A/N: I have my license!!! YAY! :D

As the sky began to glow pink, and orange with the rising sun, Orochimaru and Kabuto at last entered the mountains.

The light wind from the plain had followed them there, and it swirled around them, and throughout the trees, making leaves flutter to the ground gently like butterflies.

Kabuto took a deep breath of the air, and smiled; it was wonderful.

It had obviously rained there recently, for the air had the beautiful earthy, yet watery smell that accompanied that world afterwards.

Mist surrounded them as well, it was softly wafting about, and no matter how fast they went, they never caught up with the mist ahead of them.

Kabuto doubted that it would be possible to catch up with the mist behind them as well. He took a deep breath again, this place was almost magical, it was so serene. "It's like something out of the stories that father used to read me," he thought.

Orochimaru looked at the world around them with boredom, and disdain in his eyes; this was all just an obstacle that kept them away from reaching his goal as soon as he would like. He found no beauty in it, only hindrance and obstruction.

"This had better be worth all the time it's going to take," he thought.

They continued to run well into the morning and Kabuto was starting to wonder if they would ever stop.

"We haven't even eaten since we left the Dragon's Inn," he thought. "I had better not say anything though," he swallowed. "I really don't want to anger Orochimaru. Maybe he wants to run until we reach whatever town is last on his list?" Kabuto wondered. "Wherever that is, please let it be close," he prayed.

They ran, and ran, and Kabuto couldn't remember a single time he had been as exhausted as he was now. He had to be even more cautious with his footing now than ever before, which didn't help matters; the ground was treacherous further into the mountain range, there were rocks, sticks, and roots sticking up everywhere.

"And they're all just in the right place to trip me up," he sighed. "I'd rather not see what would happen if I was to fall."

Orochimaru stopped suddenly, and kneeled down on the ground.

"Lord?" Kabuto asked, concealing his alarm.

Orochimaru didn't answer, he seemed to be absorbed in observing something.

Kabuto crept up behind his master's shoulder quietly; he kneeled down too, and searched for whatever had caught Orochimaru's eye.

"A snake?" he thought in askance. "He stopped to look at a snake? Unbelievable!"

"Isn't it gorgeous, Kabuto?" Orochimaru whispered, in awe of the creature.

"Yes, lord; it's beautiful." Kabuto answered. "Honestly, I'll never understand his fixation with those serpents."

The snake was pure white, with soft gray eyes.

"I'd guess it's about four feet long," Kabuto thought.

The snake flicked its tongue in and out curiously.

Orochimaru carefully picked it up; it slithered up his arm, and stretched itself across his shoulders.

Orochimaru smiled, "It would seem that she would like to come along with us."

"How does he know it's female?" Kabuto wondered, but being afraid to know the answer to that question, he just smiled, and said, "Yes, lord; that's what it looks like."

"I always did have a way with snakes," Orochimaru commented, petting the snake. "You are going to need a name," he said to it. "Tsuki," he decided after thinking for a few moments. "That will be your name for now."

Why did he name it 'Luck?'" Kabuto wandered. "Lord Orochimaru, may I ask a question?" he asked cautiously.

"You just asked one," Orochimaru answered smirking. "But by all means, go ahead, and ask another."

Kabuto felt relief flow through him; find Tsuki had obviously put Orochimaru in a good mood.

"Why did you name the snake 'Luck?'" he asked.

"Why, Kabuto; don't tell me you don't know what they say about white snakes?" Orochimaru exclaimed.

"No, lord, I'm afraid I don't know." Kabuto replied feeling mystified; he hadn't known that white snakes were special.

"They represent immortality, and reincarnation; new life basically." Orochimaru said, and Kabuto nodded.

"Ah, I see," he said. "That is lucky," he added, laughing in a show of false happiness. "Now I understand why you think it's so lucky," he thought, now that he knew that answer, he found it very unsurprising.

After a few more hours of travel, they finally stopped to rest.

Kabuto sat down in the tent, and fought back the need to sleep with every part of his will. Orochimaru handed him a cup of tea, and a bowl of ramen. Kabuto accepted it, he felt more than grateful for the meal; he quickly thanked all the gods he could think of for it, and for finally being able to rest. While he was waiting for the water to soften his ramen, Orochimaru was feeding Tsuki dried pieces of meat. The snake gulped them up eagerly; when he was finished eating he slithered up Orochimaru's right arm, and laid down across his shoulders to rest.

Orochimaru stroked the snake gently with his right hand, as he held his cup of tea with his left. He sipped his tea quietly, and listened to the world around him. "It's surprisingly silent right now," he thought. "The sun's beginning to set, I would have thought that all sorts of creatures would be coming out right now."

Kabuto gulped his tea down; his throat was so dry that the liquid stung the first few swallows. He poured himself some more tea, and setting it down for the moment, he picked up his ramen and began to devour it ravenously. Orochimaru laughed to himself about Kabuto's behavior, "He's consuming it just like a starving dog," he thought, smirking at how amusing the scene was.

When Kabuto finished his ramen, he still felt hungry, but he didn't dare ask for more. "No, I'll just have to wait until we reach the next town." he thought. "Besides, I'm almost a Chunin, it won't be difficult at all."