| [May. 31st, 2009|07:19 pm] |
Most ninja mastered tree-running in their first few weeks as genin, long before their lives actually depended on their ability to move swiftly and silently through the upper roads of Fire Country's forests. By the time they hit chuunin, it wasn't even something they had to think about--or shouldn't be. Natsumi felt every dribble of chemical chakra flaring away each time she hit a branch and pushed off again. She was burning far too much in a futile effort to keep warm and keep moving, but as long as Asuma's broad shoulders were ahead of her, she couldn't stop.
Then he fell out of the tree.
Natsumi nearly fell herself in the frantic scramble to get down to him. He was on his feet, at least, left hand still pressed firmly to his side with dark red welling between his fingers. Natsumi reached out before she thought. "Are you--?"
He was standing in front of a tangle of fallen trees. A massive, lightning-struck pine had fallen at a sharp angle, smashing several younger evergreens beneath it. Thick pine boughs tented together, creating a sheltered pocket just large enough for a couple of frozen ninja.
Her hammering heart slowly eased. Her hand dropped back to her side. "That's--almost perfect. Do you find hospitals, too? Or at least hot tea?" |
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