The Akatsuki's Heir

Chapter 12: Knees Deep

Kakureta Janguru Arc

ACT II: Knees Deep

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She and her team had been trapped in the Michi Forest for the past two days. The forest's trees were tall and thick, seemingly dark like the abyss. The tree branches overlapped, preventing any sunlight from touching the forest ground. The eerie atmosphere and the forest's silence did not calm her down. If there was no chatter among her team then sometimes she could hear the squawks of birds, the bleats or grunts of foreign creatures, the splashing of puddles and guttural noises of some beast.

They needed to get towards the opening from which they came, but her teacher ordered them to move away from the direction they came from. She didn't like the idea neither did her teammates but Hikaru was far more experienced than them. Something was pushing them towards the southern borders of the forest. Or was it the Northern borders? Maybe it was the western or eastern? They did come from the west or maybe it was the east?

Their sense of direction and time was becoming ambiguous. Her team could hold out for maybe another three days. It was absurd to call it a team, if it were Baki and her team, she could have escaped by now. Maybe they would have not been trapped here at all.

She remembered that two teams had entered the forest and all that remained were the remnants of both of those. There were initially eight of them. The ambush got three and in the darkness of the night (or morning?), the predators of the forest dragged off another one. The remnants were hiding in the upper branches of the trees. They were hiding from the loud howls and screams that echoed through the forest.

She swore she heard voices around them, some she knew and others she didn't. Suddenly her chain of thought was broken by a tap on her shoulder,

"It's b-better to get some rest."

"Mind your own business, Daisuke." The boy in question slumped back to his spot, mumbling about manners.

"He's right. We all need rest. Lamenting about the setbacks and losses will do nothing for us." Hikaru murmured. The jonin was badly bruised and had a large gash on his right shoulder.

"You're not my superior. Asuka-sensei was incharg-"

"I am your superior since Asuka-san's demise. My skill defines my superiority not its rank."

Hikaru continued, "Sleep. I am taking the first charge of the night." She could grumble in frustration lying back down. Her only solace was her hope that someone was looking for them. That her father cared enough to send people to rescue her.

Hikaru looked down into the pitch darkness, listening to the pitter-patter of other creatures running from something otherworldly. He always wanted to know what beast lurked and ruled over the Michi Forest since his childhood. But, this time, he didn't want to hear the shrieks of that beast, let alone see its real form.

The branches and dead vines creaked under the team's weight, and the man sighed. They would need to change locations once more tomorrow. He opened his compass as the needle spun around in multiple directions without a stop.
'Just some more time and a rescue team will come looking for us.' He tried to reconcile himself. He needed to be strong for them. But, sometimes the strongest need someone to rescue them.

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"We need to get IV fluids into him. He's clinging onto whatever life he sti--"