Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Chapter Seventeen
Team Eight jumped and ran through the Forest of Death, the screams of the trapped Genin faded as they ran further towards the middle and to the Tower.
"We were lucky they fell for that trap back there and that the team had an Earth Scroll," Kiba says with a smirk as the three Genin and Akamaru continue to run.
"Yes now we can head straight to the Tower, it's best we avoid running into enemies. Why? Because we wouldn't want to lose our scrolls," Shino states.
Hinata nods in agreement, "Shino-Kun is right, we should just head straight to the tower, the test just began and we have the advantage of arriving early since I can lead us straight to the tower."
Kiba grins, "That's right! Team Eight will be the first team to pass!"
Akamaru sniffs the air a second before Kiba joins him and they come to a stop on a thick branch, "Hold on! We have to stop!" Kiba states.
"Why?" Shino asks as he and Hinata come to a stop on either side of Kiba and Akamaru.
"You wanted us to avoid enemies right?" Kiba asks, "Alright Hinata, I want you to check a kilometer in that direction!" Kiba says as he points in the direction of the scent he and Akamaru picked up.
"Byakugan!" Hinata looks forward one kilometer in the direction Kiba asked and sees the red haired Genin, Gaara if she remembered correctly, "There is someone there."
Shino crouches lowly to the ground and lays his head on the large branch, "It seems..there are six people there."
"Alright! Let's check it out!" Kiba says.
Hinata looks at him in surprise as her Byakugan fades.
"Kiba, what are you talking about? We're not going to do that," Shino states.
"Why not?" Kiba asks, "The test administrator said we could take a Heaven and an Earth Scroll, but she didn't say we could take more than that!"
"I don't think that's such a good idea Kiba-Kun," Hinata says, "We should head to the Tower and be done with the test. That way we get a long rest to prepare for the next round."
"Don't worry! First we'll check it out and we'll leave if it looks to dangerous to battle them," Kiba says, "Now come on let's go!"
The Inuzuka takes off leaving Shino and Hinata there, a moment later the two take off after him, 'There's that forboding feeling again..is it because of Gaara?' Hinata thinks, having recognized the boy she saw in the clearing.
The two land next to Akamaru and Kiba, Akamaru was trembling and whimpering on the ground next to Kiba, "What's wrong with Akamaru?" Hinata asks, "You suddenly stopped."
Akamaru continues whimpering as he climbs into the safety of Kiba's jacket, "Something must've spooked the little guy," Kiba says.
"What could've scared him?" Hinata asks, glancing up ahead.
"I'm not sure, Akamaru has the ability to sense an enemies chakra levels. I've never seen him react like this before...whoever those guys up ahead are...they are not normal," Kiba says.
"Can you believe the nerve of these Sand Village Genin?" One of the three ninja says.
Two ninja teams stood opposite of each other. The Sand Team and a Rain Team.
"Yeah, does he really think he can take us on?"
The Sand Ninja stand in silence, Hinata noted the red head seemed a bit off.
"To bad kids, you should've picked your opponents better," the leader of the Rain Team says.
"I've heard enough out of you, let's make this quick I don't want to waste time on this guy," Gaara states.
Kankurō glances at him, 'We don't even know which Scroll these guys have...' "Hey Gaara? Doesn't it make more sense to follow these punks and gather information first? I mean if they have the same Scroll as us we're just fighting an unnecessary battle."
"I don't care," the three Genin watching freeze at the cold tone the red head uses, "They looked at me the wrong way so they are gonna die."
Kankurō and Temari flinch back, eyes widening, Team Eight's eyes widen too. While the Rain Team seems to get more agitated by the moment.
'Ugh, this is exactly why I didn't want to be stuck in the Forest with him,' Kankurō thinks.
"If you think you can kill us! Then try it!" The leader of the Rain Team yells, throwing his umbrellas in the air, "And now...Senbon Rainstorm!" Senbons rain down in all directions over the clearing.
Gaara merely blinks, watching the leader.
"Up, down, left, right, no matter where you go I can get you, there's no blind spot in this Jutsu and it's deadly accurate," he focuses his Jutsu on Gaara and releases the senbon, "Ha!"
When the dust clears it's revealed that Gaara is protected by a dome of sand protecting him, "Is that all you can do?"
"I-It can't be! Not one wound! Impossible!" He grits his teeth and sends more senbon at Gaara but the sand rises up and protects him.
"Senbon huh? How about I make it rain blood instead."
Hinata quietly activates her Byakugan, scanning over the clearing and the Genin, trying to find a way out of this mess.
"That guys chakra is insane, and that sand..it has an odor," Kiba whispers.
"Odor?" Shino asks, glancing at his teammate.
"Yeah, it smells like...blood."
Hinata glances back at him, 'Blood?!'
The Rain Genin flinch hearing Gaara's threat.
"He's created a wall of sand!" The leader yells.
"That's right, and nothing can get through it. He carries all that sand in the gourd on his back, and when he's attacked he uses the power of his chakra to harden the sand. It's a Jutsu that only Gaara can do, and somehow it happens automatically, independent of his will. So any attacks thrown at Gaara are doomed to fail," Kankurō states.
"Yeah?! Well we'll see!"
"Just face it, you can't hope to fight Gaara."
Hinata's eyes widen as she watches the leader of the Rain Team run forward at Gaara, 'This isn't gonna end well...'
Gaara glares at the rain nin approaching and brings his hands together in a hand sign, and Kankurō and Temari smirk.
'Well that punks a dead man,' Kankurō thinks.
'We warned him not to mess with Gaara,' the blond thinks.
Gaara's hands shift, one falling back into different hand sign, the other coming forward and making another, "Sand Coffin!"
The sand on the ground underneath the Rain Ninja's feet violently wraps around his foot and over his leg, coming to surround his body, except for his face, the man lets out a shocked yell as he begins struggling, "I..can't move!"
The umbrellas fall to the ground, and Gaara walks forward to grab one, "All I have to do is cover your big mouth and you'll be dead," he picks the umbrella up and opens it, "But that would be to easy and to boring."
Gaara holds the opened umbrella over his head as he opens his hand and moves it forward, the sand holding the ninja goes high into the sky, Gaara glares up at the ninja, closing his hand into a fist, "Sand Burial," Just as Gaara said it would, it rains blood all over the clearing.
Team Eight completely freezes at this point, 'He killed him so easily,' Hinata thinks, having started to tremble, 'No wonder Akamaru was so scared of him...and he doesn't seem to be done yet..'
"The corpses bitter crimson tears flow and mingle with the endless sand, feeding the chaos within me..and making me stronger," Gaara says.
The Rain Ninja tremble as one comes forward and places a scroll on the ground, "H-Here take this! Don't kill us!"
"Yes! Please spare us!"
Gaara doesn't say anything as his hands move and the sand covers the two remaining Sand Nin, he quickly kills them.
The screams only further Team Eight's fear as they tremble and shake with fear, the scene they had witnessed forever engraved in their minds, "W-We need to get out of here," Kiba whispers, the other two nod and the three turn and start to leave.
"Just shut up...it's not over yet," Gaara says, turning and looking in Team Eight's direction.
The three freeze and don't dare to move an inch 'Crap! Did he see us?!' Kiba thinks.
"C'mon Gaara, let's go," Kankurō says.
"What are you scared? Coward," Gaara murmurs.
Kankurō frowns as he starts walking back to the other two, "Listen Gaara, I know this test is no problem for you..but it's dangerous for me and Temari, one set of scrolls is good enough, it's all we need to pass," He states as he stops in front of Gaara.
Gaara looks up at him, unaffected by his words, and raises his hand in the direction of Team Eight, "Losers..can't tell me what to do.."
Kankurō grabs Gaara by the strap holding his gourd and pulls him forward, "Alright that's enough! Sometimes you have to listen to what your big brother says!"
"It's to bad I don't think of you as my big brother..if you get in the way, I'll kill you," Gaara states, holding his hand up once more.
"Wait! Just hold on Gaara! You don't have to treat us as if we're the enemy. Do it as a favor for your big sister..please?" Temari asks nervously.
Gaara moves his hand so it's facing Kankurō, the older boy flinches, Gaara stares at him for a moment before his hand moves back to its earlier position.
Team Eight completely freeze, Hinata couldn't move..she didn't dare breathe, the only thing she could hear was the sound of her own heart..and she was sure Kiba and Shino weren't faring well either.
Sand grows and starts coming together in Gaara's hand, "GAARA!" Temari yells.
Gaara's hand closes in a fist, he turns and stares at Temari, "Alright..this time," he opens his fist revealing a new cork. He plugs his gourd and turns and he begins walking away, not waiting for his teammates.
Temari let's out a sigh of relief as Kankurō glares in the direction of Gaara, 'Yeah...that's why I hate brats.'
Team Eight hunch over, still hidden behind the bushes, breathing heavily in relief, Akamaru continues to tremble inside Kiba's jacket and whimpers.
"Yeah, that's why you were so freaked out..I just wish you told us sooner," Kiba mutters.
The three Genin get up on shaky feet and Hinata activates her Byakugan, "At the rate they are going, they'll arrive in less than an hour," Hinata states, her Byakugan focusing on the Sand Team travelled quickly through the Forest.
"What should we do? I don't even want to see them again," Kiba mutters.
"Take a detour and avoid Gaara's team," Hinata states, "It hasn't been that long since the test began and the three will arrive at the Tower before the test reaches two hours...all we have to do is bide our time and avoid everything. I'll keep my Byakugan activated."
"How much time do you think it will take us to get to the Tower?" Shino asks.
"Around six hours...while I'd rather arrive later than face the Sand Team..I don't want to stay out here any longer either," Hinata says.
"I agree," Kiba says, "The shorter our time is out here the better for all of us."
The three take off, following Hinata's lead.
(Line Break)
Asuma, Kakashi, and Kurenai all sit down in one of the empty rooms at the academy, the same place they stayed during the written part as well.
"How do you think they are doing? Having to deal with Ibiki and then Anko...sending them out into the forty fourth training ground..." Asuma says.
Kakashi shrugs, not looking up from his book, "They'll survive," he says, "The only team that concerns me right now is that Sand Team with the red haired boy on it...his eyes were just evil."
Asuma nods, "I agree..and those Sound ninja didn't look to friendly either."
"I hope our teams don't face off against them in the Forest," Kurenai murmurs.
"So do I! But if they do I'm sure my youthful team will overcome the challenge!" Gai states, appearing behind the couch Kurenai was seated on, making the raven haired woman jump.
"Gai? Where'd you come from?" Asuma asks.
"I came here to see my rival of course! You and Kurenai look ever youthful I see!" Gai says, "Kakashi my rival! I met your team yesterday."
Kakashi looks up from his book, "Oh really?"
"I sure did! For some reason they seemed scared of me!" Gai says, "My Lee got in a tussle with Sasuke, almost using a forbidden move."
Kakashi chuckles, "I'm sure that encounter gave Sasuke a clear picture of the skill he'll see among their other opponents."
"I also heard...one of the teams have already arrived at the Tower," Gai says in a more serious tone. The three Jounin look up at him, even Kakashi looked shocked, "That Sand Team you mentioned...arrived at the Tower in one hour and thirty-seven minutes...not a scratch on them."
Kurenai looks up at him, "That's impossible! I doubt Anko could even do that!"
"We're approaching the sixth hour and no one else has been seen yet...that team broke the the record of five hours," Gai adds.
Asumi frowns, "Nothing about that team sounds good...what are they?"
"Not they, it's who," Gai says, "That red haired boy...they're worried about him."
Kakashi sighs, "No good could come from that look in his eyes."
Kurenai looks down at her lap, "I sincerely hope none of our teams come across them."
(Line Break)
At seven hours and thirty-two minutes Team Eight is the second team to arrive at the Tower.
Hinata looks around, "It's completely deserted."
Kiba crouches down as he pets Akamaru comfortingly, "Calm down boy," the dog was trembling as badly as he was earlier in the clearing.
"Another team arrived," Kankurō says as he enters the room, followed by Temari, Gaara walked ahead of them.
"A Rookie Team from the Leaf too...I'm surprised they made it here so quickly," Temari states.
Gaara looks over at the three Leaf Genin, Team Eight flinches, the red head can see the fear in their eyes before he looks forward and leaves the room, Temari and Kankurō following.
'I don't know what the Sand Village squirt is..but whatever he is, is bad news,' Kiba thinks.
To be continued...
AN: So let's say Anko watched the tape sometime after the Sand Team arrived..not after Team Eight did. It's canon that Gaara's team arrived in an hour and a half or so...but Team Eight over twelve hours. I shortened the time because it makes more sense.
Also I hope you don't mind that I didn't go into the narrative of the other teams..I didn't want to make the Forest of Death arc longer than it should be, and since the story is Hinata-Centric, it makes sense that it would only follow Team Eight's experience.
To CrazyChimera: I had the same reaction when I first saw that scene..and then Team Eight became my favorite rookie team when I realized how awesome they were lol. I hope you enjoy this chapter..there wasn't really much I could change up since the scene with Gaara seemed really limited. And thank you so much for all the reviews!
To LB Cat: Thank you for the review! I hope you enjoy this chapter!
A special thank you to Kiyara Sand and NaruhinaFan13149 for favoriting Altered! I hope you both enjoy this chapter!
Don't forget to leave your thoughts by reviewing and don't forget to Favorite and Follow!
I'll see y'all next chapter! Bye!