The Home I Crave

The River

You jumped to a branch the same height as the one Tobirama was standing on, growing from a tree that was just ahead of his.

- Don't try to lead the way, then – you glanced over your shoulder – This is my journey.

The Senju didn't reply. You followed your way without waiting to see if he was going to do as you said or no.

The quietness you've been sensing in the forest wasn't a genjutsu, after all. Other parts of it were as silent and empty as that one where you stopped, and some of them were even colder. You kept passing through the trees, all so similar to each other that you could be easily led to believe you were walking in circles; your body soon adjusted to the cold air touching your face, the leaves rubbing on your clothes as you passed through them, the dry branches crackling under your feet. Time didn't exist among them; it was like you have always been there, and always would be. And that was starting to produce an unsettling effect on you: since you left the Village, you've managed to ignore the reminiscence of nausea you felt while you were still at Tobirama's house, but now you were sensing it coming back; soon, you would have to stop and take a rest.

***

The first break in that cycle came when you reached the abrupt end of the forest: the agglomerate of trees finished in the form of a green wall, soon replaced with an open grass field and a river just ahead. You looked up and by the position of the moon in the sky, you understood it was late. The time to stop has come.

You walked toward the river and took off your gloves. You washed your hands, filled them with the cold water and started drinking. When you felt your stomach couldn't take one more drop, you put back your gloves and went back to the forest's edge, seeking for a place among the trees. You found a spot between the thick roots of an old tree and placed your backpack there after grabbing some food from it.

You took them with you and was going to start eating, but a light ahead caught your attention. When you looked, you found out that Tobirama made a bonfire and was cooking something. You opened your mouth, but said nothing; the man was really fast when he wanted to be. The night in the open air was cold because of the wind, so you didn't waste time in approaching the fire. However, you sat on the opposite side, so that the flames stood between you and your husband.

You ate in silence, but your thoughts wouldn't let you rest, even changing the food's taste. You couldn't believe what you were seeing was real: you were far from home, at night, near a forest with the last person you would expect to join you in the current circumstances. That conversation about the treaty didn't convince you at all: there was more in this, but he didn't want to tell you, and asking was useless; what made him come after you so fast? As far as you could see, he would send other people after you or something; he wouldn't come in person, even less offer himself to join you in this journey. What convinced him to act like that in the first place? You also knew that it was just a question of time until he started to act as if he was leading the way, though he has never been at your compound before. You would have to keep an eye on him if you didn't want this to happen, then.

You brought fruits with you. You cut an apple in half and ate one of the parts to clean your teeth, then left the bonfire to the place where you hid your backpack.

It was when Tobirama called.

- Uh? – you turned to him.

- You are thinking of spending the night among those roots, aren't you?

You were, so you nodded.

- The nights use to be colder in this part of the territory. The soil is wetter here because of the river, after all. It is better to keep close the fire.