Natsumi yawned and glanced at the map from over Sena's shoulder as she and Kiri looked it over, sitting cross-legged.

"If we follow this road, we could cut off travel time by a few hours." Kiri traced the path with her finger.

"Maybe, but that path also coincides with the reports of bandits and missing persons. Dealing with bandits will cost us hours of time, and could even take longer than this first path." Sena combed her short hair and then replaced the comb into her pack. "It wouldn't be worth it."

"Hm." Kiri tapped her chin and looked up at Natsumi. "What do you think?"

Natsumi knelt beside them and studied the map. "Well, Sena does have a point, but it also depends. How many reports of bandits were made? What were their numbers? How dangerous are they?"

Sena attached her arm guards and pulled on her gloves. "Eight reports total, ranging from a simple mugging to two cases of actual kidnapping. The reports are inconsistent with numbers, some saying it was only two, while other said a minimum of six. The most recent report came in two weeks ago when a farmer said that his wife and daughter went missing."

Kiri nodded and brushed her own hair and put it up into a bun to keep it out of her eyes. "That's right. Typically, he makes his own deliveries, but he was sick, so they went to do the delivery for him. When they didn't return, that's when he filed a report."

"So..." Natsumi thought. "We don't know how many there are, but we know that they are recently active..." She looked over the map. "We could avoid that area altogether if we followed this river, and it wouldn't derail our schedule, but..."

Natsumi paused and Kiri rested her hand on her lap.

"But?" Sena looked at the younger member carefully.

Natsumi crossed her arms. "If they aren't stopped, those bandits could and will hurt more people, and they've already been impacting travel and supply routes. It wouldn't be right to not look into it, especially since they kidnapped two people. It doesn't feel right to just pass by." She paused. "And, since they are attacking foot traffic and farmers, they don't seem like they'd be very strong, so we could deal with them quickly, we could still be on our way and cut off some travel time."

Kiri looked between the redhead and the map. "The bandits aren't our mission, so they aren't our problem..." She muttered. "At least that's what my sister would say." She thought for another moment and then nodded slowly. "Natsumi's right. It doesn't sit right just ignoring it when there are two people in need of help."

Sena nodded. "Agreed. Most bandits are petty thieves and cowards, so even if they outnumbered us, it should be easy to take care of them." She pointed to the map. "And since this road is a shorter route, we should still reach our meeting point early."

"Then, it's decided." Kiri folded the map and slipped it into her pack. "We'll take the bandit road and do a little clean-up work." She grinned. "It'll be our first real encounter as a team, so it should be fun. I always like knocking the lights out of crooks."

Natsumi looked over at Sena, who was staring at the ground in thought.

"Is something wrong?"

Sena met her eyes after a moment. "It just... well, it seems odd that petty thieves would go from stealing money to stealing people. That seems too bold a move for bandits. It's not as if simple farmers would be good to use for ransom, either."

Kiri's expression darkened slightly and she pulled on her pack.

"Let's face it, Sena. A bunch of lonely men hiding in the woods... and then they see women..." She shook her head. "It's not unusual for them to look for entertainment." Kiri spat the words out.

Sena made a face and crossed her arms. "I'm not usually one to advocate for unnecessary violence, but I can't wait to slaughter them like the pigs they are."

"Me too." Natsumi mumbled and adjusted her gear.

If Sena is right, then those men are no better than animals. I don't like the idea of killing, but if we got rid of them... it would help a lot of people.

"Alright, let's keeps our masks off for now." Kiri put on her cloak last. "If these guys are interested in women, then they'll get them." She smirked. "And then we spill their guts."

They walked for several hours at a steady pace and Natsumi looked around at the forest on either side of them. After a long period of silence, Natsumi looked up at Kiri, who was humming a song to herself.

"Kiri?"

The woman looked down at her, still humming. "Yeah?"

"How long have you been in the ANBU? You said that you've been in a long time, but how old were you when you joined?"

"Officially?" Kiri chuckled. "Officially, I was brought in the day before I turned twelve. Unofficially... my father had me accompanying Team Yoru on exercises and missions since I was nine. I graduated from the Academy at eight-and-a-half and he decided to put me to work."

Kiri shrugged. "Yuuri and our brother, Yuuta, were both already in the ANBU, being quite a bit older than me. Yayoi and Zenzo, our parents, decided that I needed field training. Once I was twelve, a spot opened up on the team when Yuuta was transferred to Danzo's organization."

Kiri's fists balled and tightened, then she let out a slow breath. "So, I was made an official ANBU member then."

Natsumi pressed her lips together as she walked. "So, your brother and nephew both are named Yuuta?"

Kiri shook her head slowly. "Yuuri named her son after our brother. Yuuta died when I was seventeen."

"I'm sorry." Natsumi's eyes rested on the road. "You must have been really close."

"As a kid, I idolized Yuuta." Kiri's tension melted slightly and a small smile curved her lips upward. "When I was first brought to Konoha and was adopted, Yuuta took to me immediately as if I were his real baby sister. He spoiled me to death, bringing be wildflowers and dolls whenever he could. I always liked when he carried me on his shoulders, and when he wasn't away on a mission, he would stroke my hair and tell me stories every night until I fell asleep."

Kiri's expression softened and her smile grew at the memory. "Once I started to really do well at school, Yuuta started training me at home under our father's supervision. I was a fast learner, and he was a good teacher. I followed him around like a little puppy. I wanted to be just like him."

"He sounds like a really great brother." Natsumi smiled and kept her eyes on Kiri. I've never seen her smile that like before. It's nice.

"He was the best." Kiri agreed, and then her expression fell and darkened again. "And then everything changed after Danzo snatched him up."

Silence fell between them.

"What happened?"

Kiri shook her head. "He never came home again, not once..." She paused. "Until one night, five years later. That was the night he died, right in front of me, and there was nothing I could do to stop it."

Kiri's pace slowed and her voice quieted. "Everything changed after that. Yuuta had been the light that kept us all together. With him gone, Yuuri became even more insufferable and took as many missions as she could, and our mother started to spend more time by herself, just sitting outside and looking at Yuuta's picture. Our father..." Kiri sighed quietly. "He developed a short fuse and started drinking when he was off-duty... But I guess we all had our way of coping."

Natsumi looked ahead and walked slowly.

I don't know what I'd do if I lost Naruto... just being away from him like this is hard enough, but if it was permanent... She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. I don't know what I would do.

"The next mission I went on after he died, I completely blew it." Kiri continued, talking more to the open air than either of them in particular. "I was a complete mess, and my father was furious. He told me not to come home for a whole week, until I could prove that I wasn't going to be a liability anymore." Kiri slipped her hands into her pockets.

"The first three days I did nothing but wander around in my misery, and then I found myself in Nekobaa's company. After a day of watching the Ninja Cats, I sort of found myself again and realized that if I had a companion in battle, it'd make me stronger. So, that's what I did with the rest of my week, and when I got back, my father was satisfied enough to let me continue with my missions."

Sena stopped walking and pointed at the road ahead. "Guys... look."

Kiri blinked and they turned to follow where she pointed. Out of the trees stumbled a figure and then collapsed on the street.

Their eyes widened and they rushed to the figure. Sena carefully rolled her over and gasped quietly.

"It's the missing girl!"

Natsumi looked down at her face, which was covered in ugly bruises in various stages of healing. One eye was blackened and swollen, her clothes were dirty and torn, and her feet were bloody.

"Is... she dead?" Natsumi whispered. She's the same age as Sena...

Sena pressed her fingers to the girl's neck. "Her heartbeat is weak." She knelt and examined the girl, looking over the various injuries on the rest of her body. "Judging by her condition, she escaped and was using the last of her strength to get herself to safety." Sena began to heal a wound on her wound. "Poor girl."

Kiri shook her head and furrowed her brow. "Whoever did this is going to pay."

The girl's eyes cracked open and her lips moved silently. Natsumi's eyes widened and she leaned closer.

"Are you okay?" Natsumi gently touched her forehead, resting the girl's head on her lap.

"Can you tell me your name?" Kiri asked, and the girl nodded slowly.

"S-Sonoko." She answered weakly. "I'm Sonoko..."

"Okay, Sonoko," Sena met her eyes. "What do you remember?"

"Mom and I..." Sonoko began, wetting her dry lips. "Those men attacked us. They separated us."

"Sonoko," Sena moved her hands to heal a series of cuts on her chest. "Do you remember where you were kept? Or how many men were there?"

The teenager shook her head slowly. "I don't know... they made me drink something strange. Everything was... fuzzy." Her eyes closed for a moment, and then reopened, her lip quivered as her eyes watered and spilled over. "Those men... they... did things to me."

Natsumi's hands trembled and she stroked the girl's hair, trying to calm her down.

"I don't remember... much. My head still hurts."

"Shh..." Sena nodded slowly. "It's alright. You're safe now."

"N-No." Sonoko shook her head and tears spilled down her cheeks. "Leave me. If they see you, you'll be in danger. Go before they come looking for me."

Kiri furrowed her brows. "Like hell we're going to leave you."

Sena looked up at Kiri and Natsumi, lowering her voice. "She needs to get to a hospital right away. I can only do so much, and she's dehydrated and malnourished."

Natsumi retrieved her water and tried to offer it to the girl.

"N-No... you have to leave me." Sonoko shook her head again. "They're monsters..."

"We're not going to leave you." Natsumi met her eyes, her own brimming with tears. "You're safe, now."

"No one is safe..." The girl cried steadily. "Just... tell my dad that I love him and that... I'm sorry."

"Sonoko," Kiri's eyes lowered from Sena and looked at the girl. "do you remember where they were keeping you?"

Sonoko trembled and bit her lip. "I-I'm not sure. The room I was in had no windows... but I did hear a waterfall."

Kiri pulled out the map and quickly scanned it. "There." She pointed to a small spot on a river. "There's a small waterfall here, along with some old hunting cabins. I'm sure that's where they are."

Kiri put the map back into her pack and she shared a nod with Sena.

"W-What are you doing?" Sonoko looked between them. "Don't go there. They're monsters."

"They're going to find out what a monster really is." Kiri clenched her fists, and then looked up at Natsumi. "I know I said that you weren't allowed to use that Jutsu from a distance... but I need you to transport her there."

"She won't last long if she doesn't get to a hospital right away." Sena added softly.

Natsumi blinked and looked between them. "Y-You want me to teleport her? I don't know if I can teleport anyone but myself."

Kiri nodded. "I know, but I need you to try. Sonoko needs you to try."

Natsumi looked down at the girl's heavy breathing and then nodded. "I'll do it."

Kiri bit her thumb and pressed her hand to the ground, summoning an elegant fox with deep red fur.

"Kiri." The fox narrowed its eyes and flicked its tail.

"Mori, Natsumi is going to teleport you and this girl back to the village. You're going to alert whoever you can and see that she gets to a hospital as soon as possible." Kiri scribbled their location on a piece of paper and passed it to the fox. "Make sure that you let Yuuri and Lord Third know that we have a slight detour. They'll want to tie up loose ends."

The fox nodded and carefully grabbed the paper between its teeth, sitting on Sonoko's chest.

"A-A talking fox..." The girl muttered, falling back into unconsciousness.

Natsumi drew in a deep breath and touched both the fox and Sonoko.

"I-I've... never tried to transport anyone but myself before..." She swallowed. "But I'll make sure it works."

Natsumi closed her eyes and channeled her Chakra, picturing the destination in her head. Blue symbols appeared on Mori and Sonoko, and Natsumi let out her breath slowly.

Space-Time Jutsu!

The two disappeared in a puff of smoke and Natsumi's vision filled with black spots as she wobbled back-and-forth.

"I... did it."

Kiri and Sena held her up and Kiri touched their foreheads together.

"Yes, you did. That was amazing."

"I... don't feel so good now."

"I know..." Kiri retrieved a food pill and put it into Natsumi's mouth. "You'll feel better after this."

Natsumi chewed slowly and it took effect almost instantly. Her eyes opened wide as a new, intense energy surged through her and her Chakra replenished and increased. Kiri stood her up carefully and held her until she could stand on her own.

"How do you feel now?" Sena looked at her carefully. "You must have used such a huge amount of Chakra..."

"I..." Natsumi flexed her fingers and looked around, her senses more alert. "I feel amazing."

"It's the Food Pills. They can keep you awake and fighting at your full strength for three days." Sena smiled faintly. "But I don't recommend trying that Jutsu again anytime soon. It'll be too hard on your body."

Kiri drew her Ninjato and rested it on her shoulder with a smirk as she fixed her mask into place.

"Now, then, let's go kill those bastards, shall we?"

Natsumi drew her sword as Sena nodded.

"Let's."