Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
Thank you all so much for reviewing, and so quickly, too! Here, as promised, is the next chapter, in just under a week...yay!
Chapter 8
"Surrounded?" Hana asked, rubbing her still sleepy eyes as she got to her feet, "By whom?"
"You wouldn't know even if I told you," Kisame replied, doing his cloak up.
He and Itachi then shared a whispered conversation. Hana pestered Kisame's back with questions while Amaya closed her eyes and listened, trying to calm the sickly bad feeling inside.
Ignoring the sounds of her friend and the faint mutterings of the two men she focused on the rustling of the branches and leaves as the wind blew through them. She could hear the faint pitter-patter as the first light raindrops began to fall from the grey sky. Listening past that, further out into the forest there was the sound of snapping twigs and branches as something…slithered over them. A low, cruel laugh reached her ears.
Amaya's eyes shot open in surprise. She couldn't hear it anymore.
That was…weird… Was I imagining it? No, it sounded real…
Kisame and Itachi glanced over at her as they continued their talk.
"Amaya-chan? Are you okay?" Hana asked, giving up on ever getting an answer from Kisame.
"What? Yes, I'm fine, why?" Amaya was feeling on edge. They were surrounded by those snakes! She was sure of it! What else slithered? How could they all be so calm? And that laugh…it sent a shiver down her spine.
"You look a bit-," Hana started, but was cut off by Kisame.
"Okay, listen carefully. We are going to put you up a tree-."
"You're going to put us up a tree?" Hana questioned.
Kisame ignored her, "You will be silent. You will not move. Itachi-san is going to make a genjutsu to -."
"Genjutsu?" Hana interrupted again. That would teach him to cut in when she was having a conversation.
"An illusion, to hide you," Kisame continued, "If you move outside of the genjustu they will see you. If you make a sound, they will hear you-."
"Don't you have a big bird that we can just fly out of here on, or something? Like that Deidara guy?"
"No. So, as I was saying-."
"Shame…That was kinda cool."
"Be quiet!" Kisame growled, "You will have to stay still and silent. Clear?"
"What about you two?" Hana asked.
"You don't need to worry about that."
Two minutes later Hana and Amaya were both perched rather precariously in the higher branches of a tree. The wind seemed to be stronger up there and they both wobbled dangerously as they clung on. At least the foliage above them offered some shelter from the rain.
Huh, 'stay still' he says. Like that's possible. Uh, this is a stupid plan!
Amaya was not comforted as Hana chose a particularly strong gust of wind to point out that if they were to fall, they would most certainly die – unless, of course, someone happened to catch them again.
"I said 'silent' meaning, not a sound. Not even a squeak," Kisame shouted from below them.
"Hai, hai. What about this illusion thing, then? I can still see you," Hana called back, waving a hand at him.
"You can see us. Anyone on this side can't see you."
"Oh…"
"Now, quiet."
Amaya hated waiting. She felt as though something was creeping up on her from behind just waiting for the right moment to strike. Peering through the trees she strained her eyes for any movement that didn't seem to be caused by the wind.
Though she hated waiting she would much rather have waited forever than face what appeared before her.
She had been right. There were snakes. A quick mental count told her there were at least ten of them, each coming from a different direction. They formed a barrier of green scales and bright yellow eyes around Itachi and Kisame, who still hadn't moved and didn't seem fazed in the slightest that they could easily be snapped up and eaten whole.
They were all still. The snakes watching the men; the men watching the snakes; the two girls watching them all from above; a dark pair of eyes watched from the shadows; a pair of yellow eyes watched from the opposite side.
Amaya was just wondering how long the snakes would sit still and how long Itachi and Kisame would just stand there, when they all moved at one, as though someone had pushed a button and spurred them all into action.
The snakes all lunged forwards, fangs bared. Kisame grinned and swung Samehada in a wide arc, glad to finally get into the action. Itachi disappeared from view, only to appear in the air a moment later, crimson eyes blazing.
Wide-eyed at the speed both Itachi and Kisame were moving, Amaya tried to follow the battle, but soon found that they were too fast for her eyes to follow, so she settled for catching glimpses of them here and there.
A snake fell, its heavy body crashing to the ground as its yellow eyes closed. Itachi landed beside it for a split second before disappearing again. Another crashed beside Kisame, who seemed to be enjoying himself and immediately launched himself at another snake.
As the wind blew again Amaya's vision was blocked for a moment by her hair – but that was the least of her worries.
There was a loud thump followed by a creak from below as the tree wobbled. Still holding onto the branch as best she could with one hand, Amaya pulled her hair out of her eyes and peered downwards.
The snake Itachi had been fighting had been throw backwards by his attack and hit the tree. It seemed that wasn't enough to stop it though, as it moved back towards him. He moved, appearing behind it. The snake lashed at him with its tail, but he was gone again and it missed – missed Itachi, that is; it hit the tree again instead.
Amaya's face paled as the tree shook and creaked again. She could have sworn it was no longer standing straight.
She let out a small sigh of relief as Itachi and the snake moved away. However, her relief was short lived. Kisame dealt the final blow to another snake, sending it skidding across the ground. It could have hit any number of trees, but as luck would have it, it came crashing into the same tree that Hana and Amaya were watching from.
It seemed that the poor tree couldn't take much more, and it was definitely leaning to one side now. There was a loud ripping sound as the tree cried out in protest, its roots torn from the ground as it began to fall.
The two girls turned their heads slowly and they stared at each other for a moment.
"Uh-oh," they said together.
Clinging on for dear life they felt the tree falling beneath them. Amaya let out a cry as she lost her hold. Rapidly falling through the branches of the tree she lost sight of Hana and gained a number of scratches and bruises.
The tree got caught on the one next to it, jolting it and causing Hana to let go too, leaving it standing at a very unnatural angle.
Amaya was aware for a moment that she now falling through air, rather than tree, before she bounced off something that was semi-soft and landed heavily on her back.
She lay still for a moment, eyes closed and breathing heavily. Her heart seemed to stop when there was a loud thump beside her. There was silence.
"ITAI!!"
She smiled, glad that her friend was okay. Opening her eyes she wiggled her arms and legs to check that nothing was broken and got to her feet glancing up at the snake while brushing the dirt off her self.
Good job that snake broke my fall.
She looked over at Hana, who was also getting to her feet. Then she froze, slowly turning her gaze back.
The though repeated itself, that snake broke my fall.
Hissing, its yellow eyes shone dangerously and it opened its mouth, flashing its dangerous fangs at them. With no desire to be snake food, Amaya took a few steps backwards.
"Hana-chan…" she started.
"Run!" Hana finished.
Amaya was sure she was running on pure adrenaline. She was hungry, tired and thirsty but she didn't stop. She also made sure not to look back, as she would probably just end up running into something or tripping over again.
It reminded her of the first night that they were kidnapped. Running through the forest with a bad feeling, their clothes catching and their legs aching, except this time she had an odd sense of…safety. Itachi and Kisame weren't just about to let them get killed, and whatever their motives, she didn't care. They wouldn't let them die, and right now that was good enough for her.
Itachi saw the tree fall and felt the two girls run off, closely followed by a snake. Killing the one he was fighting he looked over to Kisame, who nodded in understanding, before heading after them.
He had only taken a few steps before a voice behind him made him stop.
"Leaving so soon?"
Itachi didn't reply, but silently turned to face the owner of the voice.
"Hisashiburi, Itachi-san, Kisame-san."
"Orochimaru. I was wondering when you'd show yourself," Kisame shouted from where he was standing on the head of a very angry looking snake, "How about crawling back into your hole and dying?"
"As loud and rude as ever, I see," Orochimaru called back.
"And where's your minion?" Kisame asked, ignoring the comment.
"You mean Sasuke-kun?" Orochimaru watched Itachi carefully. The tiniest twitch of his hand was his only reaction to hearing his little brothers name.
"No, I meant the other one."
"Ah, Kabuto? He's…busy at the moment." Orochimaru's laugh rang through the trees, cut off by Itachi's kunai which buried itself in his head, reducing him to a mere pile of mud.
The real Orochimaru still hiding himself in the shadows smiled. That should be long enough.
Itachi headed in the direction that Amaya and Hana had gone, leaving Kisame to finish the snakes.
He glanced at the sky as a loud crack of thunder rolled through the cold night air.
Amaya screamed. A long, sharp fang buried itself deep into her shoulder.
Sadly adrenaline hadn't been enough and the snake had easily caught up with them. Glancing over her shoulder, Amaya had seen the snake snap at them. They'd both managed to dodge it the first time. But it had thrown itself at them again, and she had been too slow.
"Amaya!" Hana pulled Amaya with her as the snake came at them again. She gasped, knowing that she couldn't move both of them out of the way in time. Instead she pushed Amaya away from her; away from the snake. The only sound she made was 'umph' as she was knocked unconscious by a lash from its tail.
Looking up from where she had fallen to the ground Amaya saw someone appear beside her friend. It was a man. He had silver hair, his dark eyes taking them both in as he pushed his glasses back up his nose.
Without a word he picked Hana up and jumped onto the snake, only sparing another glace for her before the snake started moving.
Why doesn't it attack him? Who is he?
"Wait!" She choked out, gritting her teeth against the burning pain as she forced her self to her feet.
"Wait! Hana-chan! Hana! HANA!" She stumbled after them but it was no use. She watched as the snake was swallowed up by the forest.
Her legs gave out beneath her and she fell to her knees, breathing heavily. A tear crept its way down her cheek.
"Hana…"
...Oh dear...
Poor Amaya-chan, she always seems to end up getting hurt... Poor Hana-chan, too, what will happen to her? And now Orochimaru is after them too?
I think we're in need of a few answers... Perhaps we'll get some in next chapter...
Oh, 'Hisashiburi' means 'Long Time No See'...
Anyway, please leave me a review!