For the next week, Rae drilled Ahmi to perfection. She hadn't mastered everything that she had taught her-it was near impossible for her to do so in only a week-but she had definitely improved a great deal. The rest would be up to the young girl to practice, or to whoever would be training her in Rae's stead. Ahmi could roughly shoot the center of a target with the bow and arrows that had been given to her, and with the shuriken and kunai, she hit the dead center of the target perfectly.

Rae had previously asked her master about the young girl's skills. He told her that Ahmi was from a village where they drilled becoming ninjas into every child once they became of age no matter who they were. Everyone was required to become a ninja there. Rae was surprised with this piece of news. Seeing as how the group of Priests sent to go destroy that village had reported that there was little offenders that tried to protect the village. But she shrugged, it wasn't important. Her position in the Order didn't require her to think about the bigger picture. She was a tool. The council was the hand that used her.

The week was up, and Rae needed to be on her way to Konohagakure. So after the last day she had with Ahmi was over, Rae told her that she was leaving and she was going to be assigned to a new master for the time being. It was temporary of course. The council had declared about a couple days ago that Rae was to take on Ahmi permanently, seeing as how they worked well together and Ahmi was comfortable with Rae.

Ahmi was reluctant to let her new master leave when Rae told her that she had a mission and would be gone for some time, having grown attached in the short period they had spent together. Rae pretended not to notice. It wouldn't be right for her to become close to another person. That had proved to be a terrible mistake in the past. Not to make Ahmi an unimportant, expendable individual, but she couldn't see the young girl as anything more than her apprentice. She was to train Ahmi and that was all.

Rae packed provisions for her journey. It was at least a week's trip to Konohagakure. But that was at the least, without stops without breaks and running most of the way-or securing a ride to take her there. And with the occasional, required stops she knew she would be making, it would probably add a day or two to that time. She didn't have time to dally.

There were no good-byes that were said when Rae left. Once packed, she told her master, Shujin, that she was leaving to Konohagakure and he merely nodded and then shooed her away, telling her to get going. Luckily, however, Rae had also taken the horse that she snuck out of her old village. She had grown very fond of the animal. And after determining that the creature was male, she decided to name him Jun due to his obedience.

Rae had been riding in the saddle for almost seven hours now and she felt her backside going numb. While she appreciated the advantage her horse gave her, she also wasn't accustomed to traveling this way. So, after thinking it over, Rae decided that she would walk for an while, stretch her legs before getting back in the saddle.

Swinging easily out of the saddle, Rae loosened Jun's saddle girth so that the horse didn't have to be uncomfortable in the time she wouldn't be riding him. Then she grabbed Jun's reins and led him along. He following along happily next to her and kept pace.

Several hours later, Rae's feet had began to ache. She almost contemplated riding Jun for a while but figured that it was late, the sun almost enveloped by the horizon, so now would be the best time to look for a suitable campsite. It would do them no good to be wandering in the dark.

About a hundred meters further up was a small clearing, set a bit a ways off the main road, that would suit their needs. Rae made her way towards it. Once in the clearing, she looked back and saw that while she could see the road, the overgrowth would also keep them sheltered from anyone passing by. 'Good,' she thought. It would keep them shrouded from unfriendly eyes.

Rae set up a small, one-man tent and then ate some of the cold rations that she brought with her. Day old break and dried fruit, washed down with water that tasted leathery from the skin it had sat in all day. She also fed Jun some oats that she had brought along and gave him some water of his own. Though, she did this after she unsaddled him and put the saddle off to the side. He shouldn't have to sleep with that on. He whinnied in appreciation to her gesture and care. Rae simply smiled at him.

"You're a good boy," she said, gently rubbing his neck. She had never cared for an animal before but she had seen the others take care of horses, and something about caring for Jun just felt right to her.

He tossed his head and nickered. For a moment Rae contemplated if he understood what she said and this was his way of replying. She shrugged, with a smile, and assumed this was true. Horses were smart creatures. Even if he couldn't talk to her, it wasn't so absurd that he knew what she was saying

Rae then settled as comfortably as she could on the cold, hard ground of her small tent, wrapping her cloak around her as she did so. She shut her eyes, feeling the weight of the day finally settle on her now that she wasn't moving, and soon fell into a dreamless sleep. Though, she may have been a tired, but Rae still felt too alert to really let herself relax and truly fall asleep. She was even awake enough to barely hear Jun settling himself into a comfortable sleeping position near the tent.

Not even an hour later, Rae startled awake. Her senses alert to something nearby.