Trees passed by me in a blur. My only coherent thought was getting to a secluded place. My eyes darted around the area around me, taking in the terrain and locking it into my memory. My teammates kept close to my side, keeping pace with me as I continued to push off of thick tree branches to reach for the next one.
Finally I glanced to my right and saw a small space hidden under bushes and trees and sharply changed directions. I subconsciously was aware of my comrades following me as I dropped down into the tight space. I kneeled down and they kept themselves low hiding their presence and gathering around me. It gave me a warm feeling to see the unwavering trust they held in their eyes. I nodded to them and sat myself down, focusing on my surroundings and searching the area for danger, whether it be human or not. My senses narrowed in on a form a good distance away. It was human but it stayed where it was, seemingly observing us. I had a bad feeling, my memory tugging on the grass ninja with the serpent tongue. Nothing was guaranteed but we needed to be cautious. I wouldn't let my team die. I'd rather sacrifice myself for them. I opened my eyes that had fallen shut to hone my senses. I made contact with all of their eyes independently. I formed my seal and brought my fingers to my temple.
"We are being watched. A single ninja approximately 300 yards away. I've got a bad feeling. I want to avoid fighting them." They nodded in understanding. Even Naruto remained quiet and concentrated. Looking down at the dirt beneath my shoes, I grimaced. This would not end well. I tried to think of some plan to avoid this person. I glanced back up to focus in on them again and my eyes widened slightly in panic. I forced myself to remain calm.
"Let's move" I said and grabbed their arms placing my chakra signature on each of them. It was something that Naruto had thought of when we were training for these tests. A way to be connected. I had the most chakra control so I marked them.
Not wasting any time, we pushed off and spread out slightly keeping ourselves quiet and hiding our presences. If we were lucky we would be long gone by the time this person noticed we left. My hopes were shattered almost immediately after we took off. An explosion shoving us apart with a shock wave. I was sent flying into a tree far away from everyone else. My back collided harshly with the bark and knocked the air from my lungs. I fell to the branch below me and started to cough violently, trying to get oxygen again. I didn't wait for my breathing to become regular again, though I really should have, as soon as I could breathe I was soaring back to where my teammates had been. It took me longer than I liked and when I got there, there was no one in sight. I looked around me desperate to see if they were okay. My panic was rising like bile in my throat and I choked it down. My comrades needed me and I would not fail them. I calmed myself quickly and focused in on my chakra signature. That was the whole point of using it. I felt the closest one and it was heading south, deeper into the forest. I expanded my search and found the second. It was still, my heart pounded in my chest and I made my way towards it. When I got there I was greeted by an enormous snake wrapping around a thick tree. I searched for my signature again and found it inside. I drew tetsuiga, raised it above my head and leaped forward, slicing clean through it. I pulled naruto from the corpse and slapped a hand on his back making him startle awake. I breathed a sigh of relief that he had just been unconscious.
"Are you okay?" I asked hastily. He nodded and looked passed me with wide eyes. I glanced behind me to see a large smoke cloud and a giant boom filled the air.
"Com'on!" I yelled and we jumped to our feet and sprang into action. Racing through the tangled branches faster than before. I felt the last two of my signatures just ahead and when we entered the clearing I saw Sasuke frozen in place with the most fearful expression marring his features. He was panicking. I looked to see the source of his distress to find the grass ninja I had been suspicious of. His two clones nowhere in sight. He had complete control over Sasuke from fear alone. He was shaking and sweating, barely breathing. I saw something start to whip towards Sakura who was near by him. My heart stopped. I wouldn't make it in time. Sasuke pulled a kunai from his holster and stabbed it into his thigh, breaking his trance and allowing him to leap into action and get Sakura out of danger. Even though Sakura was safe for the time being, it didn't mean my heart stopped beating any faster. I could feel the reason why he was so scared and why Sakura wouldn't move. The grass ninja was dangerous. He radiated power. I wouldn't be able to beat him. It made no sense, why would someone so undeniably powerful be taking the chunin exams? My head couldn't wrap around it, but that didn't matter right now. My top and only priority was getting my teammates out of this no mans land. I quickly formed a link with them.
"The three of you need to get out of here. We can't beat him. I will distract him while you three make a break for it." I knew they would fight me on it but this was our only shot. I was the strongest. This ninja's focus was solely on Sasuke and that concerned me greatly.
"No way in hell! We aren't going to leave a teammate behind!" Sasuke voice sounded through my head.
"Don't fucking argue with me right now, there's no time. He's after Sasuke. That much I can see. The best I can do is keep him back while you three get as far away as possible. I won't die. I have a lot to live for. Have faith in me." I said looking pointedly at each of their faces. They were all a mix of anger and concern. Sasuke clenched his teeth, staring hard at me before pushing himself off of the branch beneath him and quickly heading away from the scene, Sakura clutched in his arms.
"I'll never forgive you if you die!" He said. I shot Naruto a look and he nodded with a pained look and took of after Sasuke.
"It won't be that easy to elude me" the ninja spoke, shifting to take after them but I was slightly faster, swinging tetsuiga down at him, forcing him to leap back as my sword destroyed the thick branch. I said nothing, keeping eye contact with the only thing that needed my focus right then.
"That's noble, sacrificing yourself for your friends." He said, shooting me a sinister grin. A shiver went down my spine and my eyes narrowed. I would have to go all out, holding nothing back if I wanted to live. I shifted my stance and sheathed tetsuiga. I pulled a kunai from my holster and held it up in front of me. He smirked before shooting forward. He was fast. But I'm faster. I flash stepped to the side and slashed my kunai down at him grazing his cheek. He swiftly turned and kicked me away from him. I saw it coming but I was in mid air and couldn't avoid it. I pulled my forearms together to block my chest and took the full hit. The kick sent me crashing through a branch and I felt the hot sting of pain flowing through my arms and back but I wasted no time in planting my feet on the tree trunk I was about to crash into and pushing off of it. Taking off like a bullet back towards him my take off fueled by chakra. I throw a handful of shuriken at him all aiming to hit the mark before he easily blocked every one, ricocheting away from him. With a flick of my wrist they came flying back around him, wrapping him in the thin wire I had tied around them. I quickly flew through the familiar hand seals and sending my thunder dragon hurdling straight from the thick clouds above us down onto my captive. Lightning engulfed him and scorched him to his core. I breathed heavy waiting for the next move, knowing it wasn't over. My body tense from the adrenaline coursing through my veins.
The thin smoke evaporated and revealed a burnt log in his place. My eyed widened before a scorching heat erupted from my shoulder. Pain consuming my being and bringing me to my knees. My hands scratched at the foreign chakra encasing my body. It radiated pain, flowing into every part of my body. I screamed in agony, my fingers that had ripped the cloth from my shoulder, scratched deep red cuts into my flesh. Hot tears stung at my eyes but refused to fall. I gasped in pain, my mind numb and my body paralyzed. I was on the verge of unconsciousness, my vision blurry and fading to black on the outskirts of my sight. I voice muffled into the back of my head.
"Congratulations. You are quite an impressive girl. I hope you like the present Ibleft you with, it's one of my favorites." The voice paused before sighing audibly. "Now if you will excuse me. I've wasted enough time here. I have a Uchiha to catch." My mind came to a sudden screech. I felt the presence disappear and I rolled myself onto my knees and hand, the other clutching painfully at my shoulder. I forced myself onto shaking legs and into an upright position. My shoulder felt like it was on fire. My skin bubbling and simmering like boiling water. I used all my will power to block it out, gritting my teeth and taking off towards my teammates. I was slower than normal but my desperation to find them fueled my burning lungs and aching legs to drive me forward. I knew I would be useless now but my brain forced the thought away. It was pointless to focus on it. I grunted in pain feeling my feet slip on the branch but I steadied myself and continued on. It felt like hours dragging myself through eerily calm and quiet jungle. My thoughts focused solely on reaching them.
After quite some time I found them. Sakura was crying next to Naruto and Sasuke's still forms, lying on the branch. My breath caught but I saw the steady rise and fall of their chests and relief flooded my system. My knees collapsed under me and I fell down on the branch a few away from theirs. A gasp was heard and Sakura was next to me. I looked up at her tear stained face and smiled the best I could but it was more like a grimace. She bursted out in a fresh wave of tears and threw her arms around my crumpled form. I had no energy and I could feel the pull of exhaustion on my mind. I heard the muffled cries of sakura and her relief that I was alive. My eyes fell shut as I succumbed to the darkness that clouded my brain, my body falling limp in Sakura's grasp.
End notes:
I am so sorry. I have had serious writer's block for what feels like forever. I feel so bad for making everyone wait this long! I know this is kinda short but i wanted to get anything out there. I hope you guys like it.. I'm sorry I'm so crappy at fight scenes.
Well in other news, I'm looking for a beta for my stories. I keep going back and rereading them and fixing things and reposting. It's very hard and I'm super impatient. If interested please PM me!
Alright, enough chitchat. Thank you all for reading this far! Your reviews and views make my day! Farewell for now!
