Naruto Uzumaki- of the Land of Fire

Arrival

He kept his pace slow... Purposefully. Stopping randomly, and taking longer breaks than necessary, he hoped that his message would arrive long before they did. But looking at the Leaf ninjas behind him, he knew he couldn't keep up this charade for much longer. Gaara and the team would arrive eventually... He just hoped Naruto was long gone by then.

Kakashi wasn't oblivious... considering how long they'd been travelling they should have covered a greater distance. He had no proof that Gaara was leading them in circles but he had the feeling they should've arrived already. And Kakashi could tell the team was getting restless... based on Sasuke's face he was ready throw a few punches in Gaara's direction. Not that anyone would blame them, or at least Gaara wouldn't at this point... he'd been leading them around for the last two days.

Unfortunately, their journey was ending in the morning.

Naruto be gone... Sei-chan, tell me you sent Yuu... tell me you got him out...  Gaara prayed.

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The sun shown through the canopy, birds chirped the morning's tune, and the weather was absolutely perfect this morning... Gaara was miserable. He sat on a branch looking down into the valley. The team was beginning to move around beneath him and he had no desire to go a step further. While he looked at the small village, already awake and moving, he knew their destination was closer than preferable... a hop, skip, and jump away.

"How much farther?" Sakura, the pink pain, was yelling at him.

"Just further into the valley, his house is just off the main road." He couldn't help whisper.

Soon they were making their way... slowly. Sasuke's top nearly blew when Gaara stopped suddenly on the main road, just before a turnoff. But he didn't get the chance to say anything before a whistle sounded through the air. For a while no one moved, but Kakashi noted with every passing minute Gaara was looking more and more worried and ever so slightly annoyed. Something wasn't right.

Without a word, he took off. Gaara was off the main road, following the turnoff, and into the brush before the team had registered what was going on. They followed, and within minutes they stood before a small cabin standing in a clearing some ways away from the village. Smoke came from the chimney, and a small fox lay across the porch... someone was home.

"What's wrong? Is this the place?" Sakura asked, oblivious of Gaara's paled face and semi-erratic breathing. He was looking not only at the fox but the closed door behind it... the closed windows and the smoke from the chimney... there was only one reason for that fireplace to be lit.

Gaara began moving again, not so slowly. There was no response as he passed over the fox, opened the door, and waltzed into the house... the team was a different case. As they approached there was a deep growl from the fox as it stood, regarded them with annoyance and proceeded to watch them warily as they entered after Gaara and then it too entered.

They stood in an empty living room, light coming from the kitchen and thanks to the fire the house was incredibly hot. Gaara had disappeared, but they could hear stressed whispers from the back rooms. Soon Gaara and two other men emerged and walked into the kitchen, where the shorter of the two unknown men proceeded to make tea... and the whispers became louder.

"What the hell were you thinking! Bringing them here! Damn it, Gaara we can't do this now!"

"Well I can see that Yuu! You mind telling me how this shit happened? You're supposed to be watching him!" So the tall, dark brown haired man was Yuu...

"I'm not his watchdog, I'm his brother! He kept in contact, everything seemed fine... you're the one who was worried and had the boss send me!"

"I hadn't heard from him... and things aren't safe anymore..."

"You're talking about the recent attack on that jinchuuriki, right?" Yuu asked, eyeing Gaara and now noticing the team in the living room. He looked at them just as the fox had, especially as a particular dark haired boy stood over Naruto's desk (which now held the equipment and scrolls Yuu had moved in from the patio).

"You know?" Kakashi was now involved, drawing Sasuke's attention briefly from the scrolls.

"The Kazekage isn't the only one who knows how to get in contact with us."

"So the Mizukage, the three tails-"

"Approached the boss and coupled with your worry, here I am..." Yuu explained.

"And doing one hell of a job!" Gaara was angry again.

Before Yuu could reply there was a soft groan heard from the back room.

"Oh shit." That was the little guy, who quickly poured the tea into a large mug and rushed out of the kitchen. The other two quickly followed, along with the team... who were not prepared for the sight before them. Even Gaara, who had been in the room earlier... still looked taken aback and paled.