Chapter 7

The clouds had turned on them, the promise of a clear sky and warm sunrise washed away the moment they stepped foot out of the Valley. The woman he carried did not mind the jumpy journey toward the camp, Tobirama took her straight towards his clan's camp. He took no chances with the aggressive nature showed by the Uchiha. He was surprised to see his brother both bothered and silently enraged towards his old friend.

The only exchange he and his brother had was about the condition of the small woman in his arms. Hashirama was concerned about her sudden loss of consciousness and the fact that she was chained to the ground like some prisoner.

Apparently the Uchiha saw her as a threat... that was yet to be proven.

Not that the Senju did not think she could pose a threat, but unconscious and, by Hashirama's opinion, a scared victim of the infamous Valley of the Lost. His older brother has a natural radar for good people and honesty - one that malfunctioned with the Uchiha for some reason.

His tent seemed to be the best tent for the woman, no Uchiha would be able to enter if he had eyes on her. Once she would eventually recover from her sleeping state, the interrogation will commence.

Tobirama was certain he would want to witness it, for now he would be content with the anger he has caused to the Uchiha, especially the leader of the current platoon of men in blue clan uniforms who seemed curious about a particular pink haired woman he carries to his tent.

- "Dam Uchiha's" - he muttered to himself.

As he entered the threshold to his tent, the idea to keep her in the small, confined space started to look less appealing... her sudden movements brought his attention back to her, she was still asleep but seemed deep into an unpleasant dream. Small whimpers and sharp intakes of breath alerted him.

As a Senju, he was well knowing in the arts of "Do not panic and get a medic". Her body started to heat up and cold sweat with shivers spread through her smaller frame.

Her whimpers turned to pained moans when he laid her on the small bed and called for his brother. There was no way he was leaving her alone in the tent, out of his sight.

- "She was fine until a few moments ago." -

- "I got this, go get some fresh water and Yuna." - Hashirama's soft tone was all he needed to know, even with the unknown origins of the woman and the unsuccessful nature of the mission. There was nothing to worry about. - "Her body has been weakened by those shackles." - the tanned man hovered his hand over the pinkets body and stopped on her chest. A soft green glimmer trailing from his fingertips to her exposed skin. - "She will recover." -

With that, Tobirama rushed to get the Senju woman and fresh water.

Night came with stormy clouds and heavy rain, covering everything and anything it could. Not even the small fires could warm his bed before he had to curl up and close his eyes, with the noisy weather and threat of water sneaking into his tent, Hashirama was not going to have a good night's sleep.

Not before he had a talk with his old friend. Good thing he placed his tent right next to his!

His anger had boiled down after tending to the pinket until her fever died down, he was concerned about the sudden change in her condition when they left the Valley of the Lost. He could feel her energy, though small, flicker in a way he could not understand.

There is a small flame in all of us, for most its but a mere sparkle of light, for others it's a never-ending flame that grows in intensity and strength. But it can die down.

For those who can manipulate and use that flame at will, it is power.

For those who can't use it and the flame consumes them, it is danger.

The Senju clan, like other clans, possesses the natural ability to grow said flame, but it has to be under strict training. On more than one occasion in Senju history there has been regretful instances of clans men being consumed by their own flame.

The last time it happened, Hashirama was but only a child, his cousin wanted to show him a "cool trick" near the outside borders of the town. He witnessed the dreadful reality of being consumed by the very thing that gives you life.

The flames of chakra erupted from the young Senju's body causing havoc on the land around him, the ground cracked, and the threes caught on flames, wind carried the boy's screams and the image of the small body twisting and convulsing was imbedded into Hashirama's memory.

Everything ended by the flame reducing to a small spark and then... Nothing.

- "We need to talk." - the Senju almost jumped out of his skin when his bubble of thought bursts by the very man he was about to go look for.

- "Dara." - his tone was softer than he wanted, but he could not be as cheery as he wanted.

- "What's going on with you? We need to interrogate the prisoner." - the cold note at the end almost ticked off the tanned man... only just.

- "She is resting." - he reminded the Uchiha. - "And she is with Tobi, she is safe." - he repeated the fact that they spoke about a person, a woman that is currently posing no threat to anyone. - "She-" -

- "Stop this." - anger began to shine silently in the eyes of the tall Uchiha. - "That thing could be dangerous, there is a reason why it was trapped like that, and you know that." -

- "Madara!" - thunder roared a little too close for comfort. - "That woman is only human" - the Senju extended his hand as small trails of green danced on the palm of his hands. - "I made sure of it myself." -

The intensity of the Uchiha's stare was almost unbearable as a red glint in his eye made the Senju shift just slightly, but Madara was not staring at him in his eyes. The full focus of that crimson stare was on the tanned hand with the green glow.

One thing any medic with control over their chakra flame is: they can interact with other living beings' flame's, manipulate and even study them.

When the medic interacts with a non-human, said flame changes to the nature of the creature.

Madara knows this very well.

- "You can't stay in denial about this. Just because she looks different and hell... she even smells different." - he lowered his hand and stepped closer to the Uchiha. - "Does not mean she is a monster." -

It was the Senju's turn to stare intently at those eyes as they turned back to normal.

- "We end the mission, pack up and move." - his tone was calculated and laced with controlled anger. - "Tomorrow." -

- "She needs rest!" - Hashirama tried to debate. For all they knew, the storm might last longer than tomorrow.

But his plea went to deaf ears. The silence of the tent engulfed him as he found himself alone yet again as if he never had his friend's abrupt visit.

He did not care. Rain was not an excuse.

But the tall wall of an angry Senju with silvery blue hair was not in his plans. He would drag the woman himself if he had to. She was small enough to carry, he thought.

Tobirama Senju seemed to be the mountain between him and getting back home with something other than empty hands and some chains. Even his father would be unimpressed by his choice of "evidence" when their mission was about a stupid flower.

He would be the laugh of the clan's men if he left without the "flower" they brought from the Valley. That seemed like an appropriate name for the sleeping pinket in the tent.

Hashirama had asked for her name. "Sakura" ... a cherry blossom.

It almost sounded like the world was taunting him into a sick joke. He was not amused. With the harsh night - thanks to the storm - all his troops were tired and even the Senju had dark circles decorating their unhappy expressions.

With a frustrated sign in the confines of his tent, Madara allowed himself to dwell in the new reality he faced.

They would not be returning until the flowers condition was stable enough for the trip.