What Came Down the River

Chapter 1: The Finding

//Just before we get started I want to give you guys a heads up that chapters are usually really long, sorry. And this first chapter is in 3rd person, but the rest of it should be in 1st person afterward. Hope you enjoy it!//

Sounds of trickling water fill the sun shined evening as the immaculate stream of water rushes down the slippery, eroded surfaces of the rocks. The beads of wetness clung to the bodies of solid surfaces in the water. The sun only reflecting it's smile on the beads and intensified it's rays. Burning through and causing sun burns to any living being in the water. Not that the water was hot, actually it was crisp with an inviting aura that displayed itself in many vibrant shades of blue. Though, this magically comforting stream had been known for the misfortunes it carried down from one village to the next. Whether it be bad fortune for a day, a week, death, or even carrying the dead. Sometimes...even known to carry other worldly beings into new realms. So it's said anyway.

     This tale is one of many that will have been written and told throughout the future of Konoha. A small village known as the Hidden Leaf. Which would then spread as a legend, eventually forgotten as the rest of history has, oh so often, done.

     In this particular occasion of wandering memories, the stream of magical intent had washed ashore a, said to be, beautiful woman about the age of 19. Her hair was as long and luscious as a golden bowl of stringed honey sickle flowers. At first, many would take her as an angel, but would soon discover the devil that had been planted...

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          "NARUTO! DON'T GO OFF ON YOUR OWN!" A younger man, about the age of 21 with long, spiky, silver hair, known as Kakashi Hatake had called out to his rookie ninja.

         "BUT KAKASHI-SENSEI! IF WE DON'T HURRY ICHIRAKU RAMEN WILL CLOSE! I WANT TO CELEBRATE AFTER OUR FIRST BIG WIN ON A MISSION!" Naruto whined from a few tree branches ahead. His gold blonde hair swishing back violently at the air fighting past.

         Kakashi sighs and decides to speed up slightly. His other two disciples speeding up with him.

     Sasuke Uchiha had been known as one not to complain. Unless, of course, it involved doing anything with Naruto and not training to become stronger... and one day kill his elder brother Itachi.

"Naruto, you idiot. Slow down. You give that place so much business they probably stay open past their closing time just to get your money."

          "Please Naruto!" Sakura whined from behind everyone else. Her hair flopped against her face as she jaggedly landed from one branch to another, clearly getting exhausted from their long journey. She was the only girl in Team 7. And to be honest she was the only one who complained almost as much as Naruto about everything. When Sakura wasn't complaining she was fascinating over Sasuke and his masculine looks.

          "KAKASHI-SENSEI, ONIIGAI! WE'VE BEEN TRAVELING FOR 7 HOURS NOW! WE ARE STILL 4 HOURS AWAY! LET'S FINISH THE JOURNEY TOMORROW!" Sakura stopped on one of the branches and bent over slightly as she caught her breath. Beads of sweat began to collect and run down her worn face.

          Everyone else stopped, although Naruto was the last as he kept trying to persist in going back to town for ramen.

           Gazing up and then back over to his tired rookie, Kakashi sighed and nodded in agreement. "It's going to be dark anyways pretty soon. We should set up camp around here. It's a good place considering we've been following along the river."

          Everyone hopped down from their branches and began setting up immediately. Though Naruto was dragging his feet and sulking in his inability to quench his cravings.

           It doesn't take long to set up as all they had were their sleeping bags, a few supplies, and then gathered firewood to boil some water to drink.

          "Alright, you guys stay here. I'm going to fill the bucket with some water. That way we can boil drinking water for the rest of the trip tomorrow." Kakashi stood up from the log he was sitting on and waved goodbye as he picked up the pail and quietly made his way through the scenery.

The water quietly guided him, as if lewering him towards a situation of urgent attention. Rays of the silver moonlight reflected onto the water and casted an almost mirror image of the starry sky. But it danced with lights of trouble. As if the night were about to become bolevelint and cut short. Kakashi felt the tension in the air, yet couldn't quite place the reason why.

     He continued to walk the path, as if hoping to find the source. Pushing past a few dead hanging branches, they dropped to his feet and revealed a woman lying half exposed in the water. Her body had been battered and thrown on a large boulder in the middle of the stream. She was subconsciously clinging to it for dear life. Most definitely she had been passed out. Maybe for a day...maybe longer. She was lining with jagged scars along her silky back. They cut the pattern of her vibrant skin, which created uneven breaks. It looked like she was being used for something.

         A loud clank from the bucket sounded as Kakashi dropped it and rushed over to the edge of the water. Eyeing to make sure it wasn't a trap first. "OI! ARE YOU AWAKE? CAN YOU MOVE?!" He shouted over the cries of the stream as they seemed to be relieving themselves from the burden of finding someone to help.

          There was no response. He quickly cupped his hands like a megaphone over his mouth and shouted again. But the woman in the water was most definitely beyond the possibility of waking up. Kakashi quickly jumped into the stream and pushed forward towards her. As he got closer he saw numbers written on her neck. What is this? A branding mark? I had heard about organizations that kidnap people and brand them with numbers like cattle. Is she involved with them? Is she an escapee? He thought to himself as he gently unclenches her hands from the rock. It had dried blood on it from her finger tips. It looked like she had clawed to stay alive on top of the rock. What happened?

     Taking her out of the stream, Kakashi took his vest off and wrapped it around her upper half. It wasn't wet since the stream only reached up to his waist. She's so cold. And just barley alive. It'd be best to take her back to the camp and have her warm back up by the fire. It's all we can do for now. I'll have to take her back to the village and drop her off at the hospital. It doesn't seem like she's from any of the villages around here. Finally deciding what to do, Kakashi picked the mystery woman up and slung her against his back. Holding her up with one arm, her legs wrapped around his waist and her head shlunk against his neck. With the other hand, he quickly filled the bucket and rushed back to camp. The others were in a circle...well...semi-circle. Sasuke moved his bag further off to the side to avoid dealing with anyone. Everyone seemed to be asleep peacefully so Kakashi decided to let them continue to rest. They had a long day after all.

         I guess she can have my sleeping bag. It'll probably help anyways. Not like I was going to use it. Kakashi gently placed the girl on the ground next to the cackling fire and grabbed his yellow sleeping bag. Zipping it open he moved her into it and encased her like a fly in a Venus fly trap. She was yet to give a reaction to anything Kakashi had said or done so far.

         Kakashi stayed bent for a moment longer over the woman. The moon had made her look like an apparition. Or a reincarnation of some goddess of death. Not that she was ugly, but pale and battered from whatever events had she experienced. He found himself wanting to reach forward and move the hair out of her face. Maybe even cup her soft cheeks in his hand. Just to verify she was real.

          Gradually he paced his hand forward and moved aside the lily like hair on the girls face. Her reflection grew warm as the bright shades of oranges and yellow caressed her face. She's...very beautiful... I really want to know what happened now. I'll have to ask the doctors when they finish examining her.       

    Kakashi stood, examining her features one last time before jumping into the trees above and "taking watch". Which in actuality, he pulled out his icha icha make out paradise book. He had read it a thousand times before, but he turned each page with such care and an invested look on his face, you would think it's his first time reading it.

         The rest of the night shot by without incident. Only the stars, burning thousands of miles away, twinkling brighter were of note on that evening. They shone as if a new beginning were about to start. Which, the heavens weren't wrong, a new era had only just begun.