The lead the couple had on the trio only lasted a few minutes before the y managed to catch up. Kakashi scolded them quite harshly once he was in range of them. He reasoned if they had rested for just a few minutes, they would be further than they were now. He warned that if they went off on their own again, there would be major repercussions.

Naruto and Hinata were wise enough not to say anything. They were too focused on closing the distance between them and Suna. Within the hour, they arrived at the outskirts of the desert, with Temari insisting that she take the lead for the rest of the journey. Just as they made it halfway through the hot terrain—

A sandstorm approached, faster than expected.

Sakura practically demanded that they find shelter and wait out the storm. While Kakashi thought it was the best option they had, Naruto and Temari didn't like the idea of waiting when they were so close to the village. Hinata, on the other hand . . .

"I have a better idea," Hinata claimed as she rummaged through her bag. "Grab hold of each other. Don't let go and keep your eyes closed until I tell you."

Pulling out a long, thick strip of fabric, the Hyuga girl tightly wrapped it around her eyes before typing it in the back. It only took a few seconds, but Naruto couldn't help being impressed by how well she could do it now. But it also worried him.

Has her eyestrain really gotten worse since he's been gone?

Once she was satisfied that the bandages were secure, Hinata grabbed Naruto's hand—because he was the closest to her—and activated her Byakugan. "Here is comes," she warned. "I can get us to the gate before it ends as long as you trust me."

"Lead the way, Hinata," Kakashi stated actually allowing her to take control. "Just don't let your stubbornness cause your eyes to hurt. Kurenai told me your eyes haven't fully healed from the rescues you and Team Guy pulled off during the Chunin Exams."

"I'll be fine," Hinata reassured with soft smile. "Besides, I learned my stubbornness from the most stubborn jinchuriki of them all."

Naruto couldn't help feeling proud of Hinata because of her incredible braveness in the situation.

Her step did not falter once as they trek through the high winds and the whirling sand that continuously lashed at them. Every few moments, she relayed how far they were from the edge of the storm, any obstacles they had to cross over, and how close they were to the village walls. If she hadn't been with them, they would have been wasting time in a cave as they waited for the storm to pass.

Naruto admired her even more than before for that simple fact alone. She wasn't afraid to charge in when someone needed her the most.

If only everyone could have the same courage as her.

Just as the storm picked up even more dangerously than before, they arrived just a few feet within the safety of the village. A couple Suna shinobi were surprised to see them break through the storm. They were more surprised to see Temari traveling with the Konoha group. Nonetheless, the Suna shinobi quickly regained their composure as they led the group to the hospital, summarizing everything new that they knew—

All while Hinata clung onto Naruto, since her eyes needed a few moments to rest.

Kankuro's injuries were a lot more serious than they anticipated. The Akatsuki member, a rogue ninja from Suna, attacked with a lethal poison that their leading expert didn't know was made from. It would only be a matter of time before he would succumb to the poison.

Sakura insisted that she takes a look at the ill ninja. Having trained under the best medical ninja in Konoha, she was more than confident she could finish the antidote before it was too late. Luckily, the pink-haired shinobi easily pinpointed the ingredients of the poison and managed to expel nearly all of the toxin. As she drew out the poison, Sakura mentally listed all she needed to make the antidote. Just as she announced that Kankuro's life was saved—

A Suna elder, known as Lady Chiyo, had an uproar about Leaf shinobi having to help save a Sand shinobi. It took quite a bit of coaxing to settle her down, even after telling that Hinata and Naruto were the Lord Kazekage's closest friends. Even then, Lady Chiyo, Naruto, and Kakashi were forced out to the hallway by Baki to finish the disagreement there. Hinata stayed in the room, her eyes having rested well enough to help out.

After some time, Sakura finished the antidote. Naruto and Kakashi were allowed back into the room after the antidote was administered and given time to work. Kankuro told everything he could remember of the fight with the Akatsuki member. During his scuffle, Kankuro managed to get a scrap of the enemy's clothing, knowing it would be used to track them down.

Within a few minutes, one of the Suna jounin rolled in a cart, containing every piece of Kankuro's puppets they managed to recover. Instead of doing for the Crow, his hand instinctively reached for the tiny wind-up bird that looked out of place among the scare puppets. It was just within reach when pain shot through Kankuro's chest, forcing him lay back.

Being the amazing big sister that she strives to be, Temari grabbed the little bird and released the jutsu placed on it. With a poof of smoke, the puppet transformed into a scroll, with the tag 'Kuro' attached to it.

Somehow, Naruto managed to remain patient as Kankuro read through the message. It helped that Naruto could see the injured teen physically relax with a look of calm on his feature. Whatever the scroll contained, it had to have been good news for him.

Flinching at remembering where he was, Kankuro mumbled an apology as he rolled up the scroll and placed it next to him. With a flick of his wrist, the Crow's hand opened up. Inside was a small piece of black fabric from the Akatsuki's cloak.

After Kakashi summoned his ninja hounds—resulting in a quick reunion with Pakuun and Naruto—the Copy Ninja insisted that they rest as much as they can before the hounds returned. Before the Konoha shinobi could be led to a private room to form a plan, they were stopped.

"Naruto, please save Gaara," Kankuro begged tiredly. "I already lost my baby. I don't want to lose my little brother too."

As one could have expected, there were mixed reactions by those who witnessed the request. They all had agape expressions, but for varying reasons. Kakashi, Sakura, and all the Suna shinobi who didn't know were shocked to hear about Kankuro having a baby at such a young age. Hinata couldn't believe he let the secret out so soon when he wanted to keep it from the Council. Temari and Baki felt the same as the Hyuga girl, but was more surprised that Kankuro was willing to let someone else save his brother.

Despite all the looks around him, Naruto smiled in reassurance. "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to one of my closest friends," Naruto vowed as his smile became a bit cocky and confident. "Besides, I'm going to become Hokage one day, so the Kazekage can just owe me one."