AN: well guys here we are at chapter 5 already, I'm really starting to get into this. I can't wait to see what happens next lol. Even as the author I don't really know what I'm going to have happen until it appears on the screen lol. I am thinking that I will only do about 10-11 chapters for this book and then continue on in a sequel. That may change but at the moment that is my plan. Anyways please enjoy!

Curses of My Father

Chapter 5 – Burning to Floating

Athena awoke in the morning and smiled feeling rested for the first time since they had entered Fire country. She didn't see her father when she got up and just assumed that he was either out training or grabbing them some food. As it turned out he was getting them some food for when he returned he had two bags of supplies for them.

"Come and eat up before we head off again." Orochimaru said to her watching as she smiled and nodded.

"Ok dad, we are heading out across Wave country now right?" she asked softly.

Orochimaru nodded at her and he began eating quickly. She always had loved food; he was sometimes surprised that she wasn't fatter than what she was. She took a quick shower after eating and then after the supplies were distributed between their two bags they were off.

They headed out of the border town and off towards one of the port cities to find a boat. They needed to move quickly, or at least that was how Orochimaru felt as he was feeling that ninja from Fire country might be following them after the incident the day before. He allowed small rests as they neared the port city but he didn't allow for more than 10 minutes of rest before insisting that they move onward.

Athena didn't question his motives for wanting to move quickly she simply did as she was told. Her obedience was both a blessing and a curse at times, at times like now it was a blessing but sometimes she followed direction too well growing up and would become single-minded in a task until it was complete.

It would mean that he couldn't do anything until she had finished the task before her, she had always been a very determined child and he had a feeling that quality would follow her all through her life. When it came time for her to be used as a weapon he only prayed that she would continue to be so determined.

"Look dad there's so many boats in the harbour!" Athena exclaimed drawing his attention from his musings to the fact that they had reached a port city with a harbour full of boats.

"Yes this is what most port cities look like, always full of boats and people." Orochimaru said smiling faintly, he couldn't help but have a soft spot for his only child. He would never have another child but he would also never truly become a soft-hearted person.

"Well I guess we should head down and see if we can find a boat to get through Wave country and then into Whirlpool country right?" Athena asked him.

"We will probably have to find another boat once we get into Whirlpool country, I'm sure we can find a boat that goes into Rice Field country for supplies and whatnot once we reach Whirlpool country." Orochimaru explained.

"Oh yeah I guess that would make more sense now wouldn't it?" She laughed nervously as she always did when she didn't realize something that she thought and/or felt should have been obvious.

"It's alright; don't get so down on yourself. This is all new for you; after all we have never left Demon Island before this. Only to go to the mainland for supplies, so try to just relax a bit and absorb any information that you can as we travel." Orochimaru said playing the good parent to the letter.

"Ok I will try my best," Athena agreed as they headed down a hill that led right to the docks. "Hey dad do you think we will make it to the Hidden Sound Village before my birthday?" she asked.

"If all goes well yes we should be there just a couple days before you turn 12." He replied cautiously.

"Awesome, I can't wait to learn a new jutsu for my birthday!" she exclaimed excitedly. He had forgotten that he had started teaching her a new jutsu technique every year for her birthday after she turned 9, it was a way to increase her skill slowly and to give her time to master a technique before trying to teach her a new one.

"You sure do enjoy learning don't you Athena?" Orochimaru asked her with a genuine smile. It was that thirst for knowledge that had led to him being forced from Konoha by the Third Hokage. It pleased him to no end that Athena had acquired that thirst for knowledge and understanding of things, it would make her an even better weapon when the time came for it.

They headed down to the docks and Orochimaru began talking to the fishermen to see if anyone would be willing to take them through the Wave country into Whirlpool. After about a half hour of asking around he managed to find someone who would give them a lift that very day. He smiled his evil smile as he helped Athena onto the boat so that they could get going.

His plans were working out well so far with only the one minor hiccup when they had been passing through the tail-end of Fire country. It was a blessing that so far they hadn't been pursued by any Fire ninja, it would be bad if it was found out that he had a daughter before he put her into play. Like a chess master watches the moves of his opponent and tries to think 3 moves ahead he was trying to save the best piece for last, and to him Athena was just that piece.

He could put her into Konoha and have her get close with someone there, or with the whole village if he so wanted, and then after she establishes good ties with them he would have her betray them and destroy the village from within creating madness, mayhem and destruction. His grudge with the village and not being made Hokage was like a red hot fire burning within him, he didn't care that he was using his daughter or if she even hated him when she eventually found out that he was going to use her.

As the boat left the harbour Athena stood up on the deck at the front enjoying the fresh salt water air in her face, she had never really gotten to enjoy such a simple thing before because they had never gone far from Demon Island. She had a happy smile on her face as she watched everything around her drift by, she couldn't wait to get to their part-way point and then head on to Rice Field country.

Orochimaru sat trying to figure out exactly how long it would take to get to the Hidden Sound Village and trying to make sure he had counter measures in place in case something came up. Planning ahead was crucial to his plans succeeding and he would stop at nothing to see his plans come to fruition.

Night fell quickly out on the open water bringing with it cooler temperatures and the need for light in order to avoid any outcroppings of rocks or shallow patches. Athena had gone down below deck after the last rays of the sun had faded and she headed to a bunk area to sleep. All the fresh air had made her rather sleepy and she was asleep within minutes of lying down, the gentle swaying of the large boat helping her to sleep.

The boat they had gotten on was a mini-freighter so it was bigger than a normal boat having an upper deck and below deck but it wasn't huge like the usual freighters were. It was perfect to remain inconspicuous to any ninja who might happen to be around, not that they would be a match for Orochimaru if he chose to fight them.

He finally went to sleep two hours after Athena had and he slept till sunup. Athena was already up by that point and making them some breakfast to eat. She was a good cook, another skill that had been carefully cultivated over the last couple of years. She may still be young but she was good at a great many things and showed signs that she might be able to become better at even more things.

"Dad are you awake yet? I made you some breakfast." Athena said in a soft voice, just on the off chance that he wasn't awake yet.

"Yes I am awake." Orochimaru said sitting up on the bunk he had chosen to sleep on. "We should eat and then go see how close to our destination we are." He added as he accepted the plate of food from Athena.

"Yeah that sounds like a good plan; hopefully it won't take us too long. I wanna see this village you mentioned in the Rice Field country." Athena said smiling.

"I'm sure that you will like it there, you will have a chance to have people around your age there." He replied not even knowing if there were any kids or preteens in the village now.

"Oh you mean I can have friends my own age father!" Athena exclaimed happily. The only friend she had ever had growing up was her own father and they had different interests due to age and maturity. She had never had anyone that she could just sit and play games with when she took a day off from training.

They finished their meal and then headed up above deck to see what the status was on their travels. The captain told them that they would be to their destination at around midday. The port city in Whirlpool would have another ship that would take them onward to their final destination in Rice Field country.

Athena was growing more and more excited for this trip to reach its conclusion, the thought of having friends was very appealing to her. At midday they reached the port city and it didn't take long to find a boat that would be leaving shortly for the Rice Field country, such was their luck.

Orochimaru seemed in far better spirits now and more relaxed as well. Athena was unaware of the danger that they had faced the entire time they had been travelling, outside of the minor issue in the tail end of Fire country.

It took another day to reach land but once there Orochimaru began leading his daughter through a country that he knew was safe. Athena was very quiet now as she took everything in around her. She looked up at the sky and couldn't wait to continue onto the Village hidden in the sound.

[AN: I am so sorry for the wait everyone, life kinda bit me in the butt, I hope to be able to get a chapter out every month at the least from this point onward. And thank you for sticking with me and this story. It means a lot to know people are enjoying my work.]