Mykonos

by Saaben

His clan had been fractured long before the fall of Yama no haru. Still, the loss of his family and betrayal of his kin stung. But Koguma had long since realised that the story of the Hatake clan was one of tragedy. Good thing they could rot for all he cared- they were no kin of his. He would, however, soon learn that life tends to give just as much as it takes from anyone.

22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Snow was falling down in thick plush balls and covering the earth in a blanket. Every smell, every sound, every colour became muted underneath- Everything about Konoha and its citizens seemed washed out. At the village gate, a whole throng of shinobi gathered in their dark clothes and grey armour, all faces either guarded or pulled into a downward frown. Even the children collected seemed to find no delight in the winter's landscape and instead clutched at the sides and hands of their fearful looking mothers.

Koguma stood somewhat off to the side, his hands crossed before his chest and stuffed in his armpits to keep them warm. The lines beside his mouth were deep, but the crease between his brows was even deeper, as he kept his chin dipped low and beady eyes locked onto the scene before him.

Kikyo was clutching at Susumu, tears lining her eyes as he tried to crack some jokes to lighten the mood. She let out a wet chuckle bordering close to sobs, before she buried her face against his chest once more. When he wrapped his arms around her form, his smirk dropped and even he looked as solemn as the other shinobi around them. Koguma adverted his gaze, not willing to witness their misery.

Instead he looked to the right- Kama was crouching down in the snow, both his hands stroking through Omugi and Tensai's hair as they looked at him big-eyed. They couldn't yet understand what was going on, but the overall mood in the village seemed to take a toll on them as well- Omugi had her thumb stuck in her mouth and Tensai couldn't stop trembling, although clad in layers of wool and fur. The silver-haired man leaned forward and rubbed his cheeks against theirs. Then he got up from his crouch and picked his son out of Nari's arms to bury his face onto his head. Kama managed to keep it together rather well, Koguma would have been honestly surprised if he didn't, but seeing the utter pain and fear on Sutoro's face standing just two steps to the side of him made Koguma's lips pinch. For a second the clan head's gaze snapped over to him- the plea in the smouldering grey was obvious. Koguma had to suppress a bitter scoff as he gave him a curt nod. Of course he'd look after Kama. But most certainly not because he asked him to.

Further down, Kagami was taking his leave from his wife and son. She was a stern looking woman and clearly unhappy with how her life had turned out, but her bitter pinch softened whenever she looked down at the child holding onto her hand. The boy, Habiki, seemed to have inherited all the bitterness both their parents felt towards each other. His mouth had a natural downwards tilt, the eyes were rather small for an Uchiha and his hair of a slightly dusty colour, instead of deep black. Koguma couldn't really understand why Ryujin had taken such a liking to the boy, but perhaps he had an appealing character to make up for his looks.

Movement out of the corner of his eyes had him turning to the left again. Kikyo was walking up towards him, Susumu trailing right behind her.

"What are you standing all alone for?" she chided and laid her slender hand onto his lower arm for a moment. "Don't think you'll be getting away without me reminding you to take care."

His eyes shortly hushed to Susumu, before looking back down at her again. With a short nod, he muttered, "Rather spare your words for Susumu. He's really the irresponsible one between the both of us."

She sent him a tight-lipped smile and pulled her intricately stitched cloak closer around herself, making some of the snowflakes that had collected on her shoulders and hair float down. "I doubt it. As far as I can see, you are both equally irresponsible and the only sensible person in your group had been Risu."

That actually made him snort as he rubbed his jaw. "True enough."

A now more genuine smile answered his. "Take care of each other, Koguma. I want you both to come back." That made him look at her in surprise and slightly shuffle in his stance. "I mean it. Please don't do anything stupidly heroic. Just come back with him."

"Now, Kikyo-chan. I never knew you cared," he teased in his gruff voice, while sending an incredulous look to the smirking Susumu.

"Of course I care. You're Susumu's brother. That makes you my family too."

He paused for a moment, his fists clenching and unclenching in his armpits and shoulders hitching up. "Take care, Kikyo."

"Take care, Koguma."

He gave her another nod and made his way over to the head of the gate. Gods, couldn't they simply move out already?

"Also fleeing from all the teary-eyed crowd?" a voice interrupted his impatient musings. He turned to take in the blond-haired Rinkusu.

"Gengaku."

The man kept his gaze onto the crowd with a thoughtful expression. "The Hatake never made a big deal out of it. Our fathers and mothers simply bid us goodbye, quick hugs were exchanged and that's it. No promises that couldn't be kept anyway, no passive accusations and demands by their loved ones." He paused and pulled his already bloody lower lip between his teeth to chew on it. "This is what we are at the end of the day. Shinobi." Koguma could smell the twang of coppery blood as Gengaku sucked at the injury. "Konoha has made us all soft and it's only been six years since the Hatake joined."

"Maybe you were soft to begin with- all the seasoned warriors died and are rotting at Yama no haru."

Gengaku stilled in his action and released his lower lip from the harsh administrations. "You truly hate us, don't you?"

Both men turned to look at each other, arms crossed and equally guarded expressions on their faces. "You think it is a coincidence that so many Hatake have died on missions since you joined? You think Kenji, or your brother and father, or Ena's mother or Den would have fallen so easily? Weak blood is all that's left." He turned his face to take in some of the Hatake to join them. Six men and women. The rest staying home to look after their cubs. "We are but a pitiful excuse of our ancestors."

Gengaku took his lower lip once more between his teeth while gazing at him out of the corner of his eyes. "Maybe you hate yourself most of all."

Koguma barked with resentment. "A psychologist, are we now?" Shaking his head, he added, "Spare me."

Snow crunched underneath his feet as he moved away from him. "Can't see why Kama even bothers-"

The words had been low and nothing more but a silent breath, but still Koguma flinched and then snarled after his retreating form. He looked back at the village, at the Hokage mountain looming in the distance, both Hashirama and Tobirama staring down at them, at the houses covered in thick, plush snow, slow crinkles of smoke coming out of the chimney, the families saying goodbye to each other, the shinobi scared of what was to come-

Koguma was going to war for a village he absolutely despised. Because the albino couldn't help but getting attacked during some conference with the raikage. He should have just died for all the misery he brought down on them. Team Tobirama had been teary-eyed for days as they had guarded his bed in the hospital to see if he'd life or not, jumping at every sound, every breeze and seeing assassins in all dark alleys and corners. No one had even mentioned the guards Tobirama had taken with him and had abandoned as he had come back with his flying rajin. He gritted his teeth and had to turn away from the sight.

Couldn't they just move out already?

A warm hand clasped down on his shoulder. "You seem to be in a foul mood."

"Should I be in a good one?"

A pause. "Probably not. But still." The hand squeezed for a moment before it retreated again. "Gengaku is a brave man for even bothering to talk to you."

Gengaku was a bloody fool for wanting to establish some form of camaraderie. As if Koguma had any interest in that. "Gengaku is a nosey busy-body, like all Rinkusu are."

"Uff. So bad what he said?"

Koguma's jaw was tense as he turned to look at Kama. Clouds were pooling in front of his face every time he breathed and his cheekbones and nose were rosy with the cold. His smirk was somewhat wobbly, caught between wanting to be his usual amused self and seeing that Koguma really wasn't in the mood for any of that.

"Said goodbye to your cubs?"

"They're your pups as well."

Koguma's form slacked, his arms nearly drooping out of their crossed position as his lips slightly parted. "Don't say that."

"Why not?"

"Because they're not."

He had expected Kama to look hurt, but it was almost something like pity crossing his face. "That's not how they see it. Sure you don't wanna say goodbye?"

"I saw them yesterday evening during dinner. They were laughing and smiling then." He shuffled on his feet. "So, yes. I'm sure."

"They'll miss you. They already did this morning when I helped them put on their shoes and they demanded you to do it instead." Omugi and Tensai were clutching at their mother's cloak and taking in the intimidating crowd with teary-eyes.

"They're three years old. They'll forget it by next week."

Kama flinched, his smirk wiped off his face. "You're sounding as if you're already planning on dying out there. Kogu-"

"I'm not. But we're shinobi. This is what we do. This is the only thing we're good at. The only thing we'll ever be remembered for-" His teeth groaned as he clenched his jaw even tighter. "I can't even remember my brother's face, his voice, the way he smelled. They'll forget and it'll be fine."

"Kogu." The harsh tone had him look back at Kama.

"Kama?"

"I swear to all the gods, if you actually die out there-"

They stared at each other for a moment. "Then what?"

Kama's mouth opened and closed, hesitation making him pause and consider his words, clearly never really having intended to finish his pledge out loud. "Then who's going to leave the stench of sheep in my house? I would always miss it."

An incredulous scoff turned into a breathy chuckle and made Koguma's eyes light up with warmth. His fangs peeked out as he smiled down widely at Kama and the dimples in his cheeks appeared. The shinobi around them were starting to move away from their families, as the platoon-leaders called to them to get in line. Shinobi and kunoichi were moving past them as Koguma continued gazing at Kama's still form. "Fine. Then I'll make sure you'll have to bear my miserable stench for the rest of your days. Because I sure as hell would miss you too." He didn't even hesitate as he laid his hand against the man's rosy cheek- the touch was feather-light and over the second it had begun, but Kama couldn't stop staring after Koguma as he moved to take his position next to his brother.

They left the village with the second and third platoon three minutes later.

---

"Why do we have to be this far north? Can't we just go to the southern front and fight against Kiri instead? It's much warmer there. But no, let's send them up to the Land of fucking Lightning. In the middle of winter. I swear to absolute god, that albino despises us." His honey eyes locked onto his form as he finally drew a deep breath after his rant. "Or rather he hates you. This is your fault that we're up here-"

"Susumu, if he wanted to make me pay, he would've put us at the coast." With a flick of his wrist he spread his furs across the tarp of their tent they had been assigned at head camp.

With a miserable whine, Susumu sprawled across the table standing in the middle, almost knocking down the maps and ink bottles standing on it. "Yeah, you'd might like it, but he also knows that you give a shit about yourself. This is clearly meant to make me miserable and in turn you."

"Fucking hell, is this how's it going to be the whole time?" Kama muttered under his breath as he sat down on a stool and buried his face into the palms of his hand.

Koguma was fighting an amused grin as even Gengaku looked on with a sense of deep dread. They were already regretting this. Fantastic. "Maybe you're onto something after all, Susumu. Maybe the albino wants to torture us through you. Knowing you'd whine and nag constantly and hoping we'd charge blindly at the enemy just to escape you."

"You keep saying us and we," Susumu drawled, his eyes locking onto Gengaku and Kama, "but I really can't see why they have to sleep in our tent." He grabbed an inkbottle and threw it towards Kama's head, which the Hatake caught with ease.

"Because it's absolutely ridiculous that squad leaders should have their own grand tents while the chunin freeze in their little woollen tarps." Koguma walked up to Kama and took the inkbottle off him to set it back to the table. "There's more than enough space for four of us."

"But-"

Koguma stood at Susumu's side and clasped down onto his shoulders as he leaned downwards and whispered into his ear. "No buts."

"But-"

"Susumu, I will chuck you out into the snow if you make me lose my mind on our first day here." He gave a pat against his shoulders, before righting himself once more. "See it this way: It'll boost the morale of our squads and strengthen the bond between us. They'll be the ones having our backs out there. And even if. Give it a month or two and the numbers will diminish enough for us to spread over more tents again. I'm sure they-" He gave a short nod towards Gengaku and Kama, "will need it for their peace of mind by then. Living with you is an artform."

"Wow, that was dark," Gengaku breathed.

Koguma merely shrugged his shoulders. "Simply stating what no one wants to say out loud. Some of the younger chunin stand no chance- they've never seen true battles. Fighting for your life is an alien concept to them. You're lucky your genin didn't make the cut last year during the exams. But I'm sure you're well aware of that, no?" There was a knowing twinkle behind his beady eyes as he shot him a glance.

Gengaku shifted in his spot, his own expression hardening. "Everyone was aware that war was coming by then. Only the foolish sensei let their teams graduate. They've practically signed their death warrants."

"Fucking Hatake," Susumu snarled. "Letting others take the fall so their own may get away. You're all cold bastards at the end of the day."

Kama send him a death stare. "You're a Hatake too, you know."

"Oho, I beg to differ." Susumu got up from his spot and wrapped his arm around Koguma's waist as he shared a mean grin with him. "I'm a Kuma. A tad different if you ask me."

Koguma shook his head and pried out of his embrace. "I can't believe you're already making enemies among your allies. If you want to chase them out of the tent, I can think of ten different ways to go at it without having to fear they'll cut your throat while you're asleep."

"Ah, but you'd never let them do that."

Laughter erupted out of him. "True enough. But for now-" he messed up his hair, making Susumu flail and try to get out of his reach. "Kama and I will report to head command and get us assigned."

"Still can't believe he got to be a squad leader-" his brother mumbled as he tried to brush out his hair. It earned him an offensive gesture by the silver-haired man as he followed Koguma out of the tent.

Koguma had to stifle a chuckle as he made his way through the buzzing mob of shinobi collected between the trees. No need to encourage Kama in his behaviour, even if it was absolutely hilarious.

The other shinobi parted willingly for them- Koguma with his looming figure and Kama with his silver hair were rather distinctive as they made their way through them. Tents, some as big as theirs, where a grown man (that was of as a reasonable size) could stand upright in, and some so small that one would have to crawl inside to be able to get some rest. Exactly the kind of pitiful tents he wanted to spare his squad from- he knew them too well from his own life on the road. Sleeping underneath a hut made out of twigs and leaves was more comfortable. And warmer.

"Can't we just chuck Susumu out and keep the tent for ourselves?" Kama teased as he hopped beside him and sent him a lopsided smirk to top it off.

He raised his eyebrows at that. "Now, Kama, as far as I'm aware, you and Gengaku had been assigned as a team. Captain and co-captain. If anything, either you two or me and Susumu would have to leave."

"Ah, come on, Kogu. I'd be much more fun if it only were you and me-" He leaned close to him as he mumbled the words.

Koguma almost had to snort. He grabbed Kama by the back of his neck and leaned down to reply, "Anything interesting in mind?" Kama tensed underneath his soft grip and the whispered words, goosebumps crawling all over his bare skin. Oh, Koguma was loving this. That idiot had no idea what he was getting himself into. Well, neither had Koguma to be honest.

With that thought racing through his mind he let go of him again and continued walking. "I don't know about you, but I'm planning on drinking and fighting and hunting. Basically making a blast out of it."

That made Kama stumble in his step, his head cocking to the side and gaze turning inwards as if uncertain about Koguma's out of the blue declaration. "Why?"

Now a deep and true grin spread onto Koguma's face. "Because it's what we did out there- before we came to Konoha. Living day to day. Not a care in the world." He took a deep whiff of the icy clean air until it stung in his nose, throat and lungs. "Only now we don't have to worry about getting food into our stomachs." His mirth faltered before it collapsed.

"Are you ever going to tell me what it was like out there?" Kama ventured after a while, clearly noticing his shift in mood.

"No. No, I don't think I will." The commanders tent was now finally looming over the others surrounding it and a throng of other jounin were already moving to get inside. He paused, his expression reflective. "Susumu called it the happiest time of his life. I guess we were, in a sense." His hand shot up and rubbed at his jaw. "But it was also- it was very- I was scared for them every day, every hour, every second."

"Are you not now? For him, I mean?"

Their eyes locked. Koguma scoffed as he brushed through his whitening hair. "What kind of question is that?" He resumed walking, uncaring if Kama kept up or not.

He stepped into the tent and was overwhelmed by the sheer mass of squad leaders attending. His gazes hushed across the space and found a somewhat clear spot further to the back. Once again everyone parted as he made his way through, some of the Inuzuka snarling as they took a healthy step backwards- they apparently hadn't forgotten his little lesson on one of theirs. Kama had followed in his shadow, so both men found themselves now standing right at the tarp of the tent, but due to their heights were still able to see everything clearly in the middle.

A Nara was standing at the table laid out with all sorts of maps. Apart from all the piercings adorning his ears, he looked rather sober- his spikey dark hair chopped short, clothes of the standard jounin type and gaze slightly nervous, even as his eyes held intelligence.

"Alright, squad leaders," he started somewhat too hasty, as if his brain was going much faster than his mouth could keep up with. "Our platoon consists of five squads- three teams to a squad, three people to a team- that makes a total of forty-five shinobi. Adding the two captains and co-captains makes fifty-five. Now, these fifty-five people will have to coordinate with the two other platoons at this front, working in tandem, working solo. One hundred and sixty-five people. It's a goddamn headache and a whole buttload of paperwork." He paused to finally take a much needed breath of air.

"That's why they probably had the grandiose idea of letting Nara take charge of it-" he scoffed. "So here's how it's gonna go. Each squad will do exactly as told. No room for wiggle, no jounin thinking they need to be heroic or dumb or looking for a simple thrill, or can't keep their shit together. I swear, if I catch any of you fucking up this whole operation, I will shadow bind you and leave you at the border to Kumo stark naked. If you're lucky, you'll die of hypothermia before your limbs freeze off or the enemy finds you." His eyes locked on everyone in the room. "No solo-trips."

He took another deep breath. "That said, you are of course jounin of Konoha and will have to make split-second decisions on the field. I don't want to, but I have to trust your ability to have a reasonable sense of judgement. And to not make matters too complicated, the squad-leader is the one to call shots. Your second in command is truly only that. They'll only jump in once you drop dead. Never before that. If they die- well, tough titties. Either assign a new one or deal with it. But don't you dare fuck up my plans."

Kama shot him a look and rolled his eyes while murmuring, "Will we ever get to hear them?" A small wooden figurine came suddenly hurling at his face and due to Kama having his arms crossed, he couldn't react in time to catch it. Instead Koguma's hand shot forward and stopped the object from plonking against his temple. He lifted his eyebrow as he held up the little red triangle, before chugging it back to the Nara that had thrown it.

"I had vetoed their decision making you a squad-leader Hatake-san, but it apparently helps being a clan-head's son, doesn't it?" he snarled as he caught the figurine in return and sent Kama a nasty look. All the other jounin were taking in the spectacle, some looking distinctly pleased that Kama had already made it on their commander's flagged list. Instead of snarling back, or even baring his teeth like Koguma had thought he would do, Kama merely sent him and them an unimpressed and bored stare. That seemed to rile the Nara up even more, before he took some calming breaths and returned to his explanation.

"As I wanted to say- the signatures on the declaration of war hasn't even dried, so Kumo probably didn't expect us to react this swiftly. We'll use this moment of surprise to gain the upper hand. Swift and quick is how we want to go at it. Winter is really no time to be at war and will only work as an disadvantage for us as we're not used to this climate. So," he drawled as he rolled out a map and proceeded to place the little figurines on it. "Squad one will take the mountain pass- they'll surely move their trains of supply through it. I need it blocked, but not blown up. It's also our own way of getting through should we ever want to evade Kumo. Squad two will keep at the southern sea, to keep them from using the waters to move instead. The northern shouldn't be a problem as their frozen stiff during this time of year and so freezing cold, they will only be used by Kumo should they begin to feel desperate. Then, squad three will keep to the dales of the north-west mountains. Make sure no one slips through. And lastly, squads four and five will be covering the largest area- you're responsible for the mountains to the east."

His gaze hushed to Koguma and Kama. "You should be well-versed in them, no?"

Kama couldn't stop the bitter scoff. "You're sending us into the fucking Hatake-mountains."

"Where better to have you?" the Nara replied with a mean smirk. "The plan for engaging the enemy is following-"

Kama turned to face Koguma, his eyebrows furrowed and mouth drawn downwards into a frown, while the Nara rambled on in the background. "They're sending us into the Hatake mountains-"

"What did you expect?" Koguma replied in his gruff manner. He had assumed as much the moment he knew what front he and the other Hatake had been sent to. Their homelands were tricky and the nature unforgiving. One would have to know where to step, especially during the winter, when all reasonable paths were snowed over. Even more so- he was sure some of the traps set by their kin were still active and he knew for certain that most of the Kuma ones were linked to their chakra. Not in the least due to the sealing skills of his mother and grandmother. Hatake chakra with its white signature was unique.

Thinking about it, he was sure no one had been in the Kuma forest since the fall of his clan. Well, at least as long as Yasashiko hadn't been back to take a look, or visit his uncle's grave-

He pinched his lips and his fists clenched and unclenched at his side.

Yama no haru was in these mountains as well.

Koguma and Kama left the tent three hours later in silence, both men stewing in their own thoughts, before arriving back at their tent.

"Hey, you're still alive," Kama drawled as he plonked down onto the chair he had been sitting down on before. Susumu sent him a harsh look, before he went back to polishing his sword.

Gengaku was sitting at the table and reading a scroll. At first he had spared them only a short glance, but something in their expression must have made him pause, because he asked, "What's going on?"

Koguma sat down onto the ground beside Kama's chair and leaned against it, the back of his head resting against his upper left leg. "We're stationed at the Hatake mountains."

Gengaku slowly lowered his scroll, his mouth hanging wide open before he began chewing on his lower lip once more. "What." If he was confused over Koguma's statement or his position one couldn't quite tell.

Kama's hand lowered hesitantly down onto his head, his face caught between bewilderment and bliss. Very slowly, he began scratching along the top of it as he replied a bit croaky, "Squad four and five. Consisting mostly of Hatake- we're stationed in our homelands."

Koguma had closed his eyes and relaxed underneath the administration, so he didn't notice Susumu's staring or Gengaku's pinching lips as if he was going to comment. For a moment Kama even looked at Susumu, as if he too couldn't believe what was just happening, but it seemed he hastily reconsidered and instead stared down at his fingers trailing through Koguma's hair.

"How long has it been?" Susumu asked, sitting tense and anticipating as if waiting for Koguma to actually notice what he was doing and flinch away from it.

"Fifteen years, six months and eight days," his brother mumbled. Beady eyes snapped open and stared right through the green tarp above their heads. Kama halted in his movements, clearly uncertain if he should continue now. A whole array of emotions flashed across his tan face, ending in his usual scowl with the deep crease between his eyebrows and lines beside his mouth. His fists clenched and unclenched, and in a swift movement he got up and went out of the tent without saying another word.

All three men stared at each other, incredulous that apparently the only thing that had upset Koguma had been the prospect of going back to his homeland, not that he had actively sought out sitting close to Kama or let him even trail through his hair.

"Did that just really happen?" the silver-haired man breathed.

Susumu went back to polishing his sword rather rigorously. "If you fucking break his heart, I'll scramble your mind with a gen-jutsu until you're nothing but a drooling imbecile."

"I- what?"

"Being dense must be a Hatake thing, then," he muttered, which made Gengaku actually bark in startled laughter. The pale-haired man sent him a death glare and then continued in his harsh administrations on his weapon.

Kama's eyes fluttered back and forth between him and the tent's entrance, his hand still hanging in the air. "You're joking. You can't be seriously sugg-"

With a loud clang, he threw down his sword and raised his finger at him. "You better listen closely, Hatake, 'cause I'm only going to say this once. You think this is Koguma? This- this cheerful and open and touchy? I've known him for fifteen years. Fifteen years. And he's only ever been gruff and hard, but showing that he genuinely cares through small moments, small gestures. A man of few kind words and of even fewer comforting moments in private." His finger snapped to the tent's entrance. "This isn't Koguma."

He got up from his spot and stalked over to the Hatake. "And I've got a theory. I do. I'm guessing, since you seemed so surprised by how rough Koguma was when we came to Konoha and how normal you consider his happiness to be- I'm guessing this is how he was before his uncle died while he slept, before he learned of his father's death through a dispelled summon, or saw his mother's head being cut off. And I'm guessing this is him, as he is around you. As he has always been around you- because he has always had a crush on you." His head snapped over to Gengaku, who had dipped his head and stared at the tarp covering the ground, snarling as he saw the answer written all over the blond-haired man's face.

"You don't deserve him like this. And I don't understand why you're the one making him be like this. Why you get to soften him. You- With your stalking and your pushing and your egotism. And it makes me fucking wonder- Did you actually want him to be like this again because it would do him good, or because you missed having at least one person that doesn't hate your guts? Someone who would never fault you for anything?" His next words were nearly hissed and burning with hatred. "Break his fucking heart once more and I will make you regret the day you have met him. He may have forgiven you for leaving him behind- But I'll never do. I'll remember it for him. I'll always remember the little, malnourished and dull-eyed boy fighting down tears of relief the moment we took him in."

He heaved with his heavy breathing and took some steps back from Kama's still and blank form to calm down. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I probably have to fish Kogu out of some damn body of water and save him from freezing to death or catching pneumonia. Because he does that sometimes when he's upset." Another hateful glance. "Did you even know? Did you even bother to truly notice in the four years we've been in Konoha?"

Silence met his question. The maps on the desk rustled in an icy breeze when Susumu left the tent.

---

Leather groaned and plates cluttered as Koguma adjusted the straps to Susumu's shoulder-plates, smearing them with some beeswax as he went. The sounds quieted down immediately, especially once he added the woollen padding between the plates to silence their metallic clacking. Moving his face from the left and right to catch the light onto the already dull iron, he took up a rag dipped in dark weapon oil and coated the last shiny spots with it.

Susumu, all the while, had been busy taking up his hair in a high bun at the back of his head, to get it out of his face and make him less conspicuous with its light colour. Koguma adjusted the neckline of his thick shirt underneath, to cover his throat and save him from the cold outside. Once finished, he patted his brother's shoulders and turned to take on his own armour. He forwent the shoulder-plates as they actually dug into the scars on the left side of his neck, even when he wore the thick woollen turtle-neck, and bound the breast and backplate with a cotton fabric around his hip. Susumu helped him adjust the shoulder-straps, having to stand on his tip-toes to actually reach him and administered beeswax onto the still squeaky spots. While Koguma was busy strapping his uncle's kodachi at his hip and his father's odachi right beneath, he felt a tug at his hair. He turned to Susumu, who held a strand of his whitened hair and rolled it between the calloused pads of his fingers.

They shared a look, which prompted Susumu to let go of it again. Koguma brushed his hair into its usual messy form and shook it in front of his forehead- For a moment he had wondered if it was maybe getting too long, but it wasn't reaching his brows yet. With a shrug he turned around and strapped his weapon pouch onto his lower back and then joined Susumu at the entrance of the tent. He moved out first, his brother coming up behind him, his own katana strapped to his side.

Outside in the snow, eighteen people were waiting, hands clasped behind their back and standing at attention as Koguma joined Gengaku and Kama waiting outside already. He rested his hand onto the hilt of his kodachi and took in their two squads- All six Hatake had actually been assigned to them, four of which joining Kama's lead and two his own. Of the two, one was the young Okami that had questioned his reaction during the clan meeting as Sutoro had announced the massacre on the Kitsune. The other was the middle-aged man he had frightened to the other side of the room as he had teased Kama. Then there was Ite, another civilian that had been there the day he had seen Yasashiko, and the rest were, surprisingly enough, Uchiha. He had to supress a scowl as he saw Naoaki- not because he didn't like the man, but seeing his face immediately reminded him of Madara's cold body.

He let his eyes roam over his squad, until they started to shift ever so slightly underneath his gaze. "You'll be the first outsiders brought into the Kuma forests by one of them in over four hundred years." Silence spread over their group again as he stared into the snowy peaks far off into the distance. "How ironic that you'll have to defend the lands, my homelands, by my side as foreigners to these mountains. Not for their sake, but for Konoha. You'll bleed and you'll die in a strange place, led by a stranger." His lips thinned and the crease between his brows deepened as he locked eyes with the figures once more. "But let me assure you- the blood you'll spill and the life you'll forfeit- My lands will remember and honour you for it. Every fight fought with bravery, with honesty, with conviction is one acknowledged by our gods. They may be fickle and cruel creatures, but they'll grant you a spot at their table should your day come." He pinched his lips in cruel amusement. "If that is what you want."

"At ease," he mumbled, making the man relax from their tense stance. "My name's Koguma, as some of you are well aware. This one over here," he gave a sharp nod to Susumu standing behind him. "Is Susumu. I want no surnames- we're a squad and knowing our first names should be the least we can grant each other." He took a deep breath of the crisp morning air. "Any questions?"

"Yeah, do you practice these speeches, or do they just tumble out of you with ease?" Susumu drawled behind his back.

Koguma tried his very best to supress an eyeroll, making his eyelids flutter furiously. The men before him seemed to be caught somewhere between amusement and disbelieve as they shuffled on their feet and tried to stifle smiles or chortles. "Quite spontaneous, I assure you."

"Unfair."

"Alright," he called over his brother's whining. "We'll move out in five."

As their squad dispersed to get geared up or take a last cup of tea, he turned around to Susumu's smirking form. "I tell you, you had the civilian the moment you promised him a feast with the gods, but he truly fell head over heels for you when you forbade the use of surnames."

"Poor man, if it only takes that little to make him like me." Weird- he had always thought the civilian shunned him after the whole kage summit.

"Ah, you're a likable man," his brother drawled as he took in their squad chatting with each other, clear groups forming among them- Uchiha and Hatake keeping to themselves and Ite and the civilian off to the side.

"I am very much not. Don't be a liar."

He took in a mock gasp while clutching at his chest theatrically. "I'd never."

A proud grin spread onto his face, lighting up his eyes while doing so. He hummed in reply, but Susumu could see the hidden affection and grinned back widely himself.

"You finished yet?" Kama called, his arms crossed in front of his chest and expression closed off. Koguma furrowed his eyebrows at that and merely rubbed at his jaw in reply.

He stepped up to the group and called out. "Alright. Let's move it." His squad took on lead towards the east and he didn't spare Kama another glance, while the Hatake's gaze kept locked onto his form, until he too barked at his squad to move out.

Susumu didn't even need a map to know that they neared the old Hatake territory towards late afternoon- Koguma growing ever tenser and stiller was indication enough for that. When he fell out of rhythm on a small stony ledge between thick and tall pine trees, his nostrils flaring, he knew they had probably arrived.

"What does it smell like?" he whispered, as they picked up their pace again, the squad refraining from commenting on the sudden tension.

At first he didn't think he'd answer, until he mumbled back, "Raisin. Pine cones. Bark." Another deep whiff. "Deep, dark earth. Moss. Dead twigs." His gaze turned slightly dull as he added silently, "Signed cotton, burned flesh, blood and fear." The snow fell down in thick heaps from the heavy branches with a soft 'thump' as they passed. "My mother's mint tea. My father's weapon polish. The honey my uncle ate right from the combs, chewing the wax even an hour later. The furs I slept in every night. The warm granite of our home base as the campfire heated it up." With a snap his eyes refocused onto the landscape around them, until he turned to look at him. "Home."

A weird look crossed his face, his eyebrows furrowing, yet mouth tilting upwards. He hummed. "Yeah, it smells like fucking home."

"Language."

He hummed again, his beady eyes snapping from one spot to the next. "We set up camp fifteen kilometres to the north-east of here," he called up for the squad to hear. "Keep close in formation. Traps will soon enough start up. Would be a shame having to scrape you out of them."

Susumu spared a look over his shoulder- the men actually looked a bit queasy. There had to be bedtime stories told to them about the Hatake lands when they were but kids, to justify any of the naïve fear flickering across their faces. His gaze focused further back, until he locked eyes with Kama.

If looks could kill.

What a pity they didn't.

---

"Report." The Uchiha before him dropped down onto his knees and clasped his fist against his chest, making Koguma's eyebrows shoot up to his hairline. "Get up, man. No need for any of that," he added a tad gentler and put away the stick he had used to draw his plans in the snow with.

The man hesitated, his expression uncertain as he first dared to glance at him and then look for any help from his companions. But they merely shuffled on their feet and avoided his gaze. In slow movements, he got up onto his feet, remembered to take his hand away from his chest and instead locked it behind his back with the other.

"Twenty enemy shinobi spotted five kilometres to the south-east of here. As you said, they forwent the route around the boulder after one of theirs got his leg blasted off and are now instead trying to make their way up the steep hillside ten minutes further down."

Koguma turned his face to the left of him, as if able to see them actually climb up the slope- due to the angle not as much snow had kept itself there and promised an easier approach to get up the mountain, if using the trees as anchors. A mistake many had made before them- snow was thin down there because it got swept along in avalanches a lot. Not to mention that loosing ones footing would resolve in them being swept away into the valley below. No man could survive a five hundred metre drop like that.

"I think it is time we show them just how cruel nature can be up here." He turned towards the civilian. "Name?"

The man stood at attention. "Jiro, Koguma-taicho."

"What do you specialise in?" He took in the red line on his lower lashes, the wild brown hair-

"Seals. Pyrotechnic to be exact." The others of the squad took him in with interest. "I blow shit up, taicho."

Susumu snorted behind his back and even in Koguma's beady eyes an amused twinkle showed itself. "Good. Then you'll do exactly that- blow shit up." He bent forward and grabbed his stick from before and pointed it at the drawing in the snow. "That hillside is known for mudslides during spring and autumn and avalanches in the winter. Up here-" He pointed at a rough drawing of a mountain peak. "-should be more than enough snow to bury the entirety of Konoha, if we'd want to. The sun has already had time to shine on it for the last three days, so I'm sure it won't take much to make it race down. Grab a partner that will hold an eye on any suspicious movement from the masses, while you employ your seals here, here and here." He finished the last 'x' on the ground. "Then get the hell out of there. It's a miracle it has held up for so long."

Koguma turned to look at the other eight men. "We will stand at the ready to pick off any that actually managed withstanding the onslaught. The snow will be deep and full of air pockets- so use chakra to stay on top. Once you break through and we don't notice- you'd suffocate before we finally do. Use the trees that held up as anchors and fling yourself from one to the next. Pick them off like the prey they are." The man that had initially reported tensed once more once he turned to him. "Name?"

"Uchi-" He paused seeing Koguma's lips tighten. "Asa, taicho."

"Asa-san, you'll join Jiro-san and use your sharingan to make sure the snow doesn't cheat us out of him."

"Yes."

"You get half an hour to do it. Make it count." Both men couldn't resist giving him a quick bow before they shunshined off. "The rest, gear up, we leave in two minutes."

"Yes!"

Koguma turned around and gave Susumu a quick pad on the head, before he moved further up to Kama and Gengaku's position. Both men were waiting for reports from their squad as well, since they had agreed to split their attention between the south and north side of the hill.

"We found twenty. We'll take care of them. Don't be surprised if you see the mountain shedding."

"An avalanche?" Kama mumbled, his eyes turning to take in the southern peaks.

"Quite so. What better welcome to give our guests than that?"

The silver haired man paused, his breath shivering in front of his face. "Take care you won't get swept along."

Koguma shot him a deadpan look. "Rather have to take care my squad won't. It's probably the first time some of them even experienced snow like this, cold like this, if their miserable shivering is anything to go by." He looked back at the first ones already gathering to take off. "Take care."

He hopped down from their ledge again and joined his brother's side, hearing his teeth clatter miserably. "You'll get warm soon enough," he teased.

"Better hope so, or I'll lose my toes before tomorrow morning."

They moved once all nine shinobi were collected, Koguma and Susumu taking lead. Snow was piling in heaps against some trees and boulders, making them at times taller than Koguma, while other spots were swept clean by the icy winds from the last few days. It made their trip long and strenuous and of course added the fear of a looming enemy after each snowdrift they couldn't look past. But Koguma was steady and unfaltering in his pace, which seemed to give his men some courage as well and navigated past the traps laid by his ancestors, or any hidden chasms in the ground, with ease.

His eyes scanned the upper regions in shorter intervals the steeper the angle of the hillside became. At some point the first men started to slide sideways on their feet as they moved along, needing to always slightly bend their left leg to keep upright against the ground. Close to some ragged boulders looming out of the snow, Koguma raised his fist and made his squad pause behind them.

When all had quieted down, Susumu and the others too noticed the distinct sound of men calling and breathing heavily while they drove their anchors in the ground. They couldn't see the enemies, but if Koguma's flaring nostrils were anything to go by, he could definitely smell them. He lifted his finger and pointed down onto the thick blanket of snow stretching out before them. Only then did the others notice little tracks across the snow and following them, found the culprits. They were little balls of snow that had tumbled down the hillside. He positioned his hands in the seal of dog and shot a questioning look around his squad. It took a moment for them to get it, but immediately Ite and two other Uchiha nodded. He nodded back at them and showed them the seals for the earth jutsu he had in mind. Again they nodded. Then they turned back and waited.

The explosion itself was silent, or simply too far away to be heard. Even the thunder of the approaching avalanche was almost unnoticeable. It was Koguma's tensing and his locked gaze onto the balls of snow that came tumbling down that alarmed the others that the massive wall of snow was coming. Only when the first trees groaned and broke in the distance and a rumble went through the earth, did they hear the panicked shouts from their targets.

Koguma and the three others moved in synch as they raced through the seals and extended the sharp boulders reaching deep into the earth to spread out and cover them like an extended cliff. Two seconds later snow raced past and over them, dimming the light in their little alcove and making some of the man's breathing speed up with fear of having such grand masses rushing past right above their heads. Koguma hastily grabbed one of the Uchiha that had veered off too far at his sleeve and pulled him closer to his side, lest he were to be swept away with the current.

After a short while the thunderous sound ebbed away, until they were left in a twilight hue shining through the cracks of the snow heaps blocking them in. Koguma simply gave a nod to Susumu, who got rid of it with a small wind-jutsu of his and then stepped outside. The landscape was completely unrecognizable- trees that before had stood sixty-metres tall, now were only twice a grown-man's height. Any marks, be it stones, chasms or rocks were blanketed by snow, leaving everything in a monogamous white, interrupted by a few deeper dips marking trees or pockets of air.

Taking a deep whiff of the crisp air, Koguma moved down to where the enemies had been, pulling his kodachi while doing so. The first shinobi digging his way out of an earth dome didn't even have time to notice him before he lost his head. The next one was more cautious, blocking Koguma's attack with his kunai, until he got stabbed in the back with Susumu's katana. One by one the squad moved along the trees peeking out and took care of any shinobi having survived the ordeal.

Koguma even went as far as to glide across the steep hill with bright chakra covering his feet, hopping from left to right, sometimes stopping his momentum by hooking his hand around a trunk and flinging himself to the sides. The snow was much thinner here, seeing that most of it had spilled over the cliffside further down, so some enemies had managed to hold on and wait out the avalanche. But having to keep their balance, recover from their straining efforts and fight their limbs shaking with adrenaline, made it very easy for him to take them down. The men he missed on his way down, he merely kawarimied to.

When he slashed the last man's throat and dropped him to the ground, Susumu slid up next to him, while keeping his arms out for balance. "You looked like a terrifying rubber ball."

"Wow."

"I bet they shat their pants."

"Some of them did." They shared a wild grin, both rather pleased with how well it had turned out.

"You gotta show me how you did the snow-gliding thing. That looked fun."

"It is." He moved up again towards his squad, Susumu trailing right behind them. "It's what we did once snow fell. My kaasan was incredibly good at it. She made it look effortlessly. Like a dance."

They arrived back at the rest of their team with rosy cheeks and heavy panting from having to fight their way uphill. By then, Jori and Asa had joined them as well, both looking out of breath but very pleased themselves. Koguma sent them all a grin that showed off his fangs, making some of them hesitate in meeting it. "Well done. Any injuries?"

"Genkei got some scrapes from crashing against a tree in his slide," Naoaki spoke up, which earned him an embarrassed death-glare by one of the other Uchiha, who was rather busy hiding his hands in the folds of his cloak.

"If that's all, I think Ite-san will manage taking care of it." He let his gaze wander around the landscape. "Collect the bodies and chuck them over the cliffside as a warning to anyone else thinking it would be easy getting past here." The men immediately got to work.

When they arrived back at their rendezvous point, Koguma noticed instantly that something was dimming the mood on the others. He told his men to swap any wet clothing and quickly heat up at one of the campfires, before he made his way back up on the ledge to Kama and Gengaku.

"What's going on?"

Gengaku chewed on his lower lip and gave a sharp nod to one of the scouts sent out earlier. "Tell him."

The other Rinkusu turned to him. "A whole platoon's making camp down at the northern ledge where the Maidens Hand and Old Kingly meet."

Koguma's brows furrowed. "That's nearly Okami area." He rubbed his jaw, making the scruff growing on it scratch loudly. "What are they doing that far north? Shouldn't it be completely snowed in?"

"Usually is this time of year," Kama replied as he took his thumbnail between his teeth. "I have no idea how they even got that far."

"Should we intercept them now?" Gengaku gave a deep sigh. "Or should we wait out where they even want to go to from there? It's basically a dead end."

"Maybe they're setting up head camp? Would be a good spot to reach all other passes with ease and the two cliffs give it a natural protection from the elements." Koguma scratched at one particularly itchy spot.

The scout knocked with his knuckles against his hip. "Storm's coming in a day. I can feel it in my bones."

"If a storm's coming, we're too far out in the open," Kama remarked with a sideways glance at the squads collecting around the small campfires. "They'd freeze to death."

Koguma dropped his hand from his face and instead crossed his arms. "We need to take them out with any advantage we can get- a whole platoon? So what- forty-five people?"

The scout shook his head. "Around sixty."

Gengaku sucked in a harsh breath and even Kama looked disheartened by that.

"Do all you Hatake carry summons?" All eyes snapped over to Koguma, who's expression was completely closed off as he mumbled the question.

"Yeah," Kama started somewhat cautiously. "I mean, I know Gengaku does, as well as Maku and Shushi." He turned to face the scout.

"I do too. Just like my cousins Kozue and Doi." He gave a nod towards the other two Rinkusu standing at one of the campfires.

"Do you?" Gengaku pushed, clearly the bravest among them for even daring to ask that question- all of them knew Koguma had been too young to have received the ritual passage by his father before the fall of Yama no haru. Kama stilled, clearly the only one aware of the truth.

"No." He had to fight the urge to spit at the ground. Luckily, Kama gave away nothing. "But we can use yours. Use them during the snow storm to take them down. Visibility will be naught, so we'll have to use our sense of smell and even that would be washed out. The Uchiha and their sharingan would work as well, but they're not used to these regions, to the cold. The losses would be colossal. But if we'd use creatures that know of these lands, have been birthed by it- We could take down sixty enemies."

"Isn't this the kind of shit the Nara had told you not to do?" his brother drawled behind him as he jumped up to the ledge.

"What else is there to do? Let sixty of them get through our lands? We'd be following orders- keep them out."

Susumu shrugged his shoulders as he pressed a cup of steaming tea into his hand. "Whatever. Always wanted to see a summon though." Koguma took a sip from the brew and immediately pulled a face at the taste. "Yeah, I really can't understand what the old goat liked about it."

An incredulous and slightly disgusted look followed his drawl. "Don't tell me this is still the tea Jin gave us?" Upon his brother's unimpressed grimace, he chugged the contents to the side. "Disgusting- five year old, moulding tea." He shook his head. "Alright. I'd say we move out as long as it's still light, make a camp ten kilometres south of the Maidens Hand and then make sure to find our way out of the storm. We can use some of the Kuma's winter caves."

"The one down at Milton creek?" Kama replied.

"Nah. Bear's den." Silence met his declaration, which Susumu could only look at with confusion.

"Anything special about it?"

"Not anymore." The grip around Koguma's cup turned bone-white. "I'll give word to my squad." Then he turned around and jumped off the ledge.

---

The wind was howling in their ears and shooting icy snowflakes against their already tender skin exposed- although everyone had made sure to wrap themselves completely in shawls and layers of clothing, fine strips of throat or the skin around the eyes were still exposed to the terrible cold. The Uchiha's blood-red eyes watered as they tried to see anything through the impenetrable wall of snow racing past before them. One would get lost already after five metres.

Koguma secured the rope he had wound around his waist and gave the knot a hard tug to see if it would hold. He was going first and supposed to install a line for the other's to follow- First to keep them together as a group and second to give them a chance to find their way back again.

Really, he must have been a fool for thinking he would be able to even remotely manage to find his way to the Maidens Hand. Even if it was now only three hundred metres further up from them. At least that was what he figured.

A short flinch shook his form as one of Kama's summons positioned itself next to him. It turned it's silver head to him and he was sure the beast was either mocking or admonishing him for even wanting to do this. With a scoff he began fighting his way through the storm.

Although the landscape itself gave away nothing, he kept his gaze locked onto the ground below him. Sometimes he scrapped with his feet across the snow to lay bare the rocks beneath, always making sure they were growing smaller and not larger as he went. The ground was littered with little pebbles around the Maidens Hand- he remembered that much.

He didn't spare a glance back and trudged onwards, leaving no prints in the snow as he used chakra to walk above it- they had considered riling it up to create a set of prints, but they would be washed out by the storm anyway within an hour and would, in case of retreat, only give the enemy a chance to follow their trail. Neither were good options.

It was almost hilarious, if the situation hadn't been so serious, that he nearly bumped into the weird rock formation face first. He hadn't even seen it through the blinding white. Taking the rope off his waist, he bound it around a ledge trudging outwards- they would just have to keep the rocks to their right and follow it along to find it back later on. With that thought, he turned to the right towards the point where Maidens Hand and Old Kingly created a gap.

The wolf went into a crouch only half a minute later, its sensitive nose surely having picked up on things he couldn't. He held his hand onto its massive hand to stop it from pouncing- they still had to wait for the other summons to find them.

Sure enough, not five seconds later Kama and the other Hatake's materialised out of the storm. Seeing thirty-one summons follow their wake like vengeful spirits of nature was almost eerie. Especially when the only thing to hear was the howling of the wind. Some of the wolfs were pitch black, some only stood out with their pinkish eyes gazing from white fur. Some reached up to his shoulders, other's merely to his knees. The mountain lions and lynxes looked majestic as they pranced beside them, with their warm and plush furs sticky with thick snow.

Koguma bared his teeth at them, sure to get their attention that way and then released his grip on the wolf beside him.

"Show them," he mouthed.

Razor sharp fangs and canines answered him, before they pounced into the snow storm.

For a moment nothing happened, but then the shouts and screams started. Light flickered in the murky white and the sting of chakra filled the air. He held up a fist for another thirty seconds to give the summons the chance to take down as many as possible and only when a particularly blood-curling scream cut off, he pulled his kodachi and jumped after them as well.

The rest of the Hatake followed without a second thought.

For a moment the sight that met him threatened to take his breath away- snarling and hissing and growling beasts attacking strangers in the dim light created by the two rock formations, the smell of blood heavy in the air, shadows flickering across the wall from the jutsu used, the screams- but he shook off the memory it conjured and instead took relish in finally, finally being able to stand his ground properly this time around.

He cut and sliced and hacked and jumped and evaded and charged and swapped, until he could feel nothing but the adrenaline coursing through his veins, hear nothing but his heart pumping in his ears, taste nothing but the blood he licked off his lips, smell nothing but the foul stench of fear, saw nothing but the next enemy to take down.

At some point, a beast would jump so close past him, that he could feel its fur tickling his skin as it took down an enemy that had tried getting at him from behind. Flashes of silver and blond hair let him know where the others where, but he could never say if it was Kama fighting or the little Okami.

He noticed the change in mood among their targets as they tried to get out of the dead end they had chosen as their camp and made a run for the gap, but Koguma was faster. He kawarimied with a dead body lying there and with his massive figure held the exit against the onslaught of shinobi coming at him. Only when he stood opposite Kama's bloodied face did he realise that they had managed taking the last of them down. With a shaky hand he wiped across his lower face, the weird thought that he really needed to shave flashing through his mind. He wanted to sheath his sword, but it was slick with blood and would only rust if put away like that. Instead he clumsily wiped it off his trousers and then put it in the scabbard. It didn't make much difference. Not that he noticed.

Bodies were lying all across the floor, some of the summons busy taking their share out of the fresh meat before they poofed out of existence with their bounty. Koguma didn't care either way. He went over to one of the flipped over tables and lifted the maps off the ground buried by it. His fingers left bloody imprints in their wake. He bundled them up and shoved them into his breast-plate.

Then he turned around once more and made a headcount of all the Hatake- six, plus Gengaku and Kama. Some were hobbling miserably, or clasping at bloody cuts or resting on the ground to catch their breath, but they were all alive. A miracle, really. He had truly thought at least one would die. Maybe they weren't so soft after all. Or maybe all of them had felt the same way he did while fighting- as if being at Yama no haru and getting a chance, or a reconciliation-

Maybe he was overthinking it.

Feeling his own body turn cold as the sweat-stained clothes cooled his skin in the frosty temperatures, he called to make their way back, already planning on setting the gap ablaze to burn the last bodies left behind by the summons.

What a joke it would be if any of them would die of a cold now.

They arrived back at the rest of the squad waiting for them in silence. Susumu was immediately by his side, surely saying something, because his mouth did move, but if it was the wind or anything else at fault, Koguma couldn't for the life of him make out what it was.

Instead he walked onwards, his squad easily parting to let him through and led them along the frozen creek further uphill.

It surprised him when they did arrive eventually, haven been sure the route should have taken much longer. Taking the last steps towards the solid granite, he laid his hand against it and made it illuminate with his chakra.

The wall disappeared.

Seeing that no one moved, he turned back to take in the group- they were but shivering bundles, their hair and cloaks sticky with half melted snow, their eyelashes and scarves in front of their mouth covered in ice. Maybe the trip had taken longer than he had thought.

"Get inside," he barked at them. "It'll be open as long as I want it to."

The civilian, Jiro, was actually the first to dare enter the dark cave, making the rest of Koguma's squad follow. The Hatake went in last, cautious of not meeting his gaze, until only Kama and Susumu remained. They were the only ones to stop beside him and spare him a look until they too went in. He followed right after and the stone wall reappeared.

It was pitch dark inside and he heard the shuffling of nervous shinobi feeling caged in a trap, so he blindly followed the route he knew so well. With a small fire jutsu the cave lightened up.

The cold air was stale by having been lying in wait for so long and dust was tingling in his nostrils with every breath. But it looked exactly like the day he had last seen it.

His steps echoed as he made his way to the large fireplace in the middle of the cave and used the already prepared logs to actually set it ablaze. The change in air was almost instant, as pure warmth radiated off it and sent flickering shadows across the smooth walls. Other steps echoed behind him, as some of the shinobi moved closer to it, surely wanting to warm their freezing limbs.

Koguma got up from his crouching position and moved further to the back- there was still the huge pile of chopped wood his father had made them clear from the landslide fifteen years ago and which had caused them to be delayed in arriving at Yama no haru. They had only ever stored dried goods in the winter caves, so when he lifted some covers to the woven baskets, he could see that the grain, rice and dried meat was still good and not eaten by mice. Not that rodents would have any chance of getting inside, not to mention past his mother's seals.

When Ite came up beside him, he merely gestured to the food and then left him to the task of organising a meal for them.

He turned back to the shinobi still standing warily at the campfire, while taking in everything around them out of the corner of their eyes and the Hatake almost undaring to let their gaze wander. "Go further down there-" His voice was gruff as he pointed at the gap in the wall at the back hand side. "-and you'll find the spring to the creek outside. Use it to clean yourself and to quench your thirst. You may take what you want from the food stock. Fill your bellies with anything that isn't rotten. I'll make sure to find some thicker cloaks and boots for the lot of you- that Konoha crap won't do up here. Rest-" He hesitated. "Keep to the furs at the front when you go to sleep. We'll need no one to keep watch. Only Kuma can enter this cave."

Without waiting for an answer, he turned away and walked to some of the alcoves carved into the wall further down. There were large wooden trunks standing beside each one of them. The smell of old and dusty wool made him almost sneeze as he opened some. Thick shirts reaching to midthigh and stiff pants in all sizes soon piled onto a heap on the floor, joined by incredibly heavy woollen cloaks that thumped as he threw them onto it. The boots were made out of leather and would definitely need a polish with beeswax to get them smooth again, but the inside was furred and would help his squad to not risk any frozen toes. With all the clothing for them sorted out, he moved towards the biggest alcoves at the back, right in line of sight to all important places- storage, the fireplace, the caves entrance. There he hesitated, before he chose to go to the left one first.

His hand caressed the wood of the chest as he opened it. The wool inside was of a rich deep green and he rubbed the fabric softly between his fingers. He couldn't feel it, but the sound of the shifting wool was familiar. In a swift movement, he got up and took the clothes with him. He was the first to actually go through the gap and to the cold spring water.

Only when he was already sitting on a smooth rock and busy cleaning himself up with a rag he had found, did others begin to join him. There were only hushed conversations between the Uchiha as they dressed down as well and joined his lead in sitting down onto some of the smooth boulders after taking up buckets of water from the pool of water. Even Kama entered the room in silence, his eyes shortly hushing across all the figures, for a moment pausing as he saw Koguma scrubbing the blood from under his fingernails, hair still drenched from the water he had just chugged over himself, until he and the other Hatake too started to clean off the blood still sticking to them.

Goosebumps were crawling all over Koguma's skin, the air of the cave still being cold and the water of the spring, unheated as it was, even colder. But he didn't rise immediately once finished, but instead stayed seated and stared down at the scars on his body- the burns, the cuts, the stab wounds, the bitemarks- none of the others had commented, but he had noticed them all pausing as they had seen him. Maybe he was a bit out of it for not even considering hiding the marks. No use bandaging them now.

"How did you get them?" He hadn't even seen that Jiro had sat down across from him.

"Same way everyone does." Clothes rustled as he pulled them over his head- the cuffs ended just above his wrists and the pants only got to his mid-thighs. His uncle would have found it hilarious that Koguma had outgrown him. But then again, with twenty-one years old, he was older now than Kenji had ever gotten to be. His chest constricted at the thought. "I had been too slow."

The conversations were paused until he moved into the main room again.

He didn't join his brother, Ite and Naoaki at the fireplace. Instead he turned left and went back to the two largest alcoves. He forwent the left one this time and instead crawled into the furs lining the right one. He was finding some relief in the other Hatake still washing themselves up as he laid down onto his stomach and buried his face into the soft coats. The only thing that would have betrayed the tears stinging in his eyes would have been their scent.

But nothing could wash out what making him so miserable. The scents preserved even after all this time-

Wool, freshly chopped logs and weapon oil.

Parchment, ink and mint tea.

Half an hour later, clothes rustled and a warm stocky body shuffled up against his back. When an arm wrapped around his waist, he didn't push him away and instead locked his scarred fingers with his.

"You're okay, Kogu."

Well, maybe his tears hadn't been as silent as he had hoped they were. Or maybe his brother just knew him too well.

He fell asleep with Susumu's warm breath fanning the back of his neck.

---

"Koguma."

"Let me come with you-" Lips pursed in displeasure and he hastily fell silent.

"You would only hinder us. You're aim is lacking, not to mention your speed." The tone wasn't harsh, but the words stung still.

Shameful tears pricked in his eyes, but he fought against them. They would only worsen his position. "Yes, tousan." He more felt than saw that his brother was standing next to his father, but every time he tried to get a look at him, he would be dipped in shadows.

"I'll let you know when you're ready, cub." His father's warm hand rustled through his hair and he had to fight the contrasting urges of leaning into it and shrugging him off.

He watched them walk out into the trees, new sling-traps hanging from their belts.

"Koguma."

He looked up from the parchment he was just scrawling on. His writing was messy and the brush felt incredibly awkward in his hand. "Yes, kaasan?"

There was pity in her eyes. "A man may try to flap his arms like a bird, but it still won't make him fly if he lacks the feathers." He understood immediately- he wasn't a complete idiot- and put the brush down while staring at his blotchy seal. A smooth hand brushed along his cheek. "Not everyone is born to learn fuin-jutsu. You don't need to be a copy of your onichan. Be yourself, love."

"Yes, kaasan."

"Koguma."

He looked up from the log he was just busy chopping into small pieces for his mother's cooking. His cousin was waving for him from the other side of the clearing. He huffed a bit, still uncertain if he liked him, after he had refused to play with him the day before. But after a short moment of hesitation, he dropped the small axe and ran over to him.

"Yasashiko?"

"Here," He pushed some sticky balls into his hands. "Daifuke. I'm sure you'll like it." Koguma grinned widely at him, delighted that he had actually remembered his request to bring something along for him after his last mission. The sweets tasted like heaven when he popped them into his mouth.

"Koguma?"

Kenji scowled at him, his cheeks still stuffed with rice. "You can't keep that name."

"Why not?"

His uncle's gaze softened. "Because everyone's called that until they get their rite at age seven. You deserve a better name, cub."

His mother chuckled beside him, holding her slender hand before her mouth as she did so. "Don't worry, Kogu. Your ojisan's just salty that everyone called him Koko for short."

"You're lucky your honourable father had been dead by the time you had your ritual- otherwise he would have let you keep it just to punish you for showing up late," Yasashiko mumbled into his bowl, which made Koguma's father snort.

A warm hand on his arm had him turn back to his mother who looked down on him. "Your tousan and I knew the moment we saw you what to call you. You'll just have to wait a few more years."

Dread pooled in his stomach- how could they already know? Koguma hadn't done anything of importance yet, anything to make him stand out. What name could they have possibly chosen for him the moment he was born? It had to be something distinct, something physical-

"I'm lucky our father didn't come up with mine until later, otherwise I would have surely been called chibi-"

Koguma's sticks clattered to the floor as he got up from his spot without excusing himself.

"Koguma."

He swirled around, the stark sunlight stinging in his eyes as he tried to focus on his brother.

"There is no shame if you can't hit the target-"

He flung the kunai right at the spot his brother's face had to be. It zoomed through and caused ripples as if dipping into a pond. "I can't even remember your name!" he roared.

He woke up with a flinch, causing Susumu to startle awake as well.

"Kogu?"

"It's alright," he mumbled back, making his brother relax a moment later. After some deep breaths to calm his racing heart, he pushed himself upright and made his way out of the alcove across his brother. He went to his father's trunk and pulled out a new set of clothes, since his uncle's were too small for him. These ones were slightly to big, but it would be easier rolling up the hems, instead of trying to make due with too short ones.

Once changed, he let his eyes roam across the room- most were still asleep on the furs in the other niches. Only Kama sat at the fireplace and watched him through half-lidded eyes. Koguma rubbed across his face, paused and went back to the spring to shave himself. He had completely forgotten before.

The cold water from cleaning up his face afterwards made him feel slightly more awake, so he went back to the main room and then to the entrance of the cave. Ice cold air met him outside, the cave apparently already having heated up rather well. It was pitch dark and visibility was still zero as the snowflakes immediately blasted against his cheeks and into his eyes. The snowstorm would hold up for another day at least.

Having established that, he went back inside and grabbed a bowl of the still simmering stew. Then he plonked down onto one of the furs surrounding the fire and began eating it while staring into the flickering flames.

"You alright, Kogu?"

"I'm fine."

Kama hummed and drew lines onto the fabric of his pants- apparently he had found a set of clothes to fit him from the pile Koguma had lain out. "You slept bad. Made Susumu startle awake every once in a while." He paused. "Made me nervous."

Koguma merely continued eating his stew.

"Is it true you'll go into water when you're upset?" He halted in his action upon the whispered words and looked at Kama with furrowed brows. "Susumu told me." A short scoff and then Koguma lifted the bowl to his mouth again. "I always thought you hated water."

"I do."

"Then why?"

"Because there is no better way to get rid of anger than having fear soar through your limbs."

Kama's jaw clenched, slaty eyes trying to lock with dull beady ones. "Fear?"

"A camping trip with my tousan- the kid held me down, just below the surface. Close enough to have my hands and legs feel the air, but too far away to draw any breath. Pinned down. Helpless." He looked back into the fire and stuffed some more stew into his mouth. "Until I broke his skull with a rock." The bowl set down onto the ground with a soft 'clank'. "The only time he had been proud of something I had done- born out of fear and panic."

He got up onto his feet, Kama's eyes following every one of his movements. "So, whenever I forget, I remind myself of it." With silent steps Koguma went back to where Susumu continued sleeping and once again crept back into the furs still warm from when he had left them.

He was out like a light ten seconds later.