Tati was running for her life. Just as Oji-sama had predicted as she had left the village she had been spotted by the enemy. She had quickly cut the throat of the first to spot her, but they just kept on coming. The last couple of days had been a constant cycle of running for her life and fighting for her life. Yet the enemy shinobi did not relent. In fact Tati almost thought there might be more chasing her than before.
I just have to get the scroll to Konoha, she thought as she stumbled along, If I do that they can save the village. She felt the enemy close in behind her and knew that she would have to fight again soon. But, she thought her breath coming in ragged gasps, my charaka is almost gone. I only have enough left to fight one maybe two, and thats assuming they're mediocre shinobi and not the skilled opponents from these past couple of days.
Tati continued to leap from tree to tree, trying desperately to increase her speed. She had to get the scroll to Konoha before the enemy caught up with her, because if they did then she and her village were done for.
It was at that moment that she miss timed her leap. She gathered charaka to her hands and managed to grab a branch as she fell. Unfortunately her left arm had been injured at some point over the last couple of days and no longer had the strength to hold her weight. Oh drat was all Tati could think before she crashed to the ground.
"Ha Ha, that hurt,"she breathed as she pulled herself out of the dirt, "Remind me to never to do that again." Tati held her head and closed her eyes to stop herself from seeing stars.
"I think you have other things to worry about right now," a voice nearby sneered. Tati opened her eyes with a groan and looked at the enemy around her. At a quick glance she knew three things.
One, they were the same enemy that had been following her for the past couple of days. Two, the looked extremely happy and uninjured when compared to herself. Three, there was definitely more than two and none looked mediocre.
"Great," she spat as she began sending whatever charaka she had left out and into the plant life surrounding her, "That's just great." Sorry Oji-sama, I almost made it, she thought sadly, then she attacked.
Kakashi was fairly relaxed as he jumped through the trees Icha Icha Paradise in his hand. The patrol was a simple mission that he couldn't have messed up if he tried. In fact Kakashi was fairly certain even Team 7 would have managed. Maybe. Then again...
Kakashi cringed as he considered all the possible ways that his students could have messed up the routine mission and thanked goodness that it was over without any trouble. Because, he thought as he made his way towards Konoha, even though he had only taken the mission due to Tsunade's threat of spending it solo or with Gai, he wasn't as against a simple mission as he had appeared. Like most jonin he was glad of the break a C or B rank mission offered. The only reason he hadn't snatched up the mission breif with glee was that he felt it was his duty as the lazy Copy-nin to complain somewhat.
It was like the way he was arriving a day late back to the village, it just didn't feel right if he got back on time. It was like...like... Jiriaja not peeking into the women's baths. Almost unnatural and unnerving. With that thought Kakashi slowed his pace slightly to better enjoy the masterpiece of literature that was the result of Jiriaja's 'research'.
It was then that he heard the sound of a battle. The yelling and clash of kunai were faint, but Kakashi's senses were shaper than the average shinobis. He sniffed and caught the sent of blood and sweat from up ahead and to his left.
"Hmm," Kakashi was curious. Not only that but he was worried about the proximity to Konoha. He adjusted his direction and increased his pace once more. Figuring he would need his full attention if the fighting proved serious or enemies of Konoha were involved, Kakashi reluctantly placed his book in his back pocket. He sighed, so much for a simple, trouble free mission.
The sounds of battle increased as he got closer and he slowed deciding to remain hidden until he had observed the situation somewhat. He heard voices and from a vantage point in one of the surrounding trees he looked down.
Below him were twenty or so shinobi who had surrounded another. The kunoichi in question seemed on the verge of collapse as she held a kunai and watched her attackers. Kakashi thought for a moment that her eyes had flickered in his direction, but dismissed it as her simply keeping an eye on her surroundings.
Observing the black haired kunoichi Kakashi was surprised to find nothing that would identify her village of origin. Her attackers on the other hand were obviously missing-nin from a variety of villages, and they all looked quite skilled. As he watched the one who seemed to be the leader stepped forward slightly. Kakashi tensed, he wanted to help her, but without a reason or order he couldn't. Shinobi generally didn't mess with the affairs of other shinobi. So he continued to silently watch.
"Come now, girlie. If you come with us quietly we might not have to hurt you," the leader smirked, "You're obviously at your limit."
So, Kakashi thought absently, they want a capture not a kill. Interesting, I wonder why? Ninja are incredibly curious creatures and Kakashi was no exception. I wonder what she'll do now, he thought.
She grinned, "So you think." Suddenly the plant life surrounding the battlefield erupted. Vines and tree branches lashed out at the attacking shinobi catching several of them off guard, including the leader. The kunoichi's attackers battled furiously with the greenery and as they destroyed a vine or plant Kakashi saw her react as if she was the one receiving the blow. The battle raged on for a few minutes until the plants stopped attacking. The kunoichi was slumped after what seemed to be her last attack surrounded by the fourteen shinobi that remained.
Kakashi for his part was shocked. While there were obvious differences the nature of the attack was incredibly familiar. His koihai Tenzou had a similar ability. Alright, he thought as he prepared himself, I think that's enough of a reason to get involved.
She was spent. Barely able to keep her head up she watched as those who remained after her attack slowly began to approach. She felt the weight of the scroll in her pocket and cursed herself for failing her village. She hadn't been able to reach Konoha in time to... Tati choked back a sob as she prepared herself to die. She was a ninja, a shinobi, so she would face death without tears. She raised her head to glare at the enemy.
"Poof!" Startled Tati stared at the man who had miraculously appeared before her. He stood in a slightly slouched position that would have seemed casual if it hadn't been for the slight tensing of his muscles. His sliver hair shot up in all directions. His face was masked and his left eye was covered by his village hiate. Looking more closely at his face she studied the symbol on his hiate. It looked like a leaf with a swirl inside, it seemed familiar, but as hard as she tried Tati couldn't remember were she had seen it before. I don't think he's one of the enemy, Tati thought suddenly, but then what is he doing here.
"Yo," the man greeted her attackers who seemed as surprised as she was, "I'm not sure if you're aware, but you are quite close to Konoha at the moment." He smiled, but it was tight.
"This is none of your business, Leaf brat," one of the attackers growled. The others seemed to agree and shifted their weapons into threatening positions. Tati, on the hand, began to hope. Konoha. He was from Konoha. Maybe she hadn't failed her mission quite yet.
"It's just that you're being so loud," he said as he casually pushed his hiate away revealing his eye. Tati studied his somewhat bored expression and saw that his left eye was red. The scar over his eye drew the attention of the attackers and Tati watched, curiosity burning, as a few of them cringed away when they saw his eye.
"We just want the girl. We have no quarrel with you," the cockiness had left the attackers and they now more closely resembled dogs with their tails between their legs. Tati smirked slightly as her head spun, serves them right.
"I don't think she feels up to going with you right now," he kept up the illusion of a polite conversation. His body moved into a stance as he made some hand signs. Suddenly blue charaka erupted from his hand crackling like lightening. He looked at her attackers all trace of civility gone, "Consider your mission a failure and leave."
Tati watched in slight awe as all fourteen of her remaining attackers left. Her head spun as she realized that she wasn't going die just yet. If she could just get this man the scroll then he mission would be complete and her village would have a chance. She watched as he dispersed his jutsu and returned to his slouched stance. She tried to take a step towards him, but he had to catch her as she collapsed.
She tried to reach into her pocket for the scroll, but didn't have the energy. She needed him to take it to the Hokage. Her village was in danger. She struggled to remain awake.
"...Konoha...ha...scroll...must...kage..." her breath came in ragged gasps as she struggled to make him understand. He was looking at her intently and she suddenly relaxed. She was exhausted, but alive, and momentarily, safe. Losing her battle with her own will she blacked out.