Forgotten

Chapter 9: The Battle

 Shikamaru was the first to see the attack coming. His shadow sprouted from the air blocking the shirikens flying to kill us. I readied myself in fighting position as I stood in the center of the group. No orders were shouted, everyone knew what they had to do.

            Shikamaru retreated to the forest yelling he was going to get help from Suna troops as a decoy and Naruto created his usual shadow clone jutsu. Kiba and Akamaru turned into beast over beast ready for when the culprit would reveal themselves. As for Sasuke and I we activated our Genkai Kenkai and scoped out the area looking for any more surprise attacks.

            "He's over here!" Both Sasuke and I cried out at the same time. There was more than one criminal that was the result of all the missing people in Suna. We figured as much, but then again I was seeing multiple chakra sources in the dense forest.

            "How many?" Sasuke asked reaching in his side bag for his shiriken.

            "Hundreds." I said breathlessly realizing we were far outnumbered in size and maybe even strength. A pale hand reached over and grabbed mine reassuring we would be okay. I could tell it was Sasuke's from the familiar feel of his hand against mine from all the times he had to carry me to the hospital after training.

            "Naruto, I want your shadows on Hinata's side fighting, but I want you over here with Kiba and I." Sasuke ordered not worrying about Shikamaru. He knew the genius already was working up a plan on his own most likely.

            The crooks began to approach rapidly and more followed behind them. It wasn't just some group of Rogue ninjas; no, it was a whole army.

            Naruto's clones charged in taking down as many as possible before dissipating with unseen strikes. I fought off as many as I could making my way through the army of culprits. I was being overwhelmed but I was easily keeping up with them too. They didn't have the speed or combo attacks that our team had.

            Just as I thought the numbers were lessening I noticed a new wave of soldiers running from their hiding places. "Naruto! We're going to need more clones!" I shouted seeing more and more of his shadows disappear.

            "On it!" He answered making his quick hand signs as more reappeared.

 I looked around as I fought trying to find the source of the army's attack. Then I saw it. A cloaked man standing in the far distance where all the men kept flooding from, he is their leader. I had to kill him, or at least make him retreat, to save the team from exhausting our resources.

 I ran forward dodging the attacks of the enemy focusing my sites on the dark cloaked figure. As I approached the soldiers thickened and so did their strength. I fought them off as best I could and lunged for the hooded man. "HINATA NO!!" I heard Sasuke scream, but it was too late.

 The cloaked man drew out his sword and parried my attack with ease. I quickly regained my feet and composure. His attack was swift and I was almost too late to block. He's faster than Sasuke. I thought surprised to find that possible. I stepped into my original fighting stance kunai in hand ready to do the best I could to stop the man from killing my teammates. I saw Sasuke making his way toward me taking out anyone who got in his way. And me, I was falling to my knees quickly to the power of the leader. I dodged his lightning attacks looking for any opening. I saw one and took it disregarding the obvious dangers.

 Just as my hand hit his chakra point the point of his sword had ripped through flesh. It wasn't my flesh however. Sasuke stood in the way of the blades edge. He took out his own sword bleeding profusely from the long slash across his chest. The raven's blade whipped around slashing at the man. The figure dodged the attack and answered with a string of attacks to Sasuke's one. The onyx eyed captain held his ground parrying each attack and then answering with his own combo.

 The battle lasted forever and all I could do was fight off the soldiers coming to their leaders aid. It seemed Sasuke would forbid to fall against his opponent but his wound on his chest left him weakening faster than the figure. Sasuke gave his last combo hoping it would work as he left his back side completely exposed for a fatal blow. The attack worked by chopping the man's arm off, but he still bore the arm that held his weapon and went for the kill.

 I sliced the last army members' throat and ran to save Sasuke. I stepped between him and the blade and gathered all my chakra into the palm of my hand. When the shadow came close enough to touch I thrust my palm into his chest. His hood then fell and revealed a black and red eyed tattooed man. Blood sputtered out his mouth and he fell forward. I rushed in to lay the last blow but my kunai hit air and snagged into the wood of the tree. He was gone and his army soon retreated not knowing how to go about without their leader.

 I rushed to Sasuke rolling him so he was on his back. "You idiot." I said gathering the healing chakra to my palms and placing them over the gushing wound. Luckily the wound wasn't too deep and the captain would live.

 Once I finished healing his wounds my body felt the effects of the battle. I slowly fell forward resting my head on Sasuke's stomach. When I woke up I was laid next to a fire along with the raven haired man. I sat up and held my head as a wave of nausea came and went.

 "Hey look at that the savior of our most prestige leader has awoken." A voice said from across the fire. I focused on where it came from and saw Kiba laying against Akamaru. "And now the man in questioned has too arisen from his slumber." The dog man commented nodding his head toward where Sasuke laid.I turned and saw the mess of raven hair rise from his pillow. Before I knew it I was wrapped in strong arms and a voice drifted to my ear. 

 "Thank goodness you're okay."

 My arms instinctively moved up around my former trainer's broad shoulders. "Good thing you're okay too." I said back but Sasuke shook his head.

 "You don't understand. If anything were to happen to you I wouldn't be able to live with the guilt." He stopped and I heard the others get up and leave. "I am destined to protect you. I was born to keep you safe."

 I pulled away from his arms and shook my head. "That's preposterous." I said and went on, "No one is born to protect another person. Anyways, I am not worth protecting. I am a small being in this vast world. I hold no mea—" I was cut off by an electric shock.

 Warm, soft lips covered mine and I was left dwelling on what was happening. Sasuke then pulled away but stayed close enough that his lips brushed against mine when he talked. "You may be small compared to the world, but to me you are my world. You're all the meaning I need in life." And with those final words our lips were once again connected. This time I didn't question what was happening. I merely closed my eyes and allowed myself to feel the love I was deprived from ever since my mother's death.