When Death Tries To Greet You

10.

Obito glanced nervously at the gate, playing with the inside of his pockets. The sounds that came out of the Forest of Death were intimidating, and while his team was good, he wasn't sure of what he would face.

He looked around, his eyes falling on a Kusa team. The Kusa nins' eyes soaked in their presence as if they were eyeing their appetizer for a grand supper. Obito grimaced, and his eyes shifted to Naruto. He couldn't help but look at her. Even while the proctor was explaining that he could die in this test. Next, he looked at Rin, who was looking right back at him.

He worried for Rin, too. She was strong, but what if it wasn't enough? What if they lost her like they did on the Kannabi Bridge mission? His dark eyebrows furrowed, and his breathing sped up. He would have to protect her. Naruto could handle herself, he hoped.

"You'll need to sign these slips, acknowledging that you could die in this here forest."

Obito was snapped out of his thinking, and he looked at the paper that had just gotten passed to him. He stared pensively at the blank area, it was taunting. He bit down on his thumb, almost hesitantly, and signed his name on the slip.

He looked up, and was met with blue eyes, "You scared, Obito?" And of course Naruto wasn't scared. He tried to decipher any emotion, but she was unreadable as always. And he was met with the cold reminder that the only time he really knew what she was thinking, was their vulnerable moment at the training grounds.

"Scared? No way, I'm just nervous on what we're going to face." Obito responded with a soft tone, as if he didn't want anybody to overhear him. Obito looked over at Rin, and she nodded looking between the two with an odd look in her eye. He watched as her gaze lingered on Naruto for longer than it should. Was she still suspicious of her?

"I won't let anyone get hurt, don't worry. Plus if you die, who will treat me to some delicious Ichiraku?" Naruto giggled, patting and rubbing her stomach. Obito glared at her, and the proctor cleared his throat.

"All right, everyone listen the hell up. I'm going to tell you how this is going to go. In this exam, every one of you will get a scroll. Some will have an Earth Scroll, and some will have a Heaven Scroll. This exam is purposed to wipe out all those who aren't ready."

He stopped to glare at some ninja in the back laughing, "When you signed those papers, you agreed that it would not be a fault of Konoha's if you were to die in this exam. You will have to obtain a scroll opposite to your own, and open them only when you reach the tower. Open either scroll before and you will be disqualified. Now, everyone is going to get a scroll, when you get one you can enter, you have five days."

Obito tensed as he felt the severe killing intent from the other ninjas. This was going to be a tough one, he could feel it. And he could also feel someone watching him while his back was turned.

The proctor tossed the scroll to Naruto, and she grinned. "This is going to be good guys, I've been waiting to test something out!"

Obito and Rin shared a worried glance, their minds going back to what Minato told them about showing off. But it was Naruto, and if Naruto's mind was made up nothing could change it.

_____________________

When they entered the forest, the first thing Naruto did was sit down. She rested each hand on one knee, and closed her eyes. "What are you doing Naruto?" Rin asked with a raised eyebrow. Who the hell meditates in the middle of an exam?!

Obito grabbed her shoulder, turning her away from the blonde infront of them. "She's meditating, let's just leave her."

"We can't leave her, have you lost your mind Obito?! She has our scroll, if she's attacked-"

Rin was cut off by Naruto tossing the scroll at her. Rin inspected the scroll, and saw the writing "Earth" on it. "Leave me be, I'll catch up with you guys, I have to gather energy." Rin looked at her as if she had grown two heads, and Obito shrugged and started to walk off. Rin followed after him hastily.

"Are we really just going to leave her there? What if she gets attacked?" Obito just shrugged again, "Naruto is a very strong ninja. I suspect that she's stronger than sensei." Rin frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. "Do you honestly think that? How can she be stronger that Minato-sensei? She's just genin level." Obito shook his head, she didn't understand.

She hadn't seen what he had inside of the cave. She hadn't seen the beautiful golden chakra that surrounded the kunoichi when she saved his life.

"Forget it, do you think we should attack or wait it out?" Rin thought about it, for what seemed like forever before replying. "I think we should wait until Naruto meets us, and make a plan on how we're going to get a Heaven scroll in the next five days without dying."

Obito nodded, he agreed with that wholeheartedly. He was scared they would take Rin again. He didn't have a good feeling about the eyes he felt on his back at the start of the exam.

"Do you think that we should hunt for food now while we wait?" Obito shook his head, "It will probably be too much to carry, lets keep moving and find somewhere to set up camp." Obito looked to the darkening sky, and sighed quietly.

They kept moving fast throughout the forest, and came upon a small opening covered by a extremely large oak tree. Rin stopped and observed the area before speaking, "Let's go here, I think we would be safe."

       Obito grimaced a bit, they probably would never be safe in this forest, before he answered. "Yeah, you're right let's set up here."

They jumped down, and started placing down their items. Rin put the scroll down, and soon after a kunai was thrown at her foot. She jumped back, the kunai missing her foot by a few inches.

"Look what we have here..."