I ran off away from the cave and made my way back to the city. It was a risk to leave them there and I prayed that they would be safe. Hanzo only believed Yahiko to be dead, so he may still be on the look out for Nagato and I. Plus, going into the city was a large risk. He possibly has already deployed men to scout the city.
And what if he has already found the rest of our group. They could’ve been easily ambushed as they have no clue of the betrayal.
“What if they were already dead?”
I felt myself sprint faster.
"No. I didn’t need to think like that. They were strong and capable ninjas. They could hold their own. I just had to get to them, so we could get Nagato and Yahiko help. Right now, they depended on me."
I ran further away from the cave. The rain pelted against my face, something I was used to. If only we had Kyusuke with us. He was the fastest in our group.
Actually, I wish we had the whole group with us. We wouldn’t have been overpowered so easily, but we were naïve.
Trees began to scatter around me as I entered a forest. I slowed down just slightly to take in my surroundings.
As I cautiously weaved my way through the trees, an unknown sense of urgency washed over me. I stopped at a tree and hid to regain my burdens and glance around.
After waiting for a few moments and seeing no signs of being followed, I moved forward again. I had to get to the city.
As I made it to what I believed was the middle of the forest, I noticed a few odd looking trees. They looked like branches or large, wooden vines. My focus was so distracted by what was ahead that I stumbled and fell on top of a large pile of gray rocks.
“How could I be so blind? I should’ve paid more attention.”
As I sat up, I froze. My heart pounded in my ears as my eyes met with a face in the rubble.
Kyusuke’s broken face turned to stone.
I covered my mouth as I quickly scrambled to my feet. I stared at the rubble and began to make out an arm and a pair of hands expressed in the stone.
“This is Kyusuke’s cement jutsu, but why would he use it on himself?”
My thoughts droned off as I looked up at the scene before me. This time I had to suppress a scream.
Everyone was here, but they weren’t here in life. Instead, the rest of them were pinned through by the large branches. Blood splattered the grass. Their blood.
I had been in battles before and I have seen my share of dead, but never would I have thought I would find them all massacred at once.
I could feel warm tears slid down my cheeks as I kept my hand over my mouth. I had to calm down. I couldn’t risk being found. I took in a shaky and deep breath to keep myself from screaming.
Once I felt myself calming down, I released my hand from my mouth. I slowly made my way to each body to check their pulse. I stayed cautious to make sure that I didn’t come across any possible traps.
I sprinted over to Daibutsu. I shook him lightly and repeated his name. I checked for a breath or a pulse. Unfortunately, he was just as cold and lifeless as the rain that poured down on us. He was just an empty body of a friend I once called family.
“But why are they here? Did something happen at the hideout? Were they ambushed? Were they chased out here?”
My mind raced as I made my way to other members in hopes of a survivor. There had to be a reason for why they were here, and I hoped to find it out.
As I stood up from checking Toboe’s pulse, my heart jumped, “Where’s Aoi?”
Toboe always had his dog with him, but I couldn’t see her body anywhere. She couldn’t be too far away unless she went to find help.
I cupped my hands to my mouth, “Aoi!” I quietly called out. I hoped it wouldn’t attract too much outside attention.
I waited then I called out again. I gulped down the lump in my throat. I had to keep calling, she may be my only key to discovered what happened here.
As I breathed in to call out for a third time, I heard a branch snap for behind me. I spun around to see the big dog bound towards me. Relief washed over me as I ran to meet with her.
The large dog bounced around me and I couldn’t help but to let out a small giggle. Seeing Aoi alive and cheerful was a ray a light to this dark day.
Once she settled and sat in front of me, I reached out to stroke her ear, however, as my arm came close, she bit down on my sleeve and began pulling me.
“Aoi, what is it? What’re you doing?”
She continued to pull at me until I finally started to follow her.
She led me to a tree, sat beside it, and stared at me. I walked around its trunk to the other side to see someone laying against it.
“Emi!” I shouted as I got down on my knees by her. She didn’t move. I shouted again, this time taking her shoulders and shaking her lightly, “Come on, Emi! Wake up!”
A small groan escaped from her and her eyelids began to flutter.
“Konan?” She looked up at me, “Oh my god, Konan!”
She shot forward, but yelped in pain as she grabbed her side.
“No… I’m fine. I got most of the wound closed up, but I must’ve passed out before I finished,” she paused for a moment then she shot her look up to me, “Oh god, Konan. The team. Everyone! They’re all… They were– Oh god…” She shook her head in disbelief.
Emi held her face with a free hand. She took in a deep, shaky breath to try and calm down.
“We heard of the meeting being an ambush so we were on our way to give support, but some men stopped us. We don’t know who they were, but they massacred the team.”
“What did they look like?”
She shook her head, “One was masked and the other I couldn’t get a good look at.”
“I was in the back of the group. I only caught sight of the masked one when he levitated in the air to perform that jutsu that killed everyone. Where is Nagato and Yahiko?”
“That’s why I’m here. They’re injured. I was on my way to gather you all, but I came to find… How did you survive?”
“I got lucky. A branch still hit me, but it didn’t pin like the others. I guess my small size came in handy.”
She tried to curl her lips into a small smile, but it faded quickly. I could tell this loss was hitting her hard and I didn’t blame her.
“At least Aoi survived,” Emi spoke up, “She helped me get the branch out and pulled me over here.”
“Yeah. Toboe would be proud…”
We both sat in silence for a moment in remembrance of our friends.
I was the first to break the silence,“We must wait to mourn later. For now, we have to head back. Both Nagato and Yahiko need you.”
Emi nodded her head in response and pulled herself up, using the tree behind her for support.
“Emi’s injury will slow her down. She’ll need support to get back to the cave.”
I considered my options, “Letting her lean on me will only tire me out. I could create a bed of paper and carry her, but if we are found and attacked, someone will have to be at full strength and right now I’m the only one who wasn’t injured.
“However those seem to be my only two options. I’ll have to use some of my chakra.”
I lifted my hands, but as I started my jutsu, Aoi tugging on my cloak. I looked at her.
“That’s right! Toboe was able to ride Aoi at times, and Emi is smaller than him!”
I knelt down next to Aoi, “Can you carry Emi?”
Aoi gave me a bark in response and I assumed it to mean yes. I looked Emi, “Think you have the strength to hang on?”
“For Nagato and Yahiko, I have all the strength I need.”
Aoi walked over to Emi and stood still as she climbed onto the large dog’s back and curled her arms around her neck.
I nodded, “Right. Aoi, follow!”
I started sprinting ahead and the sounds of the dog’s pounding feet told me she was close behind.
“Don’t worry, Yahiko, Nagato. We’re on our way.”
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