Mountain Girl [Naruto]

Chapter Eight

When Ketsu was much, much younger, there had been a civil war in Yukigakure. It was bloody and cold, so ruthless that it left the people scarred for many years. Those with kekkai genkais were the worst hit, for their fighting did not end after the war.

People feared those who had unnatural abilities as shinobi, hence the massacre of the Yuki clan. Some had escaped and essentially gone into hiding, even if they were continously hunted. Such was the beginning of the settlement high in the Dead Mountain Ranges. Only about thirty escaped from the quite substantial and original population of the clan, though Haku's mother did esscape with her son to live a somewhat normal life, since she married a common farmer.

Together, the survivors had learnt to survive. Ketsu's father was the head of the clan, and therefore the strongest shinobi, although nothing could prepare them for the Dead Mountain Ranges. At first, it had seemed like a good idea for them to head there, since nobody would follow, yet by the time the Death had risen, it was already too apparent that it was a terrible idea.

The sickness, along with starvation and hyperthermia, killed off nearly half their group within seven years, and by the time Ketsu was six. She had lost her grandmother, two sisters, an uncle, a nephew and many friends. Her fellow clan members were dropping like flies. Once Ketsu had been taken down into the village at the base of the ranges, where she had finally seen her beloved cousin Haku, again.

Haku was with his new master, Zabuza. Zabuza trained Ketsu and showed her how to control her chakra, since nobody else had been able to, due to the ranges' magnetic field. Haku was still soft and kind, like he'd always was, but Ketsu changed. Like most in their tiny settlement, she became cold and stern, with an expression sure to freeze in burning fire.

Zabuza and his master visted them twice in the actual settlement, while in between Ketsu had lost more family members but gained in strength. Her dog, Monoke, soon became her only companion after starvation claimed her father, not long after he'd finally developed a cure to the Death. Except it was too late.

All had succumbed to the cold, starvation of illness. Some were attacked by Kiri-nin looking for the Yuki clan's scrolls or by wild animals looking for an easy meal. Ketsu never forgave or forgot the pain that had been thrust upon her for so long. Loneliness and fear ruled her and for a long time, even after discovering the tiny baby she had in her care, her life was, ultimately, a meaningless cycle.

Ketsu snickered softly at Naruto's sloppy movements. His grip was weak and arms too awkward for the gracaeful arcs a sword needed to be effective. Sasuke was not much better. Too tense and rigid, he was; not using the weapon as an extention of his body but merely a hacking machine.

Although she held very little respect for the girl, Ketsu had to admit Bubblegum was doing the best. She had actually listened to Ketsu when she explained how to handle the single edged sword, although her arms were weak and posture terrible. Sakura seemed to hunch over the blade, as if standing upright was too much of an exertion.

She sharply karate chopped Sasuke's shoulder, earning herself a nasty glare. " You're to rigid. L'sen up a bit, dunce." She muttered, ignoring his heated looks. Ketsu knew that the pretty boy wasn't used to being spoken to in such a manner, even if it did him some good. " You too, Naruto. Relax 'r'else you'll hurt y'self."

Naruto grumbled something incoherent, along the lines of, " Well maybe you should relax, Ketsu-teme..."

" What'd you say?" Ketsu barked crabbily, giving the boy an angered shove. Naruto fell face first into the stark white snow with a small yelp, before he lifted himself with a struggle. " Wanna say that again?"

The blonde boy nervously took a step away from the girl with his palms raised in surrender. Kakashi watched in mild interest at the small argument. He noticed Ketsu did seem to have troubles actually relaxing, and had even more toubles with her anger management. The Yuki would blow up at every small comment made and, even though four days had passed, she appeared to stil be frustrated with everything they did.