A/N: Okay so I'm trying to make up for updating so late so here you guys go.
Disclaimer: I wonder if I have to keep putting this up here…
Chapter: 33
Hinata stayed awake all night keeping them in her sand shelter. When the morning came she no longer had enough chakra to maintain it any longer and she collapsed, the sand caving in on them.
"Hinata are you okay?" Naruto cried, crawling over to the gasping girl on the ground.
The Hyuuga looked up at him with exhausted eyes but a beaming face. Her hand reached for his and clasped it tightly.
"As long as you and Natsu-san are alright I think I'll live." She said closing her eyes and giving Naruto's hand a brief squeeze.
A jolt ran through the blonde and he couldn't help the blush that overcame him as his cheeks turned red. Hinata released his hand and shifted her eyes over to Natsu who still laid on the sand.
Using the rest of her strength Hinata dragged herself through the grainy ground and over to her Jounin instructor.
"Natsu-san are you alright?" Hinata asked.
Natsu tried to sit up and reassure her with a smile but her body was paralyzed. So instead she mustered the most confident voice she could.
"Of course!" Natsu said. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Because I found your kunai pouch, that was how I got to you guys." Hinata said. "There was three kunai missing."
"Well I don't AHHHHHH!" Natsu screamed as Hinata touched the handle of the kunai in Natsu's upper thigh.
Hinata looked at her teacher with tears brimming in her eyes.
"It's all my fault!" Hinata said, one tear spilling down her cheek.
"It's not your fault Hinata-chan," Natsu said, still lying there. "It was mine, I should have listened to you. Do you forgive me?"
Hinata nodded her head vigorously before she was fully drained and laid there as useless as Natsu.
"Naruto?" Natsu asked.
"Uh yeah." Naruto answered, as the situation fully sank in.
"Could you go get the others with your toad summon or whatever?" Natsu asked. "It looks like Hinata and I won't be moving for a while and I need a medic."
"Yeah of course!" Naruto insisted, beginning the hand seals.
"Be careful!" Hinata piped in weakly.
"Of course! But what about you guys? What if an enemy comes?" Naruto asked his concern also evident.
"Here I have an idea!" Natsu said, forcing herself into a painful sitting position. "Now Naruto lift Hinata and lean her against me that way it looks like we're both action ready."
"Alright!" Naruto cried.
With a little help from the blonde the plan was successfully set up properly.
"Now go," Natsu commanded. "Hurry!"
In a puff of smoke Naruto was soon gone on Gamabuntas back.
"I hope everyone else is still okay," Hinata said confiding her fears into her leader.
"Me too, Hinata. Me to." Natsu said.
---Page break---
Gaara and his siblings burst out of the foliage and out onto the smooth Desert plain. Fear gripped Temari's and Gaara's hearts as they contemplated on the effect of the sandstorm on their friends. The Kazekage refused to stand around and began walking through the desert seeking out the familiar chakra Kankurou and Temari not far behind. As they passed what looked like a dune they heard a muffled voice from underneath the sand. They all dove and began to dig to find the source of the noise. The expedition ended when a muffled shriek was made clear as Sakura jumped from the sand pile covering her ticklish midsection. Next to emerge out of the whole was Shino, assisted by his bugs. Temari and Gaara ignored them and instead sat waiting for two other people. Shikamaru's head popped out of the sand and Temari sighed in relief. While Gaara continued to stare into the hole.
"There's no one else in there Kazekage-sama." Shino said answering the young man's unasked question.
"Where is she?" Temari asked before either of her brothers got a chance.
"She went ahead to protect Naruto and Natsu from the sandstorm." Sakura said, looking quizzically into the horizon. "What's that?" Sakura asked, pointing to the small black shape quickly approaching them.
Everyone turned towards the direction of Sakura's finger. The shape became clearer and all of the leaf ninja sighed in relief.
"Is that a giant frog?" Kankurou asked, shivering in disgust.
"It's a toad." Temari corrected, also quiet confused. "What do you think it means Gaara?"
But the Kazekage ignored his siblings and instead ran across the sand towards the large amphibian.
"Gaara!" Kankurou cried. "Where are you going?"
The leaf ninjas instead decided to dash foreword just like the Kazekage. Temari and Kankurou looked at each other before looking back towards the giant animal. A smile lit up the blondes face as she finally recognized a person sitting atop the toad.
"That's not a toad you idiot! It's Naruto!" and she dashed off as well.
"Naruto??" Kankurou asked himself quizzically before following everyone else.
When he got closer he realized it was indeed Naruto standing on the giant toads back. The blonde demon container jumped to the ground.
"Naruto!" Sakura said hugging him. "I'm so glad to see your okay!"
"Yeah." He said giving his old teammate a little squeeze back.
"Is Hinata okay as well?" Shino asked.
"Of course I wouldn't let anything happen to her and Natsu!" Naruto said, angry at the doubt in his teammate's voices.
"Then why aren't they with you?" Shikamaru asked, suspiciously.
"Well, funny story really…" Naruto said nervously.
"Hinata protected you from the sandstorm and exhausted all her chakra didn't she?" Gaara asked.
"Uh yeah…how did you know?" Naruto asked, as everyone stared at the Kazekage curiously.
"Because on her first day in Suna Hinata was caught in a storm and I created a shield to get us to the Kazekage tower, seeing as you had no shelter to run to she probably was able to only protect you because of her determination." Gaara said.
"If that's the case," Shino said reaching into a pouch at his waist and pulling out soldier pills. "These should do the trick."
"I don't know," Sakura said troubled. "I should go and take a look at her."
"Yeah and what about Natsu? She is our team leader." Shikamaru commented.
"During the storm her weapon pouch was blown off and she was stabbed with her own kunai in her leg. Now she can barely move." Naruto said.
"Why didn't you say so idiot!" Sakura cried. "We have to get moving!"
They all jumped up onto Gamabunta's back and were off across the hot desert.
---Page break---
The sun beat harshly upon Hinata and Natsu, by mid day they had sweat out most of their fluids and Natsu was starting to feel dizzy.
"Where is that knuckleheaded blonde!" Natsu snapped to no one in particular.
"Don't get mad Natsu-san," Hinata's weary voice hushed the Jounin. "He's trying his best, that's all we can ask for."
"He's been gone for hours!" Natsu said. "Hinata I don't know if he'll be coming back."
"Don't say that!" Hinata cried her voice stronger than before. "He'll come back…I know he will." She continued, her voice trailing off this time.
"Wait Hinata!" Natsu cried leaning more heavily on the young girl."Keep talking with me."
"Oh but Natsu-chan I'm so tired." Hinata yawned her voice taking on a childlike tone.
"No! Hinata don't go to sleep!" Natsu said leaning all her weight on the younger woman. "If you go to sleep now I don't think you'll wake up!"
"Of course I will!" Hinata said, pushing Natsu back to a sitting position. "Besides, my body's numb already."
Natsu felt the Hyuuga sag against her and quickly startled her awake. The white eyed girl sat with a start and gasped, in pain and shock. However instead of saying anything she sniffled and burst into tears just like a toddler who was awoken prematurely from their daily nap. Her sobs became louder and louder. Natsu thanked God as Naruto appeared on the horizon.
---Page Break---
Naruto and the others were silent as they continued to trek the desert.
"Naruto!" Sakura said worriedly. "There is no way you and Natsu traveled this way last night. Are you sure this is the way?"
"He he he." Naruto chuckled nervously.
"You mean we're lost!?" Temari cried.
Everyone stared at Naruto angrily, the Kazekage was about to pounce when a breeze blew by carrying a familiar noise. Gaara turned toward it, eyes Narrowed.
"They are that way," he said pointing the way.
"Right," Naruto said. "I knew that."
They were off again and thanks to the increasing volume of Hinata's cries they were able to find them. When the two girls were in sight Gaara leapt from the toad and rocketed towards them, followed closely by Temari and Shino. By the time they reached them Hinata's cries were shrieks. Gaara kneeled in front of her and studied her face. He quickly found the problem. Reaching into one of his pockets he pulled out a bottle of water. The girl's cries continued even as he uncapped the precious liquid. He looked at it for a minute and decided to take a drink. Sakura Naruto and Shikamaru arrived just in time as Hinata was silenced when the water bottle was shoved to her lips.
She was only given small sips at a time to accustom her body to the water. Tears of frustration ran down her pale cheeks and her famous eyes glared at Gaara. Meanwhile Sakura was tending to Natsu.
"So am I going to live doctor?" Natsu joked.
"You should," Sakura said, completely serious. "How long has it been in your leg?"
Natsu stared at the ground afraid of telling the truth.
"Natsu, I need to know. This is vital!" Sakura said.
"This morning." The Jounin said. "I rolled over on it."
"Okay then," Sakura said. "You should be ok until we get to the mist but you won't be able to walk."
"Nonsense!" Natsu insisted climbing to her feet.
She tipped and yelped in pain; luckily Shikamaru was there to break her fall.
"Ow!" Shikamaru cried.
"I guess I'm not walking!" Natsu said grinning sheepishly.
Sakura sighed and walked over to Hinata who was now less delirious. The pinkette smiled as she sat next to the Hyuuga.
"So I heard that you protected them all night long." Sakura said. "Is that true?"
Hinata only nodded and received a small smack on the arm. The Hyuuga looked up a little shocked.
"You know you're not supposed to do that dummy!" Sakura teased.
Hinata only nodded. Sakura looked at her worriedly before reaching out and touching Hinata's arm. When this gauged no reaction from the Hyuuga, she bit her lip and pinched the girl instead. Still no reaction, Sakura's eyes widened.
"Hinata, do you feel this?" Sakura asked poking Hinata in the arm.
"No," Hinata said looking at her arm curious.
Sakura stood up and practically ran away from her Hyuuga teammate.
"So what's the scoop?" Shikamaru asked in a hiss.
"Yeah why do you look so pale?" Naruto asked as both he and Shino approached.
"I don't know how to say this…" Sakura said.
"What? Is there something wrong with Natsu?" Shino asked.
"No no!" Sakura said. "She'll be fine if someone carries her, but Hinata…"
Everyone was silent as they watched the tears gather in Tsunade's apprentice's eyes.
"I don't think she's going to make it." Sakura concluded.
"WHAT!" Naruto cried.
His other teammates quickly silenced him as the people excluded from the conversation glanced at them.
"Shut up!" Shikamaru hissed. "Go on Sakura."
"Well you see her whole bodies numb, after exerting all your chakra you should slowly regain feeling in your body. But Hinata feels nothing." Sakura said.
"I'm not leaving her here!" Naruto said in a quiet voice.
"What are we supposed to do?" Shikamaru asked. "What if…you know she dies on the way? What do we do with the body then?"
"I don't care! I'm not leaving her!" Naruto said chucking a rock over his shoulder.
A small yelp filled everyone's ears, and the secret meeting was immediately over. They were all staring at Hinata who was slowly lifting her no doubt heavy arm to feel her face where a small red welt was forming.
"I felt that Sakura!" Hinata said.
"Really!?" She cried running over to her, accidently tripping over Hinata's legs and twisting one in an odd angle.
"And I definitely felt that!" Hinata said through gritted teeth.
"Can you walk?" Sakura asked.
Hinata tried to sound but her legs wiggled like Jell-O and she fell to the hot ground once more.
"Owie." She said.
"Someone will just have to carry you." Sakura said looking at the three boys.
Temari looked at Hinata and then at Gaara, the Hyuuga didn't miss it and before t\Temari could open her mouth Hinata spoke.
"Shino-kun can you do it? It's just you were my old teammate and everything." Hinata said.
Shino nodded before using his bugs to lift her on his back. Shikamaru and Naruto looked at each other for a minute before both held up a fist.
"Only one round Naruto! No exceptions loser has to carry her." Shikamaru said. "1…2…3!"
Just as Shikamaru was going to pick rock he was tackled to the ground.
"Whoops!" Natsu said.
Shikamaru glared at her palms flat on the sand. After removing the Jounin from him he stood up and was faced with one of Naruto's stupid grins.
"What?" he asked rubbing them together to get rid of excess sand.
"Scissors cut paper! I win!" Naruto cried.
"Wait! No!" Shikamaru spluttered.
"Uh huh! YOU said no exceptions!" Naruto cried.
"But I!" Shikamaru said.
"You did say that Shikamaru." Sakura informed the genius.
Before Shikamaru could retort again Natsu found a way back onto his back.
'Tally ho!" She cried yanking on Shikamaru's hair.
"I hate you!" he spat.
And the team was off once again after parting ways with the Kazekage, and by sunset they were out of the Desert and back on the path. Hinata's cheek was pressed against Shino's back but her Byakugan was activated. Everyone kept themselves mostly busy with idle talking while Hinata kept her eyes peeled for traps.
"What's that?" Hinata asked herself. "Shino watch out, I think there's something suspicious up ahead."
The stoic boy nodded and began to tread carefully however Naruto was about to walk into whatever it was. When Hinata realized what it was it was too late Naruto had activated the trap.
"Brace yourselves!" She cried, as a giant hole opened underneath them.
But before Hinata fell completely she was caught by a thick cloud of bugs. She looked down to see Shino lying on a bed of spikes along with the others.
"Damn these traps!" Naruto cursed, blood leaking from his arm.
"Hinata!" Natsu said. "I landed on Shikamaru so he got the worst of the spikes. You need to go get help."
"But Natsu!" Sakura said, shifting her trembling body. "She has no chakra left!"
"I have soldier pills." Shino said painfully producing the box from his side.
"But!" Sakura tried again.
However it was obvious that no one was listening to her anymore. Natsu reached into her vest and pulled out a heavy medal.
"Take this to the closest village and get help, we won't make it to mist by the deadline but at least we'll live." Natsu said placing it in the pale girl's hand.
She was then given the box of soldier pills, and she was able to choke one down. Chakra slowly came back to her and she was able to move again. Slowly she was placed at the top of the pit.
"Promise me you'll take it easy with those pills!" Sakura insisted.
"I promise, don't move!" Hinata said.
"I don't think we really have anywhere to go." Naruto joked, but Hinata could not miss the disappointment in her teammate's eyes.
She nodded and began to run down the path avoiding traps as she went to find help. By dawn she had already consumed half the box of soldier pills and now she stood at the crossroads. Straight ahead stood the village that Natsu had told her about and then there was the path to the mist village. The Hyuuga couldn't get rid of Naruto's look. She quickly consumed the rest of the package and dashed off in the direction of mist. She saw the bridge by midday and according to her watch she only had two minutes to make it to the mainland. Rocketing off the tree she stood on she sprinted as fast as she could as the final seconds ticked by.
---Page break---
"Hinata where are you!" Natsu groaned, trying to stop the flow of the unconscious Shikamaru's blood.
"She should have been back by now." Sakura said, trying to stay perfectly still.
"Maybe she's run into a bit of trouble I should go get her." Naruto said trying to get up.
"Don't you move!" Natsu said. "We need to have more faith in Hinata."
"I'm glad to hear you trust your subordinates." Tsunade said, peering into the pit.
"Tsunade-sama!" Natsu and Sakura gasped.
"I'm here to get you all out." Tsunade reassured. "Don't worry!"
After all the ninjas were pulled from the hole they were being transported to the mist village with anbu.
"I have to heal you all quickly." Tsunade said to herself as they continued to make their way to the village.
"What's the point?" Naruto grumbled.
"What do you mean what's the point? You have the second part of the Jounin exam in two days." Tsunade said.
"But!" Naruto began but was silenced as Tsunade pulled out Natsu's metal.
"You're lucky. Hinata made it with 20 seconds to spare." Tsunade said.
Naruto looked like he had been slapped in the face while Natsu and Sakura only laughed.
A/N: Okay I know this is way late so I made this really long compared to my other chapters. Review! Hope you enjoy and Happy Easter!