Mending The Past To A Better Future

Chp. 20 Race To Kiri {Part-2}

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As soon as they’ve hit shore, the man (Naruto learns that his name is Tanake) practically steals Obito away before saying that they’ll find him later. Rin wants to protest, but Kakashi holds her back. They have to let Obito do it, as he’s promised. Which leaves the three to journey through the Mist Forest until they reach the Water Daimyo’s Palace.

The absence of their teammate is especially loud when they recall Minato’s words commanding them to not split up unless they were in groups of two.

Naruto doesn’t even know what to think. Not even a full day into their mission and one of their teammates has already been put in a less than exemplary position. Some team leader she is.

“None of that,” Rin says suddenly from her left, her tone as firm as Naruto has ever heard it.

“Huh?”

Rin shakes her head. “I know what you’re thinking, Naruto-chan. But don’t assume the worst unless something has actually happened. As of right now, we’re all fine, and the sooner we’re finished with the mission, the sooner we can meet up with Obito.”

“But I-”

“That was Obito’s choice,” the other female on her team says. “Stop worrying, and let’s get this done, okay?”

“Okay,” Naruto whispers, feeling like a weight has been lifted from her chest. Hearing Rin accept the decision at hand made things seem easier for some reason.

Their travels to the Mist Forest would have been more uncertain had the air around them not turned more foggy for every few steps they took westward. As they worked past the silhouetted trees and their gnarly branches sticking out in ominous directions, Naruto felt her heart drop at the lack of light filtering in through the canopy of the trees.

“It’s getting real dark,” Kakashi commented off-hand - even nonchalantly, but the way that he automatically reached for his tanto that was no longer there told Naruto that he was just on edge as her.

“It’s just the mist,” Rin said reassuringly. “It’s just… dark… because it’s hard to see in general.”

“People who get lost in here must have a hard time keeping track of time,” Naruto said, rather unhelpfully. “And I bet once you get lost, it’s really hard trying to find a way out. Rationing food and water means nothing if you can’t replenish your stores in the end, right?”

Kakashi and Rin both turned to glare at her.

“Could you,” Kakashi sighed, “maybe shut up?”

Naruto pouted and promptly pushed him, staving him off course for a moment. “Rude, Kaka-baka,” she muttered under her breath.

The blonde sighed again before reaching up to pull her hair out of it’s ties. The air was so damp from the fog that Naruto could feel the wetness on her neck, cold, and unforgiving. Carefully, she reached up and spun her hair into a bun before tying it. Then she clapped her clammy hand to her neck and wiped.

“I feel like I’m cold-sweating, dattebayo,” She grumbled. “This is so annoying.”

Kakashi ignored her and shoved the map under her face. Rin leaned closer to see as well. “According to the map, if we continue to follow this trail then we should pass by a statue of a wyvern.”

Naruto’s face screwed up. “A wyvern?”

“It’s kind of like a dragon,” Rin explained. “It’s a bit smaller though, and there are less spikes on its wings. Its tail is also a bit more arrowhead-shaped than a dragons’ would be.”