December 10th, 2018.

Prompt Ten: Frost

Hinata rubbed her gloved hands together, trying to keep them as warm as possible as she waited. She was covered head to toe in warm-Winter gear to protect against the harsh frost, only her nose poked out.

She could see the air she blew out in front of her, materialising in the cold.

Her informant was late.

She had arrived a day earlier to do a sweep of the village where she now waited, looking for anything suspicious that could impact her mission. Everything seemed fine.

But now she worried, she was supposed to meet her informant 20minutes ago, and in the shinobi world, timing was everything.

Feeling slightly more cautious, Hinata began to walk towards the centre of the town, less likely to get attacked if she was surrounded by people.

She took a risk and summoned a small bird, giving it some coded information about her informant's disappearance to be sent back to Konoha.

She would wait here for two more days.

As she walked around the town, she felt eyes on her.

Unable to activate her Byakugan in such a large crowd, she tried her best to blend in.

Without knowing her stalker, Hinata could not risk being alone and fighting them, so she stayed close to the locals, hopeful that the person watching her would not attack.

They didn't.

She eventually felt the eyes on her disappear and she quickly returned to her motel.

When she arrived in the door to her room, she was stunned by the cold air that hit her.

It was freezing.

Looking around she noticed that the window had been left open.

She instinctively reached for her kunai.

"Do not attack." A voice called behind her, and she turned.

In the corner of her room was a dark shadow. She was unable to make out any specific features, the entire body was coloured black.

"I will not attack you, but I have the information you desire." The voice spoke again.

"Who are you?" she asked, pulling her kunai in front of her, ready to ether attack or defend depending on the other's movement.

"Your informant was captured and killed by Akatsuki. But I have more valuable information than he could have given you."

"Why would you help Konoha?" she asked, trying her best to focus on the figure in front of her.

"I cannot say, all I will say is protect the Kyuubi. In three weeks from now, the Akatsuki will make their move on the young host of the nine-tails. Be ready."

"How can I trust your words?" she asked, not even twitching as the dark figure began to move.

"You cannot, but it is all you will hear during your visit here."

The figure disappeared then.

She quickly activated her Byakugan, searching for the mystery person who had just been in her room.

She sensed a chakra signature in the far distance, she could not get an accurate read, but she could have sworn she noticed an active sharingan.

Hinata sighed aloud, unaware of just how unsettling the experience had been.

She walked towards her window then, closing it harshly, blocking the frost and the unknown figure from entering her room again.

Prompt list by astudyinfic on tumblr!

Next: Eggnog