Blind Sight (COTK Book 1)

Chapter 9: Still Breathing

Rasa's attention never left the scroll in his hands even as he reached across the cluttered table to pick up a cup of coffee. "What a mess," he muttered before taking a sip. Baki had already gone through all the reports around the time it was believed the attack on the Kumo Embassy had taken place and found nothing.

It wasn't that he didn't trust Baki, but he liked having as close to first-hand knowledge as possible. However, Rasa had to admit that he didn't see anything either. Whoever had snuck into Suna and broken into a highly secure Kumo Embassy was, undoubtedly, extremely skilled. It was probable they hadn't left any trail at all.

He'd stayed up late last night thinking about it, and one thing had been bothering him ever since he'd returned to Suna. What was the murderers' motive for this attack? Rasa had come to the conclusion that they'd been after the prisoner they'd saved from Gaara. The man had talked about being chased, and it seemed he was right.

Wait... Rasa dropped the scroll he'd been staring at and shifted through the unorganized pile next to him. Finding the scroll he was looking for, he opened Ochida's ground report at the embassy when he'd first inspected it.

Quickly scanning the scroll, he realized he couldn't remember, because it wasn't in the report. Where did the suspected spy go? He wasn't with the other dead Kumo Shinobi.

Rasa took another sip of his coffee and leaned back in his seat. They took his body. Because he knew something that they didn't want anyone learning. He was saying something about a stone... no, "the" stone... could he mean the-

"Good morning, Father."

Rasa looked over and smiled. Quickly picking up all the scrolls, he dropped them back into the satchel he'd brought them home in. Once space had been cleared, Temari carefully set a plate of steaming food in front of her father.

"Thank you, Temari."

His eldest daughter bowed slightly and headed back toward the kitchen. A moment after she disappeared from sight, his eldest son walked into the room, carrying his own plate of food.

"Welcome back, Father," Kankuro said as he set his plate down. "What took you so long?"

Rasa chuckled, "I had some complications on the return trip, but it wasn't a problem."

"Well, I, for one, am glad you're home," Temari announced as she entered the dining room carrying her own plate of food.

Rasa looked at her questioningly. After realizing his mistakes with his youngest, Gaara, he'd been making a pointed effort to improve his relationship with all his children. Being present for these morning meals was something he tried to always do now.

"Baki-san has been horribly stressed out, though he won't tell me why, of course," Temari explained, sitting down at the chair on his right, across from Kankuro. There were eight chairs at this table, and when Gaara did show up to eat, he usually sat on the opposite side.

It didn't look like Gaara would be eating with them today.

"Yes, some things happened while I was gone, but I'm working on dealing with them. Baki should have some free time soon to train with you again, Temari." Rasa said, and Temari nodded.

"How has the Academy been?" He asked and smiled as his daughter's face lit up with excitement as she hurriedly swallowed the food in her mouth.

"It's been awesome. As you said, I've been assigned a war fan! I love it so much."

Rasa nodded, happy to see his daughter so excited. He'd done some elementary training with Temari and Kankuro before enrolling them into the Shinobi Academy. What field Kankuro would be best for was unclear, but Temari's had been blatantly obvious from the beginning. Her elemental affinity being Wind only confirmed it for him.