Kiri held up a hand and they stopped once a cluster of cabins came into view.
Most were in such a state of disrepair that nature had begun to take over. Only the largest of them stood strong, worn, but habitable.
There.
Kiri relayed signals and they nodded and split up cautiously, examining the area and found it to be clear. They drew nearer to the buildings, peering inside before meeting again on a branch.
"They seem to be all clear. Let's check inside to be sure." Kiri looked between Sena and Natsumi. "There only seems to be one way in and out, and most of the windows are boarded up. Stay alert."
Kiri checked for traps, then carefully opened the door and led them inside.
Natsumi walked carefully around the darkened cabin with her Ninjato drawn.
It doesn't look like anyone is here...
Kiri turned to Sena and Natsumi, making several hand signals, and they spread out to look into the various side rooms.
Natsumi peered into a small, windowless room. It was stained with blood and waste, with chains attached to the wall. She stooped to examine the shackles, stained also with blood. She raised a hand to her mask and made a face.
The smell is so strong in here... it's disgusting.
She swallowed and nearly gagged at the taste in the air.
But this is definitely where people have been held.
Along the walls and back of the door were bloody scratches. On another wall, several names were scratched in with tallies beneath. Natsumi's stomach turned as she read off the names in her head, stopping at the final one— Sonoko.
There are fourteen tallies under her name. Natsumi pressed her lips together. That poor girl was here for so long.
Natsumi left the room silently and spotted Kiri, who waved her into the next room.
This room was identical to the one before, with the exception of the woman slumped into the corner. Sena knelt at her side and looked her over.
After a moment, she shook her head and stood close to Kiri and Natsumi, glancing back at the corpse.
"It's the missing woman, for sure." Sena whispered. "Judging by her color and texture, and by the smell... I'd say she's been dead about a week."
Natsumi studied the woman cloaked in the shadows. Her wrinkled, aged face was gray and ghastly, with a waxy appearance. She was abnormally skinny, as if hollowed, and her skin clung to her bones like wet clothes. Flies buzzed around her, and maggots could be seen wriggling under and on her skin.
Natsumi turned her face away and bit her lip hard.
Don't throw up. Don't throw up. Don't throw up.
Kiri patted her shoulder, leaning in close to whisper. "Don't worry; You'll get used to seeing corpses. It's the smell you never get used to."
Natsumi gulped, immediately regretting it, and coughed quietly. That doesn't make me feel better at all!
"Spread out. Make sure the place is clear." Kiri muttered. "They probably went out looking for Sonoko."
Natsumi nodded gratefully and stepped out of the room, looking around.
Kiri made the signal for all clear, and Natsumi looked around the common area.
They could come back anytime. There wasn't anything to indicate how many people were here, or who they were.
As Natsumi looked around, she bumped into Sena. Natsumi blinked and looked at her as she stood, transfixed at the ceiling with her body shaking.
"Sena?" Natsumi's eyes followed her gaze and she gaped in horror, gasping.
The ceiling was covered in ANBU masks.
Natsumi trembled. What's going on?! Why are these masks here?
"Kiri... we need to get out of here. Now." Sena managed. "These aren't bandits."
Kiri stepped out of another room and stared at the ceiling, her eyes completely wide.
"Oh... fuck." She pointed to the door. "Retreat! Retreat now!"
"Retreat?" Natsumi blinked and her heart pounded. Who are these people?
Kiri growled, grabbing both girl's arms and running toward the door. The door was thrown open and a group of men blocked their exit.
"Fuck." Kiri growled, pulling Natsumi and Sena back and standing in front of them. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck."
The men eyed the trio with impish smirks and stepped inside, surrounding them easily.
"Well, well, well... what have we here?" One of them chuckled and licked his lips.
"Replacements." Another cackled to himself, pulling two serrated daggers out.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Natsumi tightened her grip on the Ninjato as her hands began to tremble. We're outnumbered. They're blocking the only exit. And we're in a small space...
"Kiri." Natsumi muttered as the woman continued to curse under her breath and cover the younger girls with herself. "Who are they?"
"Did Aito ever tell you about his sister?" Kiri's voice shook with anger as she replied quietly. "Asahi?"
Natsumi nodded slowly. "He said she died on a mission."
"She did." Kiri glared at the men. "She was killed by these assholes. By the Araki brothers."
A seventh man stepped inside the cabin, clapping slowly with a broad smirk.
"Thank you for that wonderful introduction." He licked his lips and looked over the trio. "I lose a farm girl and gain three new ones. Today is my lucky day."
He eyed Natsumi, and a chill shot down her spine. He stepped closer to the trio and Kiri stood defiantly in his way.
"If you think you're going to touch them, you're going to go through me."
"Oh?" He chuckled and held up a hand sign. "Feisty girl."
A strong force threw them to the floor, pinning them down.
"Gravity Subjugation Jutsu."
He's a Ninja! Natsumi's heart pounded in her ears as she tried to get up.
"Don't bother. The more you resist, the greater the intensity of gravity will act upon you. You're not going anywhere."
I can't move at all! She trembled at the force that weighed her down and watched helplessly as he knelt and removed each of their masks in turn to examine their faces.
He gripped Sena's chin. "Hm... Aged sixteen, if I'm correct. Boyish hair but a pretty face." He paused. "Not my preference, though."
"She's mine, though." Another man laughed.
"Quiet." The seventh man barked. "I get first pick."
"You bastard! Don't touch her!" Kiri struggled, but was unable to move.
The man laughed and examined Kiri's face more closely. "You're too old for my tastes, unfortunately." He glanced up at Natsumi and ran his fingers through her hair, tilting her chin up to see her better. "Well, hello there. Rare eye and hair color combination, a pretty face... and perfect, cherubic lips..." He ran his thumb over her trembling mouth with a laugh. "You, on the other hand, are exactly what I've been wanting."
"Don't you touch her!" Kiri shouted and wriggled, glaring at him. "Don't you fucking touch her!"
The man stood and took the Ninjato from her hand and looked it over, then drove it into the back of her hand until it stuck into the floor. Kiri cried out in pain, and bit her lip as he pulled the blade out once more and blood poured from the wound.
"You won't be needing your hands, anyway..." He laughed, and the others joined in, as he drove the blade through Kiri's other hand.
Kiri bit her lip hard enough to draw blood and resisted the urge to cry out.
The man wiped the blade on Kiri's cloak and then tossed it to the floor.
"Kiri!" Natsumi's eyes widened as her hands bled.
The man turned back to Natsumi and rolled her over onto her back. "What's your name, sweetheart?" He stroked her cheek. "I'm Taichi, the oldest of us brothers."
Natsumi remained quiet and he admired her features. "A little young for the ANBU, aren't you?" His fingertips traded the shape of her lips and followed her jawline. "A beauty like you shouldn't be doing such dangerous work. You might get hurt."
"Leave her alone!" Sena found her voice and glared at him.
Taichi smirked at Sena. "Your voice is shaking too much to sound threatening at all, but that was a cute attempt."
Sena's eyes widened and she was unable to speak.
"Now back to you, my little angel." Taichi's attention returned to Natsumi. "What's your name? I'll bet it's beautiful." He brushed his fingers against her lips again, opening them slightly. "Come on, now... I know you can talk."
Natsumi glared, opening her mouth and biting down on his finger hard. He yelped in pain and, with a pop, his finger was severed.
Natsumi turned her head to the side and coughed out his finger and blood. He backed away and held his bleeding hand with a glare.
"You little—!" His anger faded and he laughed loudly. "I like you." He met her eyes. "I like you a lot. You'll be mine."
He knelt beside Natsumi again. "So, what's your name?" His expression darkened and he picked up Kiri's sword and pointed it at Sena's throat. "If you refuse to answer me again... I'll cut out her tongue."
Natsumi shuddered and gritted her teeth. "...Natsumi."
"Natsumi?" He repeated, smiling as he did. "A lovely name for a lovely girl." He stroked her cheek with his intact hand. "You and I will get to know each other very well, so I suggest keeping those teeth to yourself. I'd rather not have to discipline you and leave marks on your lovely little face."
I'd like to leave marks on your face. Natsumi glared and the taste of his blood still lingered in her mouth. She gathered it together and spat at him. I'd like to take my sword and leave marks all over your face.
Taichi smirked and wagged his finger as the saliva missed and splattered onto the floor. "Be nice, now, or I'll have to discipline you."
"Let us go and you can have whatever reward you want." Kiri bargained through gritted teeth. "Money... weapons... land... just let us go."
"Kiri!" Natsumi stared at her in surprise. "What are you doing?"
"We can't fight them, Natsumi." Sena muttered. "We're not anywhere close to being a match for them."
"You're... giving up?" Natsumi glanced between them both.
"We don't have a choice." Kiri snapped. "Taichi Araki is the one known as the ANBU Slayer. Him and his brothers were senior ANBU members who betrayed the Leaf Village and went rogue seven years ago. They've killed dozens of us just for sport..." Kiri trailed off and eyed the masks above them. "There's no beating them."
"No way..." Natsumi quivered and glanced at the men. They're ANBU?!
"Ah those were the days." Taichi chuckled and rested his hand on his hip. "Back then, it was only Kenji, Saburou, and I. Hunting down Ninja was fun while it lasted. Except for all those damned rules and regulations..."
"Completely took the fun out of killing." Kenji nodded in agreement and crossed his arms.
"It wasn't good enough for them that we killed the targets, oh no." Saburou shrugged. "They wanted the bodies intact."
Taichi looked down at his bloody hand and flexed the remaining fingers before looking at the redhead. "Higher-ups didn't like that we brought back our targets as soup. So picky."
Natsumi shuddered and glanced at Kiri, who glare at the former ANBU members was seething in hatred.
Hunting rogue Ninja... that means... Natsumi gulped and remembered what she had been taught in the Captain's lectures. They were the most elite ANBU...
"Things got even more fun once we left. We gained four more brothers..." Taichi looked around the room. "We've had so many good times together... The blood we spilled... the girls we shared... what a blast."
Dark, low laughing sounded around them.
We don't stand a chance... Natsumi shut her eyes tightly and panic burned in her throat. I don't want to die. Not like this.
"I'm sure we could work out a deal or something." Kiri clenched her teeth.
"A deal, hm?" Taichi chuckled and looked upward in thought. "Alright. I'll let you go..."
Natsumi opened her eyes and stared up at the killer. Is... he really going to?
Taichi tapped Natsumi's shoulder and immediately the crushing invisible force lifted from her. She gasped in a large breath of relief. He lifted her up by her right wrist, immobilizing her sword arm and held her close to him, facing her away from him as he leaned in close and pressed his face against her neck. He breathed in a deep breath before letting it out.
"You smell so lovely, sweetheart." He whispered in her ear and her skin prickled. She tried to kick him, but he pinned her too tightly for her to move.
"Let her go!" Kiri glowered.
"I'll let you all go..." He smirked and looked down at Natsumi. "if I can have one hour with her."
Natsumi's eyes widened and she trembled visibly.
"If you don't agree to my terms, I'll kill you both and still have my fun with her."
"There's no way in hell I'd ever agree to those terms." Kiri spat and struggled against his Jutsu.
"A shame." He nuzzled again Natsumi's hair and took in another breath. "I was feeling generous today."
He held up a hand sign, releasing his Jutsu, and the other men pounced on Sena and Kiri as soon as it was lifted.
The man with the daggers held Sena close to him and pressed a blade to her neck.
"Well, how about now?" Taichi held Natsumi closer and stared at Kiri and Sena. "Last chance."
Sena scowled. "Burn in hell."
"One day. Not yet." Taichi nodded to the man, who laughed as he slid the blade across her throat and blood gushed out.
"NO!" Kiri struggled against the three men that held her and stared in horror as Sena's body was dropped to the floor.
"Sena!" Natsumi screamed and her head pounded. "NO!"