Susurrus [Naruto Fanfiction]

Perhaps It Was Ignorance

"A sated blood lust is a quenched thirst. It only lasts for so long."

~:-:-:-:~

Soot.

After the mission briefing, Team Seven prepared for a grueling time together as they needled their way east of Konoha. The squad traveled past flat grasslands and muted forests, to arrive at the post-apocalyptic town of Payake.

Lots of soot.

Shosai grumbled as she pinned up her onyx tresses, "Exactly what I need! I just washed my hair!"

"Gross! The sky is all black!" the blond shrieked, dusting the debris off his favorite outfit. His golden spikes became sprinkled with pepper--it seemed--and his moldy scent submitted to the smokey tendrils of the town.

Kakashi adjusted his mask as his eyebrows twitched, but no complaint being heard.

He pursed his lips.

Raining coal was not in mission details.

Sasuke followed suit, but swept off the black "rain" from his shirt.

"C'mon children, the back alleys are in the next right."

Their inaudible march led them to a shady labyrinth of walls. Part red-light, part run-down. Their mission was to 'clean' up the allies, and extra money would be given to any capture of criminals.

Their sandals shuffled over the trash and dried oil, the counting drops from leaks filling the sudden silence. Their shadows elongated as they continued their investigation. The Iburi scanned every fluttering image, noting the depth and frequency of sounds.

Naruto thrashed his way through the rubbish, mumbling less than polite words about the foul smell of the alleys. The Uchiha found comfort in grunting when the stench became not horrible, but ghastly.

Hatake Kakashi, with his Inuzuka like smell, held back from gracing his knees and pleading with the kami for forgiveness. Whatever deeds that had him doomed, he wanted to beg. The only reason he had not done so was the three pairs of doe eyes . The rebellious but trusting azure; the smoldering and expectant onyx; and lastly, the impish and chilling Byzantium stare.

"Sensei," his charming female student hissed, "two lefts."

He nodded along, while the other two members snatched up kunai. His gloved fingers traced the metallic edge, the gurgling of gravel under their toes ceasing. The Hatake eased his breaths to a non-existent point. Shosai followed suit as Sasuke and Naruto quieted their huffs. The imposing rotten walls of the alleys shadowed the source of the foul stench, but would not do so in the coming moments of their march. The dimly-lit lefts taken had little hint of what was to come, but the ninja squad took it in stride.