Later that night when everyone was fast asleep and in their dream lands, the crescent moon high in the sky. The princess slept inside her now pitched tent, everyone else was scattered in front of it. Shino's slumber was disturbed though by the sound of someone sneaking through their camp. Or rather, someone sneaking out.
He laid there silently, watching the silhouette tip toe past his teammates and then disappear through the bushes. He sat up slightly, wondering who that person was. It was to dark for him to tell, so he got up accordingly and followed in the stranger's footsteps.
Having no idea where he was going, the forest being as thick as it is, Shino jumped up into the trees to get a better look of where this stranger was leading him to. He jumped branch to branch, hoping that this was the direction where the silhouette was going. Then he came to a stop, staring out to what looks like another opening in the forest. He stared through his sunglasses at the silhouette from earlier who stood in the middle of the opening.
He perched on the branch in silence. Watching as the stranger slowly removed its hood from its head. Shino mentally smacked himself. It was Riko. Of course it was Riko, the stranger was wearing a cloak and was sneaking out of camp. Shino was about to turn away and take his leave but Riko's movement distracted him.
Riko's arms made slow but smooth movements. Moving her feet to different stances and moving her arms to different positions. It looked like she was practicing a certain kata but it also looked like she was performing ballet. It seemed like she was glowing, but he just though of it to be the moon which shone down on her from above.
A strange feeling coursed through his body. It was like he was being hypnotized, caught in some sort of trance. He tried to move but found it to be impossible. His arms felt as heavy as lead and his feet felt to be bolted to the tree. He struggled, trying to break through.
Then as quick as a flash, a kunai knife was thrown right at him. He couldn't move, he was stuck. The knife flew right above him and stuck into the tree. Bits of his hair floated down in front of him. Then as quick as the knife, Riko appeared right in front of Shino. She perched on the branch face to face with the quiet boy who was spying on her.
Her expression was harsh. She looked furious. Shino just sat there in silence as Riko crawled over and pulled the knife out of the tree above him. There faces an inch away from each other.
"Stalker." She said.
Shino stared into her eyes through his glasses. He still couldn't move, and he couldn't say anything.
Riko sighed then looked away. She sat on the branch, swinging her legs from under her.
Shino suddenly snapped out of his trance. He rose his arm up and flexed his hand in front of his face, testing if he could move again. "What did you just do to me?" He asked, still flexing his hand.
"Why were you stalking me pervert?" She said, ignoring his question.
"Don't change the subject, and I was stalking you." He lowered his hand and studied Riko. Her hood was still down, and her expression had changed.
"You were surely spying on me."
That part was true and Shino knew that. "I wouldn't have been if you didn't freeze me on the spot like that." He watched her face carefully, why was she frowning like that?
Riko raised herself to her feet. She balanced to the end of the branch then stepped off, landing on her feet at the bottom. Shino jumped down as well, landing behind her. "Answer my question. How did you freeze all my muscles like that?"
Riko turned around and faced the determined boy. "That was your own fault."
"How so?"
Riko sighed. "Why did you follow me here?"
Shino was getting annoyed. She just kept changing the subject on him. "Well I thought you were a threat. I guess I was wrong." He said casually.
Riko clenched her fists. Shino was pushing the right buttons to start a fight. "Well aren't you glad you found out?" She snapped.
"Yes."
His calmness really pissed Riko off. Her blood boiled, her face turned red. Riko swung an open hand to his face but only to be stopped in its path. He gripped her wrist.
"This is the hand you burned right?" He asked studying her hand.
Riko tried to pull away but he held on tightly. "I don't see any burn marks on it. Were you faking for attention?"
Riko started to shake all over. She clenched her hands into fists. Her face was hidden in a shadow. No words would do what she felt like justice. Shino started to lower her arm but it was too late.
The wind got knocked out of him as Riko's foot made contact with his stomach. Sending him backwards, dragging his feet across the ground. He never suspected such power in that girls kick. He stopped and tried to catch his breath once again, holding his stomach.
Riko raised her head. Her face wet with tears. "SHUT UP! YOU KNOW NOTHING!" She shouted then dashed away into the trees.
Good job Shino. He thought to himself. She's a little over dramatic though…
Thinking she went back to camp, Shino did so as well. He walked in silence, in his own thoughts back to his sleeping bag, only to be watched carefully by a large black bird, perched on a nearby tree.
