Tired Eyes [Naruto]

Prologue

"Shurei, please hide in here."

A white-haired 10 year old girl looked at her mom as she pulled up the tatami mat in the girl's bedroom.

"Mom, what do you mean, I can help fend them off! You know i'm skilled enough in genjutsu and taijutsu to help!"

Her mother glanced at her nervously, before setting the tatami mat down next to the empty hole in the floor.

"These people are different, Shurei. Not even the clan leader can keep them off for much longer." Shurei furrowed her eyebrows, wondering how that was possible. The clan leader was very skilled, and the most powerful person that she knew. There was no way there was someone stronger than him.

"T-then, what about team work? We can beat them if we work together-"

"Over here!" Suddenly, there was shouts from foreign ninja in the distance. Her mother's eyes widened, before hurrying Shurei into the hole that would keep her safe.

"Be quiet, Shurei. This is for your own good. Our only chance lies with you right now."

"But mother-" Shurei was quickly shushed as the tatami mat was placed over her. It became dark and she couldn't see anything because of it.

Shurei's breath stopped at the sound of ninja coming into the room. Those were... the enemies strong enough to beat the clan leader?

"I won't let you get rid of this clan from history, monsters!"

That was the sound of her mother. Shurei glanced up nervously.

"Che, dumb wench! I'm sure you know how weak the Shirugata's clan Kekkei Genkai's as gotten over these years, even with your dying efforts you wouldn't be able to beat The Hirei Clan!"

Shurei wondered what they meant when they said how weak the kekkei genkai's power had gotten. She had no idea what a kekkei genkai was, but it sounded like a jutsu..... so maybe they came up with a jutsu to counter? That was all Shurei could draw with the way she was taught in her clan.

"How dare you insult the Shirugata Clan like that!" Shurei flinched at the loudness of her mother's voice. Shurei had not heard her mother get that loud her entire life.

"Goodbye, Shirugata scum!" Shurei could practically hear the smirk in the man's voice, before there was a sudden slit noise, then.... Shurei's mother gagging?

Shurei's eyes widened.

"God, how prideful they are.... it's annoying." another man scoffed. The other man, at least what it sounded like, turned to the scoffing man. "Well, she's dead now. Hurry and get rid of the corpse so the anbu won't be able to find it when they come."

Shurei gasped, her hand slapping onto her mouth. No way....... was mother dead? Or....... Or maybe they were bluffing! Yes, they had to be bluffing!

"Lets go." Shurei waited with baited breath, until she was sure she couldn't hear their footsteps anymore. Quietly, she pushed up the tatami mat and climbed out of the hole.

"M-Mother....." Shurei sobbed at the sight of a pool of blood. That was her mother's........ so she really was dead.

Shurei sat still on the floor, sobbing over her mother's unnecessary death. "Mom.... we could have taken them together..."

After a few seconds, Shurei wiped her eyes, standing up and setting the tatami floor back as if nothing happened.

"How dare they take my mother away from me." Shurei muttered, clenching her fist. "I can't even give her a proper grave......" She bit her lip, exiting the house and looking around wearily. She wasn't sure if they had left yet.