This Love {SasoDei fanfic}

SasoDei fanfic chap 15 {This Love}

Chapter 15

The shadow

"Alright, I've got everything..." I say with a sigh, my heavy heart sinking. I look at the ground. "Me too..." Sasori replys. We're about to try to leave... Again... "Let's go, then." I've have been studying the wolves for the time that Sasori's been immobile, and have discovered that the wolves are starting mating season, so they're gone somewhere every morning. I know from previous knowledge that mating season for wolves lasts about a month, and they've been exhibiting this behavior for about two weeks, so we should be safe... But I'm still utterly terrified...

As we walk to the line of trees, it's eerily quiet. "Are you sure they're gone?" He whispers, still walking. I nod. "If we can just get to that ridge over there," I say, pointing to a ridge not that far off, "we'll be safe. For some reason they don't go there." He stops. I do too, and look back at him. "What's wrong?" I say with concern. "What if they don't go there because there's something worse... Or something bigger there that they're scared of?"

My eyes go wide. "Like another pack of wolves?" I ask, nervous now. "No." He replies, shaking his head. "Something worse." He's looking me in the eyes now. My heart skips a beat. How had we not thought of that? I shake my head. "No, we're just being paranoid... I'm sure there's another reason, like maybe their territory just doesn't stretch that far?" I offer, trying to drive away all the possibilities of something worse we'd have to deal with. "That's just too simple." He says, walking on, "But I'm sure whatever's there, we can take it." I follow him. "Yeah..." I say faintly, a million thoughts running through my head.

What if there's some chakra induced monster up there, or a giant bear of some kind? I'm not so sure we could take it... Not with Sasori's just healed leg... We really should've waited longer, but by the time his leg would be better completely, the wolves would be back and we'd have to wait another year... He's not limping or anything, but I can tell he's still very weak on his left side...

"You know we're going to have to stop and make camp soon, right?" I say, finally breaking the silence that's been stretching between us for the walk. It's twilight now, the setting sun casting ominous shadows across the path. "Yeah," he replies, "I was just thinking the same thing." I nod as he turns to face me. I can tell he's scared, perhaps it's because I've lived with him for so long, but I know when he gets scared he shuts down, and shuts everyone else out. Unless he feels comfortable, which I don't think this situation applies...

"Why don't you pitch the tent? I'll go get some firewood while it's still semi-light out." I say, offering to go into the woods instead of him. I'll talk to him later and try to reassure him... We set our packs down in a nearby clearing, and he starts taking out the tent as I go off to get wood. "Be right back..." I say. He stops to look at me. "Be careful..." He says, worry in his eyes. "I'll be fine." I say with a weak smile.

He watches me walk off, a look of concern written across his face. I take a deep breath, searching the ground for good twigs and such to light a fire. I mindlessly scoop up some green leaves into a satchel I brought, sending a few beetles scattering for cover. As I'm picking up sticks and small logs, I'm thinking about how so much has changed since that first night we left the Akatsuki... We've grown accustomed to each other in ways I'd never thought would happen. We're living in the same house, taking advantage of each other to a certain extent... But we've been reminded how lucky we are since the time I'd thought he'd died... Okay, don't think about that.

Suddenly, I hear the snapping of a twig behind me. I quickly spin to face darkness, the sun long set. "Sasori?" I whisper. No answer. I peer throughout the trees to see a shadow moving off deeper into the woods. I turn back to camp, I don't want to risk anything, and I've got far enough firewood...