Darkness Falls

A/N- Yo everyone...sorry about the wait on this, didn't mean for it to take so long but I've just been really sick lately...not to mention, I've been having troubles writing...

My doctor has put me on a bunch of pills and now I'm stuck taking them all the time!! I really hate being sick, but what can yah do?

Anyway, I really am sorry for the wait and I'm really trying to finish all my stories...it's just so hard right now...so please forgive the lateness of this chapt...

And for those of you who are reading some of my other stories, please, just wait a little longer, the chapts are on the way! I swear, they really are coming!!

Disclaimer- I don't own InuYasha or Naruto, so don't complain...besides, that's my job...

'Thoughts'

'Kyuubi and Shakaku speaking/Thoughts'

Now enough of this A/N crap! Read on!

Chapter 3: The Arrival

Naruto was ecstatic, he just couldn't wait.

He had gotten up very early that morning and had everything he needed packed within minutes, all the while he kept asking Kyuubi questions and the Kitsune was being strangely cooperative. But still, Naruto didn't care.

He just knew that something life changing was about to happen and he was looking forward to it with every fiber of his being.

'Remember what I told you kit, you better be prepared to be stuck with a female for the duration of the next year...' Rolling his eyes, Naruto gripped one of the straps on his pack and hefted it over one shoulder before making his way to his door, sparing one more final glance back. After all, he wouldn't be back for a whole 'nother year.

--

It was a beautiful sight, the expanse of foliage and trees about her, one that made her wish that she could have spent just a few more days here. But the fact of the matter was, she had to hurry back to the village, they were expecting her and their 'guests'.

'Please let my daughter's find what they seek with these young men...' She was brought out of her thoughts when a peculiar scent crossed her nose, one that brought a gentle smile to her lips. The first of them was arriving.

Turning slightly, she watched as a distant orange blur drew closer and closer until it materialized before her. Revealing a smiling genki blonde, "good morning Sai..."

Smiling right back, Sai nodded her head in acknowledgment, "to you as well Naruto, I trust that you are ready for the journey ahead?" Naruto opened his mouth to respond, when a grave redhead appeared next to him in a flurry of sand.

"Ahh...thank you for your attendance Gaara..." Gaara merely grunted before turning and walking a little distance away, he might have been coming but that didn't mean he was going to Mr. social now. Rolling her eyes at the redhead's cold behavior, Sai turned back to Naruto and couldn't help but smile once again as she looked him over, 'yes...he will make a good addition to our village...even if it is only for a little while.'

Shaking his head at Gaara's actions, Naruto returned to their conversation, "I'm ready as I'll ever be, but I did want to ask you something..." he trailed off when he sensed the approach of four other chakra's, four very familiar chakra's.

"We'll have plenty of time to talk on the journey," seeing that Naruto wasn't listening to her, at least not really. She took a sniff of the air and knew why Naruto had paused; the others were slowly starting to arrive.

Turning from Naruto's side, Sai walked towards one of the trees nearby and leant against it, more than ready to wait. But it wasn't that long of a wait in the end, for two minutes later, four young men appeared at the village gates.

They were lead by Shikamaru, who was followed closely by Lee and Neji, Shino took up the rear. Each were carrying a pack but to Sai's eyes, it seemed that the only one out of them all that even seemed the slightest bit excited was Lee.

For the young man had a smile plastered to his lips that could rival Naruto's, if that was even possible. Smiling right back at him as he came to a stop before her, Sai looked them all over once, "well, now that you four are here, we only have two more that we are waiting on then we can head out. I just hope that you are all prepared for what lies ahead."

Receiving nods and a smile of assent, Sai turned back to her tree, if her hunch was correct, the last two would be cutting it pretty close before they finally decided to show up. After all, those particular two were the ones that were the most reluctant to agree to all this in the first place, so it was to be expected.

--

In the end it had taken about another hour before Sasuke and Kiba had finally decided to show, Sasuke kept his eyes on Sai the whole time he approached. While Kiba clutched Akamaru to his chest as he stayed as far from her as possible, which just made Sai shake her head in amusement.

'Well, at least I know that the next year will be anything but boring...' "Alright boys, it's time to get moving." Turning, Sai started walking, not even bothering to look back and see if they were following her. There was just no need, because if the sound of things was correct than they were right behind her.

"Oh, I almost forgot. We won't be stopping until nightfall, so I hope that you all had a good breakfast, because there will be no breaks at all until we've gone as far as well can go today." And that was the last thing that Sai said for the next several hours as they traveled.

Naruto and Lee had stayed in the front with Sai for most of their travels, while the other's seemed content with just lagging behind at their own pace. It didn't seem to take long at all before the day had almost come to its end.

The sun was close to setting when Sai finally came to a stop and turned to face her traveling companions, "we'll stay here tonight. So get things unpacked, I'm going to catch our dinner. So don't move from this clearing until I return." With that said, Sai turned and disappeared into the trees, the dying sunlight making it all that more hard to follow her.

Naruto and Lee immediately went about setting a fire, their excitement shimmering in their eyes. Sasuke and Kiba, who had inadvertently become the loners of the group, moved about the clearing as well, getting their bedrolls as well as everyone else's ready for the night.

All the other's just sat upon nearby rocks or on the ground at their feet as they decided to just wait around in silence until Sai finally returned.

--

Finishing the fire, Lee and Naruto sat before the fire as they started to talk, "I'm really looking forward to seeing this village of Darkness, from what Sai has told us, it sounds beautiful."

Naruto chuckled at Lee's words, "yeah, makes you wish we could just transport there or something, doesn't it?" Lee nodded his head as his eyes caught a gimpse of the two pendants that Naruto was now wearing, curious, he reached out and lifted the one that Sai had given him.

"It's pretty, sort of like a clear black stone with a fire burning within, isn't it? And the other, where'd you get that one Naruto?"

Smiling smugly, Naruto touched his other pendant. "This is something Tsunade-baba gave me when we first met. It's called the Hokage necklace, most think it holds a curse, but so far it's brought me nothing but luck. This is very precious to me, it's one of the first real gift's I've ever received."

Lee's eyes widened at that even as he continued to stare at it, "wow, I didn't know that it was that special, I'm impressed Naruto." Naruto just blinked at that, surprised to hear such a comment from Lee.

--

While they had been talking, Sai had returned, carrying a buck carcass over her shoulder. Not one drop of blood marred her white clothes as well as no wounds upon the buck, meaning that she must have broken its neck.

Which showed great expertise when it came to hunting, frankly, this was the proof of her abilities. Neji had gotten up to help her carry it the rest of the way into camp, but Sai just shooed him off, lugging the buck over to the fire.

Reaching it, she tossed the buck onto the ground and then knelt next to it, lengthening her claws she began to slice into the thigh meat of the buck. "Naruto, find me some thin but durable sticks to Skewer this meat with, so that we can evenly roast it over the fire."

Nodding his head, Naruto sprinted off into the trees.

Sai held a hunk of meat in her hands as she looked around her, not seeing what she needed she looked at Lee, "you, fetch me some leaves or something to place the meat on so that it doesn't get dirt on it."

Saluting her, Lee scurried off to his bag and began digging around inside it. At the same time the others had slowly begun to approach Sai, their hunger winning out over their grudges.

Sensing their approach, Sai took the skin she had stripped off so far and turned to look at Sasuke, "Uchiha, tan this for me." And with that she chucked the skin at the young man before turning right back to the carcass. 'What to do next, what to do next...hmmm...'

It didn't take long before Lee had found an old piece of cloth he'd brought with him, laying it flat next to Sai, he and the other's watched as she placed chunk after chunk of meat upon it.

Everytime she had another piece of skin, she'd throw it at Sasuke, making him scowl at her even as he did as she had told him. The other's just waited around, waiting to see if Sai would need them to do anything for her.

--

Truth be told, out off all the males that had come with her, only one knew how to cook. And that was the one you'd least expect, it was Gaara.

No matter how lonely it could be, sometimes living on your own had its perks. Not having anyone really, Gaara had been forced to teach himself how to cook so that he could survive in this harsh world.

Because of what he knew, Gaara had gone to his own pack and had pulled out some of the spices that he'd ground himself. Kneeling next to Sai, he held out the spices to her, "here, they will help with the flavor and make it so that the meat won't sear as easily."

Sai blinked in surprise, she was impressed. She really didn't think this young man had any real skills besides killing, but she was wrong. "Thank you, if you have anything else to suggest or add, don't hesitate to do so."

Gaara merely nodded his head as he watched her continue, making sure to keep a keen eye open, just in case.

Just as Sai had finished carving up half the buck, Naruto came stumbling back into camp, carrying an armful of wood. It looked as though he'd grabbed too much though, because he was currently trying to juggle it all and still be able to see in the process.

Neji and Kiba immediately hurried over to give him a hand; and with a little teamwork, they had gotten all the wood over and placed next to the fire. Smiling, Sai patted Naruto's shoulder, "thanks. Alright, Gaara, you sprinkle the herbs onto the meat and the rest of you, help skewer the meat and make sure to place it evenly about the fire."

All seven nodded their heads in understanding and proceeded to do as Sai had told them too, while Sasuke kept at his task. And within minutes the meat was all cooking and they each were helping her to wrap up what meat they had left. That way they would have something to eat later.

It didn't take long and soon, each had their own slab of cooked meat and were chowing down. Sasuke had taken the skins and had tied them up before giving them back to Sai, she put them away before beginning her own meal.

--

Being who he was, Naruto was trying to make conversation while eating, "so, Sai...when I spoke to Kyuubi, he told me that you taught him almost everything he knew. But, he isn't your child and everyone fears him, why not you?"

Sighing, Sai licked her lips as she looked up at the night sky above them, "that's a long story Naruto. One that will have to be told at a later time, but for now, I can tell you this."

Placing a hand upon Naruto's shoulder, she smiled before speaking, making sure to keep her voice low so that only Naruto could hear her. "Kyuubi was one of the best pupils I've ever had and I've missed him everyday that he's been gone. So has his sister."

Naruto jerked at that, nearly dropping his food in the process. 'Sister? Kyuubi...why didn't you tell me...' A chuckle answered him, 'well, probably, because I've thought she was killed several years ago. But she's alive...my sister...Shippou.'

Shaking her head at the expression on Naruto's face, Sai smiled, "she's grown up to be a fine woman and in fact, she's going to be paired with one of the young men here. Don't worry though Naruto, it's not you."

Hearing Kyuubi growl angrily, Naruto's brows knit, "what do you mean, which one is it?"

Sai just shook one finger in his face, "that is going to have to wait until we get there. Now hurry, eat. Then it's time to sleep, we're going to move early again tomorrow morning and should reach the village before nightfall."

Naruto knew better than to press her, even if Kyuubi was yelling at him to beat it out of her. He just blocked the fox's words out as he finished his meat, it was a guarantee now, he was going to have a bad headache by the time he was done.

It didn't take them all too long before they had finished their meals and headed off to bed, they had a long day ahead of them.

The next morning, they woke bright and early, after having a quick breakfast, they packed up and were on their way again. Sai was leading the way again and surprisingly, Sasuke was at her side, speaking with her while Lee and Naruto took up the rear.

They continued this way for hours and soon the sun had started to set in the distance once again, but as soon as the light began to fade, they saw a small outpost village in the distance.

They had made it, the village of Darkness was just past this outpost and soon their time in this village would begin.

A/N- And that's a wrap on that chapter...

It's getting quite long, isn't it? Anyway, I'm just glad I've finished this chapt, took me long enough...

Whelp, this is it until the next time I can get a chapt done...as I said before, I'm trying to update at least on chapt per story, so please, remain with me here. I'm not quitting!!

See ya'll next time...

Ja Ne!