-Falling Trees-

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The tree groaned as it fell, its branches scrapping over the other trees. Hinata cowered as it crashed down. The leaves hit the ground with a loud rustle, but the impact of the trunk never came. Opening his eyes carefully Hinata lowered his arms, fallen leaves and branches slipped off his head as he lifted it. Between the trunk and the ground stood a very tall man. He was stood over Hinata with his hands clasped on the bark. Hinata could only see the back of the man's head, but in the shade of the tree he looked as large as a bear. The man grunted and pushed the tree to the side it fell leaving Hinata untouched. Did he just... catch the tree? The white-haired man turned to face Hinata, he bowed his head lightly. Hinata returned the gesture shakily. Could Hinata even call him a man? It was frightening how much he resembled a bear.

Just as the shouting of men filtered through the air, the man helped Hinata up. Brushing himself off Hinata looked up to thank the man properly but found that he was gone.

"Where did you go?" The boy looked around confused, there was nowhere the guy could've disappeared to.

The shouting grew again and so did the sound of fallen branches snapping under the weight of heavy wheels. There in the distance where two maybe three large bulldozers just breaking through the wildlife. Hinata noticed a black four by four trailing behind them. Hinata frowned and ran back in the direction of the town. The noise faded soon to nothing. What was happening? Why were they taking down the forest? As Hinata drew closer to the town, a slope that lead down to the forest came to view and so did Kageyama, his face twisted in concern.

"Hinata you're bleeding," Kageyama stumbled down the slope to meet him. Hinata looked down to realise that his knees and elbows were cut, "oh," He smiled shakily, now that he was starting to calm down the sting became more noticeable. Kageyama pulled off his hoodie and knelt in front of Hinata, he pressed the material of his hoodie against both of Hinata's knees. With a click of his tongue he asked, "Boke, how did you manage this?" With a slight hiss Hinata looked down at Kageyama, "Someone was cutting down the forest." Kageyama paused, "What?"

"I was just waiting at our spot and b-boom! The trees started falling... it happened so f-fast," Hinata's speech slowed as he burst into tears, he couldn't stop the sudden rush of emotions that swirled harshly in his chest. That's the thing about pain and fear, it comes back to hit you when you're certain it's gone, "Tobio, I was terrified." Kageyama pulled Hinata in and hugged him tightly, this was the second time something like this had happened and both times he hadn't been around. Running his fingers through Hinata's orange curls he swayed on his feet gently, it made his heart clench to see Hinata in such a state.

'What the hell is going on?!'

***

Takeda's morning routine of opening the library was abruptly interrupted by a rapid knocking at his door, he stumbled lightly and held the books he was holding close to chest. 'Who could be here so early... Ukai perhaps?' Takeda thought as he placed the books down, he quickly made his way over to the library doors and opened one.

"H-Hinata?!" Takeda looked down at the smaller boy who was covered in band aids, "What happened to you?" He looked up from Hinata to look at the others. Ukai, Kageyama and Tsukishima had accompanied him. Takeda swallowed a lump in his throat and pushed the door open, "I have a feeling you need to sit down to tell me..."

After an hour of explanations Takeda was left stunned in his seat, "S-so you're telling me that the far side of the forest, near the edge of Miyagi, was being cut down... and you almost got c-rrushed by a tree." Hinata nodded and gestured the band aids again. The group sat in a tense silence, one question running over and over in their minds. Why?

"Surely they'd have to alert the residents first?" Tsukishima leaned his chin on his interlaced hands, "They can't be allowed to just come in like they did..."

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