Shattered Ice

Chapter Eighteen

Kakashi sat in his futon, reading his usual book, the moon high in the sky. He sighed, glancing up at it before looking back at the genin laying on her futon.

He had been unable to sleep, her explanation from earlier not sitting right with him. He felt like she had left something out, something important.

He sighed, closing his book and leaning back, his head resting against the wall as he closed his eye.

"No... stop..." He jolted slightly, sitting up as he glanced back at Amara. In the short time it took him to lean back, she had begun tossing and turning. Her hair splayed out on the pillow, her bangs still staying firmly in place.

"Stop..." She muttered again, her eye furrowing slightly. Kakashi frowned from behind his mask. She must be having a nightmare...

Amara whimpered, clenching the sheets in her hands, her breath hitching slightly. Kakashi leaned forward, his eye furrowing with concern as he noticed the sheen of sweat coating her forehead.

He reached over, attempting to feel her forehead, but seeing the ice that formed to block his path, he retreated, frowning more.

"Stop... Stop!" Her voice rose in volume, and his mind raced as he struggled to find a way to quiet her. A thin layer of ice was beginning to coat the sheets, spreading from the fists that were clenched around it.

"Amara... Amara!!" He tried, taking a small step towards her. She jolted awake, her orange eye snapping open. She scrambled to her feet, throwing her arms out, and a wave of ice rammed into Kakashi, pinning him to the wall.

"Amara..." He tried, his tone soft as he saw the fearful look in her eye. She glanced up, locking eyes with him, her arms trembling slightly.

She dropped them, tears filling her eye as she fell to her knees, sobbing quietly. Kakashi was immediately released by the ice, and he quickly engulfed her in a hug, ignoring the freezing layer of ice that coated her skin like armor.

"H-He was there... I-I.. H-He hurt Yugito..." She wailed, her voice cracking as she spoke her sisters name. Kakashi stared down at her sadly, placing a hand on her head as he took this opportunity to feel her forehead.

"Sh... You're okay, Yugito's okay. It was just a dream..." He murmured, glancing up at the doorway, seeing Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto, and Tsunami standing there. Naruto stared at her with a conflicted expression, his blue eyes flashing with recognition.

"She hasn't had a nightmare since we were younger..." He murmured quietly, and Kakashi sent a glance at Tsunami, who quickly ushered the genin to their rooms.

"Kakashi..." Amara croaked, and he glanced back down at her.

"He... He killed Yugito..." She whispered, her voice broken. He sighed, retracting his hand. She has a fever... She must have caught something from sleeping outside.

"It wasn't real Amara. I'm right here, go back to sleep."

Amara sighed, leaning into him slightly. Her eye drooped slightly, but she glanced back at him with an exhausted orange eye.

"Promise me you wont leave..." Kakashi's eye softened.

"I wont."

He received no response, merely the relaxation of her muscles, and her steady breathing. He sighed once more, resting his chin on her head as he glanced back out through the window. What exactly did she see that scared her so badly? I've never seen Amara so worked up...