Naruto Fanfic - Prisoner of Nightmare

Chapter Thirty[XXX]: Red Monsters - I

   Uzukaze Naruto scanned his surroundings cautiously, his chakra spread out far enough to cast a thin, invisible blanket around a third of the Shi no Mori. The animals in the forest were moving around a bit, but Naruto knew that would be nothing compared to what would happen at night due to the fact that most of them were nocturnal, not diurnal. Kakashi was a few kilometres behind the three of them, seemingly lazing around in the crook of some tree.

   He raised his hand in a fist and stopped jumping from branch to branch, crouching with the fingers of his left hand brushing the bark of the thick limb. Uchiha and Haruno stood next to him on either side, him leading the way because of his affinity as a sensor. "Three right, twenty meters, size of us, assumed to be resting. One front, ten meters, three times our size, active."

   Using key information only, Naruto quickly and efficiently relayed what he sensed. His eyes darting around out of habit as he waited for his teammates' decisions. "Right, we need food," Haruno said a little bitterly since Kakashi had taken any and all food they packed with them, along with water.

   They had been in here for a few hours now and they were hungry, just avoiding the animals was tiring since they were quite strong and fast. "Hn," Uchiha grunted, nodding his head in agreement, also seeming a little miffed that Kakashi had taken his food, namely tomatoes. None of them said anything else as they headed towards the right, ending up above their prey in the matter of a few seconds.

   The animals below them were large wolf-like creatures, light brown fur matted with blood in some places and missing in others, sharp-looking white fangs dripping with a pale purple substance protruding out of their maws. Presumably poison, since most animals in this forest were toxic in one way or another. They were curled up in a daunting cave, sleeping, or at least acting like they were.

   Naruto pointed at the one in the very back of the cave, bearly able to be seen in the shadows. It was noticeably larger than the other two, probably the leader of the small pack. He looks at his two teammates who nod acceptingly of his claim, Uchiha pointing at the second largest one while Haruno points at the wolf furthest out of the cave, the smallest one.

   Uchiha holds up three fingers, slowly bringing each one down as the seconds pass. When the last finger goes down, the three of them pounce at their prey. Naruto propels himself off the tree they were perched in, flinging three kunai with explosive notes attached toward his mark with deadly accuracy, piercing into the thick fur with ease, having enhanced their edge with futon chakra.

   The wolf's eyes snap open, a piercing, snake-like yellow, pupils dilated as Naruto lands on the ground, chakra cushioning his landing. It howled loudly in pain, the three kunai having pierced its neck, alerting the other two wolves a little too late of the attack. Naruto makes the rat sign as the wolf hops up onto all fours, teeth gnashing together threateningly as thick blook poured out of its wound. 

   His mark gives a sharp whine as the explosive notes detonate with a resounding boom, the walls of the cave shuddering slightly. Out of the corner of his eyes, he notes that Uchiha and Haruno were engaging with their own marks from a distance. Naruto waited for the outcome, shoulders tensed as the smoke slowly clears. The wolf jumps out from the smoke, half of its face and neck bare and bloody, an eye missing from its socket.

   The wolf runs at Naruto and slashes down with sharp claws, Naruto diving to the right while throwing another kunai to avoid it. The kunai hits the wolf in the shoulder but it doesn't react, slashing once again. Naruto dodges by running toward the wolf and ducking down, the claws passing an inch over his head. 

   Naruto bounces up and grabs onto the kunai in the wolf's shoulder, hoisting himself onto the beats back with ease and evading the wolf's poisonous teeth snapping at him as he does so. He unseals two more kunai and holds them tightly in his hands, stabbing into the wolf's back for leverage as it shook violently in an attempt to throw Naruto off.