A Hummingbird's Prey (TLU Book 2)

Chapter Thirty-One: The Mission, Pt. 2

After Kakashi had caught up with the group 40 meters south, he joined
Moriko and Nobu in finding more food for the group. Leaving Sayori to keep Mei company as she drafted a letter for Lady Tsunade near a pond.
"You're quiet, Sayori." Mei commented, reading over the letter before summoning a hawk. The young girl shrugged her shoulders, her elbows propped against her knees.
"I just, wasn't expecting you to be so.... Vicious."
Mei leaned against a large grey rock. "Did that bother you?"
She watched her chew on her lip, fighting and losing the urge to tap her foot.
"No, sensei."

Mei raised a brow, her head tilting to display her disbelief. Sayori averted her gaze.
"Sayori, I would never harm any of you. Especially under a genjustu like that."
Sayori glanced at her soft eyes, nodding after a few moments.
"How long have you been able to do that?"
Mei's lips pursed. "It's kind of muddled. I would unintentionally project memories whenever someone put a hand on me, for the longest time. It wasn't until I was maybe a preteen that I was able to project any genjustu by will."
"Were you, born with it?"

Mei's lips formed a weak smile. "No. It's more complicated than that."
Sayori picked up a flat rock, tossing it with enough strength to watch it skip along the water. "What else can you do?"
"I can alter memories temporarily. Show you your favorite places..."
Not much was spoken after that, even after the rest of the group returned. Mei instructed them to try and get a nap in while her and Kakashi kept watch. An instruction Kakashi found interesting, given her attitude this morning.
"There's no way I'm going to be able to sleep now, Stardust." She twirled a kunai attentively. He eyed the napping genin before wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
"You don't need to sleep," he responded. "But you should-"

"I swear if you tell me to rest again I'm going to rip my hair out."
Mei paused her kunai, taking a short breath before looking up at him.
"I like your hair." He mumbled.
"I'm sorry." She frowned. "I know you're trying to look out for me. But it's overwhelming when you keep telling me to relax when the stakes are too high. My stomach has been in knots for days and I couldn't figure out why until this mission." Her eyes moved her vision to the pond. The crease between her brows deepened. "Even now, I'm worried we'll be too late."
She leaned into him, watching the ponds level and the trees across it.
"I'm sorry I've been pushy." He began, "I'm not trying to dismiss what's at risk. I'm trying to be sure that you keep a level head in this."

He pressed a kiss on her forehead, the both of them nodding in acknowledgement.
"I want to make sure everyone stays safe." Mei leaned her head against his bicep. "I want Ingyo stopped."
"And he will be. We'll make sure of that. Together."
The sentence on Mei's tongue melted away when she noticed two swans. They glided across the pond towards each other, and when they were close enough they embraced each other with a touch of their heads. Mei watched quietly, the tension in her jaw disappearing.

The swans would nuzzle each other gently, before dipping their beak low and repeating with the other side of their face. Their curved neck and beaks formed a heart. As they began to circle one another, repeating each other's motions, Mei recognized it as a dance.
Kakashi wasn't paying attention to them, just the way her eyes glimmered from the ponds reflection. Even so, the earthy tones and the ripples reflecting through couldn't hide the fire in her eyes. The enchantment they had on him, it was both terrifying and exhilarating.

Kakashi kissed her temple, before leaning back and expanding his chakra to scan the perimeter again. Nobu had the idea to place the hostage in the center of a trap, that way if any scouts search for him there would be less at their base. And while it would lessen their numbers by only a few men, they would need all the distraction they could to keep Mei's genin safe. Kakashi hoped that they weren't about to show that they've bitten off more than they could chew.
"When we get there, I think we should split up." Mei recommended, her nose scrunching when he gave her a disapproving glare. "We can't all go and retrieve my father. It'll attract too much attention."
Kakashi lowered his chin. "Why don't I distract them on my own, while two go in and the other two keep watch?"