Hatake✔️

31

I smell the air. There's a fire somewhere.

I wander the trees, sending glances back at Tiger making sure he's following.

"Bear." I say seeing him sitting alone next to a small fire.

"Dog. Tiger." He says to us.

"Where are the others?" I question.

"I can't find Crane." He says.

"So where is Bat?" Tiger asks.

I finally see the blood soaked dirt next to a tree.

I take a step forward.

I sigh when I see Bat. His body is mangled and lifeless.

"You two need to go back to the village. Take them with you." I say.

I open Bat's bag and pull out a large cloth tarp.

"Crane is... here. I'll bring him." I say.

Tiger looks away as I drag the two pieces over to lay him by Bat.

"Bear. You and Tiger will be fine to go. They do not want us. Go home and tell them what happened." I command.

"Why are you not going?" He asks.

"I think they're targeting me." I say.

"You can't just stay!" Tiger says.

"I have to stay. They left way too many things behind. They must be close." I say.

"Crane... he wanted to use you as bait." Bear says.

I take a minute to register what he said.

"Why? Who organized this mission?" I say.

"Bear?" Tiger asks.

Tiger steps in front of me.
"Who organized this mission Bear?" He says his voice stern.

"I should have told you. I wanted to." Bear says.

My hand slides down and touches the handle of my knife.

"It was Crane's idea. He thought..." Bear says.

I see now we are dangerously close to a trip wire. It glimmers in the moonlight as the trees shake in the wind.

"Was it Danzo?" I say.

Bear doesn't agree or disagree.

"Bear take them back with you." Tiger says.

Tiger then walks away and perches on a tree limb.

"Akari." Bear says before I leave. "He's in danger."

My lip trembles.

I don't have enough courage to ask if he means Kakashi.

I join Tiger and we take a detour from the path.

I wipe my eyes trying to keep them dry.

"Dog?" Tiger says.

"What?" I snap at him.

"I'll take you the long way back to the village." He says.

I nod.

This mission was a waste. We lost two men. Perhaps three.

We travel in silence.

We reach the edge of the trees. A small river flows next to it.

Tiger walks next to it and reaches down to remove his shoes.

He stands in the water and walks on the soft sediment.

I go a little further up stream and kneel next to the water. I pull my bandages off of my arm. The skin has been eaten away and the flesh is a bruised green color.

Tiger watches as I let the water spiral up my arm.

The water flows into my arm. I sigh and move my arm over to the grass. I let all of the bloody water fall onto the grass. I retreat this process until my arm looks a bit better.

I then scoop up a handful of water and freeze it.

I walk over to Tiger and hold out the ice.

"You can make shapes?" He says inspecting the small tiger I made him.

I nod.

"When will it melt?" He asks.

"I can keep it frozen for a long time." I reply.

He sets it down next to the water.

"I'm not sure how to say this," Tiger starts, "but Ive heard that he has left the village for good."

"Who has?" I say knowing who he's talking about. I need him to say it.

"Kakashi." He whispers.

"You're wrong. He's going to come back for me. He promised." I say.

"Do you know how to make a summon agreement?" I ask changing the subject.

"Who are you trying to summon?" He asks.

"A ninja dog. Any of them will do." I say.

"Do you have a scroll?" He asks.

I pull it out of my bag and wave it.

"Open it. Then put a little bit of blood on the paper writing your name." He says.

I follow his orders.

"Family name too." He says.

"I don't have one." I respond.

"Put Hatake." He says.

I feel the blood rush to my face as I write it.

A dog appears with a small puff of smoke.

"Thank you for signing the ninja dog bond my lady." The dog says then shows me its sharp teeth.

It is a tan colored medium sized dog.

"Excuse me. Can you please answer a few questions?" I ask the dog.

"Yes." It answers slightly growling.

"What is your name?" I ask first.

"Urushi." He says.

"Do you know Kakashi Hatake?" I ask.

"Yes."

"Do you know where he is?" I ask.

"Don't you know? Miss Hatake?" He says.

"I'm trying to find him. Do you know Pakkun?" I try.

"Yes I know him." He answers.

"I'm trying to find Kakashi. Can you pass a message to all of the ninken that he needs to come back to the village hidden in the leaves. I, Akari, have returned safely." I say.
"Please." I add.

"As you wish my lady." He says then disappears in another poof of smoke.