Yamato gives us a sort of confused look and Onmyo lets out a low growl.
"What do you mean, he wants to destroy Konoha?!" Naruto exclaims, hands in the air. And Yamato does. Suddenly everything seems a bit clearer now.
"And depending on how things go... We may have to kill Sai." Yamato concludes, his gaze hardened. I make a face.
"Kill him?" I murmur. " I mean it makes sence but..."
A small flock of birds erupts from nearby tree's, taking off at a high speed. A single black feather floats quietly down to the pool of ink.
"My clone is trailing them but I don't know what will happen." Yamato adds. "We're going after them too."
"But-" Sakura starts.
"Okay! Got it! lets g-" Naruto cuts off, stretching his arm. His eyes begin to roll into his head and I make a face, grabbing his arm as he falls ."Naruto!" I wrap another arm around him and attempt to pull up his weight, Sakura rushes over to help. A flare of pain shoots from my arm and I wince slightly. We lay him down gently and I hold his head up.
"Naruto, are you alright?" Sakura asks. Naruto breathes heavilly, sweat falling from his face to the soft earth below. He lets out a small guttteral noise.
Theres still some damage...
Sakura turns to Yamato.
"Yamato Deichou?" She asks, wondering how to go about this.
"Sakura, Kanami. Lets go." Yamato says. I look up at him.
"I know that we should go right away, but with Naruto in this condition-"
"Then we leave him behind." My eyes widen and Sakura makes a small noise.
Leave him behind?! No way...
"Even in that condition, he's still got enough strength to make it back to the village. Right?" Yamato asks.
Sakura whips around.
"Kakashi-Sensei would never say a thing like that!" I tense slightly. Naruto suddenly reaches out and puts a hand on her arm. She turns back around.
"S-Sakura-chan. I'll... I'll be fine..." He breathes. "I can come with you." He lets out another small grunt, his face contorting with pain. My eyebrows furrow. He sits up slowly, a small tremble every now and then.
"Sakura, I know what you're trying to say. I was on Kakashi-san's ANBU squad. So I know exactly what type of person he is. I look up at him slowly and Sakura turns, her eyebrows turned upward slightly giving her a sad look. "I may be Kakashi-san's replacement but we're two different people." Naruto looks at him from over his shoulder. "I won't smile and go 'I won't let you get hurt'." I make a face, tensing.
*Flashback*
Kakashi peers over his shoulder at us, a small smile on his face.
"I won't let anyone on my team die. I'll protect you all with my life.
*Flashback end*
I look quietly down at my legs, avoiding eye contact. Naruto tenses and Sakura looks at her hands.
"You three aren't newbies who need to be protected anymore. You're shinobi that will have to surpass Kakashi-san and protect the village." Yamato's soft gaze suddenly hardens. "There's a difference between compassion and lenity. Everything ends if you give up here." He looks off into the tree's where his Mokuton Bunshin had headed. "We'll never catch up to them if you do. And we'll never get another chance to confront Orochimaru." I remember back to that day, when I had found Naruto by the waterfall. He'd been knocked out... but now that I think back. I could have sworn I saw a blue something watching me as I left...
I nod, determination flooding through my veins.
"Lets get back to the plan." Yamato continues. "Naruto, what will you do?" Naruto stands slowly, his back still to us.
"What do you think?" He replies. I smirk.
Thats my Naruto.
He staggers slightly. "Of course I'm coming with you!" He staggers again and Sakura gazes at him worriedly. I stand, pulling him up and steadying him.
"Easy there. You'll be able to travel bt try not to shift from sitting to standing so fast." I chide. He gently moves my hand off of his shoulder.
"I'm fine." He breathes. "Whats was the point of... coming all this way for me to go back to the village now?" Sakura stands slowly, worry flooding her green eyes. He gives us a small smile and I cant help but grin at him. Yamato smiles.
"Fine with me. But if there's even a hint of you slowing us down, I will leave you behind. Understood?" Naruto nods, clenching a fist. "Got it."
I turn to Onmyo. "Onmyo can you track the Mokuton Bunshin by scent?" I ask. Onmyo nods and I grin. "Then lead the way!" I say. Onmyo starts for the woods and I leap after him with the others, jumping from branch to branch. Sakura and I keep a steady eye on Naruto to make sure he doesn't hurt himself.
I sigh as Naruto narrowly avoids a branch to the face. I manuever carefully around areas I cannot get through by swerving around them. As I leap up, I grab a branch with my left arm, aiming to swing to the next when a shockwave of pain shoots through my body mid-swing. I gasp as I lose grip on the rough bark, my fingers burning. Onmoy's eyes widen and he shifts directions, going towards me. I flip mid-air and shoot towards the forest floor. Naruto reaches out for me, eyes wide.
"Kanami-chan!" Our hands miss by centimeters. Sakura is too far away to help. In a flash, Yamato launches down the trees and only feet before I hit the ground, he catches me, skidding to a halt. My heart beats a thousand miles a minuet. I clench my arm as another course of pain shoots down it. Sakura and Naruto land hurriedly. Naruto gazes at the wound with a confused and shocked face and Sakura casts him a sideways glance. Yamato sets me down against a tree and I clutch my arm again.
"Kanami-chan.." Sakura murmurs. She scoots forward and places a glowing hand on the wound. "Are you alright, Kanami-chan?" Naruto asks, peering at the wound. "That injury..." Yamato's eyes narrow subtly. I lift a hand to my wound. "This is..." Yamato watches me carefully while Sakura focuses on my wound. I decide to spare him... he'd practically hang himself if I told him the truth. "Orochimaru did this to me." I say. I am aware of Sakura's muscles tensing slightly. I give Naruto a small smile. "It doesn't hurt much. I'll be ok."
Naruto gives me a worried look. "Don't push yourself too hard, Kanami-chan." I look up at him.
"Says who now?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. Naruto looks down. "Oh... Yeah..." He murmurs. Onmyo wimpers, cuddling close to me and licking my cheek. I put him weakly with my other hand. Yamato stands.
"We'll take a short break here." I look up at him with wide eyes.
"But Deichou! You said yourself... If we don't leave soon-" I cut off and wince as another pain lashes down my arm. Yamato looks to me.
"I did say that earlier, but I aslo say that haste makes waste. There's also a difference between hurrying and recklessness. You and Sakura are the only two medical ninja's on this team. If something else were to go wrong we'd need both of you." He explains.
"Right right! Like Yamato Deichou says!" Naruto says, grinning. I smile back at him and look up at Sakura.
"Thanks Sakura, but I'll do this. You need to save you're Chakara." I gently move her hand away, much to Sakura's displeasure, and begin my own healing of the wound.
