This is a teaser chapter, a semi-chapter, a baby chapter. Because I'm horrible. Don't hit me!
P.S. The italicised bits are meant to be Hogo's dreams when she's slipping in and out of consciousness. Goodies. ENJOY!
The world was a fixation of shadows pinned down and writhing to be set free, clouds dancing above her. She had fallen into the centre of the earth and it was dark and cold. Her vision blurred and a knifeblade of clarity hit her and told her she should be dead. Perhaps she was caught in some kind of stasis before death, although stasis it could not be because the sky was moving too fast and she too, was moving. But still all was dense and thick, but intangible as smoke. The clouds continued to race across the shadows and the subtlest of hissings filled her ears. Cold held her in a numbing grip only briefly before a more complete darkness loomed in to shroud her mind in sleep once more. Before it did, she could distantly hear someone crying...
She had never seen her father cry before.
It added to the terror that had been filling her, up from her toes, through her stomach and into her throat, making her feel like she was drowning. The terror that had been filling her ever since her mother had left that night, and everyone had looked so serious. She had been meant to be asleep, she was being naughty she knew, and expected a scolding when her mother exited the Conference Room and caught her trying to sneak away. Instead her name was called, soft and kind as the embrace that enveloped her, something to sink into and find safety from anything. She did not understand why her mother's eyes were so thoughtful, why the stroking of her hair was so lingering a touch. Her mother was wearing her ANBU clothing and she remembered the bleached white, expressionless face of the cat mask looming over her as she was put to bed, and her mother kissed her goodnight.
Maybe it was that cold bone-like catface without eyes that had given her nightmares, but she had not slept long. And when she left her room once more the shadows and the darkness seemed that much more frightening because she knew her mother had left for the night on a mission. Her own home was stretched monstrous in the nighttime, not something that mattered normally because her father had taught her that fear was weakness, so she was not allowed to be afraid. But tonight, the air was caught up in her chest and everything was far too silent. She had tiptoed down the platforms, even the gentle patter of her own feet impossibly loud in this thick angry silence. Then it had all been far, far too loud as the Bell at the gatehouse of their home was rung, a harsh pealing clang that caused her to cower back into a corner as golden light forced the shadows to slink back, servants throwing open doors and running to the entrance. The clamour of dozens of feet and yelling voices made her heart pound and she crammed her fists over her ears, squeezed her eyes shut against it. Something inside her screaming because something must be wrong, no one rang the bell, it was nighttime and everyone was yelling and rushing to the gates.
When she peaked her eyes open they were already trained up to the rooftops, so they immediately saw the sillouhuette imposed across the nightsky. A snivvling whimper escaped from around the fist that she had crammed against her mouth as she tried to squirm further back into the corner. He was small, smaller than her, but in that moment a horror she had never known caught up inside her and ran riot. The sand monster was on the roof, the nightmare that made every reassurance from grownups that she could not be hurt while they were around a lie. It was there and it was in her home. It that even the grown ups were afraid of. HIM.
"Kankurou-san, what's wrong with him?"
Kankurou frowned at the desperate tone in Hinata's voice as he crouched down next to the dark-haired Shinobi, lifting his eyelid and peering at his pupils. Neji was clearly not so out of it that he was willing to take this indignity quietly and swiftly slapped his hand away, albeit with none of the grace or speed that was natural to him normally. Kankurou shrugged at the feeble swipe and addressed the kunoichi that was cradling him. "He's suffering from mild dehydration. Understandable considering the amount of evading we've been doing. He'll be weak, dizzy, and he might faint, but at this stage it's nothing serious." During their mad dash to escape the shinobi that were trailing them Hinata and Neji had found an approaching attacker swiftly dispatched by Karasu. When the missing-nin had, for some unknown reason, backed down, the three of them had found the nearest approximation of shelter in a rocky gorge to wait out the night. Neji's lethargy and silence had begun to concern both of them before he had slumped to the ground altogether.
"How long before it actually becomes serious?" she murmured, looking down at where she had rested Neji's head on her lap. He blearily opened his eyes and looked up at her in mild consternation, his expression speaking volumes of 'I'm really fine, I don't know what all the fuss is about'. Kankurou scratched the back of his neck thoughtfully. "I can't tell for sure without knowing how far along he is. Oi, Neji-kun, describe how you're feeling." he said, poking Neji belligerently in the belly and earning a glare to which he grinned cheekily. "You're not a medical-nin anyway Kankurou, I doubt you'd be able to tell me anything helpful." Neji's tone was far firmer than the focus of his eyes would have suggested him capable of, and Kankurou clicked his tongue in amusement before nodding
"True, true. Well, I guess I better try and be more practically helpful then." he continued, straightening and heading towards the mouth of the small incline they were perched in. "I'll see if there are any underground resevoirs nearby, find some water for Mr. Irritable here." he called back before wandering off around the rest of the gorge, waving idly back to them as he went.
Silence filled the air in his absence, having Neji on her lap suddenly seeming far less natural when the instinct to cushion him from a fall was no longer there. Shifting uneasily, she finally resorted to pulling off her jacket and folding it into an impromptu pillow which she settled under his head before moving round. He had barely been there for a few minutes before he sat up on his elbows determinedly, despite Hinata's quiet insistence that he lie back down "I'm fine Hinata-sama, please stop... fussing over me." he ended tightly. She said nothing but he could feel her hurt emanating from that very silence. Both a combination of a sudden swelling of weariness washing over him, and an inkling of guilt, caused him to flop back down again. "Fine. We'll do things your way." he growled softly, the weariness not abating, washing over him so that his limbs felt suporific, kitten weak. In honesty, it hurt to talk. His throat was dry as clay and whenever he opened his lips it felt like his tongue was sticking to the roof of his mouth. He felt Hinata's hand gingerly smoothing across his forehead and he was amazed at just how soothing the cool softness of her hand was. He leant up into the touch, a sigh escaping his lips as his eyes drifted closed.
Hinata blushed brightly as Neji moved his head to follow her touch but found herself utterly absorbed in taking in his face. She normally only ever managed nervous snatches to look at him, fearful of the response she would get if her eyes lingered too long. He had always been such an imposing figure to her that she had never dared stare. But in this moment she was almost fascinated as she took in the sharp cheekbones and firm jaw that made up the outlines of his features. Barely even considering that she was doing it, she stroked his dark hair from his forehead and he murmured sleepily to himself, a slight smile falling across his lips. Her heart lurched abruptly. She was so accustomed to seeing these features hardened with severity or formality. As she gently combed her long fingers through the thickness of his hair he let out another, more heartfelt sigh, and she couldn't help the smile that graced her lips. Who would have guessed that her intimidating cousin enjoyed having his hair played with? Skilfully kneading the skin about his temples, it was a subconscious gesture that found her looking down at his mouth. Her heart froze in panic as his lips formed a parched word "Hinata."
Her eyes shot up and saw that his were open once more. All the nervousness that normally clouded her competence hit her full force and she snapped her hands back up away from him, avoiding his gaze.
"Why d'you stop?"
She looked up in disbelief at what almost approximated a pout on Neji's sleepy features, his words sounding woolly and vaguely jumbled. Her cheeks heated all over again as she found herself acknowledging that he looked absolutely adorable. He sighed again and leant his head back, eyes skipping shut again. "It felt good..."
Hesitating, she slowly brought her hands back to his temples and began massaging them again, smiling nervously as Neji let out almost a groan of enjoyment. Unknown to her, Kankurou had walked up to the entrance of the enclave, only to surreptitiously wander off again when he saw the position the two were in. He rolled his eyes to himself but grinned nonetheless. Doubtless as soon as Neji came to, the uptight guy would be pricklier than a cactus towards poor little Hinata. He shrugged to himself as he wandered back the direction he had come. At least it was better than if he had gone with Temari and Shikamaru. He didn't even want to think about what those two might be getting up to...
They had been rendered faceless by this evil night even if the shadows had retreated, but a servant had carried her back to her room even as she had screamed and cried, terrified because she had seen the Monster and because no one would tell her why everyone was yelling. She had hid under her bedsheet as the noise increased, abated, and finally silenced into something far darker than that which had been there before. Being alone when the Monster was out, knowing something was wrong. Liquid fear, drip drip dripping into her so that she felt full of it. Third time unlucky, she crept out of her room into the coming dawn. The world was grey with muted light and it felt unreal as she pattered down the walkways to her parent's rooms.
She had never seen her father cry before.
The fear was no longer liquid but was something solid and definite as it settled in her guts to gnaw and chew its way free as he that was made of strength and power and knowledge, knelt with his shoulders caved in sobs. She had feared him back then, feared his disapproval and disappointment. He was rock hard and he was not meant to cry. He was knelt in front of a long white sheet, but it had stains on it. She saw his fingers dig into his hand, blunt nails scraping futilely and yet mercilessly as the almost silent sobs shuddered his frame. The gentle noise of her feet touching the floor was the only thing that told her she was moving forward as that solid terror bit and ate at her, she had to know why her father was crying. Her foot met with wetness and she knew it was sticky but it was cold, very cold as her eyes drifted to it and saw that it was red.
Where was her mother, and why was father crying?
"Are you okay old man?"
At the panting note in Naruto's voice Meirou turned in his direction, an eyebrow raised in wry amusement. If he had been able to see it he would have taken in Naruto's dishevelled and generally irritable appearance. As it was he merely detected it from his tone. "It seems you are tired Naruto-kun. Or are the desert conditions too much for you?"
"It's not that!" Naruto exclaimed indignantly, still panting slightly, Kiba giving him a glance. "You just don't seem to ever need to stop for a break! It's been night for a while now, shouldn't we y'know... go to sleep?"
Meirou chuckled in amusement and pressed on, shaking his head "Sadly we need to get back to the village as soon as possible. We need to warn Suna. I've been doing this for a few more years than you Naruto-kun, that's the only trick to it." he replied, ruffling Naruto's hair to which he grumbled in quiet annoyance. "That's not the trick, you're a damned robot or something." he mumbled to himself. Kiba grunted with amusement at this, a noise that swiftly disintegrated into vigorous coughing. Meirou finally slowed, turning and putting out a wary hand that finally found its way to Kiba's shoulder. "Are you alright Kiba-kun?" Kiba nodded determinedly, fitting words in in between coughs "I got hit.. by some kind of smoke bomb earlier... I think it might have done something to my lungs." Meirou frowned slightly and pressed Kiba's shoulder, encouraging him to sit down. Naruto leapt forward at this "How come when I say we should stop no one listens!"
"Shut up... Naruto..." hacked Kiba violently as Meirou's hands gently pressed his chest, poking and examining. Scowling, Naruto hunkered down on his heels and glared suspiciously at Kiba, quite sure that he was faking and mad that he hadn't thought of it himself. When Akamaru growled at him he stuck his tongue out sullenly. "Is there.. something wrong Meirou-sama?" Kiba managed, squinting with discomfort. Meirou smiled dryly as his hand continued to explore along his chest. Kiba didn't question how this would enable him to detect a problem, not wanting to interrupt the look of intense concentration that covered Meirou's features. "You should call me old man like Naruto-kun. I don't want to be confused by different addresses." he said solemnly, quiet amusement in his tone.
"You've inhaled a small amount of poisonous gas - it's burning the inside of your lungs."
Naruto gulped nervously and looked at Kiba with new-found concern. "So we need to get back to Suna right?" he demanded, rocking on his heels nervously. "We're presented with a difficult situation. If Kiba moves it will exacerbate the spread of the poison in his lungs. However if we stay here he will likewise deteriorate, and I am unable to direct us to a place where we might seek shelter in my condition."
Naruto looked from one to the other for a minute before giving a chuff of annoyance and shuffling forward, grabbing Kiba's arm. He gave a broadly mischievous grin at Kiba's look of confusion before hoisting him over his shoulder. "N.. Oi, Naruto!" Kiba exclaimed indignantly as Naruto shifted him to try and accomodate his weight across his shoulders. "Looks like I'll be carrying him then!" Naruto declared to Meirou who had been attempting to decipher what was going on with little success. A smirk crept over the elder man's face as he also stood up.
"I think I can see why you people are Hogo's friends."
And she had been buried, and she was beautiful once, with bright eyes and a smile that spoke of strength and sweetness matching one another. She had moved like quicksilver, fluid and fast, her hands were long and supple, calloused by battle but she had the softest embrace in the world.
Her father held her hand tight and the wind had stuck sand to her cheeks as she cried. He never normally held her hand. She remembered the blood and she knew that she would never see her mother's face again without the image of it dead and staring interrupting the memory. Her mind was not going to be gentle with her. But her father held her hand, and she watched them bury her. She hadn't dare touch her and she wondered if she would have been cold or warm still, but the blood had been cold, icy on her foot, so she must have been cold.
The Monster kept to the shadows but she saw him all the same. She looked without the fear of before because it had turned to soot. Nothing remained to fear the loss of and she looked and she saw that his eyes were big and blue-green. He looked haggard and pale and scrawny, like a little stray animal. It seemed impossible, how was it possible? He was so small, her mother had been so fast... Before a myth, now he was real because he had stolen her life from her in taking her mothers. She had heard of all the things he had done but never seen it, never known it.
He was so small and pale and thin. How could he have crushed her so that she was barely recognisable?
Don't hurt me, if I die I can't write the next chapter. HUGS XD!