Road to Hokage: Save the Hyuga Clan

The Uzumaki Mask Storage Temple

Sakura could immediately tell she slept longer than she should have. She expected Naruto or Sasuke to wake up for her watch hours ago. She eyed them suspiciously as she sat up with a start. Naruto was engrossed in a scroll and as he slurped from a ramen cup. She could tell he was concentrating on not making eye contact with her or Sasuke. Sasuke was crouched over the fire facing away from her.

Sasuke noticed her awake, stood, and walked in her direction. She immediately tried to smooth her pink bed head hair down. He sat next to her and offered a her plate of food. She reached to accept it. Suddenly, Naruto rose to his feet and stretched.

"Going to take a leak," he announced before walking off in the direction of a nearby forrest leaving Sasuke and Sakura alone. Sakura couldn't help making a face at his sudden announcement. Sasuke huffed next to her, but he realized what Naruto was giving them space.

"You guys let me oversleep and miss my watch," she said to Sasuke, upset. Sasuke's lip switched briefly into a smile. He chuckled slightly to Sakura's surprise. In fact, he seemed in a better mood. He seemed more at ease than he did yesterday to her.

What happened last night while I was sleep ? Sakura thought. Naruto, did you say something to him?

Sasuke answered, "You should eat before it goes cold." Sakura took a bite acknowledging the meal for what it was ... a peace offering. She stared at him curiously. She caught his eye and but he didn't shy away from her gaze. Sakura felt her face flush unexpectedly.

"It's good...to see you again, too, Sakura," He said, barely above a whisper. Sakura felt her heart flutter at his words.

"Sasuke-kun," she started to say when Naruto came running out of the woods. He look on his face made her heart sink. She dropped her food and rushed to his side. Sasuke beat her to him.

"Naruto! What's wrong?!" Sakura asked, fighting the panic she felt.

"Hinata's seal activated," he answered, grimly. He paced back and forward while the clone's memories flooded his mind." Sai is with her but she's hurt. Attacked by Anbu in her prison cell."

"Sai is with her. Hinata is strong," Sakura answered assuring her best friend.

"That means she free, Naruto. We should move out. We can reach the temple before night fall if we hurry," Sasuke said confidently, looking back in the direction of the village. His hawk was a speck in the sky racing towards them. He held up his arm for the animal to land and removed the message.

"What does it say?" Sakura asked, walking to back to her sleeping area. She knelt to pack her things then tied her hair back using her forehead protector as a headband.

"We need to move quickly," Sasuke answered, and then looked at Naruto. "It's a message from Kakashi. Hinata is planning to confess at her trial and the Hyuga clan is detained under the anbu."

Naruto's eyes hardened and almost growled, "Let's go." He reached down to place his scroll in his bag. Sakura gave Sasuke a worried glance without Naruto noticing.

"Sai is with her, Naruto," Sakura reminded him. "We will figure this out before Hinata's trial starts."

The group ran in mostly silence to the Uzumaki Clan Mask Storage Temple. Sasuke led the way with Sakura to his left and Naruto guarding their rear. After an hour of running, the sand beneath their feet gave way to earth and gravel.

A large and ancient building loomed out in front of them. Even at this distance, the three could sense the shift in the atmosphere. The temple exuded a deep spiritual presence that demanded reverence. The ground seem to vibrate with energy older and more primal than anything they ever experienced before. The temple's aurora reached out to the three drawing on their approaching presence, while whispering to their intuition to stay away.  A dense fog blanketed the ground and a large field of overgrown brush separated the three from the steps of the temple.