Crow's feathers - Naruto fanfiction

Chapter 30 Nemesis

He had been watching her from the shadows for a long time. Ever since she had been brought into Akatsuki, he’d had his eye on her. A girl from two nations. She had potential. She had the blood of two elite families. The secrets she would know… The chakra amount she had… Yes, he could use this one.
Usually she kept close to Itachi Uchiha, but now she was alone, training. He could see she was very skilled, but he had expected no less from someone that could tie with Itachi in the Chuunin Exams at the age of only eight. He would have to make his move now.
He stepped out of his hiding spot and moved towards her.
She heard him and turned around in a fighting stance.
He smirked. “Not so aggressive Taryn.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. "What do you want, Orochimaru?”
He shrugged casually. “I was merely watching you train.”
“Well don’t,” Taryn said, “I don’t like it.”
Orochimaru chuckled. “Are you always that hostile?”
“Yes actually,” she answered him, “now get lost.” She didn’t like this man. He had a creepy smile. He had been watching her before, but had never approached her until now.
Orochimaru’s eyes narrowed. “You should really learn who not to pick fights with.”
“Yeah, people tell me that all the time,” Taryn said through her teeth. She jumped aside just in time to evade his attack. She returned the favour with a wind attack. All she heard was his chuckle. She whirled around and activated her Byakugan.
He was right behind her and she used Gentle Fists on him. She managed to land a few hits before he evaded her.
Orochimaru concealed his presence in a thick mist and even with Byakugan she couldn’t locate him. First to get rid of the mist. She gathered chakra and released fire. Immediately after that she used her Byakugan again, but she was grabbed by Orochimaru before she could finish her attack.
“Got you,” he whispered and dug his teeth in her neck.

 

Taryn shot up straight in her bed. Her hand went to the curse mark in her neck and she bit back a cry of pain.
It had been burning.
Normally it only did that when Orochimaru manipulated it, but there was no reason for it to hurt now. What did this mean?
She slid out of bed and opened the window. The day had only just begun.
There was a knock on her door and Taryn turned to answer it.
A Jounin stepped in to her room “Gaara-sama wishes to speak to you,” he said.
Taryn nodded confused. “I’ll be right there.” She closed the door and got dressed. She wondered what Gaara wanted with her. He had allowed her to leave the village again, but that didn’t mean he had forgiven her.

A few moments later she knocked on the door of the Kazekage’s office.
“Enter,” she heard him say.
Taryn stepped into the room and waited, her hands on her back.
“Come here,” Gaara said, “I want to show you something.” He took a scroll from his desk and rolled it open.
A bit surprised, Taryn came closer. The tone in his voice had been as it always had been when he was speaking to her. As if they’d never had and argument. “What is it?” she asked. 
"I thought it might interest you to know that our scouts have located one of Orochimaru’s hide-outs.”
Taryn took the scroll from him and hurried to study it. “This is close to the border of Wind Country.”
Gaara nodded. “The report dates two days ago. He might still be there.”
Taryn looked up. “Are you  going to send a team?” she asked.
Gaara stared at her with a serious expression. “I thought you might want to go.” When Taryn kept staring at him, he sighed. “Taryn, I won’t pretend to have the slightest idea of what you’re up to, and I think it’s best if I don’t know, but try not to get yourself in trouble.”
“Gaara…,” Taryn started to say, but she stopped when she wasn’t sure how to continue.
He gave her a faint smile. “There’s a lot I don’t know about you huh. All those years you were away…”
“I’m sorry,” Taryn whispered.
“Uchiha Sasuke’s brother huh,” Gaara mused. Taryn glanced at him. “You know he’s not going to listen to you, right?” Taryn said nothing. Gaara shook his head. “Be careful Taryn.”
She nodded. “You’ll inform my team that I’ll be gone for a few days?”
Gaara nodded. “I will… come back, Taryn.”
She cast him a careful smile. “Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself.” She put the scroll back on the table and walked out of the office.