Chapter Thirty-Five: Back to Konoha
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Sakura leapt into the trees, blocking the weapons that an entire army was now tossing at them.
"We have to get back!" She cried desperately, slashing through her opponent.
"I know!" Neji gasped, swinging himself up onto another branch...the steady drumbeat of feet growing nearer.
Sakura fell, her ankle twisting as she tripped over a root.
"Keep going!" She cried, gritting her teeth as she stood on it. The ankle wasn't a weight bearing bone--if she could stand, she could run!
Neji knelt beside her, hauling her up by her arm and supporting her with his shoulder.
"Watch out!" Shikamaru cried, tossing a kunai to deflect the senbon travelling at them.
Shino retalitated, sending his insects into the dense brush, an agonized scream following their assualt.
"Keep going!" Sakura repeated, hauling herself onto another branch.
"Go get the Hokage!" Sakura said, sliding to a halt outside of the gates, her katana clutched firmly in her hand.
"No need, Sakura."
She fell to her knees, the gates opening...
"Tsunade!" She cried, forgetting all etiquette as the wooden barriers swung open to reveal Konoha's full force.
"Ho...How?" Shikamaru asked.
Tsunade smirked, holding out her hand where a small black insect sat on her prim finger.
Sakura threw her arms around Shino, kissing his cheek. "You're fucking incredible!" She screamed.
Even Neji was forced to agree! Without him, Konoha would have been caught off guard.
"Perhaps we should save the festivities for after the battle." The Aburama heir said mildly.
"Agreed." Tsunade smirked, raising her arm, "Konoha! Take...them...down!" Her hand fell, cueing the immediate strike.
The war was on!
TBC