A/N: This is where it gets a little whoo. Not in that way! Just read and review.
-Zendaya-
I sighed as I waited for the two rabbits I'd caught earlier to finish cooking. It'd been three days since I left Suna and crossed the border into the Land of Fire. This wasn't the first time I'd had to live out in the wilderness. Senna had found it extremely amusing to run me out of the city we had lived in and into the small bit of woods surrounding the city. She'd had people thinking I'd done something and had them stay at the edge of the woods so I couldn't come back. The longest she'd ever forced me to stay out there was six days. I'd learned fast how to fend for myself, though at that time I hadn't beena ble to make fire in the palm of my hand so it was easier now.
I was just reaching for the first rabbit when I heard the brush behind me rustle. I could feel the chakra signature of twelve men surrounding me and sighed again.
They just don't learn.
I thought as I saw Hatsukoshi step out into the clearing where I'd made my camp.
"I see you managed to grow some of your hair back Koshi."
I said, commenting on the last time he'd come after me and I'd burned the side of his head and the hair had gotten singed. I started eating after a while, acting like I wasn't surrounded. I could easily take them, but I'd like to not have to fight them again if I could help it.
"Shut up you bitch, we're going to get you for what you did!"
He yelled at me and I sighed again as I finished my meal and tossed the remains of both rabbits into the fire.
"I wouldn't have had to do any of that if you and your men had listened to me in the first place."
I said as I got to my feet and scanned the area. They were all standing around me in a huge circle. I saw some of them were still sporting bruises and burns from the last couple of times they'd come after me.
"Shut up!"
Hatsukoshi yelled before giving his men a signal and they all charged at me.
I wasted no time in using the Shadow Clone Jutsu and making eleven other copies of myself to take care of them. In no time, all of Hatsukoshi's men, other than himself, were laid out in the clearing and my clones disspersed.
"I really wish you'd learn your lesson already."
I said as I started walking towards him.
"And you should learn to pay attention to your surroundings."
He said and I looked at him confused until I felt multiple pairs of arms grab me and pin my arms to my sides as my hands were tied.
"This is for my brother!"
One of the bandits said and before I could even blink I felt a sharp and all too familiar pain in my shoulder and looked down to see a silver dagger embedded all the way down to the hilt in my shoulder.
Fuck.
I thought as I grit my teeth to keep from making a sound. I was trapped and things weren't looking so good.
-Kiba-
I didn't need Akamaru to lead the way anymore, I could pick up on Zendaya's scent myself now. It was kinda hard to miss the scent of sugar and spice in the middle of the woods.
"We're almost there."
I said to Gaara who had been silent since we set off and he showed so little emotion that he was starting to really creep me out. More than he had before.
I tensed when I smelled blood in the air and heard Akamaru whine.
"What is it?"
Gaara asked and I jumped at the sound of his voice. I hadn't expected him to say anything.
"I smell blood."
I said, pausing for a second to make sure I was right before continuing.
"Zendaya's blood."
I said and looked back at him to see a couple grains of sand fall to the ground where he had just been.
Uh-oh.
I thought as Akamaru and I picked up our pace.
-Gaara-
When Kiba said he smelled Zenadya's blood I used my sand to teleport myself as close to Zendaya's chakra signature as I could. I frowned when I felt other chakra signatures with her, but they were only at civilian level. As I got closer I picked up on Zendaya's scent and growled when I smelled her blood.
I stopped at the edge of a clearing to see about twelve men knocked out on the ground and about fifteen standing around. I stayed where I was and scanned the area for Zendaya, only to see her standing in the middle of the clearing with five guys standing around her. I noticed the men were bandits, but what made my bloodlust rise to the surface was when i saw one of them with their hand wrapped around the hilt of a dagger embedded in Zendaya's shoulder. I watched as blood seeped from her wound and trickled down her arm before falling to the ground at their feet.
He will die.
I heard Shukaku say in a low growl and smirked.
I couldn't agree more.
I thought, before sending my sand along the ground towards the man and had it crawl up his leg and surround him completely. I lifted my hand and closed my fist in one swift motion.
Sand Burial!
-Zendaya-
My eyes widened as the bandit who had stabbed me was suddenly enveloped in sand. I heard his bones crack and his muffled scream before the sand fell away and the bandit's dead body fell limply to the ground, shocking all the ones still standing around me.
"You...You witch! What did you do!?"
Another one of the bandits standing around me asked, fear clear in his voice before he reached out and grabbed me by the throat and lifted me off my feet. With my hands tied, I couldn't do anything but try to keep breathing despite the bandit's hand crushing my windpipe. I closed my eyes as my vision started to blur and I tried to wiggle free to no avail.
I heard the shifting of sand and felt the pressure on my windpipe disappear as I landed on my feet. I opened my eyes just in time to see the bandit who had almost choked me hit the ground, dead. The sand shifting around the now still body before moving my way and winding itself around me, but not in the same way it had the two bandits it had just squeezed the life out of. No, it was kind with me as it passed lightly over my skin. Almost caressing me as it surrounded me in a protective circle. I felt it stop when it reached my face and closed my eyes with a small smile on my lips as it cupped my cheek. I couldn't sense him anywhere, but I knew he was here. I didn't know why he was here, but the simple fact he was made my heart beat faster.
"Gaara."
A/N: Dun dun dun dun! REVIEW!
