Hot 'N' Dangerous

Chapter 77: The Fox, the Raven and the Fighters of the Way

We never let Sasuke disappear from our sight. We could hardly catch up and he wasn't going to slow down for us. We were all worn out from chasing and escaping the Sound Four earlier and we were still pushing on with whatever energy we had left.

"Sasuke!" Naruto called after him stubbornly.

I knew that Sasuke wasn't about to turn around and give himself over to us. He wasn't the type to go down without a fight... even if it's against his friends. We chased him through the woods, neither party willing to give up a single step. Then the eerie laugh came. The one that I hated, the one that chilled me to the bone.

Naruto could see my discomfort but didn't know what to do about it, "Sasuke!" he shouted accusingly, "Why?! Why are you running away?!" Naruto demanded.

When Naruto was greeted with silence, he screamed with frustration. Never have any of us dreamed that a scenario like this could happen.

"Sasuke!" Naruto called again.

"Naruto, you do realize it's no use, right? You're only going to scream your voice hoarse in the woods and then you won't be able to speak with him properly when you guys are face to face," Liz said, trying to comfort Naruto just a bit.

If Naruto even heard what Liz said, we had no way of knowing. He just kept chasing and cursing quietly.

Liz sighed, "Well... how are you taking this?" she asked with concern.

It took me a while to realize that she was referring to me, "Oh... I guess I'm just about as okay as Naruto is..." I shrugged.

Liz frowned, "Don't let your emotions get in the way this time... I don't want something else happening to you..." she pleaded.

I nodded but I wasn't sure if I could keep that promise either. I realized that as of late, I had been making quite a few empty promises, not a good sign. Naruto's angry cry brought my mind into focus again.

"Naruto! Stop wasting your breath, just run!" Liz chastised and put on a burst of speed to run next to him.

I followed her lead, wanting every bit as much as everyone else did, to be able to catch up to Sasuke and bring him back... even if it meant that I had to knock him out, or worse. Another few minutes and the forest finally ended. After seeing so much green, the bare rock felt uncomfortable underfoot and the bright sunlight pecked at my eyes but I persevered. We paused at the mouth of a natural rock formation. Almost like the ribcage of some giant animal, the rocks rose up off the ground in a slight curve, almost meeting at the tips. Further on along the formation, it slowly turned into a tunnel, casting the insides of the tunnel into darkness. And there he was, leaping from jagged point to jagged point, Sasuke made his way over the rock tunnel and eventually disappeared inside when the rocks no longer offered openings. We charged in after him only to pause again at the edge of darkness and light. I swept my gaze through the gloom, finding only black shadows.

"Sasuke!" Naruto called into the tunnel.

The echoes sounded lightly, taking a exceptional amount of time to reach our ears again.

"Na-" Liz started but Naruto drowned out her voice with his own.

"Sasuke! You're in here, aren't you?! At least answer me!" he shouted, walking forwards.

The insides of the tunnel were damp and smelled of old moss and lichen that had congregated over the the years that the rock tunnel may have been here. The deeper we ventured, the more I felt like I was drifting away from everyone else. I flailed my hand in the darkness but I found nothing to grasp but air. I called out tentatively but I received no answer. My mind began to race and I was forced to stop walking and calm my breathing.