Secrets in the Hidden Leaf

Chapter Twenty-Two: A Gift and a Message

It had been hours since they left the Kirigakure village. It was estimated we were arriving Konoha in three hours. It had been silent since they left, ideas were running through my mind. Something rustled in the trees, and I froze, my hand at the hilt of my wakizashi blade.

Sasuke appeared by my side, "What is it?" His breath trickled my ear, and I shuddered.

"I heard something in the trees," I replied, using the same tone. "It's above us." I tipped my head upward slightly, and looking where I heard the rustle.

Naruto bumped into me, causing me to stumble against Sasuke. "Ack! G-Gomen nasai!"

"Shhhh!" Sakura hissed, clamping her hand over Naruto's mouth. She glanced at me. "What is it?"

I knew exactly what was watching us in the trees. It was a ninja, however his or her chakra wasn't familiar. This was bad. Suddenly, a dark figure dropped down, and landed on his feet. "Hello," his voice was male, soothing, and almost seducing.

Sasuke took out his kunai, "Hello. You are?"

"Someone who'll be with you in the future," the voice replied. The figure was taller than Sasuke by ten centimeters, which means that me must be a bit older. Although, it was still hard to tell whether he was an enemy or a friend without seeing his face. He was covered in a dark cloak that covered all of his body. "Don't worry, I'm a friend."

"Show us your face, then," I replied coldly, my hand still gripping the hilt.

The figure shook his head, with a dark chuckle. "No, I'm just a messenger."

I raised an eyebrow, and opened my mouth to respond, however Naruto beat me to it. "What's your message from-ttebayo?"

"Amaya should know," the tone of his voice sounded as if he were smiling. Perhaps he was. "It's a message from a relative of yours, Yamaguchi Ryuhei."

Naruto laughed, and pointed accusingly at the cloaked ninja. "Psshhhhh! As if Amaya will fall for that! We know Amaya's family is---"

Sakura clamped her mouth around Naruto's mouth again, giving me an apologetic look. "Be quiet, nimrod!"

"Wh...Ryuhei?" I managed to say, clenching and unclenching my fists. "I...isn't he a rogue ninja, now?"

The figure leaned against the tree, and nodded, "He is, however he wants you to know that he'll be looking for you. It's undetermined when he'll come and visit you, however you'll learn a lot about your bloodline. Also giving in the reason why you're bloodthirsty little beasts in fight."

"What is he talking about, Amaya?" Sakura whispered, her voice trembling. "You have a relative...who's a rogue ninja?"

I nodded. "I do, but...I wouldn't think he would know about me."

"Of course he would know about you," the ninja replied. "He knows a lot, he's particularly clever, you know. A lot smarter than your boyfriend, there." He lifted a hand to gesture at the group, vague towards who he pointed to.

"I'm not her boyfriend, you big idiot!" Naruto yelled, sounding appalled. "We are only friends! Although, it's very impossible for someone to be smarter than me, dattebayo!"

Sakura slapped her forehead with the base of her palm, and she elbowed Naruto hard in the side, causing him to double over and fall to his side. Sasuke tugged on a strand of my hair to get my attention, "Amaya?"

"Yes?" I answered, glancing at him. Our eyes met, and his eyes bore into mine. I could see he had millions of questions to ask me, his dark eyes always had that special sparkle that made my heart flutter. He let go of the strand of hair hanging loose, and he sighed.

"You didn't tell us about Ryuhei," he tilted his head slightly, his tone steady. "Why not?"

"I didn't know much about him. Only that he was about our age, he's gone rogue, he was near Konoha, and he was abandoned." I murmured, feeling another whole in my chest starting to open. I let out a shuddery breath, and fixed the lock of hair that Sasuke pulled at. I turned to the ninja, and gave him a cold, hard glare. "Tell Ryuhei that I'm ready for him. He can't hide out forever. He needs to meet the only family he has right now."

The ninja shrugged, then gestured me over. I ignored Sasuke, and walked over. Once I was at least a meter away from him, he gestured me forward again, I unwillingly did, and he leaned in close to whisper, "Also, Ryuhei wanted me to give you this."

I leaned away, confused, just as the ninja grabbed my arm and forced a long cut down my arm with a kunai. I gasped loudly in pain, struggling away. "Have fun dealing with the pain and poison, Amaya."

Before I could black out, I heard screams and felt a sharp pain in the middle of my chest. Then, the darkness swirled above me, quickly devouring me whole.