Chapter Five: Not So Harmless
Living in the Forest of Death was overrated.
Not in terms of danger, quite the opposite. After the initial showing, the tigers had largely avoided them. Bugs had become a problem, but Tenten has brought mosquito netting to ward them off. They had ready access to water, and there were plenty of rabbits and berries around. And since they were by now experienced woodsmen with a number of books on the subject, they didn't get sick.
Their days were spent foraging, gathering water, and practicing their techniques. Guy-sensei did not return at this time. And so Tenten decided to start making mud bricks to replace the wall. Together with Neji and Rock Lee, they used the recipe to form them, then left them out in the sun. Days passed as they foraged, trained, sparred, and hunted.
"Lee, how are the mud bricks coming?" asked Tenten. Lee had created several fields of them out of boredom.
"They are almost done, Tenten," said Lee. "This technique you have in that book is quite useful. With the power of hard work and our combined talents, we will surely have a formidable structure."
And so, the three of them began to assemble a more traditional fort. Tearing down the earthworks, they piled the bricks high, using homemade mortar. Piling one stone after another, they rapidly had a more traditional defensive wall. Barbed wire was set onto it, and then they dug a trench outside it before filling that with sharp rocks. The only way across into this fort was a bridge build from wood Tenten had set up. There was also a stair leading up to the tower on which they could post a lookout.
From there, they replaced their tents with a more traditional structure. A circular wall was made of mud brick. A roof made from dried grass and a structure was set over it, and a mud-brick stove.
Now they had a reasonable bit of civilization.
"I am not certain this was the intended purpose of our time here, Tenten," noted Neji over a dinner of cooked rabbit. One which was eaten with utensils because Tenten had fuijutsu. She'd even brought gravy.
"Oh, come on, Neji. Our job is to survive in the forest," said Tenten. "What better way to survive in a forest than build civilization?"
"Nobody gave us any instructions otherwise. There is no rule specifically stating we can't just create civilization ourselves, especially since an ordinary person can do these techniques. We're super-human ninja; we can do all these things easily.
"And with your Byakugan, we can see anything that comes after us miles away."
"Even so, I believe we should venture into the forest," said Neji, peering out.
"Why?" asked Tenten. "Ninja aren't supposed to waste energy in survival situations. We've got no mission other than survival. So doing stuff is bad."
"The intended purpose of this exercise was wilderness survival," noted Lee. Meanwhile, Neji drank from a cup, looking out the door. "Not civilization-building. Therefore, we should come up with some sort of mission into the woods.
"Otherwise, we shall learn little."
"We've learned a lot," said Tenten. "I mean, we can assemble these mud brick walls really quickly. Imagine what we could do if we had a large number of preassembled ones.
"And we built a fort. We are, technically, kids.
"Nobody else has built a fort, like this."
"We have been hunting," admitted Neji. "And searched for possible edible roots and berries. I have been trained in survival. But in this situation, it may be wise to find some other objective.
"This is where the Chunin Exams usually take place when they happen at the Leaf. If we know the terrain here, we might have a major advantage."
"Like what?" asked Tenten.
"Tenten," said Neji. "Your fuijutsu summons things by activating a seal, yes?"
"Yeah," said Tenten.
"Does it have to be on a scroll?" asked Neji.
"Well, no," said Tenten. "I guess I could paint it on a stone or a tree. Just as long as I finish the seal? Why do you ask?"
Neji smiled, and it was kind of evil. "I've heard that the Chunin Exams are likely to be set here. I think that we have everything we can to rig the game in our favor."
"What?" said Lee. "But Neji, that would be cheating."
"Not really," said Tenten. "I mean, the exam hasn't even started yet. We can't cheat.
"But if we just happen to set up some caches or materials to create traps, it could help us out a lot. And it'll be easy to do while scouting around." She finished her rabbit. "Alright! Let's do it!"
"Hmm, I suppose a ninja must be able to use deception," said Lee. "Very well. We may do so and scour the area."
"For a start," said Neji. "We should create the seals. They should be in places that won't be readily noticed. And we can make a map as we go, and in doing so, mark each location.
"We can come back later and attune the objects we desire to each seal."
"Sounds good to me," said Tenten. "How far should we go?
"I believe we should scout out our immediate surroundings first. Once we know the layout of this region, we'll move outward," said Neji.
"Then let's go hunting," said Tenten.
And that was how the three of them set out into the woods. They moved throughout them, making notes of landmarks. Then, using a notepad Tenten had brought with her, they drew out a general layout of the area. Though a lack of skill at mapmaking meant they had to restart several times.
Not every tree was there, but it was good enough for a general orientation. They marked down where berries were located and which ones were poisonous. When they were done with that, they began to fan outward. Several times Neji had them maneuver suddenly to avoid one threat or another. Meanwhile, the Byakugan proved its worth again.
No wonder the Hyuga were so obsessed with protecting it.
But soon, they began to journey outward in greater degrees. And these parts were not as well known to them. They took a slower pace now, taking time to start a new regional map.
"See anything?" asked Tenten, stepping around a giant spiderweb.
"There are a large number of berry bushes this way," said Neji. "They are of an edible kind. Take note of the location. Once we've scanned this area, we ought to get a better idea of where we are in relation to the river.
"We should scale to the top of the tallest tree we can find."
The climb was easy.
When she'd been young, climbing a tree like this would have been difficult. In fact, it would be impossible. Now, however, Tenten was able to get to the very top by walking and came out of the treetops. Looking around, she saw the Forest of Death and stopped.
It was, when removed from shadow and bleakness, pretty. Beautiful even to look at. And then she saw many butterflies, flying black and purple in the sunlight, and just stared. Raising a hand as if to reach for them, she wondered why she did it.
Why reach for something you know you cannot grasp? Even if Tenten were to lay hold of them, her hand would kill them. And yet, even as she lowered her hand and ceased to look, the butterflies turned to fly past her.
"Are you mapping this?" asked Neji, who didn't even look at them.
"Neji, don't you see them!" said Tenten. "Don't you see the trees and how the sunlight glances over them?"
"I've seen them every time I use my Byakugan," said Neji. "They're only insects. You can see the center of the forest that way."
"But..." Then Tenten realized the Byakugan was also a curse.
Neji could see everything anytime he used it in every direction. Nothing could be hidden from him, and so there was no mystery.
He'd never walk around a corner and run accidentally into a friend. No mystery remained for him to triumph over in this physical reality.
Neji would never be surprised. He'd never walk in on a surprise party or anything else. Tenten knew he was always checking his Byakugan; it was a major advantage. But in embracing it...
He'd lost novelty.
"What is it?" asked Neji. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Oh, nothing," said Tenten. "I just... if I'd climbed this tree before I came here, I'd have been proud of myself. You ever think that power might be a bit overrated?"
"What else is there?" asked Neji.
"What are those butterflies anyway?" asked Tenten.
"They are Imperial Monarchs," said Neji. "They migrate here every few years. There are superstitions that they are a herald of good fortune."
Tenten smiled. "You know a lot about foresting, don't you, Neji?" It was a statement of the obvious. Say something else, you idiot.
"Hyuga are often employed for that purpose. And my eyes can see everything..." And then Neji narrowed his eyes. "A snake.
"A huge one is heading this way."
"Then we'd better beat it, huh," said Tenten.
They quickly shot down the tree and came to where Lee was standing. "Were you successful?"
"No," said Neji. "Tenten spent too long admiring the scenery. Now, we've got to move out before the serpents get us."
And they departed at once, but Neji did not lead them back toward the river. They leaped over trees and away, but Neji stood still.
"Anything?" asked Tenten.
"It's still following us," said Neji. "And others are moving to cut us off."
Tenten nodded and leaped up to a tree, drawing out a kunai and knife. "Well then, we'll just have to give it a proper greeting, won't we?"
And so they quickly set a trap on the trees above. Even as they did, however, Neji looked up. "...There is another serpent scaling the tree to flank us."
"Them, we must move," said Rock Lee.
"Aw, I thought I had a perfect sniper post here," said Tenten.
And they ended up moving again.
This continued, time and again. No matter how many traps they made, the snakes were outmaneuvering them.
"That eye of yours is certainly helpful, Neji," said Lee. "Were it not for your Byukugan, we should have had a dozen encounters."
"I wonder if we should not seek one," said Neji, halting. "The animals here seem aggressive. Perhaps it would be better to do more than avoid them. Especially since we will be exhausted if we continue like this."
Tenten nodded. "Sounds good to me."
So the three of them turned around and moved toward the serpents. And then it came out, and it was gigantic. Its eye was the size of Tenten's head, and it raised upward. Tenten hurled an explosive kunai at it and moved. Its head reeled back beneath the explosive, and Lee surged into the air. Bringing down a leg, Lee smashed it under the jaw and sent it flying away. Another came at Lee from behind; however, Neji descended on it and drove his sword into it. As he did, chakra emanated through the sword.
The snake shuddered and then fell dead as Neji leaped back.
They landed with him, and then the tigers came leaping and bounding out of the trees. Turning, Tenten hurled a kunai to catch one in the leg, as Rock Lee judo threw another one off to land on the ground. Neji warded one-off with his blade, but another came at him from behind. He turned as it did and raised his blade, and they were thrown back, rolling over one another. Lee kicked the other tiger as Tenten hurled an explosive tag on the ground.
The explosion scattered the remaining tigers, and the one she'd wounded limped off.
Turning, Tenten rushed over to the tiger on Neji and pulled it off. The blade had sunk deep into its heart. But Neji's arm was bleeding from bite marks.
"Neji!" said Lee.
"Neji, are you okay?" said Tenten, drawing out bandages. Stupid question.
"I'm unsure. I did kill the tiger, but it caught me on the arm," said Neji.
"Lee, watch out for us while I dress the wound, okay," said Tenten.
Soaking the wound in disinfectant, Tenten bandaged it and wrapped it. She worked as quickly as she could, and she could tell Neji was still looking.
"Snakes," said Neji. "The snakes are drawing near to us. We need to move."
"Fine, done," said Tenten. "Can you walk? We need to go."
"Yes," said Neji as she helped him up.
"Then let us go!" said Rock Lee.
They sprinted through the treetops. Neji led them swiftly in one direction, pausing only to dodge this way or that. As he did, however, he stopped quickly. So quickly that Tenten and Lee could hardly slow down. Out of the branches dropped many huge leeches with gaping maws. Tenten hurled her kunai and caught three of them as they neared.
Leaping back, they maneuvered around. But one fell and hit her on the shoulder. It stuck to her, and she could feel her chakra being drained. Her head got light, and she shuddered. Then Neji grabbed it, and it withered and died.
"Tenten," said Neji. "We have to keep moving!"
"I can't..." Tenten could hardly stand.
But Lee grabbed her. "Come on, Neji! We must go!"
They ran, ran with all their might, now hardly pausing. Finally, they came to their fortress only to find tigers around it. Moving forward, Tenten saw Neji leap and felt Lee leap as well. They narrowed, cleared the wire, and landed beyond.
Neji drew out something, a bottle, and told her to drink it. As she did, she felt herself getting a bit more strength. And she became vaguely aware of the sound of fighting. Looking up, Tenten saw several of the tigers had caught on the barbed wire trying to leap it. They were thrashing against it, hurting themselves all the more. Hurling a kunai, she caught it in the throat and slew it. Another, she saw Lee keeping them back with a staff as it tried to cross over the bridge. Neji moved forward to support Lee.
Drawing out some explosive tags, Tenten hurled a few over the walls. The explosions sent the tigers fleeing, and at last, they halted.
"I don't think we're going to be able to stick around this place much longer," said Tenten.
"Well," said Lee. "At least we have a reason to scout further."
The Forest of Death was getting old real quick. Guy-sensei couldn't get back fast enough.