Part 25: Bite Your Face

"AKAMARU!"

Hearing you scream out my name as I descended into the uncertain darkness, I almost wanted to close my eyes from the rush of the air and the speed I was descending, falling faster than any raindrop- but I had to focus on the next platform my feet landed on. I had no desire to break any of my limbs. My short, padded toes gripping what they could, I jumped from one slippery rock to another and made my way down. I could smell Shino, despite the water trying it's best to hide it, I could tell he was bleeding. His fall apparently wasn't as graceful as mine-

I gasped as my felt my left foot snap when the slope took a sudden turn to flatter ground. I fell limply with my leg's nerves' screaming, and for a moment I waited as the shock washed over me as well as the rain. Why the hell did it have to rain?

Pushing myself up, I shuddered. Okay, my ankle was broken, but it wasn't that bad! There are worse things I could've busted. Right now I need to focus on finding Shino and make sure he is alright. I felt faint, but I pushed it back. This was no time to be useless. Not till I find him, help you and save Hinata.

I've got my work cut out for me.

Shoving my nose in the rocky mud, I sucked in all the smells I could. Squirrels, deer, chipmunks, fox, crows... I limped to another spot and tried again. Mostly the same. There was a forest fire a few weeks ago, apparently the ninja who started it wasn't watching the weather forecast. I sniffed harder. Naruto was here. Well, that about sums up the reason for the fire. Not getting anywhere with the dirt I was currently standing on, I hobbled to another spot. And another, and another.

I didn't get a chance to stay too muddled, mind you. Somewhere along the way I felt my left ear being pinched. I shook my head to get rid of it, but the biting continued. I limped to the left so I could sit down and scratch the blasted thing off, but as I did so the pain on my ear stopped.

It moved to my muzzle.

I'm willing to ignore the constant throbbing of my ankle, but I wasn't in the mood to deal with more pain. Hell, who is? Unless you are a masochist, of course. I limped over to the cliff to rub my face in the rock, hoping to crush the thing, but it moved again to my already offended ear. It was then, in the pouring rain, I realized that this wasn't insect weather. I moved left and the bitter turned back to my muzzle. Thankfully, not being a Sight Hound, I didn't have Hyperopia and I saw clearly that my offender was one of Shino's chakura bugs. I hobbled forward, and the insect moved to my nose.

It didn't take long for me to come to the conclusion that this tiny organism was trying to direct me. Yes. Basically, I got my directions on Shino's whereabouts based on the location an insect was positioned on my face. I know how stupid that sounds, thank you and shut up.

I was directed into the dark gray green forest and eventually to a large western pine where Shino sat, tying his bleeding right leg with gauze.

I decided to name the bug Lassie.

Whining to announce my presence, he looked over and gave a nod, like what he normally gives off as morning greetings. I don't get where you find that attractive Kiba.

Limping over, I sat to his left while he pulled his pant leg down over the splinted leg. He then shifted over to me and grabbed my paining leg. A gasp escaped me before I could stop myself. With his free but not any less shaky hand, Shino rubbed my soaked head and ear.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know how else to grab your attention." Knowing he wasn't a fan of doggy kisses (Are you paying attention Kiba?) I gave a small one on his arm to tell him that I accepted the apology. He then turned his attention to my wrist, giving it the same treatment he did with his leg. A splint and what was left of the gauze.

"On occasion," he said around the third wrap,"you are a good dog."

What? I was about to get annoyed when then I realized that not all of Shino's blood I was smelling was from his leg. Some of it was coming from the back of his head. I shifted, trying to see if he had a concussion of some sort, but his sunglasses blocked me from seeing any sign.

Hey Shino, they are called SUN glasses, not EVERYTHING glasses.

His hands were still shaking. I've heard panic can come to those with concussions, so I moved closer to him and placed my head on his right shoulder. 'Everything will be alright.' I took in a deep breath, the injury behind the head doesn't smell so bad, like a small cut. 'Everything will be alright.' The shaking eventually subsides, and I take in a sigh of relief. But it too was cut short as his weight started leaning more on me. 'What?' Pushing back, he fell back against the tree. Shino? I whined, licking his face to try to wake him up but he didn't respond. Shit, I finally grasped it, he's passed out.

I can't leave him here, but what about you and Hinata? Are you alright? Or are you worse off than Shino is? The fainting spell was still lingering on my mind as well, but I can still fight it. There are things that need doing and decisions to be made! This was suppose to be a simple mission. Kurenai sensei trusted us to do this one by ourselves. We were only ordered to take information from a scout, they never said anything about him having friends or bodyguards...

"You think you can get away with killing my partner?"

His death was his fault! He could've just given us the scroll but he didn't! His death was his own doing!

"You think you can get away with killing my partner?"

His partner, eh? I carefully lay myself over Shino to shield him from the rain and to retain some heat. Was he a good working companion? A friend? Something else? Shaking my head to lighten the load of water, I tell myself to get over it. We did our mission, and that's that.

I can't focus. I'm really tired, but this isn't the time to pass out! I rub myself against Shino, this isn't good, I'm probably making him more wet.

"On occasion, you are a good dog."

'Well, I'm hardly a good one right now,' I thought as my mind drifted from here, to somewhere else. Before I knew it, I was passed out on Shino's lap, in the middle of nowhere, away from you.

Bad dog.

I want a pair of everythingglasses. I wonder what the world would look like through them.