Setting The Wolf Free - Sequel to The Wolf Inside

STWF - Road to Ninja - Part 4

Everybody looks down into the deep valley below, surrounded by sheer cliffs on all sides and filled with lush plant life. It was impossible to see the ground from the cliffs, the tree canopy completely obscuring it from view. In the middle of the valley's forest, a large group of trees tower high above the others, in a circular formation.

"The Red Moon Scroll is hidden just ahead" Minato informs everyone, staring down into the circle of tall trees. "I'm sure Jiraiya Sensei would have laid some traps though, to keep it safe. Kakashi, can you take the lead and use your Sharingan to search for any traps?"

"Understood!" Kakashi answers brightly, before leaning his back against a tree and sliding to the ground. "...Or so I'd like to say, but uh.......I went a little overboard on my last mission. I've been using my Sharingan......well, a lot...."

".....You always wear down at the most important times Kakashi" Minato sighs, his shoulders drooping somewhat.

"Actually" Guy speaks up, also slumping to the ground, "I could do with a rest too. Age tires the body and soul...."

Minato stares down at the two weary Ninja for a moment, before pressing his fingertips against his forehead and releasing another sigh.

"Alright" the blonde man mutters. "We'll all take a breather then."

"Hey Ashley" Sakura addresses cautiously, "Can't you use your Sharingan to find the traps instead?"

Ashley, standing at the edge of the cliff with her arms crossed, doesn't reply, clearly still in a bad mood. She hadn't so much as said one word the whole way to the valley.

"Ashley?" Kakashi repeats, sounding amused. "Ashley doesn't even have a Sharingan Sakura."

The Minami scowls at this, her fingers balling up into fists, though she still remains silent and glares out into the distance.

"Only members of the Uchiha Clan and Kakashi have the Sharingan" Minato adds, looking to Sakura and tilting his head to the side, a faint smile on his face. "Ashley wouldn't even have the stamina or chakra to maintain the Sharingan anyway."

Ashley's head jerks to the side at that, as she glares at Minato from the corner of her eye, her teeth bared in a silent snarl.

The blonde man's eyes widen at the sight of Ashley's face, his mouth falling open slightly.

"Wh-What?" he asks in a hushed voice. "How is that.....How?"

"None of your business" Ashley growls, before turning her now now blazing red eyes back towards the valley. "I'm getting sick of all of you. If one more person makes fun of me, I'm going to kill them."

"Ashley....." Sakura says softly, looking concerned. "Hey....Hey, why is your Sharingan red? Wasn't it always black?"

"It's red now?" Ashley asks, genuinely surprised. "Hn.....Well, it's probably because Hakuba doesn't seem to be sealed inside me anymore."

"He....He isn't?" Sakura questions, feeling a little bad for her friend. "Well, what does that have to do with your Sharingan anyway?"

"I don't know...." Ashley mumbles, focusing on something moving down amongst the trees. "My Sharingan was red and then after Hakuba got sealed into me, it slowly turned black. His chakra must have affected it or something...."

"What are you two talking about?" Kakashi inquires, looking thoroughly perplexed. Since when had his most pathetic student had the Sharingan?