Chapter nine

A little path followed the mountainside downwards the valley and they began the climb. Neither Pakkun nor Kakashi could sense any people around. It felt as if they were the only ones in the world, as if it existed for their sake, to lure their bodies to get lost in the fog that got thicker for each passing minute. It took at least an hour to climb down, and when they looked back up you could barely see the contour of the mountain behind the white clouds.

Pakkun walked around, sniffing the ground, and then he said, "they were here not too long ago, the scent has been getting stronger but I wanted to be sure before I said anything."

All three looked at the path ahead of them, their gazes followed its twists and turns until it disappeared behind a crook.

"Well then, let's go!" Naruto said and tensed.

"Hold that thought," Kakashi replied. "You can't rush in looking like that," and nodded at his clothes with the Konoha symbols.

He lugged off his backpack and after some hasty digging managed to pull out two brown, ordinary coats.

"And put your headband somewhere safe."

He pulled his own off and packed it down. It felt odd without it, naked somehow, but he put the jacket on and pulled the hood up. There.

Naruto followed his example and soon they looked like two normal, weary travelers, simply looking for a place to spend the night.

Pakkun led the way.

At first the trail was flat and went on straight ahead, but it didn't take long before the mountain began closing in on both sides. The path narrowed until it only had room for one person. Now Kakashi had taken the lead, Naruto was in the middle and Pakkun last. They walked briskly, the air was cold and it was past lunchtime. On one side the mountain was replaced by a vast chasm. Far down you could see an endless forest of pointy mountain peaks.

"I take it this isn't the official road?" Naruto said lightly, knowing Kakashi would hear him.

"I don't think so. This is probably a short cut for those who wish to remain unseen."

They were silent after that, focusing only on putting one foot in front of another and not falling down. The trail began to go slightly upwards and after a while reached a plateau where they stopped to drink some water. It was a bother to carry full water bottles around but it paid off when you were in places where there was none.

"I don't think it's far left" he thought out loud.

Straight ahead, on the other side of the plateau, there were steps leading down. A sign that there was or had been people around. The steps were much easier to journey than the trail.

Kakashi ended up jogging downwards, as if in a trance not thinking just doing, step, another step, another step, another...

The end was so abrupt that Naruto nearly collided with him and had to grab his backpack to keep from falling.

"Do me a favor and tell me before you stop next time-"

Kakashi held up a finger.

Shh, listen.

They froze on the spot, barely breathing until Pakkun spoke.

"Definitely a town."

The mountain had once again closed in on the sides, it looked as if they were in a corridor, clearly man-made because of orderly it was. He looked ahead but couldn't see anything except a faint, orange sunlight. It was evening already.

They proceeded with caution, listening intently as they went along. The minutes ticked by until they reached the end. Now voices were heard clearly, some arguing, some happy.

Slowly, slowly Pakkun made his way out into the light. "We're on a backstreet of some sort. Quickly, there's no one here."

Despite the street being empty Naruto did his best to look inconspicuous. On one side the mountain went on but to the right there were little houses with high fences that kept them from being seen. Hopefully, he thought. At the end of the fence there was a side street. It led to a busy market corner, bristling with little shops and stands and people. No one paid much attention to them when they stepped out and mixed in with the crowd. All around them the mountain stood high, the city was surrounded on all four sides, like it was in a bowl. Here and there he glimpsed a headband with the Iwagakure symbol. In front of him Pakkun stopped and Kakashi picked him up to make it look less conspicuous to talk to him. They might be far from home where no one knew them but for now it was best to act as if he was a normal dog as Ninken were still unusual. Naruto stepped in closer to hear what he had to say.

"They're here, somewhere. I can smell them."

They both looked around, to no avail. No one looked particularly guilty. They continued down the street, Kakashi still holding Pakkun and Naruto took the chance to look around, letting himself get colored by new impressions and sounds and smells.

"That's one of them, the guy with spiky hair and blue jacket. The tall one," Pakkun said.

The man in question stopped and took a look at a store, were in no rush, seemed at peace. He didn't have a bag, nothing. So where was the scroll? Kakashi groaned.

"He has left the scroll already, either for safekeeping or a buyer. Dammit."

The man walked away and Kakashi followed him, kept some meters behind, they walked for a minute or two, instead of stands there were now houses, apartments, just like in Konoha. The suspect went in through a door with a guard outside of it. Kakashi followed the crowd, took a left and then a right and ended up in an alley.

Since they had guards outside that meant that there was a little chance that the scroll was in there, which was good news. It took a second for him to realize that Naruto wasn't with him, which was definitely bad news. He stood still for a few seconds, trying to think of what to do next when he appeared from behind the corner.

"There you are!" he said and smiled.

How did he-?

He must have looked questioningly at him because he added "I followed your chakra here."

"Ah, of course." He never ceased to amaze him, and he was indeed talented.

"I've never done it like this before, to follow someone, but it worked just fine." Learning by doing. As usual.

He was quiet for a moment. "Why are we here?"

Kakashi nodded towards the house on the other side of the street.

"With a bit of luck, the scroll is there."

Actually locating the scroll was the least of their worries but it was a start.

Next to him Naruto swayed a little. Kakashi grabbed his shoulder, steadied him.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm fine, I'm just a little tired."

He hadn't really thought about where they would be sleeping and now his lack of planning came back to bite him. To make things easy Kakashi booked a room at a ryokan.

The elder man in the reception smiled at him. "Ah, you're lucky, this is our last room."

Kakashi fixed the futons and by then Naruto was practically sleeping despite standing up, and the second his futon was made he sank down on it, weary to the bone. It took another couple of minutes for Kakashi to get ready and then he too could finally lie down.

"Call me if you need me." Pakkun muttered. A quiet "puff" told him he was gone.

It wasn't that late and outside you could hear the towns night life waking up, the bars and drinkers and little bottles of sake and he knew there was something he had forgotten, something with the headbands, that much he knew...

His body took a deep breath, an indulging sigh. He slept.