"this is the first time I've ever been in the desert, do you think we'll get poisoned by scorpions or stuck in a sand storm?" Kaida had currently taken to looking at the desert plants poking through the golden sand and finding desert flowers that weren't in any book she'd ever read before.
"You'll be able to see a sand storm coming and be able to find cover before it hits, also, scorpions could be an issue, so try not to stand in the same place for too long, okay? I don't want to have to explain to your mother that you got stung by a scorpion because you were picking flowers" I mused, Kaida stuck her tongue out at me once more, hurrying her pace to be in time with me.
"how big is the desert anyway?"
"about a day or two worth of travel, we might have to sleep in a cave if we don't get to the village before sun down"
"what if I got on your back? we could save time that way" I turned to her, looking over her quickly. she wasn't one to ask for any aid or help, she must be tired or beginning to overheat because of the desert sun.
I crouched down beside her, "hop on" I motioned. she packed her book back into her backpack before coming and jumping on my back, wrapping her arms around my neck. I stood and hoisted her up a bit more, where she wrapped her legs around my waist. I kept my arms behind my back around her so she wouldn't slip, adding chakra to my feet I began to run and slowly picked up speed, the sound of Kaida going 'whoa!' let me know I wasn't going too fast.
Five or so hours passed and I began to slow down, Sunagakura beginning to come into view, being only another hour's worth of walking away. I tilted my head, looking at Kaida who's head was resting on my shoulder, she had fallen asleep after the first hour of me carrying her and didn't want to wake her, so I slowed down my pace a little so the wind wouldn't wake her. I walked towards the village the rest of the way, looking around at the sand dunes.
would anyone know if there was someone beneath all of this sand?
I stopped walking as I began to sense incoming chakra from the left, looking over, all I could see was more sand and a small outline of a person. squinting, I couldn't make out who the person was from the large distance, but it was a chakra I had sensed before, actually, it was a chakra signature from the Chunin Exams. I relaxed my stance, sparing a glance to Kaida who was beginning to mumble and move around a little on my shoulder.
the figure got closer until sand began to encase then, after a few minutes, I squinted my eyes to shield them the best I could from the sand as the person came to a stop a few meters away from Kaida and I. the sand moved like it was alive away from the person, revealing red hair and sea foam green eyes. I let my shoulders drop in realisation that it was only Gaara, breathing a sigh of relief that it was someone from the village and not a rogue or enemy of The Sand Village.
"Tenshi..?" his voice seemed to show surprise, I nodded in response.
"it's been awhile, Gaara of The Sand" I mused, he took a step forward, seeming to be taken aback that I didn't take one away from him. he took another and soon was standing in front of me, his arms coming up and crossing over each other.
"the last I heard, you were missing" I blinked, then realised that I had left the village without telling anyone and because I didn't have a chakra signature, I doubt anyone could sense where I was.
"I left with no intention of returning to that village" I answered, aware of Kaida's mumbling by my ear saying that the roosters were too loud.
"you're a rogue"
"I left without my headband. I'm no more than a civilian from The Leaf, Leader of Ushinawareta Hitobito" his eyes widened by my words, his arms fell to his sides.
"what are you needing from The Sand?"
"I'm getting supplies that we need, we're running low on things for the children and household things" he nodded and began to walk towards the village, I spared a glance to Kaida and began to walk after him slowly, we walked in peaceful silence for a few minutes before-
"you idiot, it's a rose not a goose!" -before Kaida woke up shouting at someone in her dream, I sweat dropped as she brought her head back down to rest on my shoulder after shouting that, Gaara now staring at her like he'd never seen a child before.
"is that..."
"normal? sadly yes"
