Chapter 39: Sparks & Shadows
With the commotion on Naruto's side, Sasuke naturally opened her eyes. Seeing Sakura looking at her, she stood up and walked over to the pair, pointedly ignoring Naruto. "Now that we're all awake, let's go hunt for the scroll we need and reach the tower."
Naruto also rose to his feet. "Right. But first, we eat. The rations are gone. Let's find something."
Hearing this, Sakura's stomach grumbled in agreement. Sasuke's face remained a cool mask of indifference, but a soft, betraying gurgle issued from her own midsection, making Naruto bite back a smile. So stubborn.
Sasuke's ears turned pink. She spun on her heel and stalked off ahead.
Sakura, sensing the strange tension but unsure of its source—and still a little wary of Sasuke after yesterday's violent outburst—just looked worried.
Naruto chuckled softly and followed.
Scene Five: Unwanted Guests
With the skills of two shinobi and a determined kunoichi, catching a plump hare wasn't difficult. Finding a clear stream took more effort. Soon, they were set up beside the water, ready to cook.
None of them had much experience preparing wild game. After some fumbling, Naruto took charge, skewering the hare over the fire with a practiced ease that surprised even him.
Sakura happily helped, her giggles bubbling up occasionally. Since last night, a new layer of comfort and closeness had woven itself between her and Naruto, a feeling she was growing to cherish.
Sasuke sat apart, her face a stormcloud, watching the two chatter and work together, muttering under her breath from time to time.
After a while, the savory aroma of roasted meat filled the air. Sakura clapped her hands. "It smells amazing! Naruto, I want that leg!"
Naruto smiled, pulling off a crispy hare leg and handing it to her. She beamed back.
"Sasuke, it's ready. Come eat," Naruto called, turning to where she pretended to scan the tree line.
No response. He called again.
Munching on her portion, Sakura watched Sasuke's silent protest with wide, curious eyes.
Naruto sighed, stood, and walked over. He tore off the other leg and offered it. "Here. You need to eat."
Sasuke glanced at it, her nose twitching slightly at the enticing smell, but her pride held firm. "You two eat. I'm not hungry."
"Huh? But Sasuke, I heard your stomach growling before," Sakura piped up innocently.
"Liar!" Sasuke retorted instantly, her cheeks flushing.
Seeing her flustered denial, Naruto shook his head with an amused grin. He reached out, took her wrist—ignoring her startled "Hey!"—and pressed the hare leg into her hand. His eyes met her dark, stormy ones, his expression serious. "Eat. You'll need your strength for the next fight over the scroll."
His sudden touch and firm tone made her freeze. She struggled half-heartedly but didn't pull away, turning her face aside with a huff. "W-who asked you to care so much? You're not my—"
Thwip!
A kunai cut through the air, aimed squarely at Sasuke's forehead.
Naruto's senses screamed. Reacting on pure instinct, he lunged forward, tackling Sasuke to the ground and covering her body with his own.
"Ah! What are you—?!" Sasuke yelped, having missed the projectile entirely in her distraction. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a chaotic mix of indignation and something else.
"Stay down! Ambush!" Naruto hissed, rolling them both in a controlled tumble behind the scant cover of a tree root before springing back to his feet, kunai now in hand, his gaze sharp.
Sasuke scrambled up, her eyes finally finding the kunai embedded in the earth where she'd just stood. Her earlier petulance vanished, replaced by cold alertness.
Just then, several rough voices echoed around the small clearing.
"Hahaha! Boss, look! Two little cuties! Bet they've got a Heaven scroll on 'em!" Three large, bulky figures emerged from the foliage, wearing Oto-nin forehead protectors. Their grins were predatory.
Naruto's eyes narrowed. Sakura, jolted from her shock, immediately dropped the hare and moved to stand back-to-back with her teammates, falling into a defensive stance.
"What scroll do you carry?" Naruto asked bluntly, his voice devoid of fear.
The Oto-nin were momentarily taken aback by his calm. Then their leers returned, fixed on Sakura and Sasuke. One, presumably the leader, stepped forward. "Listen, kid. Hand over your scroll, leave the girls, and crawl out of here. We might let you live. Otherwise…" He let the threat hang, all three releasing a wave of crude, bullying killing intent.
To genin who had just faced the soul-chilling aura of Orochimaru, this was nothing. Naruto didn't even blink. He just looked at them with a faint, disgusted smile.
Seeing their intimidation fail, one of the thugs lost his temper. "You had your chance, brat! Now die!"
They began forming hand seals. But before the first jutsu could be completed, a blur of motion crossed the space between them.
The next instant, Naruto was already among them. A cold edge of steel pressed against the leader's throat. "I'll ask again," Naruto said, his voice quiet and lethal. "What's in the bag on your back?"
"Huh?!" The other two Oto-nin could only gape. They'd barely seen him move! One of them was already captured?!
"T-too fast!"
"Did you even see him?!"
Naruto ignored their panic, his focus on the man under his blade.
Sweat poured down the captive's face. "N-nothing! Just… just some game we caught!"
"Really?" Naruto murmured. His knee shot up, driving into the man's gut. With a choked gasp, the Oto-nin collapsed, kneeling and retching. The large, stained cloth bag he'd been carrying thumped to the ground.
Without a second glance, Naruto walked to the bag, his movements cautious as he carefully untied the knot and pulled it open.
Scene Six: Unexpected Find
A figure tumbled out—a girl, bound and gagged, wearing an Oto-nin forehead protector herself.
She had short, fiery red hair and a delicate, frightened face. A cloth was stuffed in her mouth, and ropes crisscrossed her body. Now free, she blinked up at Naruto, her wide eyes full of shock and a desperate, searching hope.
KarIn.
Naruto's mind supplied the name instantly. Having knowledge of the future, he recognized her. The girl utterly devoted to Sasuke… and, more importantly, a fellow descendant of the nearly extinct Uzumaki clan. A distant kin, though the concept of 'clan' held little weight for him now.
He couldn't reveal his recognition, of course. He simply offered a reassuring smile, helped her sit up, and began untying the ropes. "Are you alright?" he asked gently.
"I…" Karin was dazed. During the struggle in the bag, her thick, prescription glasses had been lost. Though she'd heard everything—the voices, the fight, her rescue—her severely myopic vision could only make out a blur of bright blond hair and the vague outline of a kind face.