Clash 2: The Wolf and the Desertstorm - a collab with Amaterasu

Chapter 9

Daro kept a close eye on their surroundings. They were nearing the border with Rain. Now, they wouldn't only have to watch out for Ookami, but also for Akatsuki members. He didn't feel like having another run-in with Itachi. What would the man do if he found out he had screwed up the message and Taryn was now missing?

The boy suppressed a shiver.

He glanced at Akio and wondered if Karasu had already found the others.

"You going to be okay, Akio-san?" Ken asked as they continued. Ever since Akio and Daro had entered that woman's house and met back with him after, relaying their discovery, Ken had felt the Ookami man's chakra radiating with multiple emotions. He understood that he and everyone else would be filled with worry and a lot of anxiety, but with Akio there was also a mixed feeling of depression, guilt, self-loathing, and even longing. Longing for what, he hadn't a clue. Ken was worried that it might affect Akio in a way that could put him and potentially all of them in danger.

Daro glanced at Akio. Ever since hearing the story Fujiko had told, Akio had been like this. It must be hard for him to hear such stories from the clan he had once belonged to.

Akio let out a small sigh. He had figured a long time ago that Ken had sensed how out of balance he was—ever since that meeting with Fujiko. The boy had thankfully kept his worries to himself, but since they were drawing so near to Ame now, it was understandable that Ken would want a status check out of his growing worry.

"Don't worry," He finally responded, "I'm on high alert. I haven't lost focus."

"That's not what I'm asking." Ken pressed.

Akio put on a smile and began teasing for show. "My, Hisayo must be rubbing off on you. Look how fierce you've become."

The whole party came to a stop as several barrier tags shot past and forcefully halted their progress. Ken swift placed himself in front of Akio, glaring. "Stop running away from the issue. Haven't you learned by now that it's pointless to hide anything with me around? I unintentionally feel everyone's emotions because of their chakra."

Daro bit his lip and looked at Ken nervously. Fighting amongst themselves was the last thing they needed right now. Though he could understand Ken's reasoning. He must be worried too and he had not heard Fujiko's story. He cleared his throat, drawing Ken's attention. "It's just... Taryn-sensei and Hisayo-san... might not be the only two we need to rescue."

"What do you mean? Who else needs rescuing?"

Akio's faked smile faded. His eyes grew sharp and serious. "I didn't mention it before, because I didn't want you to make an issue of it then, but...It appears the reason the Ookami left, wasn't because they had decided on a whim and on their own accord. It was because Satoru forced them. He took the whole clan, child and all."

Ken gritted his teeth. Seeing for himself first hand in the past of what Satoru was capable of, he knew it all to be the truth. "Tsk, how do we deal with that too then? What's going to happen if Satoru orders them to attack us? We can't just kill them."

"And we won't." Akio said. "But it will make saving Hisayo and possibly even Taryn, difficult. And so much time has passed. We might not like what we find in the end at all. I have my mixed feelings about this, I admit, but they are rooted too deeply despite the decades past. Hisayo comes first; and in the end I could very well betray my clan again despite wishing to help them. I'm reasonable, but I can't guarantee that I won't crack. "

"Don't forget you have people depending on you." Ken shot back, with a tint of desperation. "And if anything happened to you, how do you think that would make Hisayo-sensei feel? Think about that. It's not my business, but save whatever beef you have with you clan—with Satoru later. Like you said, Hisayo-sensei comes first. So I say forget helping out the clan and let them deal with their own problems for now. Even with the size of our group, we can't solve the issues with your clan so easily. It's going to take time."