For a while they trudged in silence. The more Sasuke looked around, the more he saw the disgusting carnage of whatever war had been waged. Bodies and severed appendages lay everywhere. Sasuke saw so many more children, all dead with huge eyes filled with terror.
The wreckage seemed to be affecting even the most unfeeling of hearts. Suigetsu stopped for a moment to wipe blood away from a child's eye.
Sasuke clenched his fists hard enough to draw blood. Why was he feeling so protective of his old home? Hadn't he left with ease so many years ago?
"You left, Sasuke. This isn't your home," Juugo's voice was colder than usual as he spied the blood dripping from Sasuke's nails.
"I know," he replied. "But that doesn't mean that I don't have my own way. No matter if we'd found Sunagakure or Mizugakure like this, I'd be angry. Killing those who are guilty is a matter of perspective and justification. Killing those who are innocent and completely unconcerned with the problem is unpardonable." He tried to convince himself of his own words.
They wove in and out of rubble for a few more minutes before Karin rejoined them, still wiping away a tear.
"I could see," Karin sniffled, "from the cliff that there was a section not far to the east with a few walls still standing. Any survivors are likely taking shelter there."
Sasuke nodded and redirected the group. The walls, this term used loosely, were soon visible, as were faint movements within them.
"They're arguing," Karin noted. She had the best hearing of any of them. "But I can't distinguish any single voices or subject."
"They sound angry," Juugo noted as they drew closer.
"I wonder why?" Suigetsu asked sarcastically.
Sasuke ignored them. They were annoying.
"We should leave the robes, Sasuke," Karin's voice was quiet.
"Why?" Suigetsu demanded,
"Well, if we plan on speaking with-"
"If we plan on what?" he demanded.
"We need to know what happened," was Sasuke's simple reply.
Sugetsu just shook his head. "And what the hell are you planning to say? What are you gonna ask about? Who are you gonna ask? Sasuke, think ahead for once!"
"Shut up Suigetsu, you idiot!" Karin's fist sailed right through his head.
"Karin would you quit it?" he reeled on her, shouting in her face.
"Shut up!" she repeated. "Someone's going to hear you!"
"Juugo . . . " Sasuke muttered. Silently. Juugo stepped between the two feuding teammates and pushed them beyond arms length from one another.
"Cooperate, will you?" Sasuke asked dryly as he continued to walk along the destruction, towards the makeshift outpost.