𝙇𝘼𝙑𝙀𝙉𝘿𝙀𝙍. | 𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗨𝗧𝗢

XXI

THE Forest of Death really did live up to its moniker. After the sun had set it was dark and humid, the air thick with the high temperatures of summer. It was filled with nasty insects and giant centipedes that scrawled over trees and the ground, their presence hidden within shadows.

And given the fact that it was also crawling with enemy shinobi, it certainly wasn't the nicest place to be when stranded from one's teammates. Riki looked around her, ingesting how quiet and hot the atmosphere was. She was one who appreciated silence, but now it was hard to swallow, it was almost sickening in a sense. The constant adrenaline was getting tiring, and her back ached after the few hours of keeping her back hunched against the shadows of a tree in attempt to conceal herself.

She had been on the lookout for her team all day, walking around where she believed they were last at before they got seperated. She'd considered staying out, but then she remembered that she technically was in 'enemy territory', and staying in one place with enemy shinobi everywhere (because yes, everyone was an enemy, even her old classmates) wouldn't be the brightest idea. Not even Naruto would do that.

Eventually she had given up on calling for them, and her horrible sense of direction had brought her to the same place she started from far too many times she'd like to admit. But now it was nightfall, and though the likelihood of being attacked was still high, it was still lower than it would be during daytime. She was vulnerable; she was all alone, with her team's scroll in the middle of a drank forest in the middle of the night. And it would be game over for her (and her team too, but more importantly her) if her adrenaline failed to keep her on guard and she got jumped by three huge men—

She shivered a little at the thought.

Unfortunately, she'd have to stick it out. And Riki was good at enduring. She endured being in Team Seven for the past few months, she could totally protect her scroll. How could she ever face Sasuke and Naruto and Naruto and Kakashi if she lost their scroll and was the reason for their team's failure?

Another scream echoed in the forest and she flinched. It wasn't the first she'd heard that night, and Riki was certain it wouldn't be the last.

▂▂▂▂▂❦▂▂▂▂▂

It was noon, a whole half day later when Riki happened to finally come across her teammates. If it weren't for the company of other (enemy) shinobi, Riki was sure she would've bolted over to Sakura and given her a hug or something like that.

But yes, her team wasn't alone, to her confusion. He green boy who liked Sakura (she couldn't remember his name but he was probably important), his teammates and Team 10 were also at the scene. She was glad to see Ino and her minions' faces, but her gaze was fixated on Sakura. Naruto was unconscious, and Sasuke and Sakura equally looked like they'd been through shit. Well, so had she, but guessed it was a good thing she couldn't see what she looked like.

"Riki!" Sakura's voice pulled any hesitation Riki had as she jogged over to her team. "What happened? Are you okay?"

With the way Sakura was looking at her, Riki was beginning to think she had something in her face. "Never mind me, what happened to you guys? What's going on?" Riki asked, bewildered.

"Riki, calm down," Choji said from behind her. She could hear him munching on some chips.

"What're you doing here . . .? Oh, I forgot you were here. But what are you lot doing here? I don't get what's going on . . ." she said as she turned around. She had forgotten that other teams were there too.

"We saved their asses, that's what." Sasuke glared at  Shikamaru. Shikamaru cleared his throat. "They'll explain in a second. But now we need to wake up that troublesome Naruto. What a drag . . ."