"I promise this will be the last time," she whispers gently.
It is dark and cold in this thickened forest, but the warmth of his proximity shines a reposing light that drowns out the shadowy eeriness of her surroundings.
When she places a gentle hand against his silky white mane, he breathes contently, as if her touch is the only comfort he will endure from this moment onwards.
"I'm sorry but I need you to deliver this message. You're the only one who can do it," she continues.
He watches her with a deepened gaze, as if he resents her orders but his loyalty is a preclusion to the anxious challenge ahead.
Her orders are never questioned. For protecting him, for giving him the care and nurture, and for his impending freedom, he will do it.
Even if it means facing the torturous experimenter that is her master. The experimenter who held this beautiful creature in his hands and stripped it of its power.
"I'll be waiting for you," she says softly.
And she watches the stallion go. His body disperses brightly into the wind as he joins the illumination of the celestial expanse.
x
"Amazing!"
"Don't even think about it," Deidara says.
Her eyes dart to the commotion, where a very defensive looking Deidara is shielding himself from a very eager looking Tobi.
Temporarily fazed by her short walk, it takes her several seconds to register the racket.
"Let's get this over with if it makes you shut up," Deidara continues.
He takes out a lump of clay and dumps it onto Tobi's outstretched hand.
With heated enthusiasm, Deidara shows his partner the art of clay moulding.
Five seconds later and a masterpiece lies before them - a tiny detailed bird sculpture that is ready to explode at will.
Tobi's first attempt is distasteful, and by the time he begins his fifth try, the impatience and frustration is palpable.
"Senpai! You make it look so easy. What am I doing wrong?" he says exasperatedly.
With rising vexation, he clasps the distorted clay so it goes back to a lump of mush.
Deidara sighs.
"I'm only doing this once so watch really carefully," he says evenly.
He takes Tobi's hands and steadily guides him.
It is a slow and delicate process that passively generates an intensive spark between the two.
And her piercing stare is so intense, she does not realise that her fingers have dug itself into the rough earth.
Why…
She tears away from the uncomfortable sight. The suffocating rage to rip the two apart is dangerously imminent.
Her ability to fathom the excruciating scene of this predicament is nulled, yet the uncontrollable aspect of her agitation is comprehending these feelings with superior ease.
And no matter how hard she tries, she cannot connect the two enigmas into any logical sense.
"Rin!" Tobi calls.
He approaches and lifts the bird sculpture to her face.
"Did you make this?" she asks softly.
"With help of course," he answers happily.
Immediately as it came, the smile falls from her face.
No, it can't be…