Hello :)

I'm very sorry to have kept you waiting so long. But now I have a long chapter for you. Maybe I will upload a second one in the afternoon if there is enough time. Thanks for the extra views and favs. I would also be very happy about one or the other comment ;)

best regards

Soleira

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We ran and ran, stumbled, fell, helped ourselves up and rushed on. While Shino helped Kiba, I carried Hinata through the huge forest. The Hyjuga was clearly more battered than I was. Again, and again her eyes fell shut, while her breathing was hectic and irregular. A strained gasp escaped her lips. She began to cough and spit up blood. Abruptly, I stopped.

„Stop Shino. Hinata is hurt," I called forward.

„We all are," the Aburame returned, unimpressed, and I gritted my teeth.

„I know you are, but there's something wrong with her," I insisted stubbornly, and Shino actually paused. He leaned Kiba against the nearest tree, which slumped there slightly, but kept us in sight out of the corner of his eye.

Quickly Shino stepped towards us, pushed up Hinata's sleeve with energetic movements and froze in mid-motion. His hands began to tremble unnaturally as he looked at Hyjugas arm.

There, just in front of her elbow, was a large purple spot which seemed to spread further and further. A strange, pungent odour emanated from that spot. I flinched and my thoughts filled with only one feeling. Anger. Kankuro had poisoned Hinata. My fingers clenched into fists. I had rarely experienced anything so devious before. To pretend kindness to me, and then to poison Hinata...

A tremor went through my body and I hit the ground with my full fist, ignoring the pain. Felt only disappointment and anger.

Never again would I trust someone just like that. All the beautiful moments I had had with the Suna-Nin were wiped out. They meant nothing to me. At least not anymore.

I hurriedly pulled two cloths out of one of my pockets and tied them to the left and right of Hinata's elbow. As tightly as I could. Maybe it would keep the poison from spreading a little further.

Then I took out a third one and ran cool drinking water over it. Carefully, I placed it on the Hyjugas forehead and handed the bottle to Shino before resolutely standing up.

„Try to prevent her from getting a fever somehow," I said tersely, turning to Kiba. With a few steps, I was at his side.

With a confused look, he regarded me. I had made my decision and I knew that the team would not approve it, but there was only this one way out. We needed an antidote and we needed it now.

„There is only one way to stop this poisoning," I continued, but Kiba began to shake his head violently. He was reluctant to let a single team member go off, as was Shino, who now also stepped up to my side.

„You won't. If they catch you, you're as good as dead," Kiba objected, but I shook my head and smiled slightly.

„They won't. No one's ever caught me before, and it will stay that way."

The Inuzuka swallowed and looked at me with ever-increasing realization in his eyes.

„Tora were you the...?"

But I skipped over his question. Because we really didn't have time for that now.

„You take care of Hinata and don't worry, I know best how to steal. You've already seen that."

Hesitantly, Kiba nodded and immediately frowned in pain. Upon closer inspection, I saw that a large bruise was emblazoned on the back of his neck.

Apparently Temari had knocked him down from behind.

„Fine, but you stay invisible and suppress your chakra."

I nodded. Just then, Shino's words made me feel like a little girl being admonished by her teacher. But I had not intended anything else. If I stood out, then I could sign my suicide mission right away. I would certainly not be able to escape Gaara's team again.

With a strained groan Kiba got up and stood swaying in front of me. The good one could use a big cap of sleep now. Hopefully, at least he'd be feeling better by the time I got back.

„No shit if you don't come back...who am I going to fight with? Then it'll get really boring around here," he grinned in a pained manner, holding the back of his neck again. I couldn't help but grin. Kiba would miss me, well that was quite an announcement.

„Oh yes," I said, rummaging for the scrolls, but Shino held my hand tightly. Unaffected as ever, he looked at me, but something gentle resonated in his voice as he began to speak.

„Keep them. They will be better off with you than here. We are vulnerable while you are invisible..."

I looked at him thoughtfully. We hadn't even thought about hiding a little. My gaze fell on one of the huge trees with the overhanging roots. I nodded my head in that direction.

„Go down over there and stay hidden. That way you won't be seen so quickly and...wait I have an idea...", I said and hurriedly shooed my comrades under the roots.

„Veil of invisibility," I said, and before my eyes the figures of my teammates began to blur.

„If you leave the protection of the roots, this jutsu will dissipate and expose you to all sorts of danger. So, you'd better stay under cover," I warned.

„Sorry. Actually, I should have used it before the attack. So, it's my fault that this happened".

„Stop it," Kiba angrily contradicted me. „This behaviour is really annoying. None of us are to blame for this. After all, we can't smell being attacked so quickly and sneakily. Not a sound did they make. They were just there."

A shiver ran down my spine at Kiba's words as my mind went crazy at what was said. I began to imagine all sorts of things about the attack, until finally I began to stop myself. I clenched my teeth tightly to turn away from my team and disappear into the forest.

The trees rushed past me only in such a way. With an attentive look I retraced our tracks and finally landed on the former battlefield. Of course, the Suna-Nins had already moved on, why should they stay at this place. Perhaps they had already finished their examination and had left for the tower.

But here, too, the traces of another fight could be seen. Three dead bodies lay here not far from me. It seemed as if their bodies had been crushed by something very strong. A terrible suspicion came over me as I looked at the light-coloured sandy remains that lay around the corpses.

Gaara.

Who else had such power, and on top of that, the ability to control sand to his liking? So cruel. Although he had explained to me a little why he had become like this, I still didn't understand his nature. How could he be so cold that the lives of others were of no value to him?

The meaning of life...

Hadn't he looked a little strange when I mentioned it? Did his possibly have something to do with killing? I did not know it, could only conjecture. But actually, I should not care about this topic now.

„Now do not cry around Kankuro. It doesn't matter if the girl dies from it. At least it's one less team."

At this cold sound I flinched twice. On the one hand because of the expression and the fact that I had just found Team Suna.

But they were very close.

Too close.

Ducked, despite the invisibility, I crept in the direction from which I had heard Gaara's voice. The sight, which offered itself to me, frightened and surprised me at the same time. Kankuro and Gaara were standing so close to each other that they were almost touching. Angered, the dark-haired looked down on his younger brother, who returned the look with cold indifference. But I sensed that this was not so. That something deep inside Gaara was agitated, like a dark threat hanging over our heads waiting to descend.

„You fool. Have you forgotten why we are here in the first place?"

Kankuro growled softly, anger flaring in his dark eyes.

„On top of that, we should try to get a few Konoha nin out of the way if possible, that would make our entry into the finals a lot easier," Gaara said coldly.

Temari and I winced at the sound of the voice. An icy coldness resonated in it, so expressive that I felt like I was freezing inside. Masses of white shivers ran down my spine and I knew inwardly that I had to do something now. Because time ran away from me, ran like sand through my fingers and I could not reach for it. Couldn't get the time back.

Carefully, I crawled back a few steps and created three shadow clones in the form of the genin from whom we had "received" the scroll. That should work. Hastily I climbed the next tree, which turned out to be a bit more difficult with blocked chakra. Plus, the fact that I was not allowed to make the slightest noise.

Attentively focusing on the situation, I had the shadow clones move away from the hiding place and in different directions. Deliberately, one of them stepped on a branch and the sound just echoed ghostly in the trees. The Suna-Nins looked up. Their discussion seemed forgotten.

The general attitude had changed as well. Focused, they listened to every possible sound. And then by a shorthand movement I let the doubles run off. As fast as possible. Tensely I watched how one Suna-Nin after the other ran past my tree. They also split up. Inwardly, I cheered. It went according to plan. Then I started to follow Kankuro.

He was easy to find, he didn't seem to care much about running inconspicuously through the undergrowth. And so, I found him and the clone in a small clearing, far away from the place where I had separated the Suna-Nins. This would hopefully buy me some time now.

Kankuro stood diagonally in front of me, but only had the clone in view. His puppet was already flying towards him. Anger welled up in me when I saw the poison flashing treacherously on the blade. With clenched fists I released the invisibility and let my chakra run free. I let it flow through my legs and charged. Directly towards the big Suna-Nin. I took all my anger with me, putting it into the power I was about to use.

When he noticed me, it was already too late. Desperately he tore the puppet around, but I was already in front of him. With full force I thundered my fist against his chin and tore the ground from under his feet. There was a crash as he hit the earth a good distance away from me.

But I didn't give him time to get up. Before he could even look up, I was over him, pinning his hands to the ground as I pressed my kunai to his throat.

„That was for Hinata," I growled angrily, increasing the pressure so that Kankuro groaned slightly in pain.

The Suna-nin was still too dazed to stand up. The beginnings of a bruise were already starting to appear on his chin. Ha! The blow had hit home.

„Listen. I can explain it to you Tora," he gasped, but I didn't loosen my grip at all, instead ordering the clone to support me, I was too light to be able to keep Kankuro on the ground in the long run.

„Oh yeah? How are you going to excuse the fact that my friend and teammate is now dying?", I hissed, and a thin thread of blood ran down his neck. But he didn't move, just looked at me. Pain and ... something else I couldn't interpret were in his gaze but caused me to withdraw the kunai a little.

Not completely, though. My anger had still not subsided. Instead, it blazed ever stronger and more burning than before in me. Now my hands gripped the kunai tighter again and Kankuro began to stir a little under me. His gaze wandered back and forth between the knife and my eyes. If he was looking for pity or mercy, I was the wrong person. He had deceived me and betrayed my trust. That would not happen again.

„I'm really sorry about that, I didn't mean to hit her, it's just that Gaara..."

„I don't care what he said or ordered," I said gruffly, „Aren't you the older one and old enough to make your own decisions?"

„You think it's that easy? You try living with someone who threatens you, controls you, and whose uncontrolled outbursts you just can't judge," he spat angrily, and I flinched.

Memories washed over my thoughts. I saw myself. Huddled in a corner of the house, my father's looming shadow over me. Tear-stained face, reddened eyes. Features tense with fear. Trembling limbs and hands raised protectively in front of my head. Fearful whimpers and a silent cry for help.

A film of sweat formed on my skin and I flinched from Kankuro. Held my head and tried to push back all the painful memories. Tears streamed down my cheeks and wet my skin. I tasted salt. Too much I would like to just turn around and get out of here, but my limbs were shaking too much to move.

Warm hands rested on my shoulders and I looked into brown eyes. Kankuro had leaned down and was looking at me. There was an unfamiliar softness in the dark irises that I almost recoiled from. The warmth calmed me immensely, driving the chill of fear and despair from my limbs. Roughly, I wiped my sleeve over the tear tracks and snorted in frustration.

What a crybaby I was. I couldn't even keep my own feelings in control, and in front of Kankuro, with whom I had just been fighting. It almost seemed to me that he didn't even want to fight me, the way he was facing me now.

„Here," he said, and pressed something into my hand.

It was cool and slick, but I didn't need to open it to know what it was.

„Take it and get out of here. Gaara will be back soon and then you shouldn't be here Tora." I swallowed and nodded at the same time. There he was again, the old Kankuro, not wanting to show anyone who was behind the mask of coolness and arrogance.

He was right. I had already let far too much time pass, because Hinata's life was still in my hands. Flowing away. So precious and important. Now I had to hurry.

„Thank you Kankuro. I hope I'll never be wrong about you again," I said, and ran off.

I no longer saw the sad smile that was now creeping into his face.