Chapter Six
The next day was awkward for both of them. She couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye and he was curt with her due to his overwhelming embarrassment. Still they made good time on the journey. After all, running through the forest, side by side, required no talking and very little eye contact.
They stopped for food and water twice during the day and were about to make camp when Karin tackled Suigetsu to the ground.
Before he could voice his angry exclamation, Karin had hauled him behind a tree and covered his mouth, leaning against him to stop him from moving. She pressed herself against the trunk of the tree, her body tense with fear.
It wasn't until he heard the howl of a dog that he realized what was happening.
"We know you're there." An authoritative voice called through the shadows. "Step out where we can see you clearly."
Suigetsu smirked behind her hand and Karin stared up at him incredulously. She, herself, was trembling at the prospect of being captured and he, he was amused?
"We have you surrounded. Now, step out into the clearing." The voice commanded.
Suigetsu let out a muffled noise as he brought his hand up to remove Karin's. She shook her head, growing more tense with each passing second. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders and gave her a comforting squeeze before removing her hand and clasping his own around it.
"Don't worry so much." He whispered to her, then he lead her around the tree.
"Kiba! I beat you! Pay up!"
The Konoha ninjas relaxed slightly, with a few rolling their eyes as Kiba Inuzuka groaned and began digging in his pouch for some cash.
"You only won 'cause I was on a mission when they discovered she'd left." He grumbled as he proffered up the money.
"What's going on? What are you talking about?" Karin asked nervously, stepping closer to Suigetsu and using him as a shield against the Leaf shinobi.
Suigetsu let go of her hand to count the money. "Kiba said I had no chance of beating him if we were after the same thing. But I found you." He crowed gleefully. "Which means, you're coming with me, and not going with him."
"This is a bet to you?" Karin demanded indignantly.
The surrounding ninja stilled, readying for a confrontation.
"No, of course not." Suigetsu scoffed, still counting the money, "Fair's fair. You're in my custody now."
"So, you're my jailer?"
The sound of hurt that was laced through her voice caught his attention and he turned to face her, all thoughts of the money gone.
"What do you expect? You are a prisoner." Kiba snorted.
He stepped back when he found himself nose to tip with Suigetsu's sword.
"Shut up." Suigetsu snarled, before turning back to Karin.
"It's political, you know." He said quietly, his eyes trained on her face, "The Mizukage made a deal."
"And I'm just supposed to be okay with it?" Karin stated shrilly.
There were assorted mutters from the leaf ninja, which were silenced by the slight turning of Suigetsu's head.
"You don't have a choice." Kiba said harshly, not liking how the situation was progressing. Suigetsu snarled at him again and waved his sword menacingly, but Kiba stepped around it and towards Karin.
"Personally, I'd give up the act and accept the situation." Kiba stated, ignoring Suigetsu's growl. "At least with him, you might not end up in a cell."
Karin's eyes flickered between them, before she turned and darted away. A few of the ninja moved to follow but Kiba waved them off, sending Akamaru instead.
"What do you want, Kiba?" Suigetsu growled.
Kiba turned to face him, "We were sent to find her. Now that we know you've reached her ahead of us, our mission is to escort you to the border."
"Both of us?"
Kiba nodded.
"And all of you?"
Kiba nodded again, slightly confused and becoming agitated.
"And I'm supposed to be okay with that!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Asked Kiba, his eyes narrowed.
"She's fucking terrified of you people!" Suigetsu yelled, "You broke her!"
The Leaf ninja looked back stolidly, unmoved by the outburst and the new information. But when no one else said anything, Suigetsu continued.
"And we're just supposed to travel with you now?"
"Yes." Another voice stated calmly. Suigetsu turned to see Shino Aburame step out of the shadows. "Are we to let possible enemy ninja stroll through our country? No, that would be most unwise."
Suigetsu grunted.
"You'll ruin everything." He muttered as he put his sword away.
Kiba grinned and clapped him on the shoulder, "We won't be making it any worse than you've been doing by yourself."
"Eh? What's that mean?" Suigetsu asked in confusion.
"Dude, I can smell you." Kiba chuckled, "It's obvious you had a rough night."
Suigetsu scowled as Kiba smirked and continued, "That smell hangs off you. On her, not so much."
"Shut up!" Suigetsu growled, reaching for his sword again. Shino prevented him from drawing it.
"Will that help you situation with Karin? No, it will not."
Suigetsu growled, but Shino was insistent. There was a howl in the distance and Kiba stopped laughing.
"I think someone should go after her now." His observed solemnly, looking pointedly at Suigetsu.
"We will make camp." Shino stated, "You will return here."
Annoyed at being so clearly dismissed, Suigetsu, nonetheless, turned and left the clearing, following the trail that Karin had made earlier.
Karin had left the clearing upset, annoyed, scared and hurt. She was upset that she had no control over her life, but Suigetsu did. She was annoyed because she should have realized this sooner without having to be told as bluntly as Kiba had done. She was scared that, despite Suigetsu's presence, she might still end up back in Konoha, in their interrogation chamber or in a jail cell. But above all else, she was hurt.
Hurt that finding her had been a game between two juvenile ninja boys.
Hurt that Suigetsu had found her because of some political deal between two powerful women that she'd insulted.
Hurt because when she'd left the clearing, Suigetsu hadn't followed her.
Hurt that no-one seemed to want her for her.
She knew that she'd been followed, so there was no point trying to escape. The large, white hound that shadowed her through the trees kept his distance but was no less threatening because of that. So, she had moved far enough away from the clearing that she couldn't hear the words they were saying and, hopefully, they wouldn't hear her crying.
She hated that she felt this lonely, that she was even aware of being alone. It was difficult to believe that she was sitting here; drowning in self-loathing and self-pity, when just over a year ago she was a member of an infamous and dangerous organization that posed a threat to the ninja world.
She let out a bitter laugh, realizing how far she'd fallen. Her voice cracked and she covered her mouth to stifle a sob, leaning forward to her knees as her emotions burst out of her.
The hound stepped up beside her, sniffing at her face then nuzzling her hair. Obviously, he was affected by her mood. She turned away from the intruding wet nose, hunching down next to a tree stump, trying to stop the sobs that were racking her already tired body.
She gave up trying when the hound howled; leading to an explosion of wails as the emotional dam she'd built burst open.
"Karin?"
"Go away!" She screamed, turning away from him, unable to control herself anymore, though a small voice pointed out that, yes, he had followed her, just as she'd hoped.
That voice was ignored.
"Karin."
His voice was soft as he said her name. His hands were gentle when he reached for her. It was so at odds with the person she knew as Suigetsu. She held her breath, trying vainly to stall the sobs, as she wiped the tears from her eyes so she could see him properly.
"Suigetsu?"
"I'm here, Karin."
"It's really you?"
"Who else would it be?" He smirked, though his eyes looked sad. He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, wiping away a stray tear with his thumb. Then he was knocked backwards as she crashed into his chest.
"Don't let them take me!" She pleaded, her fingernails dragging down his shirt as she stared up at him earnestly.
He stared down at her for a moment, shock evident on his face, then he hugged her close.
"I promise. I won't."
He carried her back to the clearing where the Konoha ninja had set up camp. She'd worn herself out emotionally and had fallen asleep. Coupled with the day's travel, Suigetsu doubted she would wake before morning. He arranged their bedding away from the others, and lay her down.
But he found himself unwilling to leave her.
So he sat, leaning against a tree, with Karin resting at his side, watching the Leaf shinobi go about making dinner and securing the site.
Not long after, Kiba brought two plates of food over to him.
"Here." He offered, "It's better than cold rations."
Suigetsu took the plate, though he hesitated eating any. Kiba glanced down at Karin then sat next to Suigetsu and took a spoonful. After he'd swallowed, Suigetsu began eating.
"She alright?"
Suigetsu shook his head. "You know, I always thought you Leaf guys were wusses."
"You what?" Kiba spluttered.
"Sasuke was always saying, 'don't kill anyone' or 'leave them alive'. I figured, it was a Leaf thing." He shrugged, "They don't teach mercy in Mist."
"And you brought this up because?" Kiba growled.
Suigetsu took another mouthful and inclined his head towards his sleeping partner. "You broke her."
"You weren't kidding?"
Suigetsu barked out a harsh laugh, "A year ago, she would have bashed my head in, just for walking near her." He pushed his food around the plate, suddenly pensive, "She was one of the strongest people I know, and now she's..." He waved at her, as she slept on.
A shadow loomed over them and an emotionless voice said, "She doesn't appear to be broken. She is fully intact, as far as I can see."
The two males looked up at the newcomer and Kiba rolled his eyes.
"A person can be whole physically and still be broken, Hanabi. The byakugan can't measure mental distress."
"I can see chakra." Hanabi continued, disagreeing with Kiba's opinion. "Mental distress would be a visible disruption in her system, which I can see."
Kiba grunted, annoyed with the young Hyuga and her high opinion of herself. Suigetsu stared up at her in disbelief and contempt.
"Are you saying that I'm wrong? That I don't know my own teammate?"
Hanabi considered this, before nodding. "Yes."
"Because you're never are wrong, are you, Hanabi?" Kiba jeered.
The Hyuga's eyes narrowed dangerously. But before she could defend herself, Shino cut her off.
"Do you know Karin's unique skills? No, I believe you do not." He stated, approaching them from the side. "Kiba tracks by scent, you by sight. Karin is a chakra sensor."
Hanabi glanced down at the sleeping woman then back up to the team leader.
"To be able to sense something outside yourself, you must first be able to control yourself."
"Her chakra control could be greater than Sakura's, even." Kiba added, before muttering that the comparison was similar to this girl and her sister.
"If she can control her chakra that well, why can she not control emotional distress?" Hanabi asked fiercely, unwilling to drop the subject with her losing the argument.
"Everyone needs down time." Suigetsu replied quietly.
"What?"
"Can you walk around with your eyes switched on all the time?" Suigetsu asked, while Kiba chuckled at his description. Hanabi's gaze flickered between the two boys then down to the sleeping woman as understanding dawned.
"If you are done?" Shino placed a heavy hand on Hanabi's shoulder, steering her away, "You have the first watch."
Hanabi nodded and left the circle of the campfire. Shino turned back, indicating that he wanted to discuss something with Kiba, who finished his food and stood up. Suigetsu set his plate to the side, before settling himself in for the night.
Suigetsu was awoken before dawn. He startled awake only to have a hand cover his mouth. Karin's face appeared in front of him, holding a finger to her lips as she indicated they should leave as quietly as possible. He removed her hand, attempting to state their options but she shushed him with such a look of desperation on her face that he quietly acquiesced to her wishes.
They moved out of camp, carefully avoiding the sentry, and traveled a few hundred metres before Suigetsu pulled her up short.
"What is it?" She asked, glancing back anxiously to see if they were being followed.
"We can't leave yet." Suigetsu replied.
She jerked round to face him, a horrified look on her face. He reached for her but she slipped out of his grasp.
"Karin?" He stepped toward her but she backed away, shaking her head. "Karin. We have to travel with them."
"No!"
"Yes, we have to!"
"NO!"
"Karin!" He trapped her against a tree and she beat against his chest. "Karin, we have no choice. They're going to follow us anyway!"
"So, let them follow!" She shrieked.
"Don't be stupid! Karin!" He pushed her against the tree, forcing her to look up at him, "If we sneak out of camp, they'll follow and we will both end up in cells in Konoha!"
"Only if they catch us!" She insisted.
"Which they will!" He snarled. "You know you're not at a hundred percent, and I can't carry you and make good time. You know that! They've brought their best trackers to find you! It was just our good luck that I found you first!"
Karin stared up at him, blinking rapidly, trying to prevent the tears from spilling down her face.
"We've just about run out of luck, Karin." Suigetsu continued softer, wiping a stray tear away. "We have less than a week to reach the river and we can't do that and cross the river without their help."
"Why not?" She pleaded.
"We'd be worn out before we left the Fire country. If we go with them, they can take care of the campsites and we'll be able to rest properly, which means we can move further in a day."
Karin bit her lip, looking away from him but he raised her chin again.
"I know you don't like this, Karin. But you need to trust me. This is our best option right now." She looked away again and shrugged.
"Hey, come on. At least you won't have to eat my cooking anymore."
Suigetsu almost sighed with relief when a small smile appeared on her face, even though she turned her head away to hide it. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly, and tried to ignore the way she clung to him.