CHAPTER ELEVEN- RAIN

Dog felt the rain as it slid down his face. It would mingle lightly with the blood on his cheek and run red streaks down his face. His hair plastered against his skull would stick to the side of his face and get into his eyes as he resolved to have it cut after this was over. Though he made no motion to move it out of the way, it was both a advantage and a disadvantage to be out in this weather, as the rain fell heavily. The sure amount of it was enough to wash away his trail, and to make visibility within a hand's stretch of himself impossible. He couldn't be tracked by normal means, and there was a good chance, they would pass within a nose of him and still miss him even if they could. Though, that meant that he was lost in the forest, and he couldn't use the stars nor backtrack over his own trail. There would be no seeking out help nor going back to camp, he was on his on for the night. Though, against this particular breed of shinobi, this blinding rain meant that the playing field was for once even, if only he had the weight and muscle mass to make it count. Yet, he didn't, as his dark eyes would dart to and fro watching the shadows as he presses his back against a tree and held perfectly still.

Movement was easier to detect in absolute darkness.

That meant that it was best to stand still, and not fight, because, he would lose.

Though losing wasn't the problem, if he had been the one with the decoy ...his losing would have been in the plan. Their defeat of him would have meant nothing, and if they had killed him ...that meant more time they took away from searching for the one with the decoy. That would have been victory either way, but he wasn't. He held what they wanted, and so, he couldn't be found ...he couldn't win the fight, and if they killed him, it wouldn't be a waste of time ...because there would be no one to relay the message of the lost. No one would know that he had failed, and by the time they discovered it, their enemy would be long gone.

If they managed to see him ...managed to catch a glimpse of him ...it was over.

They couldn't lose, he couldn't be seen, and thus, he had to stand still in the pour rain.

A flash of lightning would strike then, and his entire world would suddenly be engulf in light and shadow.

The entire area would be illuminated in that moment ...as it would seem that the heavens themselves would betray him. Staring straight at him, one of the enemy stood ...in the darkness he had been searching and in the light he had found. And as the boom of thunder roared afterwards and the world was once more plunged into darkness so suddenly that Dog lost all vision in that world of night ...one thing was clear.

He had failed, and his mind leapt back over the events that had brought him to such a fate.

He was going to die.

The mission was a simple one.

The commands hidden.

The difficulty faced was only a matter of perspective.

These things Dog knew ...as he watches his commander walk away from them. The man giving them the details that he figured they needed, but there was others he gave without saying a word. The crunch of grass underneath a foot that would have normally been silent. A trail where there should be none, only Dog noticed these signs of the Commander's anger. And only Dog, would have missed the significants of them as the Commander gave them his final words before their mission, and they would follow after their new Master for the moment, Danzou.

There was so much to lose if they failed.

Nothing to gain if they succeeded.

It was the first true test of Roots ...nothing except the mission.

A kunai would slice though his right shoulder ...pain making it easier to get his bearing back. The boy was a deer in the headlights for only a moment as he realized that his opponent had been blinded by the rapid change of darkness and light as well. Otherwise, that kunai would have found his throat instead of his shoulder as he moves to try and escape. Futile, but, so was simply standing there as he would leap for the trees, and feel the smack of branches against his head and shoulders as he leap blindly.

A whistle sound would urge him higher.

He had only wanted to protect his back ...when he had first press against the tree. But now, it was his guide as his hand touches the bark as he rose higher and higher into it's leaves. He wouldn't be there when the shinobi regain his vision, but he was leaving more than enough of a trail to make it clear where he was gone.

Darkness made things clearer than light.

Mission, this wasn't a real mission.

It had been called that by one of those whom perspective differ. Who thought this was a foolish and useless thing that had been done as the council assembled outside of the gates for their silent and secret departure. They council was spilt about this mission, and even then made it clear. Though this was probably because the most powerful of the members was so against this. He only allowed it because it had already happen ...and there wasn't a known jutsu that could bring back the dead. He only stood by, because, the Hokage had commanded it.

So, he had accepted, but not relented.

Dog's education was seriously lacking. For Mountain and River had understood the danger in that, but he and Tiger had missed it. The danger in the symbol of the red and white fan.

It was a pity he knew it now.

Dog saw those symbols of red and black as another strike of lightning would threaten his vision again, but this time he was more prepared. He wouldn't be blinded again as he reached the top of the tree to discover that he was now being chased by not one but three, and closed his eyes to allow himself to adjust to the darkness before it fell. The boy would wait a heartbeat for darkness to descend again before he would push it into the broken opening at it's top, and then he would leap away.

He could only hope they would follow and not find it.

The Iron box that contain the head of the dead.

The trip hadn't been pleasant by any means. Their supplies had been tamper with, they had nearly walk into several booby traps, and their last night's camping experience had been without rest. They were being hounded, but so far, they weren't being directly harm.

They all were expecting a ambush, but, not at the meeting place. Not as they were about to make the exchange to the Hidden Cloud nin that would take the head to their village. Not at the borders, where the disruption would come to naught, for the hidden cloud would know that they were trying to honor their agreement.

Though, maybe, that wasn't their goal, and that is why they struck then.

Though, that didn't mean they weren't prepared.

A genjutsu had been used, two of three of the containers were fake, so, when they had attacked the plan had been put into action. Only River turned to face the enemy with the two Cloud nin at his back, while the other three ...were meant to run and escape. The enemy didn't expect them to turn and stand together, cloud and leaf.

It would be a symbol of their peace.

Though there was five, and though, Mountain, Tiger, and Dog had split from each other going in different directions. Three would have to stand up to River and the Cloud in order to secure the pursues back. That left only two to follow after their them. It should have given them 2 out of 3 chance of picking the right one, and fifty fifty chance of capturing the one they were chasing. But, two of the five had gone directly after Dog. The Genjustsu hadn't fool them for a second, and none of the other shinobi had realized it ...as they each strive to complete their part of the mission.

Shortsighted

He knew he was being short sighted, because, if they kill him ...no one would ever find the head. And that would be the same as success for the enemy, but, the chances of success were higher this way. 15% chance that his own team would stumble upon it ..then the 5% if he was caught with it and the enemy took it away. Thus he ran onwards with them in rapid pursue, the number changing from one to three shinobi in his field of vision. He knew that one of those three had to have come from River's group ..that can't be a good indication of how their fight had gone as exhaustion was starting to take hold.

And the boy would make a decision that could only be called suicide in this down pour.

He changed directions as he felt the rain slicing through his clothing. The cold so absolute that his fingers were starting to go numb and his clothing themselves seemed to gain more weight. Would it be worst than that ...he couldn't help the question. He already knew the answer as he would see it below him ...for keeping the upper hand was the only thing that helped him elude them now.

Another blob of blacked moved in the trees ahead of him.

Another flash of lightning, and he would see four.

He couldn't go forward any further. His chances of survival with that interferences dropped to 25%. He couldn't hesitate as he leapt from the top branches. He would fall through the trees. They would seemingly try and grab at him, pulling and scratching and snatching as he broke through them and hit the water below. A tree limb whole and heavy would smack him across the back as the water cushion the collision, and his mind shift to trying to keep his head above water. This river had raged out of control and swell and grown in this weather. It had been his target once he realized escape was impossible. His goal had been to reach the far side, his opponent had forced him to land direction in the middle of the flow where the current was strongest.

They couldn't follow him there if they valued their lives.

It was only thankful that he did not.

For there was only the mission ...

Chapter Eleven: Rain ended

Chapter Epilogue...

Dog would wake in the shallow water. His vision wavier ...as he sketched with one hand and pulled his body over his drawing carefully with the other. They would find him dead, he knew he had swallowed a lot of the water, but he had spew out as much as possible to breathe. His heart rate was slowing, he was so cold, and he knew it was shock that would do him in. Ironic considering he felt none of the emotions that should ravage him with the threat of death hovering so close. And the shock was a function of his body only, everything was so cloudy and dark.

At least he had learned one thing, he did feel cold.

Though he couldn't be chilled.

His head would land heavily as he finished his drawing and roll over on top.

If they thought to look under him, the enemy would know where he stashed it. If they did not ...his own would find it. 50% chance of either possibilities, but in then as everything was drowned out he thought of one last possibility he had neglected ...

maybe they wouldn't find him at all.