The Wolf Inside - A Naruto Fanfic - Watty Award Winner 2013

Chapter 39

Edited 22/04/2019

The music linked is just what I was listening to as I wrote the last part of this chapter, if you're interested. Music without lyrics can sometimes help me write.

Ashley's POV

I look up at the white material of Choji's long scarf streaming out behind him as he bounds through the trees above me, Sasuke and Asuma not too far ahead of him. We've been running for a couple of hours now, with only a short break, and I'm beginning to feel a little tired. Not that I'm about to stop or anything!

Unlike the others, I'm running across the ground rather than jumping through the trees. I'm supposed to be the Sensory Ninja in this team, despite not actually being one, and to be able to sense vibrations in the ground, I can't exactly jump through trees.

Asuma was hesitant at first, but I had eventually managed to convince him to let me down on the ground. I know he's keeping an eye on me though, I keep seeing him turn his head every now and then. Sasuke's Sharingan is activated as well, so he's probably keeping tabs on me too.

A sudden soft thud in the ground makes me skid to a halt, blinking in surprise, before I drop down into a crouch and press my palms into the dirt, trying to get a better feel for what's happening.

That was odd.

My sensing range is not very far, maybe a kilometre at most, and the thud had come from just within my range, so it was extremely faint. I stare at the ground and scowl, trying to focus as much as I can.

"Ashley?" a voice calls from above, only for me to look back up and see that Choji, Sasuke and Asuma are perched on a branch above my head.

"What's wrong?" the Jonin asks, as I rise to my feet, now looking ahead.

"I'm not sure" I say slowly, an uncomfortable feeling settling over me. "I....I barely felt it but.....Something happened up ahead."

"You sure we're not just catching up to Kurenai's Cell?" Asuma questions. "Maybe it's them that you're sensing."

"No....." I disagree, feeling a serious of small thuds up ahead. "I know the difference between people running and.....and whatever that was. We need to get closer, then maybe I'll be able to figure it out."

"Alright" Asuma says with a nod. "Let's pick up the pace then."

He takes off again, with Sasuke lingering for a second, staring at me with a serious expression. If I didn't know any better, I'd think he was worried.

As Sasuke and Choji jump after Asuma, I break into a run, everyone moving faster now that there's the possibility of a problem up ahead. Choji has his mouth set in a hard line, probably wondering if Shikamaru and Ino are okay.

As we move further and further along, my eyes widen slightly, the vibrations in the ground growing stronger and stronger with every second. I feel things falling to the earth, things being dragged across the ground and shaking it violently, people running in all directions....

"Asuma!" I call out urgently, causing the whole Cell to look down at me. "There's definitely a fight going on up ahead! I can't tell who's an enemy and who isn't, but there are a lot of people!"

Asuma's brow creases at my announcement, his teeth gritting together. I don't think he had actually been expecting to engage in any fighting.