Author's Note: Hey everyone! First of all, thank you for all the reviews! I'm glad that everyone liked the last chapter. This chapter is going to be really exciting! I hope everyone likes it. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. :(

Last time: ""So, old man, what do you have for us today," she asked."

Chapter 10: Anko's "D-Rank"—Run for Your Life!

"I'm sorry, Anko-chan," the old Hokage said. "But, I can't give you a mission until Ibiki gives me a formal document saying that you're actually a secondary sensei."

Anko's body language goes into a deflated state, but then she jumps back up with fire in her eyes. The Genins under her care couldn't help but to flinch in fear.

"Well then, old man," she said. "If your not going to give us a mission, then I'll just create one myself!"

Hiruzen chuckled and said, "Just be gentle with them."

Anko nods, her mind not really on what was being said anymore. She was thinking more of what type of tortu—mission she could set up for her—Ibiki's genin.

"And, Anko," Hiruzen said in a commanding voice.

Anko looked at him; giving her commander her full attention.

"Keep them safe," he said.

"I will, old man," the eccentric woman said. "They'll be fine. We're going to have a lot of fun!"

"That's what I'm afraid of," the old monkey muttered as Anko lead her temporary team out the door by dragging them against their will.

Anko ended up dragging the poor genin all the way to training ground 44.

"This is my favorite training ground," she exclaimed. "Today we're going to replicate delivering messages in hostile territory! So, here's how it going to be! I'm going to give you a scroll when we reach the tower in the middle of the forest. From there, I'll give you a couple minutes head start, and you'll try to get the message to the person I specified in the scroll. However, I'm going to summon a ton of snakes that are going to oppose you! To complete the mission, you have to get the message to the person in five hours!"

Anko then shunshined all of them to the tower and threw the scroll into Kiba's hands with a quick "good luck".

The three genin quickly ran as fast as they could into the forest.

"Okay guys," Kiba yelled. "What's the plan?"

"We know she's going to send snakes after us," Shikamaru said. "So, we need to find a way to lose them… Naruto, do you think you could make some traps for us?"

Naruto nodded and started to pull out ninja wire.

"Kiba," Shikamaru said. "Do you know a way to fake our scents? We need a way to lead them away from us if they get through the traps."

Kiba bit his lip as he thought.

"Maybe," he said. "It's sure not fool proof."

"It'll have to do," the Nara sighed. "Can you work on that? I'm going to help Naru with the traps."

Kiba nodded.

It took about five minutes for the boys to make their traps while Kiba had Akamaru spread their fake scents throughout the forest. Soon they heard explosions and cries of pain behind them as they started to run again.

Every so often, they would hear snakes following them. They would take turns making traps and catching up to the others. However, it was soon evident that Akamaru's scent trails weren't working. It wouldn't take long for the snakes to reach them. And, to Shikamaru, it seemed like Anko was just playing with them.

"What are we going to do," Kiba asked. "This isn't working!"

"I'm thinking," Shikamaru said. "If my calculations are correct, were about .75 miles from the exit of the forest. If we push ourselves, we can be out of here in three or four minutes."

Naruto pulled on Shikamaru's shirt when they stopped to take a break.

"Naru, what's wrong," Shikamaru asked.

Naruto pointed behind them.

"I don't understand,"Shikamaru said.

Naruto looked a bit frustrated, but then his face held fear. Naruto pushed Shikamaru off the branch and Kiba jumped after him. However, soon the boys heard the tree cracking and the squelch of something tearing into flesh. The snake was a wrapped around Naruto, crushing him, and it's fangs were pierced deep into the blonde boys neck. For the first time in years, Naruto made a sound as his scream pierced the air. And, Shikamaru, his body filled with small cuts and bruises from his fall, wished it never happened like this because of the agonizing pain and terror that this sound produced. Kiba shivered and the newly arrived Akamaru whimpered. Then, much to their horror, Naruto started to cough up blood, partly from the venom and partially from his vocal cords being abused after not using them in so long.

Shikamaru started to shake in fear and self-loathing. Here was his best friend in agony, and he couldn't do anything. Then, his blood started to boil. The Nara laziness fell from his person, and his back straightened. His friend wasn't about to die. The shadow user immediately used Kage Mane to freeze the dog sized snake. Then he took out a kunai and threw it as hard as he could. The knife sunk into the head of the snake, dispelling it; leaving Naruto to collapse on the tree branch.

Naruto's body convulsed as the venom started to spread through his system. Froth started to form at his mouth, mixing in with the blood as his eyes rolled back into his head.

"Kiba," Shikamaru whispered, his voice shaking. "You don't happen to know first aid do you?"

The Inuzuka nodded and said in a small, quiet voice, "It's only basic and mainly used for our ninkens though. My sister beat it into my head in case things like this happened."

"Do you know anything about snake bites," Shikamaru asked, a lone tear falling from his eye.

"I-I think you're supposed to suck out the venom," Kiba said nervously.

Shikamaru nodded.

"We should get to some place safer," Shikamaru said.

Kiba nodded in agreement, his eyes glancing to his fallen teammate.

"If I ever see that lady again," Shikamaru said. "I'm going to kill her."