Disclaimer: I do not own Naturo, nor any of the characters that belong to it.
Chapter Twenty-nine
The snow was starting to build up, and instead of happily pacing herself along the path, Inare was having to put in a great effort to drag her feet through half a meter deep snow. Her trousers where soaked, chilling her right to the bone. Her hands had been numb for some time, and the dull grey cloak that she had to wear around her shoulders was doing nothing to keep any warmth in.
Inare had never been one to complain excessively about the cold, but that was probably due to the fact that she had never experiences such degree of cold.
Temperature wise, it was undoubtedly below freezing.
Izuna had told her that they still had another day of travelling before they would arrive. Inare didn't thing she could keep this all up for another day.
The company had only hit the snow this morning, after they set out from the lodgings that they had stayed in for one night. Madara had told her that they were going to stay in an inn only once on the journey, and again on the return. He even let her choose when.
By the fifth day of travelling, Inare had been so tired and dirty that she wanted to sleep on a bed, or futon as the case was at the traditional little place they stayed in.
How she regretted no having born it for just another day. Tonight she needed to sleep somewhere warm. Or she was going to get hypothermia. Probably a slight exaggeration, but it wasn't beyond the realms of possibility.
They were taking their time in getting to their destination; Isshin had stated that they were going to a place known as the Land of Iron. Although no one had told her the place was a permanent winter wonderland.
The scenery they were passing was spectacular, trees with drooping icicles, snow covered ground, and frosty barks. It all glittered when the sun could find its way past the tops of the trees, reflecting off the white snow blindingly.
Isshin had warned her, when they first started trekking through the snow that she shouldn't focus on the whiteness for too long.
It wasn't an issue to prevent her from getting snow blindness, especially when she found herself drawn to the black mane of hair and grey coat that walked ahead of her. She still couldn't entirely look at him without remembering.
She was still so embarrassed over the whole thing. Inare remembered it quite clearly, two days after…
Her feet where tired from standing up all day in the infirmary. Dashing about and administering injections and diagnosing symptoms after a virus had spread around the village people. It wasn't a serious case, something that sometimes came with the changing of seasons. It simply meant a lot of work for Inare.
She hadn't touched Madara's investigation since he snapped quite viciously at her, neither had she seen him over the last two days. Although she had made the choice to not actively seek him out, not that she ever has.
It was he that came to her. Something that didn't happen often, and something which she tended to avoid. Direct confrontation with him wasn't on the top of her to do list.
Despite this, he was constantly on her mind.
Sometimes it was hard for her to reason why, but she summed it down to her curiosity. Why had he responded to her in such a way?
It was a mystery, which she was in the middle of solving. Along with the other mystery she should have been working on, although, she wasn't sure what else she could do. She had clearly got him angry that time, but why?
She never knew it would bother her so much, to have gotten him so angry with her that he would shout at her as he did.
"I need to stop thinking about him." Inare mumbled, her hand placed on her head.
"Thinking of who?" asked her assistant for the day. Hisoka.
Inare startled a little, not knowing she had been so load as for Hisoka to her. "No one" she replied a little too quickly. "Why? Who are you thinking of?" Inare asked her back. Believing that the best way to divert attention from one matter was to ask about another.
In this case, it just made her look plainly obvious.
"You are thinking of someone." She chirped. "Who is it? Or rather, who is he?"
"I said no one." Inare became defensive, her cheeks warming the slightest bit. Sticking the needle into the bottle with a little too much force.
"Come on Inare-chan…" the woman drew out. "Please tell me." Hisoka had moved around to face Inare, her eyes having gone glossy and pleading. "You're blusing!" She gasped, one hand over her mouth while the other pointing at Inare's cheeks.
Her words made Inare go even redder. "No I'm not." She mumbled. Keeping her cool. Inare knew she couldn't exactly tell her she was thinking of the leader of her clan. Hisoka would undoubtedly assume things.
As much as it pained her to do it. Inare needed to think of a lie.
The perfect one was right in her hands.
"Ebisu-sensei." She whispered.
Hisoka's face, seconds ago lit up with girlish delight, dropped. Guilt and sympathy replacing all other emotions. "Inare-chan." She breathed out. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you think about something sad."
Inare put the syringe and bottle down. It was full of the fluid. "It's fine. I'm not thinking about him anymore." She mumbled.
Hisoka wasted no time, and pulled Inare into a hug.
"If you ever want to talk about it, then please tell me. I'm here for you." She told Inare firmly, her voice reassuring.
Inare couldn't let herself relax in Hisoka's embrace, her back was stiff and her arms unsure of whether she should return it or not. She stood there.
It was short lived. They were working after all.
Hisoka released Inare, and with another apology excused herself. Promising to return in a bit.
"Great." Inare groaned, once Hisoka was out of hearing distance. "Now I'm going to hell."
~XoXoXoXoXoX~
She was dragging her feet by the time they had reached the door to the library entrance. Susumu stopped at the wooden door, he didn't open it. Instead she turned to Inare.
"Enter. I will be going now."
Inare found that extremely strange. Normally he would come in until Madara returned. It was then that his duties ended.
"You're not coming in?" she asked.
"It's unnecessary." He replied, stiffly.
Inare made a confused face, he ignored her, then opened the door.
"Okay then." She told him. "Good night and see you tomorrow Susumu-san."
"Good night."
She walked in and he closed the door behind her.
Sighing out the remaining confusion, she made way into the library.
It was warm inside, despite it still being early spring, and mildly lit. She had taken no more than a few paced into the library when she discovered why Susumu had left her like he did.
Madara was already here.
Tiredness drained out of Inare quickly, as she straightened her back and walked with determination.
Her goal, the stairs.
Not far, the only issue was that it required passing the sitting area that she had no doubt was where he was.
Her pace quickened up as she passed, her body so wound up with tension that she was just about ready to sprint.
"Inare?" he asked softly.
Her whole body had a mini spasm in alarm, "Yes?" she asked, voice rose in pitch.
"Come here." He told her. Voice still soft, but that was just making her worry.
"Okay." She replied, sounding like she was agreeing to the death sentence.
She walked slowly to the chair where she knew he was at. Obscured by the tall single setter chairs that had become an accustomed sight in the library. Eventually she came to face him.
A small forced smile was on her face. "Good evening Madara." She greeted. The moment his name come out of her mouth, the memory of Hisoka trying to pry out the name of the man that had taken over the thoughts make her throat feel dry and her stomach feel unusually light.
"Inare." He said, accompanied by a small nod. The second time he had said her name.
Was she counting?
He said nothing, and Inare began feeling a little awkward standing while he was sitting. Her feel fidgeted to move towards the chair, but her whole upper body wasn't quite ready to follow.
"I would like to" he began, catching Inare attention. He paused for a moment, which seemed like a long time in the quite room when her whole attention was on that one man and what he would say next. "apologise."
She felt like she had been blown over by a huge gust of wind. Maybe now was a good time to sit down. Her legs where feeling a slightest bit weak.
Sitting down heavily, she faced him. "Don't worry about it. I've shouted at you enough times for it to be justified. We all get angry sometimes." Why was she trying to make it seem like he was not at fault here. He shouted at her without real cause, and here she was trying to appear completely unaffected.
After he had shouted at her with such force, Inare felt like she was going to pee her pants, she couldn't stop shaking for nearly half an hour. Her body was wracked with terror.
"I was out of line. I should not have reacted as such." His tone monotonous to the point that to anyone else, it probably didn't sound like a sincere apology. Inare somehow knew that he was being sincere. Or maybe she was just forcing herself to see what she wanted.
"I forgive you. So let's just forget about it." She wondered briefly if her apology meant anything to him. She swallowed the heavy lump building up in her throat. She was thinking too much about him again.
He mumbled something, she couldn't hear it and asked him to repeat what he said.
"I would like to explain myself." That didn't sound much like what he had mumbled to Inare, but she wasn't going o push for any more.
"You don't have to."
"It's necessary."
Inare wanted to slap herself on the face, not exactly the way a person responds to such a statement.
"The go on."
"There had been request to form an alliance with the Senju clan. I heard about it that day… two days ago."
"What has th–" her brain was strangely functioning quickly that day. Her mouth came into a nicely shaped 'o' as she realised, her mind went back to that night, her words that she had said still clear in her mind. "Yer, that makes sense."
So that was why. "Sorry, I didn't know."
"I know." He replied quickly. He didn't sound sad about it. This was what she was expecting. Madara seemed almost eager to move on, as he quickly moved on with what he was going to say. "But that is irrelevant now."
What was irrelevant? The alliance? That she didn't know? Her mistake? The apology? Inare could feel herself riling up a little at that thought.
"There is going to be a gathering soon,iIn order to discuss the terms of the potential treaty. It will be the last chance to get the cells you need from Senju Hashirama."
Foot caught up under a root that was obscured by the snow, caused Inare to fall face down into the snow.
"Waaa" she sounded as she fell. A harmless fall. She pushed herself up with ease, nothing was hurt. She opened her mouth to let the snow, that had been pushed into her mouth upon the fall, out. Grumbling at her misfortune, she got up to her knees. She had now lost all feeling of her cheeks and nose.
That worried her a little. They where after all the first part of your body affected by frostbite.
Everyone had stopped to watch her as she dusted the snow off her clothing. Isshin moved to help her, however Izuna beat him to it.
He helped her to her feet. And even assisting with patting off the snow. She looked moderately uncomfortable at his display of kindness, edging back once he should have finished.
"Thank you." She told him, strained.
Madara scoffed, turning to continue walking on the path, Izuna offered a hand to Inare the way a gentleman might ask a lady to dance. She pushed it away without the slightest bit of care and walked forward, leaving him behind.
Isshin, chucked at her attitude, and walked in a pace that allowed her to catch up with him, before he settled in a comfortable speed that allowed him to stay next to her.
"Cold" he asked, a slight hit of laughter in his voice.
"Never." Came the sarcastic reply that was playful rather than annoyed.
"You should pay attention to where you're walking. You keep wandering off with your thoughts."
"No I'm not."
"Yes you are. Don't bother denying it. You as easy to read as a book."
She gritted her teeth, hoping that he was just exaggerating. She didn't want to be easy to read. For this mission, that would get her killed.
"You are aware that this whole thing could mean a huge blow out war with you and them?"
"Yes."
"Also that if I get caught, it's not going to be your head on the chopping block, but mine?"
"Yes."
"And you still want me to do something?"
"Of course."
"You are an asshole. You know that."
"I believe you have told me this before." He leaned back in the wooden chair, while Inare piled through all the old papers sitting on the flood inside Madara bedroom.
It had been a week since he had first told her what he intended. And Inare was no more happier than when she had first heard about it.
"You really do keep a lot of useless information about your enemies. You know that?" She pulled out one sheet of paper, waving it out in form to Madara. "Seriously? A whole report on how it was confirmed that his hobby was carving? Do ninja really have nothing better to do?"
"Nothing is considered useless information."
"Really? Please do tell me why it is useful to know that his favourite meal is mixed mushroom soup?"
"In case we ever chose to assassinate him."
Inare's hand dropped into her lap. The paper crumpled a little and she quickly set about smoothing it out. "That would be useful." She clearly didn't have enough of a malicious mind to think about such a reason.
"I guess we could work with that." She added after some thought.
"The soup?"
"Why not? Well, surely there's going to be a time where everyone is going to eat together during the peace treaty talks. At that point, you poison him."
"You seem to have forgotten that the goal is not to kill him, but to get cells that you can replicate."
"I know that. And I didn't mean kill him. I meant poison him in the sense to make him sick." She defended her idea. Liking the way it could work out already.
"Go on."
"Well, I'm a medic. You need me to get the cells to begin with. So why don't we put him in a situation where he needs a doctor?"
Madara laughed. It was an open and genially amused laugh. It sounded so natural and melodic. Inare would have taken time to appreciate it if she didn't feel instant anger over the fact that he was laughing at her idea.
"And let the enemies' medic treat him. How gullible do you think people are Inare?"
"You have to start trusting one another if you going to attempt a treaty anyway. So why not start there and then?"
"You sound like the treaty will pass." Facing her, his face darkening with the thought of such a possibility.
"And maybe it will."
"What exactly makes you say that?"
"Well." She paused. She uncrossed her folded legs that had become numb and stretched them out on the floor. She had become extremely comfortable being in Madara's room. "It's a good thing isn't it? It has to pass."
Madara said nothing in reply, and silence settled. Her logic was so simple and young, that in one idea it did make sense.
"Why don't you? Kill him that is. Wouldn't that get rid of all your troubles? Cut the head off the snake and all that."
"No, it would achieve nothing. A new head of the clan would be appointed, they would be eager to get revenge. It has happened before, head of both of our clans been assassinated. Hashirama has a brother, he would likely be appointed as successor. He would surely be after revenge. It's not true, cutting the head of the snake. Especially not for that clan.
"Besides, it's a cowardly way of winning." He finished.
Inare's legs had legs some of their numbness, so she crossed them over again. She had never thought of Madara as being a man with honour. Although, she supposed it made sense. He might not have a great deal of honour in the domestic sense, but as a warrior and leader, he had plenty of it.
"I still think we should poison him. Even if Hashirama did bring his own medic, I would make it so that only I could cure it!"
"You sound pretty confident." Madara chuckled.
"I am, I know my medicine. It would be easy, what we would do is get him sick. The as I'm curing him, I purposely numb a certain part of his skin and cut it off, the heal it. Simple. While he's unconscious, I should be able to get some spinal fluid… although it is a –"
She was cut off by Madara laughing again.
"Why do you keep laughing."
"Because you keep saying such funny things. You really think you will be left to treat they clan leader without someone in the room? You also think that that person will let you stick a huge needle into their clan leaders spine? You really do think people are gullible."
"No I don't." Although he had a very good point.
"You're right. You're not entirely ignorant. The only problem is that you're thinking too much like a medic, and not enough like a shinobi."
"Well, the skin cells would be enough. But I would still try for the spinal fluid."
"Go ahead, give it ago." Still laughing.
Inare shook her head, letting a small smile of her own to take over.
The air was getting colder when Isshin informed her that they were going to pass by a small village. At that point, Inare speed up to walk beside Madara.
"Hey, umm. Madara. You don't suppose w- w -we could stop somewhere for th-the night." She told him, her voice wavering slightly with a forced shiver, aiming to amplitude the effect of her cold onto him in order to appeal to his kinder side.
He didn't even look or think before replying with a firm "No."
"Come on Madara." She whispered, a slight hiss entering it. "I'm really cold. I not use to these temperatures."
"You chose to have last night as the one night in a inn. I gave you that choice, you made an unwise one."
"Well you could have told me that we were going to be going through snow. Then I would have changed my mind."
"Didn't feel that it was necessary."
"Please. Just one night." She pleaded.
"What do I get in return?"
"The knowledge that I am eternally grateful to you."
"That's not much. I prefer something real."
"Madara." She almost scolded. "Would you please just do this for me?"
"Who do you think is going to pay for you?"
"Not me since I don't get paid for the work I do."
"That's why called forced work labour is."
"I'll work harder then." Implying a certain thing that the twp of them knew about.
"Your freedom is on the line. You're going to work as hard as you can."
"What is someone else paid? Would you let if stay somewhere for the night?"
"Good luck with that." He told her, looking down at her with a sly smile.
"Fine." She huffed.
Slowing down, she waited for Isshin to catch up with her. "Isshin-san." She called, loud enough for Madara to hear. "Would you pay for me to stay in an Inn tonight?" She asked sweetly, smiling up at him.
"What do I get out of it?"
Inare huffed. "Why does there always have to be something in return. Can't you do something out of the goodness of your heart?"
"Not really. No profit in that."
Inare shoot her head in frustration. "Men." She grumbled.
Isshin, hearing her, chuckled. "Don't think that we are all bad." Looking away from her, he walked at a faster pace.
Inare continued, until Izuna, who was last caught up with her. Wrapping his arm around her neck. "I'll pay for you darling. I won't even ask for anything in return… except maybe to sha–"
"No thank you." She told him kindly, speeding up her pace to get out of his hold and away from him.
Whining followed after her, along with laughter. "Come on Inare-chan! Can't you take a joke?"
She turned to face him. "I can actually. I just don't like joking about such things." Maybe she was a little unnecessarily cold to Izuna. It had just become normal for her to be as such. After fix days of travelling with him, she was beginning to have enough.
The frozen forest thinned out, until it opened out into a stunning village that looked like it came straight out of a children's illustrated book. A fairytale land of snow and winter magic. Inare could feel herself falling in love with the place very quickly.
The lights and spiralling roofs all took her breath away. She quickly forgot her cold and speed up a little more in order to get a better look at the village they were approaching.
It was s shame that they weren't going to be staying there for a night. She stopped to stare at the sight. Even with the cold, Inare couldn't help but think this was the sort of place she would have liked to have lived, raised her children, been happy.
What a fairytale that would have been.
"Don't look so blue." A voice told her, close to her ear. "Although that's probably the cold." Isshin laughed. "Of course we are going to be staying here tonight. It too cold to camp outside. We'll all freeze, not just you."
Before he walked away, his hand came up to ruffle her hair.
She smiled as she watched his back move away.
Even thought they had been on friendly terms over the previous few weeks, Inare still couldn't get over the internal awkwardness she felt each time that she sat next to him eating her evening meal. It was so mundane that she wasn't unsure how to react to it.
Although how she was feeling wasn't important. He goal was to try pour in the small vial of water into the soup without him noticing. It was proving harder than she thought.
"I can still see it." He told her.
"I just don't know how to do it without practically having to put a bag over your head." She slumped into the chair.
"Try again."
"I have, fifteen times today. And I still can't do it. Cant someone else do it?"
"You're the only one that won't ask questions."
She gave him a dry look. "I am asking questions. That's for sure."
"You know what I am referring to."
"Yer, yer." She sighed out. Frustration was making her moody. "Where am I going wrong."
"You're wrist is bending too much, its noticeable. Try work more with your fingers, not the wrist."
She nodded, before she trying again. It was no good, Madara noticed straight away.
"Well maybe it's because you know what I'm trying to do."
"The Senju won't know what you are trying to, but they are going to be observing everything. Jus like my brother and Isshin will be doing as well. If you get caught I might not be able to protect you. It won't be in my hands or the Senju's, but the Samurai who manage and monitor the whole ordeal."
The thought of being defenceless, with a load of strangers to determine her fate, possibly her death, sent a shiver down her spine and made her stomach feel heavy. She was put off the half-eaten meal.
"Will you at least try?" she whispered.
The Inn they were staying at was a sort of blend of traditional and modern. The outside gave the impression of it being an entirely wooden building, however on the inside you found that the thick wall where layered with wood, then stone and wood again.
It was an effective insulating method, as inside the warmth was pleasant. Ideally Inare would have wanted it hotter, but she imagined that it would become unpleasant when sleeping.
The rooms where done is the more traditional style, sliding doors, tami mat floors, low tables. No paper walls thought, completely wooden.
The two story inn was large with the first having the separate bathing areas, along with a bar area. The place clearly acted as an inn and a tavern. The place grew on Inare instantly.
The outdoors hot pools just made Inare's entire life worth living. Although the transition between bath and changing room was a bit of an screechy one. Inare plan was a quick dash followed by diving in.
The getting out part was more difficult.
She didn't stay long. Was out in less than half an hour.
More than anything she wanted to sleep.
Back in the room dressed in a pure white yukata, her hair lying wet on her back in a mass of waves and half curls.
She sat down by the table, and pored herself a glass of hot tea that had been left by the owner.
The room was large, separated into three different rooms. Two for sleeping, one for eating and lounging. Decorated with various paintings in a mixture of styles and a window that overlooked the street. More snow was beginning to fall, and heavily. Now that she was out of the cold, Inare found she could appreciate the snow more.
Such a beautiful form of nature.
The smell of the tea and the warmth that spread internally make her feel drowsy. She was just about ready to sleep. They had all eaten, the others where all bathing or in the bar. She assumed the later.
Outside she could her giggled and the sound of running feet. Laugher, and more giggled. Just outside of the door to the room.
Ears keenly listening to the sounds, Inare was curious at what these girls where laughing about. It might be worth her getting up to look for herself.
They sounds went silent, before the girls, two of them Inare was thinking now, laughed again. Loud and sweet sounding. Inare thought it sounded fake, no one laughs like that if whatever the person said was really funny. At least she didn't.
Having grown quickly bored, Inare turned her attention to the tea. She blew into it, letting the steam blow up around her face. She smiles. It had been a long time since she had been able to just relax and enjoy the time she had alone.
It was almost nearing a year since she had been with the Uchiha. Almost a year since they had taken her. She swallowed, her mood starting to dwindle.
She took a large gulp of hot tear, the water burning down her throat, as if to try and burn out any bad thoughts form her body.
The door opened, and the sound of laughter followed in, before the door shut and drowned it out again. The laugher quickly faded of with the sounds of more footfall.
Inare had her eyes closed, her eyes almost watering from her hot water that she had just swallowed down. Not a good idea for her to do.
She coughed. Her breath coming out hot.
Wiping her eyes of the tears that had built up, she blinked, before she raked her hair back with both hands. Her eyes focused rapidly.
She was startled by the sight ahead of her.
"Madara!" she cried. Falling backwards and away from the table. "Put a shirt on, please!"
Looking away.
"It's nothing you haven't seen before." He told her, unworried at her display of innocence.
"There was a reason for that time. It was with purpose, completely medical related. Now…" she couldn't finish. It was too personal.
"Don't act like a child." He scolded.
"I'm not." She spat.
"Then stop looking away."
"Fine." She snapped. Looking back at him. It was no mystery at why those girls where giggling now.
Dressed only in a dark pair of trousers, Madara had a towel draped over his shoulders, his hair just as wet as hers, the heavy and thick texture of the hair of obvious to her. He recalled that night when…
"Do you have no shame? To walk from the baths to the room like that."
"None whatsoever."
She shook her head. He was standing, holding a cut of tea in his hands. He moved to stand by the window, leaning to the side of it looking out at an angle. Most likely invisible to anyone looking in.
She could still see this whole front. The firm and chiselled featured of his abdomen, the defined hipbones that curved down and into the low waistline of his trousers, the fine dark hairs that worked their way up the centre of his torso, form his bellybutton to the hidden origin.
Inare wanted to groan. This was killing her.
She had seen him topless on that night where she had to heal him after his fight with the Senju man. Although it was dark and she couldn't really see much that night. She was also mostly worried about his health and keeping him alive, so obviously she had much better things to be thinking about at that point of time.
The next time she had such a pleasure… just the next time. Was when he told her to practice at taking the sample without him knowing about it.
That was a very uncomfortable day for Inare. To be there, kneeling besides him on his bed, his whole back exposed to her, and the front which she obviously hadn't paid any attention to. One hand was placed over the centre of his back, slowly numbing the direct area of skin.
With her thumb, she manipulated the chakra so as to form a small blade of chakra, lightly slicing off the skin that she wanted. She placed the skin on the top of her hand, before she healed the area and then placed the skin sample into the little dish she had brought along.
"Done." She announced.
Madara's head turned to face her. "Really?"
Humming in confirmation, she showed him the glass dish with the skin and bit of blood inside it. "All done."
"That was quick."
"It's not difficult."
"I didn't feel anything."
"You weren't supposed to." She smiled, feeling like she had accomplished something by the fact that he could feel a thing.
He sat up, leaning against the headboard, one leg propped up.
"What does it take to be able to do that?"
His mouth moved, but Inare wasn't aware of any sound coming out. "Hm?" she sounded.
His face went blank, before he repeated himself. He really didn't like doing that.
"O! Well… you umm…" she trail of thought left her. She was having a very ahrd time concentrating. "Good chakra control."
"That's all?"
She nodded. Thinking that would be the best choice as she really wasn't paying attention to what he was saying. Her lower body was feeling warm, along with her while face and neck. Really, her whole body was feeling warm. Right down to her soul.
She needed to fan herself.
What was wrong with her.
Madara smiled, seeing how flushed she was.
"It's all you ever need." She breathed out. They were talking about chakra right? "When it comes to manipulating chakra, you need good medical jutsu." She spoke rapidly.
She knew why she was feeling this flustered.
"I should be going." This was complete inappropriate, this was the man that was keeping her imprisoned here. The one that hunted her down each time she tried to escape. She was uncomfortable with being this friendly with him.
"You sure you don't want to stay." He hadn't moved, his red eyes were locked on with hers. Hypnotising her to stay.
"Yes… wait no." she didn't know which one gave the answer she wanted to give. "I'm sure" She managed to get out, breathlessly "I need to go."
Walking the next day was a lot easier, while her body was slightly stiff from the cold and excess use of her muscles she managed to keep up and help maintain a good pace. The constant flush that creped onto her kept her warm.
Isshin told her they were near. Inare half-heard him, but her him on was lingering on some pointless memory.
The snow got thicket to the point that they were forced to jump up onto he trees if they where to advance any further.
The was tricky jumping form snowy tree branch to the next. She was constantly worrying that she might slip and fall down onto the slow. She didn't want to get all damp again from falling into the snow. It was just a huge inconvenience. Who was to say the fall couldn't hurt her?
Izuna complained about her slow pace. While Isshin reassured her that she would stay close, to catch her if she fell. She warmed up hearing him say that. With that she was able to speed up more.
It took them a few hours, and by mid-morning, they were standing outside a large building. Red armoured men with helmets and swords strapped to their waists.
"Were here."
AN: I hope you enjoyed it! Sorry for the lateness.
