…into the raft of Death.
The boat creaked as Naruto stepped into it. He gulped some air down as he sat on the raft. Kiba looked at him, nonchalantly. He picked up one of the paddles and roughly pushed it toward Naruto. Naruto hesitantly grabbed it out of Kiba's hands. He scanned it as if there might be some type of poison seeping from it.
There was nothing.
"Uh… Thanks." Naruto sort of said nicely. Kiba looked at him, surprised he actually talked. Akamaru was being held back strongly by one of Kiba's hands. Akamaru, who was shivering with hatred uncontrollably, barked.
Kiba smirked.
Since, Naruto realized, that Kiba was not in any mood to respond, Naruto grabbed the paddle and lifted it off of the raft, at the ready.
Kiba soon did the same. I don't know if I can work with this guy. Naruto thought.
There was a strong negative aura coming from the two of them. They looked at each other coldly.
Kiba grabbed his hood and pushed it farther from his face, so it gave a dark shadow that cast on his hateful stare. His face couldn't be seen. His brown, dark eyes could- making Naruto shiver as he looked into the depths.
Naruto watched Kiba, waiting for him to make the first move. But he noticed how he was acting. This isn't a battle, He told himself. Just calm down and begin to row. Naruto urged his arm muscles to move. They obeyed.
He grunted as he made the first push. Then another.
Kiba finally decided to join in with the slow rhythm. It picked up pace fast, and soon, they were a couple of yards from the dock. The rest of them were nearly escaping into the fog a half a mile away.
Kiba and Naruto, noticing this, began to push harder and harder. It began to be a contest. Whoever could push the furthest…? Was better? Both of them had no idea what the prize would be. But, like the idiots they were, they still decided to make it a big feud.
Naruto grunted.
Kiba grunted.
The grunts became faster. And louder.
Soon, the raft was moving so fast, that Naruto and Kiba could stop right then and there, and it would guide itself toward the village.
Then again, that would mean both of them would lose. So they didn't stop. They were in the mist now, and could barely even see each other. Its better this way, Naruto thought, now I don't have to look at his ugly face for the rest of the trip. He snickered at his own, selfish, hypocritical thinking.
Akamaru, who had been growling at Naruto for the whole trip, suddenly became quiet. His voice rang out in a whimper as he crouched below Kiba's back. Kiba stopped rowing the boat. He started to sniff the air animalistic-style. His eyes widened.
Naruto looked around, which didn't do any good. The mist was getting thicker and thicker. He stopped paddling, and was thankful of Kiba for a second. He realized that without Kiba around, he would have never heard a whimper.
"Naruto, turn the boat around. Now," Kiba commanded. Naruto paddled the boat until Kiba was exactly where Naruto was. He began rowing backwards, which was actually easier. Kiba didn't grunt this time, he was concentrating and looking over his shoulder every once in a while.
"Let's stop," He whispered. Kiba crouched down while Naruto began to slowly ease the paddle aboard, and put it on the side. Kiba looked at Akamaru, who was howling then, and whispered something in his floppy ear.
The howling stopped.
Naruto crouched down like Kiba, and saw a large, dark, leering form approaching them. A ship. Naruto's eyes widened. He reached his hand at the bottom of his back right side, and opened up his pouch.
"No," Kiba hissed.
Naruto obeyed, afraid Kiba might actually know something he didn't. He began hearing voices from the large ship, which was now close enough for Naruto to touch the side.
"… They won't see us coming. Do you understand?" A rasp, loud voice commanded.
And then a smaller voice, maybe an apprentice, a little older than Naruto, "Yes commander,"
Naruto let the words sink in. These are the attackers, Naruto thought. He looked at Kiba with furrowed eyebrows. Kiba looked at him knowingly, and mouthed the words, 'I know,'
Naruto turned his attention back to large boat. There were many fast footsteps, as if someone was sprinting. Then a voice, panting began to speak. "We were just informed of defenders from the Villages hidden in the sand, and leaves. They are all experienced fighters." The commander paused; Naruto noticed the silence from the other side of the ship.
"Very well… We'll wait them out then," The commander said.
"But sir-" The apprentice started.
"No but's." The commander said and then left the top of the boat and retreated somewhere, probably his office. What a jerk, Naruto thought.
Everything that happened after that, Naruto could only hear some of it, for they were farther and farther away.
When the boat was maybe twenty feet way from them, Kiba jumped into action, he ferociously grabbed one of the paddles and turned the boa around, Naruto quietly did the same. They began rowing, quickly now, with –surprisingly- no groans.