Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Friday the 13th

ITALICS – thinking

BOLD – jutsu

Chapter 3: Fun in the Forest

It has been two days, two mentally racking days for the Konoha 11 or now the Konoha 9 after the brutal slayings of Tenten and Lee which were still on their minds. Most of the group went to get counseling or help from their parents to cope after the funeral that was the day after the event, but two lovebirds decided that the best way to cope would be spending time alone in the woods for the night. These two were none other than Neji and Ino and they have gotten closer ever since the funeral; they are seen walking to the gates with camping gear to get to the woods on the outskirts of the Forest of Death.

"Hey Neji, I cannot thank you enough for doing this with me. It is helping me cope and I hope the others can do the same." Says Ino

"I know what you mean Ino-hime," Neji says with a blush "I also thank you for this. I know I preach about fate a lot but I have begun to rethink that as Lee and Tenten had a lot to live for still."

"And this is why I love you." Ino says with a chuckle "You are like me, weird and preach about something; me it is Sasuke, you it is about fate."

They continue their dialogue until they reach the gates. They hand the guards their papers saying that they are leaving for the forest for the day; the guards approve this and write it down leaving Ino and Neji to find a spot for camp. About an hour into searching for a spot, they manage to find a clearing in the trees that the Shodaime Hokage made all those years ago.

"Hey, this is a nice spot; the trees provide enough shade and the clearing is quite large and is enough to allow for a fire." Neji says with a sigh of relief and a smile.

"Hmm, I don't know…" Neji gives Ino a perturbed look and she laughs"…oh don't give me that look, of course this spot is fine. I will gather the firewood while you get camp ready."

"Yes MOM" chuckles Neji as he gathers Ino's backpack and he starts to assemble the tent.

At the cottage

Naruto is meditating in front of his mother's shrine praying to her that Sasuke is still alive and that he will finish what she and him started and just when he was to continue he is interrupted by something.

"*Sniff, Sniff* hmm, who dares enter my forest; I sense two unknown smells. Well, I hope it is more of Sasuke's friends as I want to see his psyche break before I get to him. Oh teme, your head will be mine, hahaha." Naruto thinks as he puts on his mask and starts to head out one of his tunnels in search of the two intruders.

Back in the forest – with Ino

"*sigh* why is finding wood difficult. I only have enough to start the fire not last through the night." Ino looks towards the sky and sees that the sun will set in about two hours "Well, I better head back and hope this is enough."

As she was heading back to camp she hears a *SNAP* in the forest. Ino's heart starts to beat faster in fear as she remembers what Sasuke told everyone at the Hokage Tower after speaking to the Hokage the day after the attack.

Flashback – Hokage Tower the morning after the attack

*KNOCK KNOCK*

"Come in" says Sarutobi

The door opens and Sasuke walks in: "You wanted to talk to me about last night Hokage-sama?"

"Yes, I did Sasuke; please, take a seat and try to tell me in detail what happened."

Sasuke takes a seat and sighs loudly trying to get his thoughts together before speaking:

"As you know, I have changed into a better person and as a result I have made friends with the Konoha 11..um I mean 9 now." Sasuke says sadly while the Hokage motions to continue "Anyway, Lee left after about two hours into the party and everyone thought nothing of it but about 30 minutes later Tenten went to leave…" Sasuke starts to choke on his tears "….and Kitsune plunged his machete through her head and threw her inside and…well…you know the rest."

Sarutobi sees the mental and emotional fatigue on Sasuke and is proud at his attitude change and has become stronger as a result. What irked Sarutobi was the mention of Kitsune last night after the attack; he, Naruto, was dead as a result of that battle. Sarutobi sighs and begins to speak.

"I do not know what to say Sasuke, you and I both know that Kitsune died two years ago. The only thing I can think of is this is some sort of imitation killer."

"I will believe what I believe sir; I think he has risen again to avenge me for living." Sasuke says

"Well, that is not that far from the truth but still, dead is dead is dead." Sarutobi thinks to himself.

"Hokage-sama, I want to tell the Konoha 9 about Kitsune; my story, not the person they saw in that arena two years ago."

"Very well Sasuke; ANBU get me the Konoha 11, er I mean 9." Sarutobi says as the ANBU leave the room.

Within 10 minutes, the rest of the Konoha 11 was in Sarutobi's office. He tells them that Sasuke wanted to talk to them about Kitsune and tell them Sasuke did. He told of his experience in the woods during the second part of the Chunin Exams as well as the massacre of his clan and his defeat which they saw in the arena in the finals. He also told them about Kitsune's stealth, the way he puts fear into his victims and how he seemingly cannot be harmed. By time Sasuke was done telling his story, the Konoha 9 was now in awe and fear of this person and knew that they were lucky to live last night.

Back with Ino in the forest

"It is probably an animal, I am worried for-"

Ki ki ki ma ma ma

"*GULP* yah, I think it is time to go back to camp..heh heh." Thinks a fear induced Ino

At the campsite

Neji just got done with setting up camp when he sees a slightly pale Ino come with an armful of wood.

"Ino, are you alright? It looks like you saw a ghost or something."

Ino sets the wood down near the fire pit Neji made: "I think I heard HIM if you know what I mean."

Neji walks over to the fire pit and starts to build a fire; it would be about an hour until sunset.

"Kitsune? Nah, there is no way he would be out here. I think you are still thinking about two days ago." Neji gets a fire going and motions to Ino to come with him into the tent "I think you need a massage, come."

Ino hesitantly follows Neji and Ino lays down on the sleeping bags he set up. Neji starts to massage Ino's upper back with his palms in a circular motion.

"Mmmmm, that feels so good. I did not know you were a masseuse, when did you get so good?"

Neji blushes, moves to her lower back and says: "Two words, gentle fist."

After about 15 minutes, Neji finishes his massage and slids into his sleeping bag but as Ino was about to do the same, nature called.

"I would love to join you Neji-kun but alas, nature had to call. I plan on giving you an extra special massage when I get back." Ino says seductively as she sways her ass while walking out of the tent making Neji blush and get aroused.

When Ino was out of sight, Neji was about to fall asleep to wait for her return when he hears *SNAP*. His heart starts to beat faster and looks frantically around the woods from his tent, finding nothing he starts to close his eyes until…

Ki ki ki ma ma ma

"…Oh hell no, is this fate being a bitch to me after all those years. Fucking karma." Neji thinks

Another snap is heard in the forest and Neji thinks it is Ino: "Ino-hime, is that you? If it is you can come out now, stop freaking me out." Neji starts to sweat and his heart beats faster.

Ki ki ma ma ma

Neji frantically looks around the forest until he feels himself being dragged out of the tent by his feet; he looks to see who is doing it and his eyes widen, its Kitsune. Before Neji can struggle, his head is shoved inside the sleeping bag and the opening is closed as Kitsune grabs the material and seals Neji inside.

Kitsune drags Neji to a tree and with one hand he flings the body bag at the tree.

1 hit…A snap of breaking bones is heard and Neji screams out in pain

2 hits….a loud crunch is heard as Neji's skull is bashed in but somehow Neji is still alive and he whimpers in pain.

3 hits…Kitsune, getting pissed that Neji did not die after one hit, flings it with all his might at the tree and another snap is heard; Neji's neck is broken thus ending his life.

Kitsune drops the sleeping bag and stands over his kill and cocks his head to the right, a smirk forming under his mask. All of this is interrupted by a loud scream.

"AHHHH NEJI-KUN!" Ino screams

Kitsune's head snaps back to look at the intruder and finds Ino backpedaling away from his figure. Kitsune turns and starts to slowly walk toward her hoping for an easy kill, but it would not be so.

Ino gathers her strength and gets up and starts to run to the edge of the forest; the sun will set in 15 minutes. She continues to run but hears whistling in the air and soon Ino is sent tumbling to the forest floor. She looks back and finds a kunai embedded into the back of her leg. She soon gets back up and starts to hobble back to Konoah and starts to whimper and cry.

"If only I can get the guards to see me, I am home free."

More hobbling and crying later she finally sees Konoah and the tree line. Just as Ino thought she was home free, more whistling is heard and she is soon sent flying forward out of the forest; the kunai hit her back barely missing her spinal cord. She looks back and sees Kitsune standing there in the tree line breathing heavy in anger. In a fear induced stumble, she gets up and starts to hobble towards the gate while screaming to the guards.

"PLEASE HELP ME, SOMEONE IS KILLING ME! HELP, PLEASE!"

At the gate

"Hey you hear something? Says guard one

"Yah. Hey look, its Ino and she looks injured." Says guard two pointing toward Ino

"Shit, this is not good. I will go get the ANBU and then get the Hokage. You stay watch and try to help her." Says Guard one going to do what he said.

Just as Guard two was about to run toward Ino to help, her only being 100 feet from the gate, he sees a kunai embed itself into the back of her head killing her instantly. She hits the ground and blood pools around her leaving the guard in shock. He looks towards the forest line and sees absolutely nothing. In the forest however, a lone yellow eye glows brightly in the dark, the sun now set.

Ki ki ki ma ma ma

Back in the forest

Kitsune treks back to the campsite and takes Neji's body that is still in the sleeping bag and heads to the council chamber to set up a present for the meeting that most likely will take place tomorrow.

"This will be a message that will resonate around Konoah and strike fear into all."

Back at the gate

The ANBU and Hokage just arrived at the gate with guard one in which guard two showed them Ino's body and told them what happened.

"Who else was with Ino? I need to know so I can tell the already mentally stressed Konoah 9 which is now another member short. Sarutobi says

The second guard checks the records and tells the Hokage the news: "Sir, Neji was also with Ino and I know they went camping in the woods. Where they camped I have no clue."

"Sir, do you want us to search for the camp?" said the ANBU captain

"Yes I do, try to find it and if you do, contact me in the morning. I need to get shit together for a council meeting in the morning. Dismissed!"

"*sigh* I do not understand what is going on here. The style of these killings is almost message like just….like…Kitsune…" Sarutobi pauses his thought and soon realizes that Sasuke might be right "…SHIT how was I so blind. I need to check out his grave site."

After telling the guards to switch with another team for the night, he goes to the Uzumaki Namikaze plot to see the grave of Naruto aka Kitsune. He arrives at the sight about 30 minutes later. There he finds the gravestone is desecrated, the grave dug up and the shovels that helped were off to the side. Inside the grave the casket was empty; the lid was 5 feet from the grave.

"This makes no sense," Sarutobi thinks out loud "If Kitsune is still alive how is it possible plus the evidence here shows grave robbing. Hmm, I am starting to doubt Sasuke's opinion more now but the thought that he is right still lingers. Great, just fucking great."

The next morning – Council Chamber

Sarutobi enters the chamber and walks to the podium to speak to the council about the events that has taken place over the past few days.

"Why have you called us here Sarutobi?" the elders say

"I am here to tell you about the events that have taken place over the past few days; the shinobi council should know about this from their kids." The shinobi council nods sadly

A fat civilian on the council says: "Even the citizens are in fear of these events, especially when we saw the gutted and crushed body hanging on that fucking light pole four days ago…yeck!"

Danzo speaks up next: "I propose that we have ANBU watch the remaining Konoah 11 which now totals seven. Does anyone else agree?"

Mumbling is heard from the Shinobi side and soon Hisashi speaks up for all of them: "My son is presumed dead yesterday after the ANBU Sarutobi sent found the campsite Ino and him used. I speak for the entire shinobi council and we all agree that having ANBU protect our children would be best."

The civilian council soon agreed and all that was left was the elders.

"Sarutobi, would you please sit down in your chair so we can finish negotiations?" the elders say

He nods and proceeds to sit down and that is when all hell broke loose. As soon as Sarutobi sat down a *SNAP* is heard and Neji's mangled, broken, and blooded body falls from the ceiling and onto the table that the council sits around. Hisashi's eyes widen and him as well as the others in the chamber pale. After about 5 minutes, Saurtobi speaks up for everyone.

"I think this says it all, we need ANBU protection for the now Konoah 7. Hisashi, I am sorry you had to find out that Neji died like this." Hisashi waves Sarutobi off "I will speak to the Konoah 7 after this meeting is dismissed about this development. Anything else that needs to be brought to attention?" Nothing is said "OK, then. Dismissed and ANBU take Neji's body to the morgue."

After the council leaves the chamber, Sarutobi is the only one left and he gathers his thoughts:

"I pray to Kami that whoever is doing this Kitsune or imposter, let us find a solution to this problem before it gets any worse."

Sarutobi leaves the chamber soon after and goes to his office to inform the Konoah 7 and do paperwork for the day. Little did he know that the decision at the council chamber would spell disaster for the weeks to come.