4 - Each Step a Storm
The day passes quickly. Word travels fast in our small village, and even those I do not know well congratulate me, both on my task and my position as Head Healer. My mother and father embrace me tightly when they see me, pride in their faces, fear in their eyes. My mother reassures me, but my father places his hands on my shoulders and smiles. "I am proud of you, my daughter."
My father's declaration warms my heart, even as tears spring to my mother's eyes. Her arms encircle me once more, holding me close, as though I may disappear at any moment, a phantom. Too soon, I am drawn away, a pack of provisions pressed into my hands. I follow Tsunade in a daze, taking supplies with numb hands. Have I been caught in a dream? My fingers close, and I hiss as a slice opens my palm.
Tsunade raises a brow as I heal the incision. The culprit is a blade, finely crafted traditionally, and honed to a deadly edge. Tenten's mark glints from the base. "Have you returned to reality?" Humor is evident in her tone, and I slant a look at her even as I nod. She hands me the second daggers and a pouch of shuriken. I pack each weapon carefully, sliding the knives into the sheathes around my hips and securing the pouch to my waist.
Tsunade regards me fondly. At her insistence, I was gifted hunter's garb of soft leather, boots firm yet silent. My father would not rest until I had taken the warrior's armor of our family, the boiled leather reinforced with bone and chakra; it could stop the claws of a beast or the head of an arrow. My last gift had surprised me most. Ino and Hinata had approached me as word spread around our village, thrusting knits into my hands. I flex my fingers in the sturdy gauntlets, feeling the warmth of my friends' labors seep into my skin. The soft wool is treasured by my tribe, even when raw. To wear such precious material, enhanced by spells for warmth, dexterity, and protection, is overwhelming. I wipe a tear from my eye.
Tsunade places a hand on my shoulder, halting my stride. She hesitates, then presses a final treasure into my hands. "Shishou…" I marvel at the strong, smooth wood in my hands, the string coiled tightly around one end. Runes are etched into the surface, polished from years of handling. I look back up at her, tears forming anew. "I cannot take this from you. Your bow… I know what it means to you."
A wry smile crosses her lips. "A warrior's heart is sustained by their armor and blade. The healer finds peace and meaning in supporting others and creating. But the hunter… the hunter's soul is carried in the bow, the ability to take life to prolong life." She chuckles. "I have told you this many times, I know. But please, take it. If my soul is truly bound to my bow, I will rest easier knowing I am protecting you, no matter how far you are from us." Her eyes glint with moisture before she grins. "Considering you never crafted your own, you may borrow this from me. But when - yes, when - you come back, I fully expect you to create your own, Sakura!" We laugh together, until our feet carry us to the edge of the village.
Everyone is here, faces I have known all my life, healed by my hands and held dear to my heart. A tightness forms in my chest and throat at the thought of leaving. It is too late to turn back. I must carry on this sacred duty. I kneel according to ancient custom, allowing my mother to braid my hair away from my face as my father's fingers leave wet trails of ceremonial paint across my cheeks and forehead. A necklace is clasped around my neck and my heart clenches. It is not tradition, but love, and I feel the stone pulse against my skin.
"Haruno Sakura, we grant you leave to carry out the Goddess's holy task. May you walk with shadows, fight with honor, and be always in Her hands." My mother begins to sing softly, the sound swelling until it engulfs me. I rise and walk forward, the melody sustaining a single note as my feet reach the barrier of our village.
My own voice rises to complete the ancient hymn, and I smile at my village as my foot crosses the barrier. Fare thee well, and Goddess guide you.
Hey, everyone! I hope you're all doing well. I apologize for the long absence, and I hope this chapter helps to make up for that. I realize now that I cannot promise to update regularly. This story (and most of my others) will likely be updated sporadically. It may be a short wait or a long wait for more chapters. I hope that this does not turn anyone away.
Please tell me your thoughts on this chapter - I put a lot of time (and a fair amount of research) into it. :)
-AT