Chapter Two: Evanthall

Pairings: GaaraXNeji, NarutoXSasuke (others may later be revealed...)

Sun shone down brightly over the larger city of Evanthall, lighting up the glittering gold and fine products being sold in the thriving market square below. Silks, spices, and other foreign products that had been brought in on wagons the night before, were being displayed and many of the townspeople could be seen laughing and drinking merrily together, watching the street performers sing and dance in brightly colored costumes, hoping for the little extra money their performances would earn.

Gaara a boy of 18 years with dark red hair cut short in places and braided in others, had chosen not to join in the festivities, to the townspeople's quiet relief. It was painfully obvious that he wasn't part of the town. He stood out, wearing bright shawls around his head and waist, along with many necklaces, belts, rings, and bracelets made of beads, twine and fools gold.

The noise coming from the people who were currently filling the square, was only adding to the dull ache building in between Gaara's strikingly green eyes. It had been the same the past few days he and Naruto, his best friend, had visited the market square in the city. Gaara was convinced that the ill feelings he was getting were more or less from the greed and filth filling the air of the town, so thick it was practically seeping over the city walls and smothering the land around it. Gaara could almost see it staining the people that passed him. People so clueless and ignorant that most of them didn't even believe gypsies existed and the rest just thought of them as a joke. People who partied all day on the money they didn't deserve while others on the same streets were starving. He hated the city of Evanthall, but at the moment, that would have to be ignored.

There was indeed, a reason they had come here. The gypsies living in the camps in the woods nearby were starving from lack of food. Not only, had Naruto and Gaara been denied at every vendor's stall and market in town every day they'd been there, but Gaara had the sneaking suspicion that the city was sending out it's hunters to kill their share of the elk and deer that used to litter the forests. The animals had to have gone somewhere and Gaara was certain he knew where. It would only make sense that the city was trying to drive them away.

Yet everyday, the two gypsy boys were let into the city by the morning guards, and as the sun moved up to signify that noon had come, they were thrown out again and again, always empty handed, having to return to their camp with growling stomachs. Despite all the hardships and hostility that had fallen upon them, Evanthall was the only city on the east side of Lake Evereth that would let them live peacefully nearby. The gypsies could see it wouldn't last, but they were ready to milk it for every drop it was worth. Every gypsy knew that their time for living peacefully near Evanthall was coming to a very abrupt end.

The worth of this fragile agreement was almost instantly lost on Gaara. The lady Tsunade had often scolded him for being rash, but he didn't see her having to pry her arms free of the iron grip the guards now had on his. For some reason, they were convinced that Gaara was up to something and so, felt that it was necessary to restrain him and throw him out upon the dirt face first everyday, whereas Naruto was merely led out by a hand on his shoulder and told to leave.

They were not disappointed today either.

Gaara pushed himself up onto his hands and knees angrily, spitting blood on the boots of the soldier who'd thrown him, purely disgusted. He notice Naruto's hands trying to help him stand then, but merely shrugged and continued to glare with distinct hatred up at the faces leering down at them. He did not deserve this treatment and neither did Naruto, all they'd wanted was food for their families and friends, which they even had the money to pay for it with. Gaara's blood was beginning to boil with rage as his quick temper took hold of his senses.

"Why must I be thrown out this way?!"

He asked angrily, pushing himself up out of the dirt with his now scraped and bleeding hands. He paid it no mind as he wiped the dirt of his clothes, the soil getting caught in the fresh wounds on his hands.

"What have I done to upset the laws of this city?"

Gaara glared at them, daring even one of the soldiers to say what he knew they were thinking. Daring them to mention he was a gypsy.

"I have done nothing wrong!"

Gaara threw his fist into the chest of the soldier in front of him, hoping to make his point while still having to look up and stand on his tiptoes to look the man in the face. He was not afraid of them, much to Lady Tsunade's constant irritation. Gaara caused far too many problems when he was upset and Lady Tsunade had always had to deal with his rash actions afterwards. Something Gaara wasn't really aware of.

"You are gypsy filth, that is enough of a reason for you to hang in this town, we have been nothing but generous to you trash."

Gaara could feel the heat rising to his face, the way that man had spoken to him, the sneer on his face, he knew that this was the tell tale sign that he was going to do something horribly daft if he wasn't stopped immediately. Naruto seemed to have understood this about Gaara over the years as well and quickly began pulling the red head away from the soldier. But not before Gaara took a few steps away from the soldier and spit full in his face. Showing just how much he appreciated that comment made about him and the people he cared for.

This was not one of the most brilliant things he could have come up with however, and the horror filling his companion's expression told him that as they began running towards the trees on the outskirts of the forest, the soldiers letting arrows fly after them, shouting things that Gaara knew, was best he couldn't make out, otherwise he might have gone back to fight them and instead gotten himself shot. Gaara often forgot that he was not some sort of fighter.

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The Lady Tsunade was not pleased as she sat facing the two men before her, papers scattered over her desk where she had been sitting filling them out, since noon. Her two most trusted friends and advisors, Umino Iruka and Hatake Kakashi, were looking anxiously at her, prepared for some bad news they'd have to inform the rest of the camp of. However, she had yet to speak of it, as she was still waiting for something that only Tsunade knew was going to show up.

Not being disappointed, Gaara, with his temper blazing and hands clenched tightly into fists, stormed in unannounced as he usually did with Naruto following quietly behind him, head down and refusing to look at her. She could already tell that they'd gotten in trouble again. Only Gaara would show up in front of the gypsy leader of their camp when he was in trouble and make a big deal about how it wasn't his fault. Most would hide until she found out and then just look at the floor as she chewed them out.

Obviously, Gaara had come ready for an argument again, but unlike usual, Tsunade had much more on her mind, and let it slide without putting up much of a fight with the boy.

"Sit down you two. I have much to speak with you and your father's about. And pray don't interrupt me or I'll have you tied to a tree you little twit."

She said exasperatedly as the young fiery red head began to open his mouth, clearly thinking he was the more important matter. Tsunade knew he'd think otherwise when he heard the news she'd received though.

"It's very important that you listen, and listen closely, all four of you."

Gaara seemed to settle down quietly for the time being, which sated her well enough for now. The redhead knew when it was appropriate to speak and when it wasn't. This would be one of those times he needed to stay quiet.

"I received this letter early this morning; it came from the High Clergy of Evanthall. I'll read it to you:

We are sorry to have to inform you of such poor times, but as it is, we have come to an agreement among the counsel, that it is no longer our duty to watch over you and your people when you come into Evanthall.

We must be sure that you have taken your leave or are leaving by morning, we can no longer keep this weak agreement between us, for we have not received the proper payment in many months and feel that it is now at our own expense and kindness that we aide you.

We send our regrets and hope to remain on friendly terms with you Lady Tsunade.

The High Clergy"

Sighing in unhappiness and indecision as Tsunade finished the letter, looking up at them and setting the paper aside.

"They have taken back their agreement on granting our access into the city. We are no longer safe here and by Morning, if we have not gone, they will be sure to send their men to make sure we do not linger. I wish for you four to spread the word. We have much to do and little time to do it."

The Lady closed her eyes and rubbed at the sides of her head, trying to clear the frustration from her mind, looking up to find the four of them still waiting for her to continue.

"Leave me and get moving."

She ordered, watching the youngest three move quickly out of their seats and out of her tent, the oldest silver haired hunter, lazily bringing up the rear and securing the door flap behind him so she could be alone. The fact that the clergy of Evanthall had neglected to inform her she needed to pay them more was one of the things she couldn't quite understand. It was obvious they had purposely miss informed her though as it was even more apparent that they didn't like her kind of people.

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The rest of the day and a good part of the night, gypsies all over the camp worked together and hurried throughout the clearing and in between wagons, cleaning up the camp, repairing the wheels on colored wagons and gathering food in the forests where they could, binding the wood for fires the cold night winds would require as they made their camp ready to leave.

It wasn't until much later when everyone had disappeared into their wagons for the night, leaving the camp barren, that Kakashi was able to finally rest his weary feet. He moved steadily through the camp ground, checking to make sure nothing had been forgotten in their haste. It wouldn't do to have anything left behind. They needed everything they could get and it would be a great loss to them having forgotten anything that could be of use.

Finishing as quickly as he could, he made his way up the small steps of the only wagon with the candles inside still lit, opening the bright red door of the place he had called home for so many years now.

The small lantern sitting on the round table in the center of the room filled him with a welcome, peaceful feeling as he made his way inside. Their blonde and red headed boys were fast asleep on their cots, built one on top of the other and set into the far wall of the wagon. Kakashi could remember the days it'd taken him to build those, and they still held strong, like Kakashi's deep love for the small little family he'd been given. The boys were orphans, it was true, and the young brunette healer that Kakashi had developed a certain appreciation for, was much too young to have to take care of children on his own. Yet, they were still a family in his eyes as well as theirs.

A small noise startled Kakashi out of his reverie, alerting him to the presence of the twenty year old brunette watching him from the small doorway separating the kitchen from the rest of the room.

"It's quite late. I've made you tea, if you'll have it."

The boy's shy quiet voice made Kakashi smile as he took the freshly made cup from the tan hands that brushed against his own, making the brunette flush. Iruka was so beautiful when he did that, it made him want to smile and work even harder at protecting all three of them. They really meant a lot to Kakashi.

Pulling Iruka to him for a kiss, he smiled and let the other boy pull away afterward to wash his bowl in the basin set in the kitchen. It was always just a simple brush of lips, but Iruka still hid his face against the silver haired man's chest afterward, probably hiding his face from Kakashi so he wouldn't tease him for the color gracing it. He always sat there for a few moments before going off to make himself busy with something. Tonight just happened to be the bowl Kakashi had left on the table. Kakashi never tired of it.

"It is late. You shouldn't have waited up for me. It is going to be quite an early day tomorrow and you'll need your sleep, Iruka my love. You should sleep now."

He said quietly as the younger boy came back from the kitchen, waiting for the small nod he got in agreement before Iruka turned out the lantern and curled up with him in the only other bed they had been able to fit in the room. The wagon wasn't big, it barely fit the four of them on the best of days but they liked it well enough. It was home for all four of them.

The late autumn breezes swept over the little camp, bringing with it, the first days of winter and a long, tiring journey the gypsies would have to face as they made their way to the other side of Lake Evereth in search of a new place to call home.

There were are! Chapter 2!

Enjoy!

-Himitsu