The Leaf?

Finding Henry

(Recap)

I looked up at the darkening sky, the moon was full, but slowly disappearing as more clouds formed and covered it.   “That means we’re running out of time.” My voice was barely a whisper over the harsh truth.

“Tomorrow will be our last day to find it, yes.” Shino confirmed.  I clenched my hand into a fist and brought it over my chest.  Bending my head, I pleaded to the world that tomorrow we’d find this bug.  Because without it, I couldn’t find Sasuke.  Naruto couldn’t find Sasuke.  And Sasuke would be lost into the world and from his home.  We had to find the bug.

Story Start
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The fire crackled and burned bright in the dark night.   Naruto and I were the only ones who were awake at the moment.   Shortly after Shino’s news about the bikochu, the three of them went to bed.  Naruto and I stayed by the fire, both of us thinking about how little time we had left.  This was one of our last chances to find Sasuke.  If we failed this, we’d have to wait for a while.

“We’ll get him back.” Naruto assured in a whisper.

“You keep saying that.” I grumbled into my knees.  A breeze blew from behind me, biting into the back of my neck.  Automatically, I pulled the jacket closer to my being.  That was when I realized that I still had Naruto’s jacket around my shoulders even though I wasn’t wet anymore.  I pulled it off my shoulders and held it out to him, “I’m not wet anymore.”

Naruto pushed my hand back, “Just keep it for the night.  I’m not cold.”

“Thanks.” I mumbled, and pulled it back around me.  Naruto sighed and got up from across the fire from me.  After a soft shuffle later, he plopped down beside me.

“Listen Ida, I know you’re worried about Sasuke.”

“I’m not worried.” I interrupted.

Naruto paused seemingly taken aback, “You’re not?”

“Nope.” I popped the ‘p’.  “I’m furious at him.  Stupid Duck-butt lures me into the forest only to crush my dreams of becoming the Chalk Princess with his silly bread crumb fetish.”

“I’m worried about him.” Naruto said after shaking his head at my comments.  “I don’t want him to go down this dark path.  I know how he feels.   I know he thinks he has to be alone to defeat his brother, to isolate himself and his emotions.  He told me he was severing all bonds he had with The Leaf.”

“He’s blinded by hatred.” I responded.  “We’ll just have to find him and inject him with fairy dust so that he sees this blinding green vampire puke and realizes that he really just wants to be a pussy cat and sit around all day.”

“Yeah I’m not sure that will work.” Naruto sighed, falling down on his back.