A young child, no older than two years old cried out in hunger. The child's older brother tried to relax him with little success.
"Hey, is everything ok?" Iona appeared, placing her hand on the child's head taking his temperature.
"Yeah, I think he is just hungry. Have Himawari and the others arrived back with more rations yet?"
"And what about a new base? We've been on the run for weeks now?" A second civiallin approached Iona, to her awkwardness.
"Look guys, I know about as much as you do. The next time I meet with Sarada I'll be sure to try and get some answers for you. As for Himawari she should be back in a few hours."
"Miss Sarada, you asked for us?" A pair of young ninja entered Sarada's tent, where she and Jinsho stood over a series of maps drawn by Inojin.
"Yes, I understand the two of you are gifted in water style?"
"Um, as much as we could be I guess. I am mostly self-taught, I think she had training from her… family and we practice with each other regulary."
"The facts are, the odds of the scouting team returning with enough food for the entire group is…unlikely. We are spread incredibly thin as it is." Jinsho explained to the young ninja.
"We would like you to make a small expedition to this lake here and using your water style I'd like you to bring as many fish back here as you can." Sarada ordered, pointing to a lake on the map.
"Wait, this map shows the lake what, four hours journey from here?! And you want us to go without Himawari?! Or Tokuma?! How we will we know if any demons come at us?!" One of the ninja spoke up, frightening the other.
"Yes but we found someone else to accompany you." Sarada answered as another ninja entered the tent.
"This is Tarui, one of the hidden cloud ninja we found with Chocho. He wields a unique sensor jutsu that works off of movement, if any demons comes at you he will be able to sense it. Furthermore, Kabuto will be accompanying you using his sealing skills to seal all the food and water you can." Jinsho finished explaining.
"Any other questions?" Sarada asked, met by firm looks from all three ninja.
"Good, Kabuto is currently with Shikidai at the training tents but Jinsho sent an insect clone to brief him. If you could meet him there and depart immediately. Thank you." Sarada ordered as the ninja took there leave.
"So, what are your names?"
"I'm Yaku, and this is Mito."
"What age are you guys?"
"14." Yaku answered.
"Is she ok? She hasn't said anything this whole time." Tarui seemed somewhat annoyed by Mito's silence.
"Yeah sorry, Mito doesn't talk much. She….It's complicated."
"Yeah…isn't everything these days."
He said, somewhat disheartened. Mito continued walking behind the two in silence with her arms wrapped around her waist.
A younger Mito was hiding amongst the ruins of her home, in a small village in the land of fire. Her parents at either side of her. Across the room she could see her younger brother, Hashi, bleeding into the floor. She held her hand over her mouth holding in all the emotions, all the fear. Between her and her brother she could see something walking past them, something metal. She lay there too afraid to even shiver. Every hiss from the demons, every step was like a new wound being cut into her. After hours of simply waiting there, there was a silence a long silence. A very long silence.
"Mom, dad I think we can…" Mito was interrupted by a demon ripping the rubble they were hiding below off of them, screaming right at them. The metal beast swung for Mito with its claws but her father intervened.
"Water style: Water whip!" He swung the liquid weapon round, not damaging the demon but it was enough to knock it back saving his daughter. Without his notice many more demons appeared, rushing the ninja and pouncing on him. Once he was on the ground the demons began sinking their teeth into his various limbs and ripping them off one by one.
"Mito run!" Her mother rushed out, pulling her daughter up and turning her away from the battle. She turned around and made a handsign, summoning a thick mist around her, providing a thick cover for her daughter to escape.
Mito ran for as long as she could, eventually coming to a slow limp, until she had no strength left. She eventually collapsed as a group of flesh demons approached her exhausted body. Barely conscious and silent, she watched as the demon prepared to consume her. Just as the demon's drool fell onto her skin she saw a figure appear before her, her exhausted brain couldn't make out the face but she could tell her savior was female and had incredible strength.
"So is everyone here?" Kabuto asked, snapping Mito back into the present.
"Looks like, are we ready to go?" Tarui turned to the two younger ninja, who nodded at him.
"Alright let's go." The team made their way into a nearby forest, towards the lake they intended to. Kabuto took the lead, having two massive scrolls tied to his back for sealing supplies. Mito and Yaku followed slightly behind him with Tauri at the rear.
"So Tarui, this sensor technique of yours, how does it work?" Kabuto asked.
"I am the grandson of the hidden clouds famed Magent style Toroi. I inherited this kekki genkai from him, unfortunately I have yet to develop it for any combat techniques but my sensing is a magnet style sensor technique, my body releases a large magnetic field and I can feel things that pass through it. When Jinsho said my technique works off of movement it would be more accurate to say it worked off of relative movement, when stationary I can only sense moving objects, when I'm moving I can sense anything as long as it isn't moving in the same direction at the same speed I am."
"Wait, so if something is following us, but maintaining a constant distance from us it's invisble to you?"
"If it can mimick my trajectory perfectly, then yes."
"Great… you better make some awkward movements then Tarui…" Yaku sighed.
"You sense anything just now?"
"Nothing out of the ordinary, I think we have a clear path to the lake."