Gaara felt the side of his temple twitch as he eyed the travel pack that had just been dropped unceremoniously at his feet. His jade-pale eyes moved up from the plain pack to the boot-sandals and up the long line of feminine legs to the bared midriff with creamy skin tanned by the relentless Suna sun despite tons of sunscreen. Slowly his gaze moved up over the enticing curves of her chest, nothing overblown or too obvious, but enough to call to his senses.
Next his eyes devoured the long line of her throat, and the bruises still marking her as his. There his jade-pale eyes hesitated with satisfaction before moving up to study the mulish line of her lips. Gaara sighed as he looked at Hanabi's firmed chin and set expression. He didn't bother to look at her eyes, hidden as they were beneath two masks, one plain cloth and one made of the skull of a mountain lion.
"What part of 'no' do you misunderstand?"
"Do you really think I've misunderstood a damned thing?" Hanabi's mouth quirked into a small sneer.
"No. You're just completely non-compliant." Gaara stared at her. "I could have you jailed for this."
"You can't spare the ninja needed to take me down, you need them right now." She flashed a quick grin at him before turning solemn. "And I'm going with you. Besides, someone attacked Mizu this morning. You don't want to leave me in danger, do you?"
Gaara looked off into the distant horizon.
"You can't leave behind good ninja, not in a battle of this magnitude. This is only the existence of Suna that we're talking about here." Hanabi sank down on her heels to go through her pack, checking her supplies.
Gaara watched her, wanting so much to reach over and rip the hood from the back of her head. To touch her. He wanted that so much that he clenched his fingers and deliberately stepped away. He could not be distracted right now, too much was riding on the outcome of this upcoming meeting with his nemesis. Shukaku.
It was the thought of the One-Tailed sand demon that gave Gaara pause. His breathing hesitated for a second or two as he suddenly realized that he wasn't upset about putting Hanabi in danger, not really. She was quite a capable and vicious kunoichi when needed. No. He didn't want her to face Shukaku. Yes, the demon was supremely dangerous. But what he ...feared? Yes, maybe it was fear. What he wanted to avoid was having Hanabi see him as he once had been. A monster rather than a man.
Hanabi stood and shouldered her travel pack, assured that she'd forgotten nothing. For a moment she stiffened then grunted. "Behind me to the left, about a hundred feet away. The old crank is talking to Baki and Saeko. He's dressed to travel. And yet you're thinking of leaving ME behind?"
Gaara's eyes cut to the area indicated, having grown used to Hanabi's manner of seeing things even with her back turned. She kept her Byakugan powered up to a low level almost all the time now, only pushing more chakra into it while out on missions. His gaze narrowed as he considered carefully. Ebizou had not asked permission either, he'd demanded a spot on this group heading out to encounter the sand demon. Why?
Sure, his knowledge would be valuable, but Gaara couldn't shake the persistent feeling that old Ebizou was hiding something from him.
o.O.o.O.o.O
Rinako stared at the coat on the floor and then up at the man beaming at her with a mega-watt smile. She walked around the garment and continued on toward breakfast, stopping when she realized that Lee was no longer beside her. "Lee?"
The green-clad shinobi looked hugely disappointed as he looked down at the coat covering the muddy walk-way. "You're supposed to walk on it."
"Huh?" Rinako felt lost. They'd been discussing mission parameters when suddenly Lee had ripped open the coat he'd been wearing and thrown it on the ground in a strangely lavish gesture. She hadn't been sure why he'd been wearing the coat in the first place, it wasn't that chilly right now.
"I covered the mud so you wouldn't get mud on your boots." Lee bowed and swept his arm out grandly.
Rinako shrugged. "I can walk on top of mud and not muddy my boots. Genin stuff. Come on or all the bacon will be gone."
Lee's shoulders dropped slightly as he picked up his now muddy coat, one borrowed from someone else actually. He watched as Rinako headed toward the doorway of the kitchen area. Suddenly his eyes went wide and he dropped the coat, running past the kunoichi to the doorway and shut the door with a loud slam.
Rinako felt stunned as she stared at the now closed door. What the hell?
The door opened on a beaming Lee as he graciously held the door for her, ignoring that it had been already propped open to begin with. He bent his neck and bowed, sweeping his arm out in a graceful gesture.
"Thank you." Tsume gave the green-clad young man an odd look as she and her nin-dog swept into the kitchen area.
Kakashi walked in behind her, giving Lee a look, then cutting his one visible eye in Rinako's direction. His mask moved slightly, as if the copy-ninja was smiling beneath it. "Nice move."
Rinako looked back and forth between Lee and the backs of the two Leaf ninja now heading for the buffet table. "Lee?"
"That wasn't for them, it was for you!" The shinobi huffed slightly, looking crestfallen.
"Okay." Rinako said soothingly, though at a loss as to what was going on.
Across the room TenTen and Sakura both sat watching, the weapons mistress groaning and the pink-haired medic grinning from ear to ear finding it all too hilarious.
o.O.o.O.o.O
"You are making that up!" Shiho grinned despite her weariness. They'd been up and moving since dawn, and she hadn't slept that well in the first place despite being exhausted.
"No, cross my heart. We were practicing dynamic marking techniques and got Shino wet by mistake. Well, I still SAY it was a mistake and I'm not admitting otherwise ...anyway, you should have SEEN his expression!" Kiba chuckled and held up one hand to stop her as he sniffed the air cautiously. He whistled to Akamaru who circled around Shiho and settled at her feet, on alert. Having been through this several times already, the kunoichi went still and waited for Kiba to find and disarm yet another trigger set by the long-gone Akatsuki.
The dog-ninja finished and held up the tags that had been invisible against the rocks. "These aren't traps anymore, they're sentry tags. I think we're getting clear of the area, finally."
Shiho blew out a breath, trying to look like she wasn't so tired already. It wasn't even mid-morning yet!
Kiba grinned and flashed her a long look. "We can pick up speed now, stop this crawling down the mountain. Now we can make some real progress!"
Big blue eyes widened comically, then she sighed. "I don't know that I can ..."
He cut her off by literally picking her up and propping her onto Akamaru's back. Automatically her good hand wrapped in the large canine's fur.
"But Kiba! I can't!"
The shinobi ignored her as he pulled out some long nylon cording from his travel pack and quickly secured her a simple bridle that didn't impede Akamaru's movements and yet helped her to hang on. "Don't worry, you won't fall."
"But ...but ..." Shiho stammered. "What if I hurt Akamaru???"
Both males stopped and looked at each other, then both grinned and Kiba even chuckled. "Only you, little Librarian."
Akamaru woofed and barked a few times, then wagged his tail.
Shiho patted the large nin-dog worriedly. "Are you sure that I won't be too much for you?"
Kiba huffed and growled a bit. "Akamaru says that you're lighter than me, and smell prettier."
The kunoichi laughed and hugged the large dog. "If I get to be too much, just say so, okay Akamaru?"
Kiba watched the two with a strange expression. He'd just lied to her a bit. What Akamaru had actually said was that not only was she lighter than Kiba was to carry, but that it was an honor to carry his master's mate.
Mate? Kiba watched Shiho with his nin-dog with new eyes, unsure.
o.O.o.O.o.O
Tsunade, lost without Shizune, was going quietly mad. Well, then again, maybe not so quietly. The current assistant assigned to the Hokage's office winced at the solid wall of cursing as he raised his fist to knock reluctantly on the door.
"KOTETSU!" Shrieked the blood-shot blonde as she pushed aside stacks of papers and knocked scrolls onto the floor as she vainly searched her desk.
The harried assistant ran inside, shaking. "Er, Hokage-domo ...Kotetsu and Izumo are both still out on their mission. I have a message from the guards at the gate ..."
"Get me Genma or Gai!" Snarled the frazzled leader of the Leaf village, not paying attention except to her own current quandary..
The chuunin assistant backed up quickly, ready to make a run for it. "If the Hokage will remember, Genma is with Shizune at the Akatsuki fortress and Gai isn't back yet either, from his mission. He left yesterday? Raido and Ebisou are with him." The young assistant said quickly as a reminder. "Lady Tsunade, please ....the guards at the gate send word that the Aburame want permission to leave the village. They're demanding ..."
The blonde's eyes shot up in surprise and a moment later she relaxed slightly. "I can't possibly send Shibi, he's a clan leader, but he'll have someone he can send. Perfect! I won't kill you after all!" The Hokage brushed past the poor assistant on her way toward the door.
The chuunin gulped, almost used to the daily death threats as he prayed Shizune would return soon.
"Shizune has sent word and she's stuck at the Akatsuki fortress for the time being, damn it!" Tsunade snarled from the doorway. "Consider your temporary assignment to my office extended indefinitely." With that, the Hokage disappeared down the corridor.
The chuunin's knees went weak and he leaned against a wall, shaking. "Indefinitely?" Then the poor newly appointed assistant repeated quite a few of the swear words Tsunade had been spouting off earlier.
o.O.o.O.o.O
"Kimiko?" Temari blinked and peered at the doorway. "Come in, please." Uncertainly she gave a sheepish smile. "I guess you've heard."
The small woman moved into the room with a natural grace that had nothing to do with ninja training, she was no kunoichi. In some ways she could be considered plain, until you got a good look and noticed the creamy smooth skin and warm brown eyes that radiated a calm assurance. And when she smiled, she could light a room. And when she laughed, she never laughed alone.
But Kimiko wasn't smiling now as she pulled up a chair next to Temari's bed. Gently, she caught the blonde's hand in her own. "Baki told me, he wanted me to hear it from him. I hope you don't mind."
Temari shook her head, still feeling a bit guilty even though she knew she had no reason to feel that way. "This pregnancy may not ..."
Kimiko put her hand up to Temari's mouth and she shook her head emphatically. "Don't tempt fate. I have a good feeling about this time." She let her hand fall to Temari's still nearly-flat abdomen, then she pulled her hand away a bit guiltily.
"I know this must be hard on you ..." Temari tried again, reaching out to the woman who had held her hand all through the pain and horror of that first miscarriage so many years ago. And the one who shared her pain of not being able to have a child. But Temari had been able to have surgery in Konoha to improve her chances, but Baki's wife had internal difficulties that surgery could not alleviate.
Kimiko smiled sadly and petted Temari's arm gently. "No. You know too well my heartache about not being able to have a child, but I've never been able to conceive. You, you've been through too much loss. Loss I've not had to face."
Temari swallowed the lump in her throat, unable to say anything as she nodded jerkily. Her hands moved protectively over her abdomen.
"You're due for some good news. No one deserves this more." Kimiko's smile was so warm and genuine.
Chuckling Temari swiped at a lone tear. "I still don't know what you see in Baki. He's rough as old cracked leather. You could have done better."
Shaking her head, the gentle woman who barely topped out at Baki's shoulder, shrugged. "He swept me off my feet. Literally. With wind. What could a girl do?"
Feeling more at ease, Temari smiled.
Kimiko's smile dimmed a bit as she caught the blonde's hand in her own again. "You've inspired me. Never giving up. I ...I've decided to go ahead and adopt."
Temari caught her breath. Few would know what a big step this was for Kimiko, who'd always sworn she'd have her own child or nothing. She also knew that Baki had wanted to adopt for years, but had held off because of his wife's feelings. "That's wonderful!"
Blushing, Kimiko waved her hand dismissively. "I feel so much lighter since I made the decision, I can't believe I've been in denial for so long." She smiled tenderly at Temari. "Now, tell me, how are you really feeling?"
"Scared." Temari admitted to the only other person she could, other than her husband.
o.O.o.O.o.O
Gaara strode across the rocky ground of the pre-desert area he'd chosen for this confrontation. He walked up to Yamato as the man stood looking out over the area. "Everything in readiness?"
The Leaf shinobi nodded, looking worried. He cleared his throat. "I am not the First Hokage." He pointed out.
Gaara nodded. "Let us hope that you have enough of him and his abilities. Everything hinges on this."
Yamato nodded, feeling a bit sick even though his expression showed nothing of his feelings. "Kankuro returned just before you did. He brought our ...guests."
The Kazekage nodded. "Then I had better get Shukaku here then."
The Leaf shinobi nodded as he took in Gaara's own expressionless face. He wondered if the shorter man had any jangling nerves as well. But if the Kazekage was facing down nerves, he showed nothing of it in word or deed.
Baki walked up to them. "Kankuro has things here in place." He nodded to Yamato, who nodded back.
"Then it is my turn." Gaara said in a chilly voice, and he turned toward the way Shukaku was coming. He was close enough for the red-head to feel the pressure of the beast's chakra emanating from him. The familiarity of the chakra, which had once blended within his own body, made Gaara feel physically ill. Memories and snatches of remembered nightmares taunted him, yet he walked resolutely forward.
He was heading out toward Shukaku when someone stepped in front of him. Gaara hesitated, then stilled. Jade-pale eyes met the bone-blank stare from a mask. He waited, knowing that if he tried to walk around Hanabi, she'd only do something to stop him.
Hanabi's bottom lip trembled slightly, then firmed. "You're going out there as bait." She accused.
Gaara didn't bother to deny the charge. "I won't have this battle in Suna. We will call the beast here instead."
"Cut down on damages and deaths, hai. I get that." Hanabi frowned sharply. "And I can't argue with the fact that you would be the best bait to draw the One-Tail here. But I don't have to like it, and I don't."
Gaara cocked his head slightly to one side. "Why?"
Suddenly furious for no reason, Hanabi snapped at him. "I have NO clue why. I hope the damned raccoon eats you alive." She paused, sucking in a sharp breath. "I don't mean that."
The shinobi nodded.
Hanabi grabbed his head and ran her lips over his swiftly. A second or two, then she stepped back, savoring the shocked look in his eyes. "I don't mean that either." She crooned lightly.
Gaara just looked at her, blinking slowly. "Don't mean it again."
Her lips pursed and she fought the smile, and lost as she stepped forward and kissed him again. His expression melted slightly as she ran her lips over his in a warm caress. Gaara parted his lips and held his breath until she accepted his silent invitation and her tongue moved in to touch his, gently at first and then with more heat.
A groan escaped one of them, but neither knew who it had originated with as their lips clung. Her hands framed his face and his settled around her waist as he simply held her. Breathing became an issue and she pulled back as his lips followed her retreat. A long moment passed as they tasted and savored each other before he let go of her and gently pushed on her hips.
Her mouth fell into a soft pout, even as she nodded. "You need to go, Kazekage-kun. And I need to let you go."
Gaara nodded silently and ran one hand down the profile of her face. She turned her head and kissed the palm of his hand. "Be bait, but don't be his damned meal."
"Agreed." Gaara said softly and let her go. Hanabi stepped aside, letting him pass.
Always before she'd scoffed at the idea of 'heartache'. And then she'd thought she'd known the meaning of the word when she'd been longing after Inuzuka Kiba, and he hadn't seemed to notice her. But until she stood here, in this place, watching Gaara walk away from her ...out into the desert, alone. To use himself as bait for an un-killable One-Tailed demon, she'd never literally felt her heart ache.
But now she did.
In that one moment of pure clarity she realized that her little dance with Gaara went far deeper than she'd ever anticipated. He had her heart and she ...she was deathly afraid that she was falling in love with him.
o.O.o.O.o.O
Tsunade stopped so suddenly that her assistant ran into her back and fell back a few steps, though didn't hit the ground. He rubbed his nose before freezing as the Hokage turned her furious glare on him. "I thought you said the Aburame wanted permission to leave Konoha. The Aburame. As in the head of the Aburame clan. As in Shibi."
The assistant shook his head and nervously cleared his throat. "I meant the Aburame, as in the clan."
Tsunade winced and turned back to the crowd in front of the gate of Konoha. A crowd made up entirely of Aburame. Men and women both. Carts full of supplies. Everywhere she looked, there was an Aburame. Dark glasses and long coats were everywhere.
Shibi stepped forward and Tsunade stiffened. "What is this?"
The head of the bug ninja clan glanced back at his people and then at his Hokage. "Visiting family." He said simply.
Tsunade let the man's words hang in the air for a long moment, waiting for him to explain. But Shibi said nothing more. She scowled. Damned silent ninja traits. "I was going to ask you to lend me one of your family members. Jounin level if possible."
Shibi looked at her, his gaze hidden beneath his customary dark glasses. Finally he nodded. "May I ask why?"
Tsunade shook her head. "May I ask why every Aburame in the village is going to visit family?" Especially when she was unaware of many of this particular clan living outside of Konoha.
Shibi and she stared at each other, both unwilling to go into too much detail.
The Hokage sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. "I need someone to go to Suna. There's been an incident. I need them to bring back some Leaf ninja. Your son being one of them."
The head of the Aburame clan actually let a small smile play across his lips. "I can spare a family member or two for that mission."
"They'll need to bring back the Hyuuga daughter as well." Tsunade said, measuring her words carefully and looking around to make sure they were speaking privately. She motioned her assistant back, watching as the young chuunin left quickly.
"The Lady Hinata? Of course." Shibi nodded.
"And her sister." Tsunade added. "The dead one and her team. Secrecy is everything."
Shibi went very still for a moment, letting the information sink in. The younger Hyuuga daughter lived? In Suna? With her genin team, the ones that had supposedly been assassinated? How intriguing.
"It will have to be someone who can keep a secret." Tsunade warned. "This is very urgent. They are in Suna, and ...one of the tailed beasts was released and is heading their way. We won't get there in time for the first battle, but ...hopefully they'll all still live when your ninja arrive."
Shibi nodded slowly. "I know just who to send."
Relaxing slightly, Tsunade smiled. "Who?"
"Me." Shibi paused and let the Hokage's eyes widen. "And everyone with me. We were heading to Suna now."
Tsunade growled low and menacingly. "Visiting family?"
Shibi nodded very slowly and held up a letter. "Just arrived from Shino. We know about the beast, but before you get mad at him for divulging information ...Temari is pregnant and can't be moved from Suna right now."
Her protest died on her lips as she let the information sink in. She looked behind the man at all the Aburame going and realized that it wasn't the entire clan after all. Fighters. Everyone going was a trained ninja. Except for a few women. "Midwifes?" She guessed.
"Aburame midwifes. They have knowledge that no Suna medic will have access too, knowledge pertaining solely to our clan." Shibi paused, then bent his pride to explain a bit. She was his leader after all. "We go to support and protect our own. We'll find the Hyuuga girls and send them back if it is necessary, and all others belonging to Leaf as well."
"Do what you can for Suna, if possible. They are allies, but our people come first." Tsunade said slowly. "The Kazekage's message that was included with the report that Shino sent me mentions a plan. Help if you can, but let that be your judgment."
"We won't arrive in time, most likely." Shibi commented. "But your orders are duly noted." He turned and signaled for his clan to move even as Tsunade signaled the gate guards to let them pass.
Inuzuka Hana stepped up beside her Hokage as the last of the Aburame left the village, heading toward the desert. "Mass exodus?" She queried, her eyebrows raised at the unusual sight she'd just seen.
Tsunade chuckled and shook her head. "I'm letting the Aburame invade Suna."
Confused, Hana looked out the gate and watched as every last Aburame faded from sight. "Poor Suna?" She guessed.
Her chuckle turned to an outright laugh as she clapped Hana on the shoulder. "Indeed. Poor Suna indeed! This could save an ally or lose one, we'll just have to wait and see."
"Someone's coming." Hana pointed out the gates as the Hokage turned to look. The gate guards watched as well as someone bounded up to the skirts of Konoha. "Oh, it's Sai."
Tsunade stiffened, knowing where Sai had most recently been posted. She gestured for the guards to let the man enter. The artist nin walked up to her, filthy and looking like he'd not slept in days. "I already have word from the message bird you managed to send me from the border post. You've made good time to get here this fast."
Sai nodded though he was winded, still trying to catch his breath. "The cryptologist?"
Tsunade shook her head. "No sign yet. I was just about to find someone to go look for them."
Sai straightened. "I can go."
The Hokage shook her head. "No. I need you to be debriefed, someone else. A tracker." She turned speculative eyes on Hana. "You can find your brother?"
The Inuzuka kunoichi stiffened. "Kiba? Isn't he with mother?"
Tsunade shook her head and pulled Hana along with her back toward the Hokage tower. "I'll fill you in, come."
Sai followed behind, his mouth drooping strangely again. He touched his lips with his fingers and wondered why he felt unsettled, not at ease. He would definitely have to consult with a medical specialist soon.
o.O.o.O.o.O
Kiba called a halt during mid-afternoon, pulling out a length of wire from his travel pack.
Shiho was too tired to wonder what he was doing as she slid from Akamaru's back. She hurt. Everything hurt. Her shoulder, her legs, her good arm, her head ...simply everything. A moan escaped her and Akamaru nudged her lightly with his head, barking a query.
Kiba looked over at her and ran to catch her before her swaying led to an actual fall. "Hold steady!" He braced her and led her over to a large tree stump next to the stream.
Grateful, Shiho rubbed her cramping arms as she leaned against the stump. Quietly she watched as Kiba quickly located a worm and baited a small hook. He cast the line into the stream and pulled on it slightly. Shiho frowned slightly. "Don't you need a pole for that?"
"No." Kiba grinned as he felt a nibble. Yanking on the line, he sunk the hook and pulled in the small fresh water fish. "Poles are too cumbersome to carry in a pack, this is more efficient."
He gutted the fish quickly and filleted the catch, setting it aside to build a small fire for cooking.
Shiho watched dispassionately as she rolled her shoulders, trying to ease the pain and throbbing. One arm ached from the shoulder dislocation and field reduction that Kiba had performed. The other ached because it had held on to the make-shift bridle all day. "Can we afford a fire?" She asked, only because Kiba hadn't allowed them one when they'd been in the mountains.
"We won't be here long, any attention we attract will arrive too late." Kiba started the fish to cooking and then went to catch another. "Besides, we need the protein."
The kunoichi nodded and yawned, wincing as even her jaws hurt from where she'd clenched her teeth. Once she'd been put on Akamaru's back, they had traveled so swiftly she'd been in awe. She wasn't an untrained civilian by any means, and she was a full kunoichi, if not a field one. She knew how to flash step just as well as most ninja. Yet ...the speed in which Kiba and Akamaru were traveling, even with her strapped to the nin-dog's back, was amazing.
The fish were done pretty quickly and Kiba sliced off long pieces for her. Shiho thanked him and then gobbled down her first piece quickly. She looked over at Akamaru and winced. The canine had done most of the work all day. Sure she hurt, but he'd been carrying her this whole time! "Here you go, boy." She held out a piece of fish she'd thrice checked to make sure there were no bones. "You must be tired and hungry too."
Akamaru barked at her, baring his teeth. Shiho pulled back, stunned. "What? What did I do?"
Kiba swallowed hard and cleared his throat as he tried to catch his breath. "He ...he said that you need the food more than he does, that you weigh less than a feather." Kiba lied.
Shiho nodded and laid out the fish for the nin-dog anyway, her expression turning stubborn. "Then we share. He does all the work, he should get some of this fish."
Kiba turned away toward the stream, his mind reeling. Akamaru had once again called the kunoichi Kiba's mate. But more than that, the big canine had admonished Shiho that she needed to eat more in order to carry Kiba's puppies.
Shaky, the Inuzuka barely registered the taste of his own fish as he turned to look at Shiho again. He took in her stiff way of moving and knew she was hurting. But she never complained. She was brilliantly smart, but didn't rub it in too much. She liked Akamaru and his dog liked her back. Even Kiba's own mother respected Shiho.
And he wanted her in his bed so badly that it hurt.
But ....mate? Puppies? As in children?
Kiba watched her and wondered.
o.O.o.O.o.O
Shukaku reveled in the destruction and havoc around him. The smell of blood was in his nostrils, but it was old now. A day ago at least, possibly two. He wanted fresh blood. And that fucking desert village had a lot of blood that needed spilling.
Bind him? Hold him? Use HIM? The whole village needed to be wiped from the earth completely. Bones would crunch satisfyingly, and blood would quench his fever he just knew.
So lost in his dreams of vengeance and hatred, it took nearly an hour before he realized what he was sensing.
The One-Tailed beast paused and turned his head eastward. There. A chakra signature. Pulsing. Begging for attention. The sand demon grinned widely and roared in approval.
Gaara.
Gaara was here and knew he was coming for him. And the puling little red-head was coming out to meet him. As if the little shit had a chance. That person had ceased to be of any importance the moment Shukaku had been extracted from his body.
The demon roared again, turning his great head toward Suna. But that pulsing chakra signature wouldn't go away. He stopped again, turning, considering.
He owed Gaara nothing. But the human owed him. Oh yes, Gaara owed him! The little human was nothing without Shukaku inside him. But still. The red-head had held him against his will. He'd used Shukaku's abilities and what had he done in return?
Fought him. Kept him from his mind the best he could.
Shukaku's eyes narrowed as he changed directions. Heading for that pulsating chakra signal. Gaara. The demon smiled. This was a trap. He knew it. And he had no intention of falling into any trap. But the lure of Gaara, and of spilling Gaara's blood called to him like a siren's song.
He'd get to Suna, oh yes he would. But first things first.
Shukaku roared again, throwing back his head and sending his voice to the heavens. Letting the world know that the One-Tail Beast was free and on his way. And death would follow his every step.
o.O.o.O.o.O
It's after midnight as I finish this. My eyes are starting to cross, so please excuse any lapses in editing. Also, fair warning. Citrus is straight ahead. If not the next chapter, then very, very soon!
And as always, REVIEWS are very helpful!
Thank you!
