~Scroll 23~
~You're doing very well, Naruto-dono!~ Ka'a preened on the sixth day of training.
~Really?!~
~Yes.~ Ka'a chuckled at his Jailer's pure joy. ~I would guess that you will master the scarecrow's training technique in short order, and your ability to connect with the earth and forest is close to second nature… I am very proud of you, my Kit!~
~Ka'a…~ Naruto whispered, uncertain of what to say in response to the praise. Then Naruto did what he did best, he smiled wide and bright.
Ka'a chuckled as he mentally hugged the petite teen.
~I can't wait to tell Iruka-tousan!~
~And he too will be proud!~ Ka'a assured the blonde, who giggled in delight.
~Now then, my young pupil, I want you to spend one hour before and after each tree climbing session to reconnect with the forest.~
~Hai!~ Naruto chirped and proceeded to do as instructed.
/
To the untrained ear, the forest was silent; however, even in silence, the forest was a symphony of subtle music. The wind whistled gently through lush, freshly bloomed leaves like a series of wooden wind-chimes. The animals scurried about in quiet tumbles to resemble little drums while the grass echoed the silent steps of an intruder, much like the magical ringing of a metal triangle. Sound after sound washed over a lone figure resting on the forest floor. The music served to lull the fatigued youth into a deeper state of meditation until suddenly a soft melody began to trickle into the forest's Heart Song.
The foreign Heart Song was subtle, not overly intrusive. It was as if the person was a friend to their surroundings but not wholly part of it. It was soft and quiet and yet the melody itself was familiar as if he had heard it before, but his hazy mind could not produce the answer. The two Heart Songs, the forest's and the foreigner's, were in concert with one another and sounded absolutely beautiful that the dozing figure did not move as he just happily listened. Then suddenly the foreigner's Heart Song spiked, like a bow screeching over the strings of a sitar, but almost immediately the foreigner's Heart Song returned to normal, and the concert resumed but with a hint of wary melancholy.
"You'll catch your death of cold," A gentle voice and a gentle tap slowly roused the sleeping youth.
"Hunh?"
"… Sleeping on the ground."
Slowly Naruto sat up and looked at the beautiful, raven-haired teen. The mysterious teen was pale with an almost snowy-white complexion. His hair was long, longer than Sakura-nee's. He wore a pale rose-petal colored summer kimono, which could easily confuse anyone into believing this young man was a girl. However, Naruto knew better.
/
"Hey! Hey!" Naruto cried as he held an armful of herbs, "Have I picked enough of these that you wanted?"
It stunned Naruto at how much of these herbs that the young man was collecting. It was as if the young man was collecting enough to heal an entire army rather than a single individual.
"I'm sorry to have imposed on you." The stranger commented while placing more herbs into his basket.
"That's alright." Naruto replied as he examined the collection and began removing the seeds, "My Aniki is teaching me herb lore so this is good practice for me."
"Herb lore?" The young man questioned.
"Yep!"
"Is that what you were doing out here at the crack of dawn?"
"No," Naruto answered, "I'm training."
"Really?" The teen cautiously questioned.
Naruto only smiled at his companion.
"What are you training for?" He asked as he picked more herbs.
Naruto tilted his head to the side as he observed the young man. The question was simple, but Naruto heard and sensed a deeper meaning behind the young man's words.
"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, which startled the other. He paused for a moment, realizing that his question was too board for definition.
"Well… why? Why are you training?" He clarified.
"Ah!" Naruto whispered then glanced around to help focus his thoughts.
"Are you doing this for the sake of a person or for your own satisfaction?" The young man pressed, causing Naruto's clear sapphire orbs to refocus on him. "Do you have anyone special in your life?"
Naruto smiled knowingly but did not answer. The petite blonde felt that this moment was for his companion to bare his soul and to reveal an absolute truth.
"When people are protecting something truly precious to them, they truly can become as strong as they must be!"
As his companion spoke, Naruto could not help but remember Kaiza's story about the river. He remembered how Kakashi-sensei protected their little team and how his own father protected him from Mizuki. Despite the pain each memory inflected because injures suffered, Naruto still softly smiled as he felt the warmth of love and care that each men exuded in attempts to protect what was precious to them.
"Hai…" Naruto whispered softly, "I know all about it!"
The two shared an understanding smile.
"You will get stronger…" The young man said as he slowly rose to his feet, "I know we'll meet again…"
"Wait!" Naruto cried out as the mysterious teen was about to walk out of the clearing.
~Naruto-dono?~ Ka'a questioned. He had remain silent during the two's conversation. The fox-spirit had not felt any ill-intent from the other, which was why he had not said anything, but now, he was curious. He was curious as to what his beautiful Host was doing.
"Yes?" The other replied, confused by the blonde's action as said blonde rummaged through a pouch and quickly trotted over.
"Here." Naruto held in his hand a single triangular shaped packet.
"What is it?"
"It's tea… for your Mate." Naruto said softly.
"M-mate…" His voice hitched in surprise, "B-but how… why?"
Naruto just shook his head as his eyes sparkled with unshed tears. It was then that Haku understood. This beautiful blonde-haired angel had known, somehow had known.
"Arigato." Haku whispered as he took the packet and walked away.
~Do you think it was wise, Naruto-dono, to give that packet to the enemy?~ Ka'a asked as they watched the young man walk pass Sasuke, who in turn glared at the stranger suspiciously.
~He had the chance to kill me, but he didn't.~ Naruto explained then asked as he hugged himself to ward off a piercing chill, ~Do you think that at a different time and a different place that we could have been friends?~
~As easily as breathing…~
A single tear cascaded down his tanned cheek.
/
The next morning, Kakashi and Sakura trudged through the forest as they searched for their missing teammates. With the help of Naruto's special tea, Kakashi felt his strength returning faster than he had originally expected. Instead of needing both crutches, he only needed one; however, he was still nowhere near one hundred percent healed, and the ex-ANBU Operative knew better than to push his health.
"Where did Naruto go this time?!" Sakura growled out as she scanned their impromptu training area.
"Pushing himself beyond his limit," Kakashi muttered to himself as he imagined his own painful and slow death at the hands of either Iruka-sensei or the Hokage… or even worse… both! Kakashi mentally shuddered.
"And at breakfast time," Sakura continued her rant, "Sasuke says he's going for a walk and he disappears too!"
The two sighed deeply in aspiration when suddenly…
THOK!
The two blinked owlishly as they looked at each other then at the kunai, which had mysteriously fallen from the sky. Immediately their eyes went up and up into the heavens until…
"NARUTO!" Sakura gasped in shock.
Perched haphazardly on a questionable tree branch was… Naruto… sleeping!
"He climbed all the way up there?!"
Hunh…, Kakashi thought, As impressive as his feast is… how am I suppose to get him down?!
Suddenly Naruto twitched, causing the other two to breathe in sharply in fear. Slowly Naruto's eyes fluttered open, and he gave a weak smile as he recognized two of his teammates. He attempted to sit up, completely forgetting his precarious perch.
"YOU IDIOT!!!" Sakura shouted.
"Whu-oh!" Naruto mumbled as he felt gravity's grip on his person.
"NO!!!" Kakashi exclaimed as his own life flashed before his eyes, "IF HE FALLS FROM THAT HEIGHT…!!"
I'm not healed enough to --! Kakashi stopped then released the breath he was holding.
"SASUKE!!" Sakura and Naruto both exclaimed in relief.
"You bonehead." The raven-haired teen chided.
~NARUTO-DONO!~ Ka'a exclaimed, ~Next time I say 'Rest', you rest on the GROUND!~
"Oops…" Naruto blushed at the chide from both his teammate and Ka'a.
Hanging upside down on the tree branch, Sasuke held onto Naruto's left ankle while Naruto looked around for the best way to safety. The tree trunk was a foot away, but Naruto was still a bit frazzled by his near death experience to concentrate on his chakra for a proper hold nor could he manipulate the tree to create another tree branch. Taking a deep breathe, Naruto knew that his only option was to catch his breathe, preferably right side up!
"Gomen!" Naruto said.
Sasuke arched an eyebrow then onyx orbs widened in surprise as Sasuke watched Naruto curl up and gracefully climbed over Sasuke to the safety of the tree branch. Wow… he's really flexible… Sasuke absently thought as he accepted Naruto's hand and sat beside the blonde nin.
Kakashi smiled, Well, they are coming along nicely!
/
"196... 197... 198..." Kakashi counted as he did his single-finger push-ups later that day.
"I keep meaning to ask you…" Tazuna began as he and Sakura watched… perched… on Kakashi's back!
Kakashi grunted, which Tazuna took as a sign to continue.
"You know I duped you about how dangerous this mission was to get you to come here…" Kakashi grunted another affirmation, "So why do you stay?"
"To know what is right and choose to ignore it is the act of a coward." Kakashi quoted, "Like master, like man! Those are the teachings of some of our previous Lords Hokage. This is the shinobi way of life…
"True shinobi do not merely dance to the tune of whoever pays the piper." Kakashi remarked then signaled his weights that he was down. As he stood up, Kakashi clenched his fist to stretch out his muscles. It looks like I'm almost completely healed.
/
Meanwhile back at the cocoon-shaped stronghold, a single hand held an apple in its grip. Slowly and bit by bit, the hand's grip tightened and tightened until finally the apple was crushed in that hand.
"Most of your strength has returned." Haku commented as he approached with a towel in hand.
"Excellent!!" Zabuza replied while his consort cleaned his hand. With his free arm, Zabuza wrapped it around his slim Hunter, pulling him closer.
Haku looked up to his mate and smiled. A slender hand reached up and lowered the bandages that covered his lover's lips. Haku leaned forward and met Zabuza's chapped lips halfway. Tentatively Haku's tongue sought refuge within Zabuza's mouth, which Zabuza complied to the plea. The two lovers could feel a finality in their touches but banished it from their minds.
Zabuza leaned back, pulling his smaller mate on top of him.
"Tomorrow…" Zabuza whispered gently, "Tomorrow, it ends…"
"I know… Zabuza-koi…"
/
Naruto looked upon the crescent moon rising from the east. It was breathtakingly beautiful to see the moon rise and nearly encompass the entire evening sky. The stars danced brightly, like permanent little fireflies. The breeze felt cool against his hot flesh as it refreshed his soul. He listened to the evening Songs and felt at peace, despite the low humming of danger that echoed in the background.
Sasuke watched the blonde teen perched once again haphazardly on a flimsy tree branch. They both had continued to push themselves hard and were rewarded with reaching the top of their respective trees. Sasuke would admit, only to himself, that the view from the tree top was breathtaking, but looking at his teammate with the moon's light caressing the blonde's form, Sasuke immediately knew that nothing looked more breathtaking or more beautiful than Naruto.
The silver light of the moon made Naruto's golden locks glow like a halo of holistic light. His tanned complexion glowed almost copper in the hue, and he was absolutely still with that unnatural presence of still-movement, which Sasuke could never properly describe nor ignore. The only thing that Sasuke knew and understood was that he wanted… no, he needed that something… he wanted… he needed Naruto…
"Want…" Sasuke licked his lips as his mouth suddenly became dry, "Want to head back?"
Naruto opened his eyes when he heard his teammate's voice.
Sasuke sucked in a breathe as he noticed Naruto's eyes glowing. They were like a pair of twin blue flames, burning at unbelievable temperatures, leaving their ethereal marks upon Sasuke's soul, and confirming the raven-haired teen's want and need.
"Sure!!" Naruto smiled.