Howl of Konoha Book II

Goodbye Gaara

Screaming. That's all I've heard for three days straight. My chest squeezed with every yelp of pain. Every cry for help, every strangled scream forced through the red head jinchuuriki's lips. I could understand the pain he was undergoing although I have never experienced it first hand. A little more and the one-tail will belong to the Akatsuki.

"It's finished." My ears twitched from Konan's mellow voice. The blue manifestation of every Akatsuki member's chakra dissipates from around the body of the young Kazekage. Just like she said, the extraction was done.

Gaara's body that once floated in the air crumbled to the floor of the cave in a heap. Clouds of dust swelled under the motionless body the moment it touched the ground. The cave was silent, all possible noise was swallowed up in the chilling silence. The gravity of my actions hit me. Sure, I might not of been well acquainted with the red head but that doesn't mean I didn't know him.

Fuck! I've never felt remorse or sorrow toward those wretches I've killed in the past. So why now! Why do I feel regret in taking the life of this boy? I turn my head away from the crumpled form in disgust. I didn't need such deplorable thoughts.

"About time!' Hidan groaned and massaged his shoulders. "My shoulders have gone stiff."

Deidara nodded in agreement, "It took three days and three nights after all, un."

We all jumped down from our perches on the Gedo Statue's fingertips. My muscles ached and my tail felt heavy. Standing still for three days really murders the body.

"I always get tired from doing this," Kisame complained with everyone else mumbling approvals.

"Well done, everyone. You may all return to headquarters now," Konan said. The boys all cheered and begun to cast their Jutsus to head back to base. I was doing the same when I caught scent of something familiar. Actually, it was more than one.

"Konan-san!" I called back over my shoulder, my voice was slightly panicked and I mentally kicked myself because of it. My outburst caught not only the attention of Konan but the boys as well.

"What is it?" She urged me on.

"We have company."

At least this time I sounded a little more level-headed. Konan showed a flash of understanding at my gesture towards the sealed door of the cave. The boys all gathered around me and Konan, awaiting instruction.

Konan's eyebrows furrowed into the the center of her face as she analized the situation. It would be bad if all of the Akatsuki were to be discovered. We had no idea what was waiting for us on the other side of the door and if we underestimated the opponets too much, that would likely be the end of Akatsuki.

"Natsuki, can you tell how many there are?" Konan's orange orbs burned into my golden ones. I sniffed the air and listened out for voices and chakra waves. One, two, three......five, six... eight.

"Eight, and one animal, possibly a dog," I reported.

Konan nodded and her posture relaxed. "Sasori, Deidara, you two will stay and get rid of the intruders. Everyone else can go home."

"Are you sure just the two of them is enough? I'll stay as well," I said to the blunette. Konan simply shook her head at me and walked away.

"No. Those two will be enough. You're underestimating the abilities of your comrades, Little Wolf." Konan eyed me in the kind of way you would show your dominance over others. My ears flattened under her gaze and I shied away to Sasori's side. "I will go report to Pein. I await your return, Deidara, Sasori."

The two boys nodded and Konan disappeared in a swarm of origami paper. The other Akatsuki members teleported back to the hideout one after the other until it was just me and the two boys.

Slowly I turned around to the laters with a look of panic and anxiety. My stomach twisted into tight knots making me feel nauseous and the feeling of bile rose up my throat. This whole situation put me in a bad place, I didn't like this at all. And I've learned to trust my feelings.

"You should get going too, un. Don't want you getting caught now do we?" Deidara patted me on the shoulder smiling.

I roughly shrugged his hand off me and glared at the blonde, "Are you seriously going through with this? Why don't you just come back to base with the rest of us instead of fighting? And as for me, I can take care of myself. Don't patronize me."

"It's an order. Orders are meant to be followed," Sasori sighed.

"But it's just Konan! She isn't even the leader of Akatsuki!" I debate.

"Yes, true. But Leader-sama left her in charge so we have to follow her orders," the red head continues.

"And she's ranked higher than the rest of us, un." Deidara adds in his opinion.

I clicked my tongue knowing that they were right. "I don't like this. It feels wrong, like something bad is going to happen..."

"Don't worry, sweetheart. We'll be home and annoying your pretty little head in no time." Deidara grinned.

A small smile took residence upon my face and I shook my head in disbelief, "You're an idiot."

Both boys chuckled at my pathetic remark. Pounding on the boulder sealing the cave entrance resonated, bringing me back to reality and I started weaving hand signs.

"You better make it back in one piece!" I called out. They both nodded and turned away from me. I left in a puff of smoke just as the bolder crumbled to the ground. That bad feeling in the back of my stomach was back and heavier than before. The longer the two boys stayed away, the worse the feeling got.

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I should never of let them stay.

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Good evening everyone.

Yeah i know its a short chappie but i want to move through this part a little faster. I promise the next chapter will be longer than this!!

Speaking of chapters, I'm expecting this book to be longed than the first was (expect 60+ chapters) i hope that is okay with you guys.

Anyway, ill post again tomorrow sometime maybe so look forward to it cause its gonna be a doozy!

Ciao!