“Not all,” Genma said. “A lot of teams use this training ground. I know where we rigged the traps for the October Trials, and where some other places people like to set traps up are. That’s why I was trying to go slowly.” That and to run the clock out for Raidou. They’d eaten a good forty minutes by now. He just had to keep Kakashi on the hook.

“I thought we should go this way because I figured Taichou would have gone this way. He doesn’t want to fall in any traps, either, and he knew how to avoid these.” He pointed up a drier hill going west. “If we go left from here, there’s another section from last year’s Trials where he might try to lose you. I know where the triggers are for those, too.”

He waited a moment to see if Kakashi was going to dash off unsupervised again, but it seemed the lesson of the pit-trap had been effective.

“I’ll take point,” he said, just to be sure there was no argument. “Since Pakkun’s decided to make me his horse, he can act as my scent-reader.”

“Since when do horses get a vote?” Pakkun inquired. He pushed himself back into something like an alert posture all the same, and dug his claws painfully into Genma’s shoulder in the process. When he was settled, he lifted his face and turned his nose to the breeze.

“You’re a lot heavier than you look,” Genma told him. “And you need a nail trim as badly as Kin does.”

Pakkun rolled Genma a deeply unimpressed look, then turned his head back towards Ryouma. “This one’s single, isn’t he?”

Ryouma grinned, evidently over his grudge against the dog for hunting him. “He only nags people he likes. Guess it's not very successful flirting strategy so far…”

“No offense meant,” Genma told Pakkun, “but you’re really not my type.” He caught the edge of a glare from Kakashi and started picking a careful route up the hill. “I just think Hatake ought to treat you and Kin and the other dogs to a pedicure sometime.”

Pakkun snorted. “Too late, horse. I’ve seen your true colors.”

Genma shrugged. “I’m just not into grumpy old men. Sorry, boss.”

Ryouma sniggered.

Pakkun dug one of those clawed paws unnecessarily hard into Genma’s shoulder blade, and pricked his ears forward, inhaling deeply with his eyes half-closed. “Got him.”

“Which way?” Genma asked.

“North.”

North was good. The easiest way north from here was through a minefield of traps to the northwest, the direction they were already headed. Or through a sinkhole pitted, overgrown woods that filled a steep valley to the northeast. Either option would take precious time.

“Good, he’s where I thought he’d be. Or he’s on his way there.” Genma turned to give Kakashi the options, and the illusion of command. “We can keep heading uphill and over the ridge, or we can go through that ravine and up the other side.” He pointed to the woods. “This is your hunt. What’s your preference?”

“High ground,” Kakashi said without hesitation.

“All right.” Genma studied the ridge. “When we get to that rocky area, watch your step. There are chakra triggers all over it.”