Forgotten

Chapter 11: The Escaped

            We headed out marching the direction that the goon had taken off running when he was injured by my attack. We traveled to the grounds the first battle began and ended noticing that all the bodies we had killed were gone. We looked around confused. We knew that Gaara's troops didn't come by and pick up the bodies and the crook was too injured to do it himself, anyways, why bother collecting the dead if they were only used as toys in a game.

 "What do you think happened to the bodies?" Naruto asked as he looked around.

 Shikamaru answered with a long sigh, "Reincarnation." We all stared at him confused waiting for him to continue. "I've only seen it once and that was a long time ago. It's not the same as what happened to Gaara. This is something worse. Those soldiers were absorbed into the ground and became one with the earth. Now they live in the trees around us and are the eyes and ears for the cloaked man."

 "Tch!" Sasuke grimaced and kept moving forward. "Then I expect we move faster so by the time those fools gather their things to leave we're there and already killed half of them." He demanded with a determined look.The rest of the team nodded and started running down the valley towards where we hoped the enemy hid waiting for our arrival.

 Hours passed along with miles underfoot. The sun was setting and still no sign of the formidable army. "Shikamaru what do you suggest we do about this? Obviously they know we're coming and are keeping up with our pace so that they stay ahead of us." Sasuke pointed out turning toward the spiky haired ninja.

 "I've realized that too. We've seen multiple traces that they leave behind but still race behind them." The spiky haired ninja thought for moment rubbing his chin."I suggest we set up camp. It is no use running after them when we can't catch up." Shikamaru answered which angered Naruto until Kiba clamped his mouth shut and told him sleep. 

 We all "slept" as Shikamaru suggested. However, we all knew the plan, besides Naruto maybe. The plan? The plan was simple. Make the enemy think we are giving up on searching them and as we rest in the forest they will most likely find shelter in a neighboring village. In the dead of night we would attack and strike them down.

 When the moon was illuminating the forest ground Sasuke woke us all up and we all silently left being sure not to cause alarm to any of the "human trees" that were on guard. We stepped carefully but swiftly until we made it to the next village. When we entered we heard screams of women and shouts of men. We hurried into the shadows of buildings looking in as we saw rogue soldiers raiding the villagers' homes for food and other needed supplies.

 "We don't have time to save them. We can save them by killing their leader though." Sasuke whispered as we spread out on his signed commands and looked to where the real crook was staying.

 I went building to building seeing no sign of the heterachromia. My eyes then fell onto the imperial palace that held the rich elite. 'Why not house in luxury?' I thought as I motioned to Sasuke that he had to be in the palace. He nodded and motioned to the others to follow.

 We gathered at the steps of the palace and simply walked through the front doors. War broke out. The soldiers seemed to sense that we were close to their master and emerged from the houses. Attacks from all directions hit us full force as the team and I fought back with full force. The majority of the soldiers were sliced down by Naruto's shadow clones and Kiba's and Akamaru's Fang over Fang Jutsu.

 I slipped by a soldier letting Sasuke take care of him easily as he stood confused on how I was able to get by so agilely. After slipping through and breaking two more soldiers' necks I made it to the outside of the circle of war. I ran to the stairs and started to climb knowing that the top would secure the rogue's safety.