Caged Birds Lullaby

chapter 14

The pray was unsuspecting. Devoid of any emotion and trying to control the giddiness, three figures crawled towards the victim, silently, stealthily. This was their only chance to know the truth..hidden within!

Two hands slowly sneaked up the face of the man, The attackers meeting each others eyes, and looking back to see the reassuring nod from their ally, who was right behind them, they moved to hook their fingers in the cloth, each dreading the worst.

Two hands gripped their wrists.

"What, are my kawaii little gennin doing", came a raspy voice, laced with amusement.

Sakura screamed, falling onto Sasuke. Naruto backed away, clutching her heart.

"We were checking if…"

"If you were still alive" , Sasuke finished for Naruto, sending her a glare and throwing Sakura off him in annoyance.

Kaakshi sat up and eye-smiled at them. They were just too predictable. Having a gennin team sure was funny in a way.

"How are you feeling, sensei," asked a worried Sakura as they crowded around him.

"I am fine, don't worry,", he waved her off.

"About Zabuza..", started Naruto uncertainly as she and Sasuke shared a look.

"Yes?", prompted the copy nin, curious. It wouldn't be a surprise if those two had already guessed.

"Well, from what I know of ANBU..aren't they supposed to kill enemies and nuke-nin on the spot?", the blonde stated, her finger back to pulling at her lower lip.

"Plus, that boy, he used senbon," pressed Sasuke, sending an annoyed glare at Naruto. She needed to stop being so damn cute in those situations.

Kakashi nodded and turned his head to his last student. She fidgeted, but stated in a firm voice.

"Senbon aren't meant to kill, they cant kill. They are used to paralyze the opponents by hitting certain pints in the body. The boy hit Zabuza in the neck, I have read one in a medical book that the pressure points there, if triggered can cause a false death."

He smiled. "Correct. My kawaii gennin are learning. Indeed he is alive. And that pseudo ANBU is on his style, after all he whisked Zabuza away right under our noses."

"How long will it take him to recover? I mean they are bound to attack again, right, ttebayo?

The jounin nodded. "Yes. I give about a week. It will take me about that much time to recover as well. When the time comes, I will take on Zabuza, while you three will deal with his partner."

"But-.."

He shushed Sakura with his hand.

"This means one thing. Training."

"Climb tress? We know how to climb trees, dattebayo!", screamed Naruto, her low bun flying behind her. Sasuke silently agreed. What the hell was Kakashi teaching them! This was training?

"Aaah, that's where you are wrong. I mean..climbing without using your hands.", came the monotone voice of Hatake Kakashi, whose nose was buried in his book.

The usual.

"Huh?" Sakura voice what the other two were thinking.

"Just watch,"

And they did, with mouths open wide seeing him walk up a tree, literally! And he was with his clutches!

The man walked upside down a branch hanging over them and stood there, defying all the laws of gravity. Naruto was reminded of bats.