The Wolf Inside - A Naruto Fanfic - Watty Award Winner 2013

Chapter 49

Edited 31/05/2020

Third Person POV

"Ninja Art: Shadow Stitching Jutsu!" Shikamaru shouts, as tendril like shadows materialise along the ground, writhing and stretching until they manage to wrap themselves around the enemy's arms and legs.

The men shout and struggle against the shadows, though no matter how hard they try to pull themselves free, Shikamaru's Jutsu holds them securely in place.

"Ino!" Shikamaru calls over his shoulder, a bead of sweat running down the side of his face. "Hurry, there's too many of them! I can't hold this for long!"

"Right!" Ino replies, struggling to sit up and pull weapons from the pouch on her thigh, blood seeping from a wound in her calf. "This is what you get for stabbing me!"

That said, Ino flings a handful of kunai towards the captured soldiers, paper bombs wrapped tightly around the hilts.

Shikamaru keeps a close eye on the knives as they fly through the air, and just as they are about to hit their targets, the Nara swiftly releases his Jutsu. When he had people caught in his shadows like that, whatever pain was inflicted on his victims was also inflicted on him.

Shikamaru spins around and darts towards Ino, scooping her up into his arms and running as fast as he can, before the bombs on the ends of the kunai knives begin to explode.

The Nara feels a hot wind blast against his back as the bombs explode, the sound tearing through the silence of the forest, before all becomes quiet again.

"....Do you think they're dead?" Ino asks after a long pause.

"I hope so" Shikamaru sighs, slowing his pace down slightly. "They've been after us for ages and running while I have to carry you is tiring."

"Hey" Ino pouts, folding her arms over her chest. "It's not my fault I can't walk."

"I know, I know" Shikamaru mutters, leaping up into the trees.

Shikamaru had been one of the few to jump out of a window when the soldiers had broken into the Zenchokage Tower, and seeing as Ino had been standing right next to him, Shikamaru had grabbed the girl's hand and dragged her along with him.

They'd heard Choji burst through the wall behind them, but they hadn't seen their teammate or their Sensei since.

Shikamaru hadn't had the chance to see where anyone went, because shortly after escaping, Ino had been hit in the calf by a kunai knife. They had barely made it into the streets at this point, and Shikamaru had had to defend Ino from the incoming soldiers while she pulled the kunai from her leg. He'd been rather impressed with her however. While she had fallen over from the hit and cried out in pain, Ino then ripped the kunai out of her calf in anger and flung it at a soldier fighting Shikamaru, hitting the man right in the neck.

"Hey Shikamaru?" Ino asks quietly. "Do you think Choji's alright? I hope he didn't end up alone...."

"I'm sure he's fine" Shikamaru responds, though he feels as if he's lying to his teammate. "Asuma Sensei was behind us and if he saw Choji run off alone, I'd bet he followed after him."

"I hope you're right...." Ino trails off, only for Shikamaru to notice that her breathing has changed.

He glances down, his eyes widening slightly. Despite it being pretty dark in the forest now that the sun is going down, Shikamaru can see that Ino's face has become rather pale.