SHONEN ALLIANCE

CHAPTER 26

Master the Kaioken

SNOW SKULL PASS

"You think that's Snow Skull Pass?" Naruto asked.

"Let's see, big rock, looks like a skull. It's gotta be it," Sakura replied. The giant skull shaped rock had just come into view of the 6 warriors. Naruto felt a shiver run down his spine as he saw the rock.

"Man, that place gives me the creeps," Naruto declared.

"It's just a rock," Clare declared, "nothing to be scared of."

"Be careful. According to what Serena told us, we're entering bandit territory now," Kakashi revealed as the team continued into the pass. As they entered the pass, a large sound caught their attention. They all looked up to see an avalanche crashing down the hill towards them.

"Watch out!" Miria shouted.

"Move!" Kakashi ordered as the team dashed into the pass. The avalanche crashed to the ground, blocking the entrance. "Well, we're not getting out that way," Kakashi declared helping Miria to her feet.

"I think this place has it in for us," Naruto declared.

"We'll have to figure out a way back later. Maybe the aid team that Teresa sends will know another way through the pass," Miria replied, "is everyone alright?"

"Uhh, can I get a little help here?" Sakura's voice called out. The lower half of her body was covered with snow. "I'm not hurt, but I am stuck."

"Hang on Sakura, I'll get you out," Naruto declared creating a shadow clone and then forming a Rasengan. "Rasengan!" he shouted slamming the Rasengan down into the snow bank to the side of Sakura. The force of the ball blew the snow in all directions leaving only a little bit left that Sakura was easily able to push through.

"Hey, where are Clare and Mizore?" Kakashi asked.

"MMMMELLLPPPP!" a muffled cry came out. Kakashi turned and saw Clare. Her head and shoulders were buried in snow and her legs were kicking frantically trying to get free.

"Found her," Kakashi said.

"I'm on it," Naruto declared forming another Rasengan. He blew the snow away and pulled Clare out of the snow. As Clare gasped for breath, Mizore's head popped out of the hole that Clare had been stuck in.

"Alright then, looks like everyone's okay," Kakashi declared, "now the hard part begins."

"Finding that kid!" Naruto shouted.

"We'll separate into three teams of two so se can cover more ground," Miria declared.

"Alright. Naruto, you and Sakura cover the northern side of the pass. Clare and Mizore can take the south side and Miria and I will personally check the central pass where the bandit presence is likely to be the highest," Kakashi ordered, "sound good to everyone else."

"Let's do it!" Naruto shouted.

"Hold on Naruto. Each of you take one of these," Kakashi ordered pulling out four signal flares, "if you find the child, shoot up one of these flares to signal the rest of the team. We'll move to your position and then make our plans to move the child out of the pass."

"Right!" Naruto replied saluting Kakashi and then bounding up one of the cliff faces to the top of the pass.

"Okay, new plan. Sakura, you and Naruto will search the southern pass and Mizore and Clare will take the Northern," Kakashi declared rubbing his head.

"Huh, but Naruto already went," Mizore replied looking confused.

"That's the problem. The idiot headed south instead of north," Clare replied heading up the southern pass.

"That knuckle head! Hey wait up!" Sakura shouted bounding after Naruto.

Mizore stood still for a moment and then scurried after Clare.

"You think those four will be alright?" Miria asked looking a little worried.

"Hard to say. As long as they don't kill each other though, they should be fine," Kakashi replied pulling out his copy of Make-Out Paradise, "well, we'd better get moving as well."

….

"Looks like there's a cave over here!" Naruto called to Sakura.

"I wonder if they would have hid the child in there," Sakura thought aloud, "go take a look Naruto."

"Huh, why me?" Naruto replied.

"Cause I said. Just go do it," Sakura declared glaring at him.

"Uhhh, fine," Naruto groaned moving cautiously into the cave. A couple of seconds later, Sakura heard a loud, deep roar and Naruto came dashing out of the cave followed closely by a large, brown bear!

"You idiot! Don't lead it this way!" Sakura screamed as Naruto ran past her, the bear still in pursuit. Screaming Sakura took off after Naruto.

"You idiot! Can't you do anything right!" Sakura screamed, running past Naruto.

"You're the one who told me to check the cave! I was just doing what you said!" Naruto shouted in defense.

"Do something!" Sakura screamed as the two continued to run.

"You think of something Ms. Smarty Pants!" Naruto shouted back.

"Keep running!" she shouted back.

"I could have thought of that!" Naruto shouted back at her as the two continued to flee from their pursuer.

….

Mizore slipped quietly from tree to tree with the skill of a ninja, remaining completely out of sight. Clare walked out in front of her, looking for any place where the captive could be hidden.

"Not a lot on this side and it's going to be dark soon. I hope we don't have to spend the night here," Clare declared scanning the sky, hoping that she might catch sight of one of the others' signal flares. She sighed when she didn't and turned back to see where Mizore was. She found the snow woman standing just inches away, staring into Clare's eyes. "Yahhh!" Clare yelped, "don't do that!" Mizore just pointed into the woods. Clare looked in the direction she was pointing and noticed a small log cabin nestled in the trees.

"Huh, I wonder what's in there," she declared making her way towards the cabin. When she arrived, she walked in and glanced around. The cabin was two stories and a long ladder led up to the second floor. "Guess I'll have a look," she said to herself climbing up the ladder.

From outside, Mizore watched the house from a concealed spot. Looking back in the direction they had come, she saw ten men moving towards the house. Two of them were carrying a long stake that had several birds tied to it. Another one carried an unconscious woman under his arm. Mizore quickly determined they must be bandits. She watched as the ten bandits entered the house.

….

Kakashi and Miria stood looking up the face of a cliff at a cave several feet above them.

"Do you think this is the place?" Miria asked.

"I don't know, why don't we ask one of them," Kakashi declared. He turned and looked over the two dozen or so bandits who lay unconscious on the ground, "hey you," he said kicking one of them until he woke up, "is this the place where you're holding the little girl?"

"I don't know if I'd say little. She's a teenager at least, but yes. The Moya Triad guy with the side burns paid us to hold her here and to take out anyone who came trying to rescue her," the man responded.

"Guy with the side burns?" Miria replied, "is he talking about that blue guy from the inn yesterday?"

"That would be my guess," Kakashi replied, "well, things are starting to make sense I guess." Reaching into his pack, he produced a signal flare. "Guess we should signal the others," he declared.

"Let's make sure the girl is up there first," Miria suggested.

"That's probably a good idea," Kakashi replied as the two began climbing up the hill towards the cave. A light glow inside the cave told the duo that there was someone inside the cave. Entering cautiously, Kakashi peaked inside. Four bandits sat around the fire eating what looked like some kind of bird. More importantly, sitting inside a make shift cage was a young girl with short black hair. She had to be the one they were looking for. Nodding to Miria, Kakashi sprang into action, quickly incapacitating two of the bandits with kicks to the stomach. Miria charged the other to from behind and cut through them with her Claymore, knocking them unconscious as well.

"She's here, good," Miria declared.

"Take this out and shoot up the flare," Kakashi said handing the flare to Miria. I'll get her out and we'll wait here for the others. Then we can decide what to do from there."

"Got it," Miria replied taking the flare and heading outside.