I
That night, as Naruto escorted Ushi back to the humble village which they now reside, and the moment after everyone met each other, a battle of words erupted. All the banter while the owls outside watch the night and the stars that embellish the black field.
First it began, when Ushi met Chitsuki, a problem Naruto had not anticipated.
"Traitor." Ushi began, and a harsh gaze was given. "I'm surprised that Naruto trusted you enough to take you in."
Chitsuki remain unfazed, and instead concentrated on helping Seshiro understand some basic techniques.
Curious, Naruto asked. "Why call her a traitor?"
"She stole a few forbidden scrolls."
That moment, Chitsuki turned around, "Those scrolls would have saved my parent's lives. I had to."
"...Your nation comes before your own personal importance. Think about it. What difference had it made? Your parents are dead anyhow." Ushi spoke, with a strange sinister glint in his worn eyes.
"A moment's misfortune. Who would have known they'd die of a disease? I did what I had to do." Chitsuki's face held no sorrow, no regret, something that doesn't seem to relate to the death of a person's parents.
"... No matter. We'll settle this some other day." Ushi looked at Naruto, "Explain the details to me, Naruto."
'Don't tell him yet. We need to fully understand this man's motivations first.' Kagizume answered.
"There will come a day when I will reveal the full details of what I know, but that day is not today. Today, we rest." Naruto answered, mimicking an old fable's way of speech, and he went to his room.
Slowly resting his head on the simple pillow, Naruto did a quick reflections of the day's events, and a draft for tomorrow's plan. Then, he closed his eyes, and slowly drift to sleep.
The night outside, dark and cold while the soft glow of the candle inside offers moments of warmth and hope. On that hard bed, the blonde goes to sleep, while the window outside is filled with the howls of the northern wolves, the chirpings of the birds and the silent chitter of insects and critters.
That night will soon be the longest night of his mortal life.
'Mark Of The Wild - Dreamweaver.'
II
Everyone looks at the same sky wherever they go. An old folk tale to keep hopes alive, but that is all there is to it.
Sakura knew that personally, as she herself had always hoped for Sasuke to return, thinking that whatever he becomes, he will still return and feel at home. But myths like this are made to be proven wrong, as she knew some things cannot be changed anymore. A truth that she finds hard to swallow, a bitter pill that will do her good in the long run.
Neji knew it too, and that was also why he revealed that Sasuke was not the Sasuke she knew anymore. Not cold, but vicious. One that puts the goal at the top, a monster that chases it's goals with the tenacity of a hungry beast hunting food. Facts must be taken. Naruto, after a year has yet to return, and to Neji himself, perhaps Naruto isn't just Naruto anymore.
Yesterday, was a day of bad news. Asuma, a jounin had just been severely injured, and could not be on duty for at least three months. Two chuunin teams had been annihilated due to an 'accident', further weakening Konoha's mission completion rate. Konoha is weakening, and so are many other nations.
In times of great peril, all goes wrong.