The Curse Of Hatred ~Book 2~

Chapter 20: Undying

Weeks passed. Yuzuki was prepared for the escort mission she was specifically requested for. She stood by the main Konoha gates waiting for a mother and her young child to arrive. A cold breeze blew by making her shiver. She wished they would hurry. The sooner they left the better. It was a long trip to reach the Hidden Waterfall Village.

Yuzuki watched the sunrise, basking in the very early morning rays that brought warmth to her cold cheeks. She took in a chilly breath already missing Kakashi's early morning kiss when she came to say goodbye knowing she'd be gone for at least a week. She wished she could be in his warm bed snuggling up against his warm chest and pressing her cold feet to his warm back just to see him fall off the bed and then she'd laugh.

The thought made her chuckle. She might do that next time.

A young mother and her child where approaching the gates from within the village. The mother had messy brunette locks like her daughter, dark eyes and a chubby build. They were both carrying backpacks.

"Hello!" chirped the older lady. It was far too early for that go lucky nonsense. "I'm Kia, this is my daughter, Hina."

Yuzuki slightly bent over to the young girl hiding behind her mother's legs. "Hi there, I'll be taking care you on the way home." she pushed for a smile and the girl gave a shy wave of her tiny hand.

"She's very shy." Kia says taking her daughters hand.

"It'll be a four day walk to the Hidden Waterfall. Hopefully it'll be smooth sailing from here."

"I have complete trust in you. It's why I requested for you so many times, especially with all the sightings of rogue ninja. Who else knows how to fight an Uchiha but another Uchiha." she shivered violently.

Yuzuki hummed griping the straps of her shoulder bag. In someway she felt offended by her comment. Was she only thought of as a punching bag to protect these insolent people who knew nothing of the truth.

(Hey lady, do you know I'm still acquainted with said rogue ninja. How do you feel being escorted by me now? Hey we might bump into him on the way. Who knows, we might stop for a tea break with him too.)

She felt like saying a lot of things lately. But Yuzuki bit her tongue and kept her mouth shut. She needed to get this woman and child safely home in four days. Oh how she longed for action. She hoped a rogue ninja would jump in their path and threaten their lives. Oh how she longed to use her sword on them.

The walk was mostly quiet between Yuzuki and the travellers. The little girl would babble about interesting things she saw along the road and have a deep conversation about why a butterfly has different colours.

It was very sweet to hear the little girl speaking of things that made her fascinated. What was that word they called it? Baby fever? Yuzuki was feeling that for some unreasonable reason especially knowing she had half a chance.

Two days of walking passed by agonisingly slow. Walking with a child was twice as more difficult. Hina needed something to eat or drink. Hina needed to rest her little feet or go to the bathroom. This time they were stopped because Hina was feeling feverish and crying.

The hounding wails of her pitiful cry was disturbing the piece of the woods while her mother tried to consult the little girl. Kia had her daughter in her arms trying to rock her to sleep. "Mamma!" she cried with streams of tears running down her face and snot drooling from her nose.

Yuzuki rummaged through the backpack at her feet in search of something to sooth the crying girl. She had a small pack of tissues, a bottle of water and- a strange sound caught Yuzuki's ears. Her head perked up and her dark eyes scanned the road and the trees around them over the cries of the child.