The girls sat around the campfire, reflecting upon their successful attack. They had just finished dinner and were looking at the starry sky above them.
"I still can't believe that worked out so well" Tenten blurted out.
"When they heard your gunfire it caused quite a panic. Naturally they ran for their horses to escape so that's why I positioned myself there. Then Temari blindsided them because she took up a good position directly opposite me" Sakura explained.
Ino chimed in, her voice muffled as she was still pecking at a small piece of bread "Yeah you guys didn't even need me, I wasn't required to fire a single shot!"
"Probably because we have a real deadly gunslinger among us" Sakura said, turning to Temari "You got four confirmed kills today right?"
Temari smiled at the praise she received "Yup four, not too shabby eh?"
"I'll say. Usually Sakura is the one who ends up with the most kills. The fact that you outgunned everyone back there, especially her, is quite the feat" Ino remarked.
Tenten then let out a big sigh "Damn it all! How could I have let that guy escape? I should've taken him down with my first shot!"
"You said he moved just as you took the shot right? If that was the case it wasn't really your fault, just bad luck" Temari reassured.
"She's right Tenten, forget about it. That guy escaping was completely and utterly meaningless. If he alerts the rest of his gang about us, big whoop. They were going to find out about us anyway, it doesn't change their fate" Sakura explained.
The girls decided to call it a night, they were all pretty tired after a long day of travelling and gunfighting. They determined that it would be best to sleep in shifts to keep watch for any Immortal members who may be prowling around. Temari had the first shift so she grabbed her guns and sat down with her back against some rocks. The others sprawled out on their makeshift beds around the fire and promptly went to sleep.
As the time passed by, Temari sat in complete silence. Everything around her seemed dead. There was a constant, gentle breeze that cooled down the land after it had been scorched by the sun. She looked around, everything seemed ghostly from the pale moonlight being cast on it. However, despite her eerie surroundings, there was neither sight nor sound of any intruders. She therefore finished her shift without any major problems.
Next up was Tenten's shift so Temari tiptoed over and gently shook her until she woke up. Tenten took a long and restless stretch before rubbing her eyes and looking up at Temari.
"Your shift's next" She whispered.
Tenten yawned and nodded as she made her way to the position that Temari, who was currently setting up her makeshift bed, had vacated. Tenten sat with her back resting on the wall as she fought off the desire to go back to sleep. As her shift progressed, it proved to be just as uneventful as the one that had preceded it.
Tenten was passing her time by looking up at the stars and trying to count just how many there were. Her focus was broken by the distant howl of a wolf. She then realized that she had forgotten to bring her rifle with her.
"Jeez that could've been potentially disastrous" she thought to herself as she went to retrieve it.
Her gun was around the campfire where the other girls were sleeping so she walked over there gingerly so as to not wake anyone up. When she got her gun and was walking back she realized that Temari was still wide awake.
"Hey what's wrong?" Tenten asked in a hushed voice.
Temari sat up and shrugged.
"You can trust us to keep watch if that's what's bothering you" Tenten whispered.
"Oh no, it's not that. I completely trust you guys. It's just that I have trouble sleeping sometimes" Temari replied.
Tenten was about to respond however she was interrupted by Sakura, who was still asleep. Sakura was tossing and turning, muttering, sweating profusely and wore a pained expression on her face while she slept.
Temari stared at her "It looks like she's having a nightmare. Should we wake her up?"
"Don't bother" Tenten sighed remorsefully "She's having that nightmare that she always has"
"She has a recurring nightmare?" Temari asked.
"Yeah, it happens so often that she told us don't even bother waking her up anymore" Tenten said.
"Did she ever tell you what the nightmare was about?" Temari questioned.
Tenten frowned and bent her head in sorrow.
"I'm sorry. You don't have to answer that" Temari apologized, after recognizing that her question was a bit personal.
"Not a week goes by where she doesn't have that nightmare at least once" Tenten sighed deeply again "And it all started after that horrible day. The day that our friend, the fourth member of our gang was killed"
"Killed?!" Temari repeated in shock.
"Yeah, in Sakura's arms no less. It was very traumatic, especially for her. I suppose that's why she has this recurring nightmare" Tenten remarked dolefully.
"What was your friend's name?" Temari asked solemnly.
"Her name was Hinata" Tenten answered "Originally the gang consisted of just Sakura and Ino. Hina and I joined a bit later, but man, we sure had some great times. The four of us would just ride around for days chasing after bounties. Criminals didn't even know what had hit 'em. For so long, the four of us ruled these sands, we commanded respect and earned adoration" Tenten mused as if she was lost in a daydream, fighting back tears as she spoke.
Temari looked back at Sakura mournfully. She was still tossing and turning.
…
"Haha what do you mean you're going to retire?" Sakura chuckled.
"I mean I'm going to give up bounty hunting" Hinata responded.
Sakura laughed once more "I don't think you've got enough grey hair to qualify for retirement"
Hinata shoved her shoulder playfully "C'mon Sakura I'm serious"
"But why? We've got a good thing going on here" Sakura argued.
"Yeah I know, but I just feel that it's time to move on. I might open up my own saloon or something you know?" Hinata explained in her usual serene and gentle tone.
Sakura sighed "Aw alright Hina, it'll suck not having you around, however I respect your decision. But before you leave, how about we go for one last bounty, for old time's sake?"
"One last bounty? I don't know… Did you have someone in mind?" Hinata said hesitantly.
"Yeah some criminal named Sasori of the Red Sand. He's got a decent sized bounty on his head" Sakura replied.
Hinata chuckled "Alright, alright but this is my last bounty…ever…for real this time"
Everything faded into darkness and the scene switched to the confrontation with Sasori and his gang. Sakura and Hinata were taking cover behind some rocks, Ino and Tenten were in a more advanced position returning fire. The girls had decimated most of Sasori's gang but the remaining members were still putting up quite a fight.
"Shit! We're in a compromised position here" Sakura yelled over the incessant gunfire "We need to regroup with the others. Do you think we could make it over there safely? You know, without becoming Swiss cheese in the process"
Hinata shrugged "I guess we'll find out. I'll cover ya"
Sakura nodded and after a few deep breaths she sprinted off. Hinata popped up and provided cover fire shooting at anything and everything that moved. Sakura was about halfway to her destination when she heard a cry from behind her. She stopped dead in her tracks and looked behind. It was Hinata, she was on the ground.
Sakura's eyes widened in horror, she ran back to her friend under a hail of gunfire. It was a miracle she wasn't hit herself.
"Don't be dead, don't be dead" was all that ran through her head.
She gathered up Hinata in her arms. Her face was pale, all the blood had seemingly left her body and was streaming through the wound in her stomach. Her clothes were almost completely dyed red. Sakura looked down at her, tears welling up in her eyes.
Hinata looked up at her friend and gave her a weak smile. "… Sakura" she whimpered. And that was it. She said nothing more.
Sakura called out to her, desperate for a response but none came. As she kneeled over Hinata's body weeping uncontrollably Sasori watched them from the distance. And with a sadistic smile he ordered his gang to retreat.
…
At that moment Sakura awoke from her nightmare. She glanced around, staying completely still. Ino and Temari were asleep next to her and Tenten was keeping watch in the distance. Sakura blinked her misty eyes to prevent any tears from falling, and went back to sleep.
***Author's Notes***
I think this is probably the saddest chapter I've written. I don't really do much character deaths in my fics but I think this one turned out alright.
Anyway sorry I'm updating so slowly but I've been reading this really cool book and that's taking up most of my free time.
This was a slightly longer chapter too so I really hope you guys enjoy!
-Cloud