Chapter 4: Misgivings
When Izuna had said that they should roam around a bit, he didn't envision roaming around a creepy dark forest. The canopy was so thick he could barely feel sunlight on his skin. They must have been walking for more than an hour and still hadn't reached anywhere. No landmarks found. The whole place looked the same to him no matter which direction they went, which was to be expected. Not like he wasn't used to navigate his way in a forest, but it was difficult to focus his mind on the tracks when he had to constantly keep an eye out for the Senjus, who just so conveniently happened to be walking beside him not two feet away.
Izuna and Tobirama were walking beside each other at a little more than an arms distance, both unwilling to leave their backs open to the other. His hands on the hilt of his blade the entire team, his body tense, more than half of his attention on the man walking beside him, anticipating any moves on the Senju's part. He tried to maintain his calm to help himself be rational but he was starting to get nervous. He could tell that Tobirama was too, if the way he was carrying himself so stiffly was anything to go by.
Izuna was starting to get impatient. This whole situation was starting to feel so bizarre. He had seen Tobirama on the battlefield, their only aim to get rid of the other. Walking beside him trying to find a way out...was surreal. It took all of his sanity to not draw his blade and drive it through the damned Senju's skull. If Izuna wanted to go trekking in a forest out of nowhere he would have said so. But he doesn't want to!
But this punk with a snowball excuse of hair was making him to it anyway! Ugh! All he wanted to do was give Tobirama a slow and agonizing death right now. He could have killed the bastard already on the battlefield and the world would have been free of another arrogant Senju! But Madara would object to Izuna using his Susanoo.
Izuna knew precisely why Madara insisted on asking him to not use the Mangekyou. And Izuna would have appreciated his brother's concern but that was also the reason why Izuna was growing more and more worried about his brother these days. Madara would be the only one using his Susanoo in all the fights, to protect the clan, taking all the burden on his shoulders. Izuna had rarely used his Mangekyou. He wanted to. The power he had felt surging through him the first time he had used it was unexplainable and he loved it. And he had used it for a while before the effects had started to show. Madara had denied Izuna to execute his power through Mangekyou anymore, promising him that he would protect Izuna with his own if need be. And since then, Izuna had often noticed Madara's fatigue, his persistant headache. He wanted to tell Madara to hold back from now, but both of them were well aware that Madara had to be the strongest if he wanted to keep his position as the clan leader and keep them safe as well. But Madara's Mangekyou had started to take a toll on him a long time back. It was already turning Madara blind. And with each passing day, Izuna found himself fearing for his brother's sight and life. But the power of Mangekyou is hard to resist he knows. Such power comes with a price, he knows that too.
He had already lost three of his siblings. He didn't know what he would do if he lost Madara too. He didn't think he would be able to bear such pain. He was certain he would fall prey to hatred even more than he already was.
Izuna kept walking. They'll reach somewhere soon, he just has to be patient for a little longer. A few more minutes of wandering about, he heard distant noise of running water. "Oh! Might be a river." Hashirama exclaimed and the next thing he knows they were all sprinting towards it. The river came into view shortly, and he haulted abruptly as soon as they reached it as something crossed his mind. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Madara going completely still a combination of confusion and scepticism spreading over his features. And Izuna knew what Madara was thinking. But he kept his own lips pursed not wanting to say it, lest he should hurt his brother. It was Tobirama who said, "This place reminds me of the one where Hashirama-"He stopped. Silence. "I mean where we first encountered each other" he finished trying to keep his tone even. And for a second there's a flash of pain in Madara's eyes but is replaced by his cold empty stare just as quickly.
Izuna remembers the day when his father had asked him to follow his brother the next time he goes out alone, and he did to find out who this new friend was that Madara used to meet. He had turned out to be a Senju. And Izuna had been afraid that his brother might be branded as a traitor if this friendship was to continue. And he remembers the escapade the next day on the river, when Madara had awakened his sharingan and had lost his dream and a friend only to gain a new enemy. Izuna had stayed by his brother that night never leaving his side for once, held on to him as a single tear fell silently from his eyes in the absence of spectators, only Izuna holding his hands tightly, but nothing more. And he had not seen Madara cry ever since.
Izuna glances over Hashirama but he is silent too, his gaze fixed on the ground somewhere near Madara's feet. Izuna wasn't raised to believe in what-ifs or maybes hence he didn't believe that peace could be achieved. It was always Madara, it had always been Madara who wanted to make a difference, who had the vision about bringing peace to them. And even though he was grieving over his loss, he still had hope to make his dream come true and that kept him going on until that too was taken away from him. And Izuna wants to reach out and hold Madara but he doesn't move. He cannot show weakness in front of their foes. No, its better they don't know. And Madara and him, they will just have to keep each other safe as they can.
Madara breaks the silence. "This place does look like that. But its better if we keep on moving rather than spotting similarities between places." Madara comments, his words carefully measured. "I have a feeling we should be out of here soon".
Hashirama looks conflicted as he opens his mouth to speak something, but no words follow. He stares at Madara for a few seconds then says, "Yes we better get out of here soon. We have a battle to fight after all." He muttered so softly that Izuna could almost, almost pretend not hearing him. Madara doesn't respond to that. What could he have said to something like that after all. Tobirama puts a hand on his brother's shoulder. "We should move now, elder brother." He calls to him softly. And if Izuna didn't know any better, he would think that the look on his face was one of sorrow. And Izuna finds it hard to think that the Senjus might be suffering too when they have been the reason of so many Uchiha graves. Its easier to kill an enemy when you pretend to not know that the enemy is not all that different from you and you both just happen to be on the different sides of the battlefield. So he shall pretend. His hatred for his enemy is greater than his understanding of their mutual sorrow, and his pride, even greater.
The next few minutes of wandering about went in silence save for the occasional sounds of birds and sounds of wildlife in general. And Izuna could deal with that when out of the blue, Tobirama threw a kunai past his head, missing him by mere inches. Izuna had ducked gracefully, though he could tell that Tobirama wasn't aiming for his head. He was furious nonetheless. He would not take to threats kindly and he turned to Tobirama more than willing to slit his throat if he so wished to have a fight right there. He stopped when he noticed Tobirama staring somewhere over his shoulders. Izuna turned around to follow his gaze as his eyes fell upon the huge centipede nailed to the tree.
Ugh! Okay, that was disconcerting.
"My bad. It was just a centipede." Tobirama uttered dismissively. "Just a centipede?! That thing is the size of a freaking elephant!" Izuna exclaimed comically. Tobirama reagarded him with raised brows and a hint of amusement in his eyes. Izuna huffed looking away. "Tsk. Whatever" It wasn't like he suddenly wanted to behave like an excited child or something, that think was freaky alright. Hashirama and Madara, who were walking ahead of them, had stopped as Hashirama kept on looking between Izuna and his brother while Madara was eyeing the creature, slight discomfort apparent in his eyes. "Don't tell me there are more of these things here."Madara muttered, very displeased. He kind of didn't like insects, not to talk of huge ones. But oh well, so did Izuna. "Better clear this place soon then." Hashirama remarked, a small smile on his lips. Izuna could tell it was fondness, for Madara probably, he thought, though he didn't quite want to tread into that particular territory.
Izuna shot one last glare at the white-haired Senju before straightening his mantle and walking, feigning an air of nonchalance.
It was going to be a long day.