The War Angel (A Naruto Fanfic)

The Race

The next day wasn't any better. Sasuke was even colder than he had been the day before and, by now, I was so steaming angry that I couldn't think straight. Why I was so pissed off by this? I had no idea. But I'll be damn if I was going to sit down and sort through my every feeling when it came on to Sasuke. That would be a long and arduous task.

So, instead, I remained at the back. I told myself that I was just sparing everyone from my awful mood but I knew better. I was just nursing my anger until I was ready to release it. My eyes bore holes into the back of Sasuke's damn butthead the whole time. He hadn't spared me a glance all morning! What the hell was his problem?

"Will you stop staring?" Mami put her tail before my eyes. "You're going to burn right through his head."

"Oh yeah?" I removed her tail, not very shocked that I didn't get burnt. "All the better. I was kind of hoping for that."

"You're obsessed."

"What?! No! I'm just upset that's all."

"Upset about what exactly?"

I racked my head for the answer. Why was I angry? For the life of me, I couldn't think of any excuse that didn't make me look like a complete idiot. And that didn't make any sense. I was no idiot.

"I'm angry because he ... he ... went easy on me when we were fighting."

"When were you two fighting?"

"Yesterday. I attacked him and he didn't retaliate the way I wanted him to at all."

"And why were you attacking him?" Mami's voice remained mild, as if she was talking to a child.

I knew exactly what she was doing and I wasn't falling for it. "Hey, I wanted a fight, okay? It's no big deal."

"Okay, okay. I get it. No need to get defensive."

I rolled my eyes. She didn't believe me. Well, who cares? I had nothing to hide anyway. He was a bastard, end of story. Why he was a bastard? I wasn't quite sure about that one but it doesn't matter, does it? I can be angry if I damn well wanted to. It doesn't matter if I had no idea why I was angry.

"Where the hell are we?" I bellowed from behind everyone. Horo was leading our little pack, his teacher's pet Sakura walking behind him. Naruto was uncharacteristically silent, walking with his hands behind his head, Hinata following behind him although I'm sure he didn't notice. Kiba was talking to Akamaru and the bug guy was just, well, there. Sasuke was also silent. Big whoop.

"We're halfway there," Horo shouted to me. "We should reach the hot springs soon. Am I right, Sakura?"

Sakura unrolled a map. "Mmm. Yep! We should be there any minute."

"Hot springs. Yes!" Kiba, obviously, was ecstatic at the idea. "These old rusty bones needs a good soak. Don't you, Aka?"

"I- I don't think they allow dogs in the springs, Kiba-kun," Hinata said.

"Well, screw 'em! It's both of us or none of us."

"None of you it is," Horo said dryly. "It wouldn't matter either way."

"Hey!"

"Look at the bright side, human," Mami spoke up. "You two will have the dining hall all to yourself while we're having a good soak."

"We?" I echoed. "What do you mean 'we'? You won't be going into the hot springs."

"What? Why not?"

"You're an animal too, last time I checked. And besides, aren't you afraid the water will out your fire?"

"It's called a hot springs. Isn't the water supposed to be hot? My fire won't out ..." Her words drifted off as she thought of it. "Will it?"