Naruto AU: The Forgotten Story

Chapter 5: Instilling Rage

Neji was the only one who returned to the meet up spot on time. He stood staring at the kunai knife he had thrown into the ground an hour before with a frown. Neither one of his teammates was known to ever be late. They were always punctual. So why would neither of them have returned already?

Unless they got into some sort of trouble.

Neji's gaze lifted up to the trees and he bared his teeth at that thought. What if Hisako was right? He thought they could have handled themselves. Do not engage the enemy. That was easy enough. So then, why are both of them missing?

It was then he heard a faint, faraway scream. His gaze shot in the direction of the scream, immediately activating his Byakugan. There, he saw Hisako on the ground bloodied and beaten. Standing in front of her, was an enemy.

Rage boiled up in Neji's blood as he jumped into the trees jumping from branch to branch. Hisako was right. They shouldn't have split up! With how close Hisako was to the meet up point, she was probably attacked on her way back. But, he had to get to her before it was too late! He concentrated his chakra into the bottom of his feet to speed up. Right as he saw the man's neck stretch like a snake, striking at Hisako with blinding speed, Neji jumped down from the branch he was on and dove for Hisako.

He felt the air pass by him from the man's attack as he scooped Hisako up in his arms, jumping into the safety of the trees again. He couldn't let himself relax though, Hisako had taken a pretty hard hit and was looking like she was struggling just to stay conscious.

"Hisako," Neji whispered, his voice urgent as he gently placed her down against the trunk of the tree on the branch they were sitting on, "Hisako, look at me,"

Her green eyes turned up to him but before she could say anything, the voice of their opponent spoke up.

"I see there's another little rodent for me to eat," the man hissed as he casually sauntered over to the tree they were hiding in.

Neji's gaze narrowed. They didn't have much time.

"Can you still move?" he asked Hisako, turning his gaze back to her.

Hisako grimaced, "We need to retreat, Neji! We can't fight him,"

Neji couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation wash through him with Hisako's declaration. He couldn't help but notice the fear that seemed to lace her words, and the way her body trembled, her eyes darting behind her, her gaze shaking and uncertain. Hisako was scared. No, terrified. He knew Hisako. Knew that she didn't give in to fear so easily. She was stronger than that.

"I don't think he's going to give us much of a choice in this matter," Neji replied, his voice staying calm.

Twenty meters. The man was twenty meters away.

"No! Neji!" Hisako retorted, her hand coming up to grasp his arm her hand trembling, "You don't get it! This guy, he-he makes that one guy we faced, with the elemental staff, look like an Academy Student! This guy, I don't even know if he's human!"

"You're right,"

Neji's pulse raced at the sound of that voice, suddenly so close to them. When did that happen? How did he get so close so quickly? Neji's Byakugan should have been able to detect his movements. He shouldn't have been able to sneak up on them so quickly! But, now Neji saw a large snake coiling around the tree, poised to strike them both down.

"Hisako, move!" Neji ordered, hoping his words would snap her out of the daze she was in.

Hisako screamed, but she knew of the danger they were in and they both jumped from the branch they were on. Neji landed on a tree branch farther up and saw with no small amount of horror that the man's neck had turned snake like again, and his head was lunging back to Hisako. This time, he knew he couldn't reach Hisako in time.