Ranger24: Okay here's the new chapter. Also updating Battlestar, Author fighters: Demon from heaven, and Fanfiction May cry tonight.

Chapter 36: Water from sand.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

"Okay ready?" Naruto asked Ichigo, who was holding onto Cortana's damaged wing.

"Ready." Ichigo said nodding.

"Ready?" Naruto asked Cortana who held a tree trunk between her teeth; she only growled in response and dug in her claws.

Naruto sighed grabbed onto the arrow stuck in Cortana's wing and pulled. Cortana whimpered and whined crunching down on the tree trunk stuck in her mouth. Then Naruto yanked it out, the tree snapped, Cortana bugled her pain, and her wing whacked Ichigo in the face as it flailed about. Naruto quickly healed the hole with magic and Cortana's whimpers turned into moans. Those mixed with Ichigo's moan of pain.

Naruto pulled Ichigo to his feet.

"Next time she might do that warn me." Ichigo growled rubbing the bruise on his face.

'Sorry,' Cortana said over the mental link which Naruto told Ichigo.

Ichigo sighed.

"Well no use crying over spilled milk. What do we do now?" He asked.

"Well better check on the elf." Naruto said.

He walked over to the elf who was lying on the ground. Her face was pale and she was sweating furiously. He wondered why she hadn't woken up yet. Then he noticed something. There was a large bruise on her shoulder. He moved his hand in to examine and shivered as his hand meet something he didn't expect.

He pulled the shirt off and Ichigo swore loudly. The elf's back was a massive of cuts, bruises, whip lashes, scabs, burns, brands from cow prods, and several still bleeding wounds. The elf had been tortured relentlessly. Naruto realized he'd gotten off lucky.

"Why the heck would someone do that to an elf?" Ichigo asked angry?

"Because Xemnas is a cockbite." Naruto replied equally angered.

'Naruto,' Cortana said over the mental link. 'You must save this elf, tired or not, hungery or not! You must save!'

'Do you think I can pull it off?' Naruto asked.

'Yes, I can provide the strength but you must weild the magic.' Cortana replied.

Naruto nodded.

"Ichigo get some rags for bandages and something for me to eat."

"It'll be cold food and unwashed rags, we can't risk a fire." Ichigo replied.

"Then do it!" Naruto said rolling up his sleeves and Cortana drew up close to him.

'Ready?' He asked and she growled the affirmative.

Naruto took a deep breath gathering his power. Then he said, "Weise heli."

His dragon mark glowed and the skin under his hand healed instantly appearing unharmed. Naruto knew he could only do so much to help the elf so he focused on the more serious wounds. He began to sweat as the large scabs and brands hissed away. Then as he removed a stubborn wound he revealed a large dragon tattoo in the same shape and form as that of the symbol on Ranger's old ring!

Interested he continued to heal the elf until he'd expended almost all of his strength. The elfs back was now completely unmarked leaving no evidence of the torture she had taken. Naruto pulled her shirt back on as Ichigo passed him a roll.

"Okay, now what?" Ichigo asked.

Naruto pulled the map out of Cortana's saddle bags.

"Well we have to get the heck out of here and find the Varden." Naruto said.

"And how do we find them without Vic?" Ichigo asked.

"Well what would you suggest?" Naruto asked.

"I don't know! We could try going south to Surda, that way we could get away from Gil'ead and hopefully find someone who can show you to the Varden. The trouble is crossing the empire is the only way to get there." Ichigo replied.

Naruto frowned glancing at the map. Taking the fastest route would bring them dangerously close to Ure'bean. Then he noted one possible route.

"If we take a detour through the hadarac desert and cut down the Beor's we could reach Surda from the north." Naruto said using his finger to show his route.

"Okay but what about water?" Ichigo asked.

"Umm…." Naruto said scratching his head. 'I wonder if I can turn sand into water?'

"Let me do a quick experiment. In the meantime get ready to ride." Naruto said walking behind Cortana.

'This is a really bad idea.' Cortana said over the mental link.

'Oh you worry to much.' Naruto replied.

He sat down gathered a tiny dot of dirt on his finger and constructed his spell.

"Moi senta." He commanded.

Instantly he felt the irt sucking up his strength! He then realized just how much energy it took to force something to change shape! He tried to to sever the spell but couldn't. He sat there waiting for one of two things. The dirt to change shape, or himself to die. He sat their for twelve minutes and nothing happened but himself getting weaker and weaker.

Just when he thought he was going to die the dirt shifted, and morphed into a fimble of water. Gladly he tossed the drop on his tongue and fell back sweating.

'Told you so.' Cortana chided.

'Well I'm not dead.' Naruto snapped back.

He groaned and leaned against her scale covered body.

'This won't work. It took almost all of my strength to do just that one drop!' Naruto said.

'You should have remember Ranger's warning's.' Cortana said sadly.

'I miss him to.' Naruto replied.

Then he noticed a trickle of water in the hole he dug. A brand new idea popped into his head!

'Look at this!' Naruto said showing Cortana the tiny amount of water.

'So? How will this help us?' She asked.

'I can bring the water up from under ground!' Naruto replied.

He cast another spell and slowly the drop became enough water to fill a bucket. All of it was fresh water. Naruto gave a shout of delight and he practically gave Cortana a hug.

'Cortana, we're in business!' He shouted over the link. He then came around to Ichigo who was witling a stick.

"Is the desert open to us?" Ichigo asked.

"Yep." Naruto said happily.

"Well we'd better leave now." Ichigo said.

"What about the elf?" Naruto asked.

"Well we can't tie her to the horses, and she can't ride Cortana, out cold." Ichigo replied.

'How about you tie her to my belly?' Cortana asked.

In the end this was the only choice that made sense so they acted on it. They tied the elf around Cortana's belly with old clothes for rope. They'd have to check the ropes frequently for fraying. Then Naruto and Ichigo mounted their rapidashes.

"Ready?" he asked Ichigo?

Ichigo grinned.

"I always did like races."

"Well now we're in one for our lives."

"Then let's go, HI-YAH!" Ichgo shouted as he and Naruto rode off and away from Gil'ead.

Rangr24: Okay that's one less chapter on the board. Also I finished reading Brisingr great book.

Naruto: Ranger! How could you?

Ranger24: What?

Naruto: You screwed…

Ranger clamps his hand over Naruto's mouth.

Ranger24: No spoilers! Besides its for the story only.

Naruto growled in annoyance.

Ranger24: Just don't expect child support checks.

Naruto: Asshole.

Ranger24: Well next time… Ichigo? Naruto? Take it away.

Naruto/Ichigo: We rode through the desert on some horses with no name, it felt good to be out on the range. In the desert. You can't remember you're name because their ain't no one to remember.

Ranger24: Yeah so read and review.