused than she was and wasn't being distracted. Hinata sighed inwardly.
I wish I was more like him…
Hinata began to daydream about all the times she'd wished, wished so badly, that she was more like him… To have his courage… or just his bluntness… just so she could talk to him about what he meant to her… She just wanted to tell him but…
She jumped as Naruto touched her arm lightly, hating herself for it, but he didn't notice.
"Hay, Hinata concentrate, here they come!" he mouthed.
Sure enough, rushing round the corner of the cliff were three figures, hinata could see with her enhanced vision that one was clutching a wounded arm. Another was limping slightly, hardly notable to the untrained eye. They were still dressed as normal villagers even though they were obviously not bothered with secrecy at this point in time.
They drew closer and hinata saw Naruto give hand signals to the others behind her, without even turning her head.
"Here we go." Naruto grinned in anticipation.
The men got to within eight feet of them, then suddenly a Black Mass erupted from the trees on both sides. The bugs engulfed the first man who yelled and flailed helplessly before being plummeted to the ground by a vicious tackle from Kiba and Akamaru.
The other two had managed to avoid the bugs however and began defending themselves.
"Fire style: Dragon Torrent Technique!" one cried as flames roared into life spinning around his body at break neck speed, distorting the air near him and forcing the bugs to retreat away.
Naruto Had engaged the third, Flooding the area with Shadow clones and was now Brawling at his best.
A clone lurched forward into a sweeping kick, the man jumped and drop kicked the clones head. It exploded in smoke, only to be replaced by another two tackling from both sides.
The man flipped and threw a volley of shuriken wildly. Killing two clones further away. He landed and started throwing punches at the nearest Naruto. It dodged but not well enough, soon it too was gone. More replaced it again however, soon he was fighting two or three at once.
Sudden shock rang through him as his arm stopped obeying orders and froze. He tried to throw a knee into the boys stomach to escape but again, nothing. Fear and confusion gripped his eyes as two smirking Naruto's symmetrically lunged forward.
"Wait! What's happen-! STOP!!" he cried in vain.
The clones both elbowed him in the face. And his world went dark. He fell to his knees with limp arms, then toppled over to his left. Teeth and blood scattering out before him.
Hinata stood still in her stance behind him. The closest clone winked at her before disappearing. She smiled but she had no time to enjoy her victory however.
Back near the edge cliff, Shino and Kiba were having trouble with the last man.
"God Dam it! Nothing touches this guy!" Kiba growled after another unsuccessful Assault. Anger obvious in his eyes. Shino, unable to really deal with fire style fighters was holding back, keeping an eye out.
Naruto was just about perform his Shadow Clone technique when something unexpected happened.
The man went wide eyed, his mouth dropped open and the flames died around him. Naruto could see a myriad of emotions crossing his face and then his eyes went narrow and lifeless. He fell forward onto his face and lay there, still.
They all stood and stared for a long moment. Before hearing someone land behind them softly. They span round in one motion.
"Well at least I didn't have to do all the work right guys?"
Kurenai Coyly grinned at them.
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Zorn Grinned to himself, he always beat them, they were so slow those two. He had been sat on this statue for a good half an hour now, yet he couldn't understand how he was the only one annoyed at the speed at which they took.
He was sat atop a cliff sized statue of a man facing another across a waterfall. There was a lake below and beyond that a forest stretching out as far as the eye could see.
Zorn twisted his neck round a little and shouted "Can't one of you two go look for them?" his normal tone of impatience shinning through.
The shorter of the two figures behind Zorn stood looking down at the waterfall cascading beneath them. He had cobalt blue shoulder length bushy, mane like hair. Swept to one side covering his right eye and revealing a large chain earring on his left ear, as well as dark blue Gothic style tattoo patterns spreading from his left eye about two inches. His eyes were an intriguing white and blue and he had a young looking face.
"ermmmmm… No." he said sarcastically with a boyish rebellious voice. "What's the matter Zorn, You cold up here with your lame choice of clothing?" he turned and raised a questioning eyebrow.
Zorn almost boiled over with rage, shooting up and leering back at the figure. "Ha! That's rich Pretty boy! Look at you, I'd rather be cold than ware that! You look like a woman!" he pointed at the boy gritting his teeth in revenge.
The figure looked genuinely shocked, he gripped his jacket and looked down on himself mouth wide open looking for words.
He was wearing his normal Large Gothic Black shin length Coat with a raised collar. There were lightning blue Gothic markings along the bottom corners and the sleeves. one large pattern on the back that twisted round and was visible from the side as well. The patterns shared the same style as the tattoos on his face continuing down his neck under his clothing. It had Old English officer style blue shoulder pads, long sleeves, an closed front with black belts around his waist and lower chest. There was a larger belt and silver buckle and below this the jacket was open so his navy blue trousers and Gothic boots are visible. A bright silver chain was wrapped around both shins. There were also a few straps that are lose and are hanging from his back and front.
Stricken, he looked to the figure next to him, "Canice! I don't look like a woman do I!?"
Canice, much taller than both of them, wore a large white hood with a pale yellow Celtic style border covering all but his lower face. This hood is complemented by a knee Length white robe that shares the pale yellow border down the edges and the front. There is a wide leather belt around the middle keeping it closed. It has long sleeves and slightly flared wrists. The trousers and boots are a pale Grey colour. Under his hood and covering the lower half of his face up to the top of his cheeks are bandages. These can been seen around both forearms and hands and even his feet. Over all this is a number of brown leather pieces of armour, shoulder pads, elbow protectors, shin pads & straps holding various small knifes on his back.
Canice raised one arm and patted the smaller boy on the shoulder, "No Tormey, You do not look like a girl." His voice was friendly and well pronounced, holding a calming aura.
Tormey rounded on Zorn. "Aha! See, out voted! You're the one with the lame ass clothes you baka!"
The two began shouting abuse and pulling faces at each other in the background. Canice knew they wouldn't even have a clue the others were approaching them. He simply waited for the inevitable…
A combined chorus of "AHHH!!" followed shortly afterwards from behind him, turning to look he saw exactly what he expected.
Tynan stood smirking at the two handfuls of green and blue hair he had a firm grasp on and was twisting violently. The other two were kneeling and clutching there heads complaining loudly.
"Look what happens, when you let your guard down!" Tynan Boomed and burst out laughing, only Shayne was able to not winch at the sound. Tynan still didn't fully get how to laugh nicely.
Shayne approached Canice and started to confer while the others fooled around. "Well, I think we should move out as soon as possible. The further away we are the less chance there is of us running into anyone from that village again."
Canice nodded in agreement. "I think that would be best. But there's a problem."
"Oh yes, What problem?" Shayne asked puzzled.
"Well, we didn't really have enough time in that last village to talk about the local geography, we don't know where the nearest village is or how to get there. And we can only run off into the woods for so long."
Shayne mused this for a moment, "Well all we can really do then is head off and hope we run into someone we can follow back to some ware" he said finally.
"Ok then fair enough. But then what way do we head off in?" Canice pondered.
Shayne new it was a good question. Looking round the landscape there were no far off indications of a village or town. Just trees, lots and lots of trees.
Great. Where do I go now?
Tynan was still play fighting with the other two. But he got a bit violent with Tormey's hair and he kangaroo kicked him over to the other statue.
Shayne's thought path was broken off with the flying image of the tall and heavy Tynan going flying over him, Following it with his eyes but not moving his hand from his chin.
Hmph. Now that's something you don't see everyday.
Tynan landed with a thump but got up straight away.
"Alright! Alright!, don't go throwing me around cliffs now just because I touched your hair pretty boy… baka." He grumbled.
Tynan stood up and clenched his teeth, ready to run back over there and give him a slap. Then a ringing sound flew past his left ear and a flash of silver cut his cheek. A kunai lodged itself in the ground a few feet in front of him. He span and scowled along the tree line.
The others had stopped and were now watching, but knew better than to charge in.
Then a voice echoed across out of the trees.
"That was just a warning shot!"
Two ninja's in green sleeveless jackets and metal headbands appeared a couple hundred yards in front of Tynan. There was a strange curled symbol on the headband Tynan did not recognise. Both had kunai draw in each hand.
"We are scouts of the Hidden Village Of the Leaf, What is your business in the Fire country?"
A/N: Yes, that place is supposed to be the scene where naruto fights sasuke. If my memory serves me well i belive it was a border between the wind and the fire country. but don't quote me on that, just go with it. xD
Next Chapter: A major slip-up leads to a long night out & We've found a path.
