Book One- The Enemy

Chapter 1

Eight years of war against the Five great nations, countless shinobi dead, and the original Konoha twelve somehow still alive. The Leaf still shined bright in the morning, breezes swayed, birds chirped, the residents filled the streets in the morning hustle. After the initial attack from the Sand, leaving the third Hokage dead, all hell broke loose among the nations, each fighting for their own cause. Pride and wrath waging over the nations.

Nestles away in the villages children still played, elders still casted wisdom among the youth, and families shared meals at the table. Yet as the village remained blissful the unit deployed grew serious.
Orders, create an ambush for the invading Hidden Rock Shinobi. They planned to attack their dimming units after the recent scuffle with the Sand.

A sigh, long and tired, then a pair of dark eyes bringing back to focus as Shikamaru pushed forward strong calculated steps springing nimbly from branch to branch before settling on the final branch of the forest edge eyes turned to the camp below. Quiet steps behind alerted him and he was joined by three others. Neji glared down at the Leaf shinobi moving about before turning to their captain.

"Is he even down there?" Neji called out to him.

"You tell me?" With an impassive glance at his comrade, he sprang down. Quickly followed by the heavy thud of Choji and Sakura. The moment the four entered the camp they were acknowledged by the resting warriors around. He nodded to Sakura who was already shifting her weight to the medic tent to serve her purpose for joining the unit. Choji met him at his side.

"Are you sure an ambush is a good idea? I mean we did get hit by the Sand a couple weeks ago and now we gotta mess with the Earth" he looked worryingly to his friend "Then we have that matter with Naruto" He muttered to Shikamaru who nodded once.

"That's why I said it, if we can stop them at the canyon before they enter with their troops, we can buy time and save some unnecessary loses" He finished with a sigh grabbing the cigarette that he'd slipped behind his ear earlier and bringing it to his lips, frustrated with the unpredicted move made a couple of weeks ago.

"And the Sand?" Neji muttered from his other side.

"It'll be close, but I doubt we'll make contact with their border patrol" He confirmed and brought a lighter to his lips gripping it tight for a moment at the thought of his Sensei Asuma. Death at the hands of the rouge Akatsuki a couple of years back. Huffing he lit the end ignoring the low chuckle behind him.

"You think it's easy to just make a plan and not think of all the possible faults in it?" His fathers amused voice came from behind as he draped his arm over his son's shoulders. Shikamaru didn't bother to look at Shikaku and grumbled instead, he was too tired to listen to anymore wisdom for the day, even if it was his fathers.

"Dad I've been over the plan and as long as we give no reason to disturb them, we'll be fine" With a bark his father pulled back laughing.

"Of course, captain" He crossed his arms mocking his son.

"Why is everything such a drag?" He murmured, eyes slowly dragging around the camp taking in the number of Shinobi in wait, some injured others preparing quietly for their next battle "I've taken everything into consideration, as long as we place the paper bombs in the correct locations we won't be spotted by their sensory unit" He turned to Neji reaching his arm expectantly and pulled away when the scroll met his hand. "From Lady Tsunade" He handed it back to his father and pushed forward away from the group to one of the tents. He'd been made commander of the Leaf's western camp four years ago and although dreaded it at the time he'd always make sure each mission and battle went perfectly, minimal lose and more victories for the Leaf. He paused outside of the dark green tent and slipped to the side as Naruto jumped out fists raised.