NaruHina: Rescue

Chapter 2: Defense

Hinata woke up abruptly in the middle of the night. She quickly sat up and instantly activated her byakugan. Something was strange. Off in the distance, she could see figures moving. Seven, she counted. No. Eight. One of them was holding back, a few steps behind, but still keeping pace with the swiftly moving group.

She frowned, continued scanning.

Heart rate, average 90 beats per minute. High. Rapid, but calm. Blood flow: fast. They were running at 6 miles per hour, a good speed, indicating that they were used to this kind of movement. And expertly, too, shifting through trees, over fallen rocks, pausing once in a while to check their surroundings—all within the inky darkness of night. Normal people wouldn't be able to do that. Chakra flowed, and Hinata sensed excitement, a hint of nervousness, but mostly, purpose.

These were not civilians.

"Sakura, Ino," she said as she quietly shook them awake. They saw Hinata with her byakugan activated and immediately got ready for a fight.

"Eight shadows, five miles away. They're moving quickly. We have to go intercept and check it out."

"Ino, can you warn the villagers?" Sakura said as she pulled on her gloves and tied her hair back in a ponytail.

Ino activated her jutsu and entered the consciousness of the sleeping villagers. They all heard her call and woke up in the dark. "Everyone, there's people on their way here. They look suspicious. Just to be safe, make sure you get ready to defend if they slip by us. We're heading to check it out now. Stay calm. Remember, we're also here to protect you. We'll be right back."

They could hear the rustle of movement as the villagers quickly got up and gathered everyone to a safe place.

The three shinobi ran to the road where they would meet the figures. There was only one way to get into the village. Hinata felt them a few yards away and warned the other two. "Here they come," she said.

Expecting no resistance, the figures walked right into their ambush. Hinata and Ino attacked, arms up, sharp and quick, delivering blows to every body part they could touch. They spun, long hair, blond and black, swirled through the air as they twisted their bodies to avoid their attackers. Legs kicked up and countered. Kunais flew through the air, drawing blood.

One of the men was almost able to land a blow on her stomach, but Hinata deftly avoided it. She was a master at taijutsu and she'd faced worse than this before. She knew, though, that none of them could match her skills as she continued attacking and defending. None of them had ever trained under Neji's watchful gaze. These men might be professionals, but there was a definite difference in their skills and the Konoha shinobi.

"Sakura, now!" Hinata suddenly yelled as the eight figures gathered in the one spot that she and Ino had driven them.

Sakura delivered a punishing blow onto the ground that shook and cracked it, sending debris up into the air and adding another weapon to their defense. Those who were on the ground flew up in the air. Huge rocks that formed from Sakura's punch slammed into the rest of the figures, hitting soft tissue and hard bone. The girls heard the grunts of pain and felt satisfaction as the hooded figures all fell to the ground in loud thuds.

Hinata quickly approached each of the figures and hit every pressure point that impeded movement on their bodies. She heard them gasping desperately as she cut off the air vents that gave them breath, and she hardened her heart. These were most likely thieves. Civilians and villagers don't attack at night.

"Be still," she said in a cold voice. "It's only for a minute. I'll let it ease up once you tell us what you guys are doing here."

Ino and Sakura had taken away all the available weapons they could find. They were now busy tying them all up.