Stellar

14. Revelations

'Tis a long boi

Miyoko's scream forced Kiba into action.

He spun around, leaping over a sweeping foot. Landing smoothly, he threw two kunai and immediately ducked.

"Shino!" He forced through gritted teeth. "Get Miyoko—" Kiba leapt to the side, crashing into the ground to avoid a stab from a katana. "—sama away from here!"

Not sparing a second to glance at Shino, who nodded, Kiba flew through hand signs and slammed a hand onto the ground. The earth shook before rising in a dirt wall.

"Go!"

Shino ushered the daimyo's granddaughter away, glancing back at his teammate uncertainly. 'I didn't know he already knew his chakra nature, much less any jutsu to compliment it.'

He sent out half of his colony to swarm the attacker as they retreated into the woods, coming to a stop beside a large oak tree. "Stay here." He ordered the whimpering girl, who nodded shakily.

As quickly as he could, he ran back to aid Kiba. Shino arrived on the battlefield to see Kiba perform the 'headhunter jutsu,' dragging the bounty hunter into the ground until only his head popped out. Kiba reappeared in front of him and gripped his own bleeding arm.

Shino made his way to stand beside the Inuzuka, who seemed to notice his concerns despite being silent. "I'm fine." He grunted, though he removed his hand from his arm to show blood on the palm. "The guy wasn't that hard. What do we do about him though?" He jerked his chin to the enraged head in the ground.

"Release me!" The man hissed.

Kiba rolled his eyes. "Sure." He drawled sarcastically. "I wanna knock 'em out, but it might snap his neck and that's a bit unnecessary."

Shino sighed and walked over to the captured hunter, reaching behind to their neck and pressing firmly on one of their pressure points. The head lolled back and slumped.

"We still have to keep a look out for the other thirteen though. They can't be too far off." Kiba muttered. He kneeled down beside the head and took a sniff. Akamaru did the same.

"What are you doing?" Shino couldn't help but scrunch his nose.

"Duh, getting his scent. If they were around the other bounty hunters, I can now sniff them out. I already have a heightened smell because of my clan, but concentrating chakra to my nose increases that a thousandfold. Maybe." Kiba waved his hand. "Let's get back to Miyoko, and continue on our way." He grimaced.

Shino noticed the bandages on his left forearm were loosened in the fight, revealing part of what seemed to be a seal tattoo. He chose not to mention it and turned on his heel, going back to Miyoko.

::

"Fuck! Fuck, fuck!" Kiba cursed.

Shino gave him an unimpressed stare.

They were surrounded. Six, perhaps seven if their sensor capabilities were anything to go by and one was hiding, and they were fucked.

"Give her up kids, and we'll be on our way!" One crowed, sounding far too excited to fight children than she should have.

"Go fuck yourself!" Kiba growled, throwing a kunai at her. The woman just chuckled and caught it with ease, not realizing the disguised tag wrapped around the hilt.

In one swift motion, Kiba formed the activation hand sign and covered his ears as the kunai exploded in the woman's hand.

Kiba grimaced, but he had no time to think about the damage or consequences because the other six were upon them. Barely dodging an incoming kick, Kiba ducked as Akamaru leaped onto the man and clawed his face.