February 13th: The Breach - 100 words - Image prompt! XD

Chiaotzu had decided that he couldn't risk storming the Crane School to get Tien back. Not for a while at least. Shen would be on high alert. Chiaotzu needed to lay low, let the ripples settle. Let Shen think he'd won.

He also had to get the hell away from the Crane School. The pine forests that stretched around in every direction had initially seemed like a fairly safe bet, but after a few weeks he had grown tired of waiting on edge, sleeping with one eye open. Of being constantly afraid that Shen's cold voice would fill his ears, that a bony gnarled hand would grasp his arm.

InoShikaCho, despite the scars and the fear and the pain, had taken a lot of convincing to move on. It had been weeks of gentle coaxing before Chiaotzu had managed to get the beast to leave the forest and start heading south. They travelled in the early hours and the evenings, generally sleeping restlessly through the steadily hotter midday hours.

The pine forest had given way to rolling farmland and then to grassy ledges broken up by craggy cliffs. Far in the distance these ledges evened out and softened into sandy dunes, shimmering under the hot sun.

As they trudged through this uneven jagged landscape Chiaotzu looked around desperately for somewhere they could rest. There didn't seem to be a single tree, a single outcropping that they could shelter under. And the sun was beginning to burn his delicate white skin.

"We need to find somewhere to stop, Ino," he said. "Before the sun gets too high."

Ino grunted in acknowledgement. His delicate butterfly wings lay limply on his broad back, almost wilted from the heat. They climbed down another irregular step in the landscape, Chiaotzu gently grabbing Ino with his power to help prevent falls. And there, in the corner of his eye, lay a dark slash in the bright sandy coloured stone.

"Wait here, Ino."

InoShikaCho didn't argue, just lay on the ground and sheltered his snout beneath his forelegs. Chiaotzu approached the dark line which opened into an uneven breach in the stone. A trickle of cool air met his face as he leaned towards it. He poked his head in, breathing deeply, trying to scent out if anything else called this cavern home. All he could smell was dry stone. The air was clear, not musty or dark with the smell of animals. He could clearly see another series of fine cracks at the far end of this cave through which light filtered.

"Ino! Come here, I found something!"

Ino huffed, a short frustrated sound, but pulled himself up and trotted over. At the first whiff of cool air, however, he shouldered past Chiaotzu and into the dark. Chiaotzu followed cautiously, pausing to allow his eyes to adjust to the darkness, and found himself standing in a surprisingly spacious cave.

Ino had already lain flat on the sandy floor, recovering from the heat. It was smooth and even, stepping naturally between levels mirroring the landscape they had been climbing down all day. There was a trickling sound of water deep in the cave, gently rippling off the walls. It was beautiful in its simplicity.

This was definitely liveable. It was safe and secluded and hidden. It was far enough from the Crane School to be outside of Shen's radar, but still close enough that he could keep a quiet psychic watch on their comings and goings.

A smile relaxed his features. He would lay low for now. But he was going to get Tien back. One day.