Chapter 6- Survival: Shelter
Shinaka lead the way through the forest on the edge of Konoha. The morning air was cool with a fresh morning breeze. Around them the forest was alive with chirping birds and the rustling of leaves. The students walking behind her happily chatted about the trip, while a few complained about the biting insects flying around in swarms. One girl screamed and ran past her when they brushed against an old cobweb.
Shinaka sneezed as she took a deep breath, the wildflowers of spring masked many of the scents in the forest. She would need to be extra careful in safeguarding the students. The village was peaceful after the war and the kyuubi attack, but you could never let your guard down, the world was far from peace.
"Hey onee-chan, are we close to where we're going?" Naruto said walking next to her. He was up the front, used to these woods as much as she was. She often saw him in the forest. Being excluded from many of the shops in town meant he often came into the forest for food. She often joined him, teaching him how to hunt and find the secrets hidden in the forest. She wished he could live with her, but the village council wouldn't let her, wouldn't let anyone.
"Soon. Have to take you far enough that you won't sneak into the village for food or supplies." She replied. She jumped over a fallen tree, helping Naruto over as well. "Did you bring what I told you to bring? And I told you no Ramen."
"I know, I know. Don't worry, I brought exactly what I was meant to." Though the way he was staring sidelong away from her, told her that he was lying. She decided to let it slip, if he was smart enough to sneak it without her knowing he could have it. If she caught him eating it however she would not let him go out for ramen for a week.
She looked behind her to see Iruka at the back. He was scanning the vine covered trees intensively, keeping an avid eye out for any dangers. He was a good teacher and cared deeply for his students, but he could be too cautious sometimes. The children need to learn how to look after themselves, so they can look after the village when they are older. That is what the academy was training them for.
Shinaka looked down at Naruto, who was walking with his hands behind his head an indication of how relaxed he was. Perhaps a little protection is not too bad.
She saw Choji trotting along next to Iruka, his backpack easily double the size of the other students. The teacher caught him when Choji tripped over a root. He toppled easily due to the bag weighing him down. "I told you to only bring what was necessary." Iruka scolded the young boy.
"I did. I need enough snacks to stay fed, so I brought double, so I wouldn't go hungry." Choji huffed face red with exertion.
"Baka, we're going to go hunting later. You didn't need to bring enough food for every meal." Ino said beside him, shaking her head.
"Yeah, and I'm going to catch the biggest deer out there. Dattebayo." Naruto yelled out pointing a figure as he turned around to face them.
"As if you could dobe. You couldn't even catch a rabbit if you wanted to." Sasuke retorted. Several girls laughed at Naruto as he said that causing him to go flying towards Sasuke with a fist.
But before he could reach the Uchiha, Shinaka grabbed the back of his orange jacket, holding him above the ground as they walked.
"Let me go Onee-Chan! Let me go." Naruto growled out as he struggled in her grasp like a kitten caught by its mother.
"Only when you calm down." Shinaka said, easily carrying his small body as they neared the campsite. Maneuvering him around the branches along the game trail path.
"Fine." Naruto huffed. She placed him down on the ground. He crossed his arm as he pouted about being carried so easily.
"At least with your experience you can show everyone else what Naruto Uzumaki can do out here." She said rubbing his head. He groaned and shook her hand off.
"Yeah. I'll show them dattebayo!" He yelled jumping up and down.
They soon arrived at a clearing, where they could hear the thundering roar of a waterfall nearby that lead to a river flowing just beyond the first layer of trees. The birds were chirping loudly, letting Shinaka know that there were no predators in the immediate vicinity. She would still do a quick patrol once the kids had safely set up their shelters.
"Iruka-sensei why couldn't we just bring a tent like other Shinobi on missions?" Shikamaru complained as he collapsed on the edge of the forest. Shinaka could see that he really needed to work on his stamina, he may be the smartest out of the academy students, but he was a lazy genius.
The others sat down around him, setting their heavy bags down beside them with tired sighs. The grass was soft. Frequent grazing left it short so that it only reached a few inches above her ankle.
"Sometimes you might lose your tent, so it is best to teach you how to build a shelter out of what's around you in a controlled setting." Iruka explained. He walked further out into the middle of the clearing and after turning around in a circle to inspect the campsite he turned towards the weary children. "Ok everyone I will choose a partner for you and I want you and your partner to make a shelter for you to share. Shinaka and I will be here to help you, but only if you need it."
The kids groaned in unison, not wanting to get up after the three hour long walk.
After receiving their partners each pair of students split off to find wood for their shelter. Each pair had a small blade to cut branches off trees. Kunai were the most useful tool for a shinobi, but they could not cut through wood as easily as some other blades.
Shinaka sat down and talked to Iruka as the students wondered off. "You chose a good spot Shinaka. It looks pretty safe around here and there is plenty of trees for wood." Iruka elaborated.
"It's not a very new spot. My sensei once brought my class here. The grass used to be a bit longer back then. It always came up to our shoulders when we were genin. I chose it because it's far enough away that none of the kids can sneak back to the village without getting lost." Shinaka replied. "We need to be careful. If we get caught in the deer's feeding ground at the wrong time they might try to drive us out. But that shouldn't be for a few more weeks."
Shinaka looked at the sun high in the sky, enjoying her time with Iruka away from hostility. Out here with the lack of adult anger she didn't have to worry about feeding off the negative emotions around her. It was nice to just relax and let her tight control of her emotions go. The air was shimmering with the midday heat, but the breeze was cool. Around them there were signs that the summer was ending. It could be seen in the sporadic colors of red, yellow and brown indisposed between the green leaves of the surrounding trees.
An hour later the first pair to come back with an armful of wood were Naruto and Hinata. It was Shinaka's idea to pair them together after seeing the way Hinata looked at Naruto. As she expected Naruto was blind to Hinata's obvious affections, choosing rather to divert his attention to Sakura. Shinaka knew Naruto had no chance with the pink haired girl, she was too obsessed with the last Uchiha. Shinaka knew that even with how common childhood crushes were, that Sakura's infatuation would develop into something unhealthy. Naruto was too focused on Sakura that he could not see the way Hinata looked at him. The first child to reject the adult's opinions of Naruto and respect him for who he was.
Naruto was talking animatedly to Hinata who was nodding her head occasionally. Her face was red as a tomato, and half hidden in a lavender scarf as she helped Naruto build the shelter. They started with the larger branches. They first stuck three branches, slightly taller than themselves in a loose triangle. They leaned the top towards each other and tied a rope around them. Then they packed the smaller ones in to block out the wind. One of the sides facing away from the wind was open. With a large enough space to make a fire at its base.
Shinaka watched them for a few more minutes, Hinata's face was turning redder by the moment, before leaving them to build their shelter as she moved away from the clearing. Away from where the students were looking for wood she removed her clothes and shifted into a small fox. smaller than the form she protected Naruto in. It wasn't the strongest form to fight off predators, but it was quick and agile. It would be easier to navigate in this form while also staying hidden from the students. In the warm spring air, the fox instincts wanted to sleep. Wanting to be awake when dark started to creep in. She forced the feeling down and moved towards the sound of footsteps.
She may only be able to turn into animals, but they were enough on their own. It may have been easier to turn into a wall or a rock due to their lack of instincts, but they could not move and were not as versatile.
The first pair she came across was Sakura and Shino. Shino was directing some of his bugs to cut a branch off a fallen tree while Sakura looked on freaked. Shinaka laughed as Sakura shivered when the bugs returned to him. When the bugs had returned Shino turned to face her. Shinaka nodded and when Shino returned it she moved on, shaking her head as Sakura remained unaware she was even there or of Shino's actions.
Next, she found Ino, Shikamaru, Choji and Kiba working together to cut the branches of a small tree. Well at least Choji, Ino and Kiba were, Shikamaru was laying in the shade of a tree opposite the trio.
"Stop lazing around and help us Shikamaru." Ino kicked his feet, but he just rolled over on his side.
"Too much work." He groaned. He brought his arm over his eyes to block out the sun.
"I don't care. Get up." Ino angrily said. She looked around for a moment until her eyes landed on a ball of fur on Kiba's head. With a mischievous smile she approached the dog and boy. After picking up the puppy she stared into the puppy's eyes and said sweetly, "Hey Akamaru do you want to do me a favor?" The dog whined in confusion, tail and ears lowered at her look.
Kiba snatched Akamaru back and held him above his head, out of her reach. "Hey leave him alone. Do whatever you need to do without him."
"Fine." She huffed turning back to Shikamaru. She kneeled and pulled sharply on his ear until he shot up with a yell.
"NANI!" Shikamaru swatted the hand away and clutched his red and throbbing ear. "You didn't have to do that."
"Yes, I did." Ino huffed. She got up and dusted her pants off mumbling about lazy Nara's. She turned walked over to the pile of wood she had collected and dumped it in Shikamaru's lap. "Now carry these for me or I'll promise worse punishment."
"Troublesome blond." Shikamaru muttered, but with a stern gaze from Ino he got up with the pile of sticks and walked with the group out of Shinaka's sight.
A/N: 6th chapter edited.