Book One- The Enemy

Chapter 24

The Art of a Kunoichi
The Art of War
Passage Five

Rare spoken words from Tadame, The Silent One
The battle of Shizukana Mizu, Silent water
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May your blade strike true and may your power shine through,
May you survive and may you die a proud and true Kunoichi.
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The last battle cry from the lips of the Silent One.

O

War.

The inspiration for infamous hymns, poems, and stories written and spoken about great heroes, and devious villains, the start and finish of generations, the raw beauty of pure human emotion, wrapped up in blood, sweat, and tears. Even the thought of it seemed to comfort her, war was an end to tragedy and a start to peace, at least in theory that's how it was supposed to go.

Her father taught her different, as did her sensei, and her village, and well anyone who lived in the Land of Wind, unforgiving and unforgettable people, as she was, a concept worth musing over now, to her surprise. Yet here she was hoping, deep down away from prying eyes, it might end as quick as it was declared, wondering if she should have listened to Gaara sooner, maybe she could have ended this sooner instead of getting pulled through hell over the past several years.

Temari of the Sand was raised to excel in the art of war.

With the desert at her back and the ravine laid before her, Temari scanned the sight of the final battle, something inside her hoping that it might be her last, then again knowing war never truly ended it was always just put on pause, waiting for the next betrayal to occur. Each nation would strike again, that was inevitable, but maybe just maybe her eyes wandered behind her for a moment.

Teal's slightly narrowing when she spotted him, talking to a pair of his friends, some black-haired woman with the same ghostly eyes as one of his captains, and that guy she remembers the one who had fought Gaara many years ago. His words hushed and serious, seen by the severe glare he casted the two, even his stance was straightened commanding, guessing now she was the one staring instead of him. Turning back, she inhaled steadying her mind, holding back an invasive thought, wondering as to what they were talking about, only to smell the sudden scent of forest and smoke off her scarf, what a distraction that was.

She meant every word of what she had told him, he was a good man after all, understanding now as to why he had always seemed to push against her, and why she had really stopped her efforts, mostly at least. Almost groaning at the irritation that she had been bested by a man, one she admittedly liked, one she teased, one she kissed, that reminder quickly getting pushed aside as she needed to focus, easier said than done.

Honestly, who would win at a game of Shoji?

If she survived this, probably will, considering she was made up of fire that seemed to never burn out, she'd have to challenge him to a match to see who would finally beat the other in a game of wits, a match of the century she'd call it. Gaara really knocked some sense into her it seemed, she'd thank him later, but not without the scolding for coming to camp, unannounced, at such a dangerous time, with all those prying eyes.

Kazekage or not, he was still her little brother, and even though she was protecting him she knew he could handle himself, at least before the Akatsuki hurt him. The memory paining her too much, him dead in her arms, but she resisted it her love for Gaara, her baby brother, helping her get through thinking about the matter further, her precious family, oh yeah and Kankuro she loved him too, sometimes. Grinning faintly, she barely noticed the steps behind her, only alerted full by the cheerful, excited as always, voice of her student.

"Lady Temari?" Temari shut her eyes for a moment, the call behind her answered with silence "Our unit is ready" Matsuri called over, wary now seeing as she didn't look back "and Yukata managed to sneak us some nikuman buns" she added beaming a bit when Temari glanced back a small smile gracing her lips, always kind those two were, maybe she could learn a thing or two from her students.