Book One- The Enemy

Chapter 28

They had managed to keep the battle of Team seven and Kurostuchi from acquiring more units to aid the enemy in her battle, her numbers evening out to match her opponents, her back to the cliffside against the combined attacks of the fourLeaf shinobi.

Shikamaru's team and Temari's still missing after they earthquake had split them apart, though at least they had succeeded to stay near one another, each calculating how and when to strike to keep they enemy at bay, their backs towards one another, the leaders of Sand and Leaf protecting one another.

The swing of a steel fan, the three moons flashing, the furious shout to accompany all of it, sent the advancing three rock shinobi tumbling back under the harsh unforgiving wind that crashed into them, the corner of her lips rising with her successful strike. Shikamaru only took a second to admire the save, before turning to his own scene, the battles in the distance the least of his concern, he focused on the Sand shinobi, watching each and every one, to be the first to see the start of the betrayal.

Their order to attack not given by the looks at their valiant efforts to attack the Earth shinobi without mercy, Leaf shinobi coming to their aid if need be, they almost looked like true allies, but the suspicion still stood, the shout behind him quickly turning his attention back, ready.

"My Lady!" Temari whipped her head around the shout for her name coming from Daizen, the eldest one from her unit, a loyal or rebel Shikamaru couldn't tell yet, though man looked to kind to hurt a fly with the relieved smile he gave his Captain.

"Daizen, you made it past the earthquake?" Temari looked surprised for a fleeting second and shot the man a pleased grin, like that to an old friend.

"Of course, I did" he huffed taking a second to give her a wide grin and put his fist into his chest "I'm not that old yet you know" he composed himself and looked between then, now concerned "Are you two alright? I saw that you had made it to this side and got here as fast as I could"

"We are fine" Temari confirmed, Daizen breathed a sigh of relief "what about the others?"

"When the earthquake started, I lost sight of almost everyone, but I did see Saku with the Yukata and Matsuri they managed to make it across the other side" he looked to Shikamaru holding the stare he knew he'd been set on casting to the older man "I also saw your squad over there as well, everyone looked uninjured from the attack" Shikamaru nodded, a brief glance at Temari, her sights set away from them.

"Alright from here on out keep anyone else from entering the battle between the jinchuriki and Kurostuchi" Temari turned back into the crowd, her order given, her focus returning.

"Yes Ma'am" he nodded firmly and looked to Shikamaru, the dark glare watching him carefully, calculating Daizen, when he nodded to him the once mistrustful dark eyes widened and slowly shut easing his suspicion, before Daizen turned away raising his own pale cream fan to the crowd, both ready to protect. The instance the three created their barrier to keep the unwanted from entering the battle behind them, it seemed that those closest had seen the blast of a powerful rasengan connecting with the end of the cliffside, the explosion of dust and rocks flying into the air like a single, their enemy noticed it just as they did.

"Get to Kurostuchi!" one of the rock shinobi called out, those who heard followed at the sides as they rushed towards their leader to aid her, the barrier that stood in their way readied to strike. The simultaneous kunai thrown quickly noticed.

"Duck!" Daizen shouted, his cream-colored fan shifting beside him, ready to attack, the kunai connecting with the air current thrown towards him, and the eruption blasting into the attack before him, the paper bomb that had been attached creating a blurry haze in the air, blocking their view of the Rock shinobi advancing.