Disclaimer: The Naruto universe does not belong to me.


Searching Shadows

Raidne the Silent Siren

Temari was glancing around the trees nervously. She was about to enter Konoha for the first time in nearly five years. The war was over but everyone was still nervous and uncomfortable with each other.

She was supposed to relocate to Konoha to help relations between the villages. Needless to say that she was not looking forward to it.

Well, mostly anyway.

She was hoping to run into that kid again.

The one that had beaten her in the chuunin exams. She wanted to see him again. She wanted another challenge.

He probably didn't remember her. If he did, he probably hated her. This was assuming he had the energy needed to hate someone.

Temari hadn't known him long but she got the impression that he was perhaps the laziest person she had ever met.

He had still beaten her.

Records would say that she had won. It was purely technical. He had given up just because he didn't want to go on to the next battle. He wanted to rest.

Temari stepped through the gates. She glared at a guard out of habit when he didn't immediately open them for her.

She had to meet the Hokage today.

She hoped the woman didn't hold grudges.

As she walked she tried to force herself to stop checking every shadow that she passed.

It was a habit she had taken up because of him. Shadow watching. Over the years she had started to take in every shadow in a glance the way she would any other possible threats in the area.

Her brother had begun to notice and to tease her about.

Moron.

She made it to the Hokage's office with incident except for a few stares and muffled comments and insults.

She had ignored them.

They hadn't been anyone worth her time.

When the meeting began, Temari had stopped searching the shadows.