Mountain Girl [Naruto]

His breathing was ragged and inconstant. Spears, kunai and short swords protruded his body as if he were a pin cushion. Abandoned bandages lay in a shredded pile where he had ripped them off in order to begin his assault upon Gato's thugs.

He fell. The silver haired copy cat nin knelt next to him and carefully removed the many weapons jutting out of his body. Groans of pain escaped his mouth, but his bloodied face remained stoic. Two young genin watched and an elderly man watched in sympathy and sadness. Many of the villagers watched on in silence after having scared Gato's thugs away by sheer force of numbers.

" Kakashi?" The rogue-nin mumbled, his strength beginning to fade. Kakashi made a small 'mm?'. " Can you . . . can you take me to Haku?"

Kakashi nodded silently and picked the bloodied man up and walked through the slowly fading mist. The cold air tickled what flesh was uncovered on his face, which was only his left eye and half of his forehead. A blonde and pinkette holding a boy with black hair, all watched quietly as their sensei laid the large man down on the bridge. He was placed beside a feminine looking boy, around fifteen years old with dark hair. Blood soaked his green kimono-cloak from a gaping hole in his chest, slightly singed from the lightning jutsu he had been previously struck, and in turn, killed with.

Tears streamed down the arrogant, cruel usurper's face. " He was so much more to me than just a tool to me." The man said in soft voice. Fat drops were still leaking down the blonde and pinkette's faces, but the ravenette remained silent, watching the sign with next to emotion. " He saved me, and I failed him. I hurt Ketsu and took him away from her."

The trio of genin, and the sensei's attention suddenly snapped, becoming crystal clear. Who was this Ketsu? They hadn't met her before, but he had said that he hurt her. No one spoke however. A small breeze shifted the remaining mist away, allowing it to fade and everyone's vision to become clearer.

" Please, Kakashi, take this to Ketsu," he pleaded weakly before coughing up blood. He struggled with the stiffness of his arms and drew out a small scroll. Placing a seal on it, he pushed the last of his chakra into it and pushed it towards the silver haired man. " She l-lives in the Dead Mountain Ranges. Please." He begged, and then died.

Kakashi's visible eye widened and shuddered at the thought of the Dead Mountain Ranges. Going there was extremely dangerous, and would result in a long, hard journey. Behind him, the pinkette named Sakura, also went cold. She had heard of that place, and none of the stories were good. Though the entire shinobi team felt obliged and so it was near impossible to say no. They had killed the young boy, which led to the death of his partner, and this was their last request.

He stood up slowly, still holding the scroll. It was small, and mostly clean, besides a few splatters of blood on it's case. Turning to the teary eyed genin, he said, " He's dead. Our mission is over." Though he wouldn't admit it, the pair's deaths had shaken him, but more so the blonde, who had rejected their nindo, or ninja way.

" Are we going to find this . . . 'Ketsu'?" Sakura asked in a small creaky voice. The blonde standing about a meter away from her, Naruto, looked up at his sensei with sad and imploring eyes.

Sasuke, the ravenette, made no move to show his thoughts on the situation. With a deep sigh, Kakashi slipped the scroll into one of the packets attached to his flak jacket. " I guess so, it's going to be dangerous though."

At this, Naruto grinned widely, flashing his white teeth. " Oh cool!" He exclaimed with less enthusiasm as normal. due to the events of the day. " When do we leave?"

Kakashi thought for a moment. The Dead Mountain Ranges were in the Land of Water, which was where they were currently, specifically the Land of Waves. It would take maybe two or so days to travel to the only village at the base of the ranges, then, with a guide of course, perhaps three days to find the girl. Roughly five days. Tilting his head at his students, he smiled weakly.