Secrets in the Hidden Leaf

Chapter Twenty: Four Tails

I wasn't completely paying attention to Sasuke's hug, I was paying more attention to the paper that he was holding. I drew away from the hug, and glanced at the paper. "Sasuke. Which paper is this?"

He handed me the paper without a word, and I took it cautiously. 

March 13

I received a message from the Third Hokage only an hour ago. I wasn't supposed to read it until the Spring Equinox. I almost read it, I was tempted to. But Noriyashi-sensei took it from me, he read it. He sneered at me with a disgusted look on his face. He threw the letter aside, and kept it. Not only three hours ago, I broke in the school in order to receive it again. Only to find Noriyashi-sensei dead, holding the letter.

It figures that the letter was only meant for me, and for whoever opens it that doesn't contain my DNA will either be paralyzed or dead. Noriyashi-sensei was dead, I felt no pulse. It was my fault for his death, only because I was reckless for keeping the letter out during sessions. I

I remembered I never had time to finish that passage. I was sent out to the village to receive my new weapons. I let out a shaky breath, remembering the contents of the letter from the Third Hokage. 

Amaya, 

The Yamanaka clan has had recently found one of your relatives in the Hidden Cloud Village. They were murdered by one of the Raikage's ANBU shinobi. Kei is still safe in hands, there's no need to worry about her. I hope you are safe in the Hidden Rain. 

Sincerely, 

The Third Hokage.

"Amaya?" The call of my name made me look up, I saw Sasuke, and in the reflection of his eyes, I could see my eyes brimmed with tears. I tore my gaze away, and glanced towards the clock tower, I only had fifteen minutes left until I meet Tazuna. I let out a sigh and wiped my eyes. "Amaya."

"Yes?" I replied, already walking back, clenching the sheets from my journal in my hand. I could hear the crunch of the paper. I was heading through the shortcut in the forest rather than the main trail. I listened to Sasuke's calm, almost quiet footsteps and Naruto's fast, loud footsteps follow me. But I was faster, I shoved the papers into my bag and I sprinted into the forest.

"OOOF! SASUKE! BAKA!" Naruto screamed, sounding like he was in total pain. I vanished into the woods, not realizing I had just passed the trail back. I stopped, leaning my back against a tree, the sun was almost directly ahead of me. Only about ten more minutes until I help Tazuna. Suddenly, a silver flash came in front of me, and I jumped back against the tree in time. I tripped over myself and I fell, looking up at a dark silhouetted figure. 

"I see you found your journal entries around town," the silhouette cackled, the voice was male. I shivered, the tone and sound of the voice was oddly familiar. "I'm glad you got all of them in time before the villagers figured out your secrets and adventures."

"What do you want from me?" I stood, unsheathing my wakizashi. "I don't know you."

"You do, but you don't actually know me." the silhouette chuckled, as if he found this funny. "I also---"

The silhouette was tackled by a darkish red shape. The chakra from it was hideous, I saw it was Naruto. I stared in disbelief, but I quickly stood up only to be tackled by Sasuke. He hissed in my ear, "Stay down."

I glanced over his shoulder, he was on top of me, and I observed the darkish-red shape from a distance. It was indeed Naruto, but the chakra made him more fox-like, four tails were waving around. "What happened to Naruto?!"

"He's the nine-tailed fox," Sasuke replied more quietly than I did. "And his four tails are already out."