Let It Burn: Birth [Sasuke Uchiha]

Chapter 36

Shikamaru's team traveled as fast as they could moving through the trees in formation for nearly an hour. Every one of them watched their surroundings carefully. When Akamaru whimpered it drew their attention.

"The smell of blood is close!" Kiba relayed. "There are five ninjas, including Sasuke! They were fighting two others, but the group of them are getting away. What's our plan?"

"So there are people assisting Sasuke..." Shikamaru mused.

This changed everything.

"Well, let's hurry up and chase after Sasuke!" Naruto quickly responded.

"Dammit, Naruto, shut your trap!" Kiba barked. "It's up to Shikamaru to decide! Don't boss us around!"

"If you smell blood then that could only mean that there was some form of combat," Shikamaru cut in. "Which means the enemy's alertness has risen and they will be prepared with traps and ambushes for precaution. We could gather information from those who faced them, but must approach carefully. We must switch to scouting positions and proceed with caution."

"If we do that, Sasuke would be crossing the border of the Fire Country," Neji pointed out.

"What are we going to do?" Naruto asked.

A silence passed through the group as Shikamaru thought over their options before answering, "We go after Sasuke."

The others were all too eager to agree with the plan, staying on course.

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The door to the apartment wasn't locked. Everything seemed in order as always, nothing out of place unless someone opened the closet and drawers to find missing items. It was as if the owner had never left, yet there was an emptiness to the quiet space. Mai scanned everything, careful not to touch certain items in case the higher ups forced ninjas to perform an internal investigation. She stopped in front of the dresser were two picture frames sat. In one the picture was missing and the other faced down. Picking up the item her eyes scanned the Team 7 picture, frowning even more at the fact that it was placed in such a manner and left behind.

So he had decided his path as she set the frame back in place. Someone had to have convinced him to join Orochimaru. Kakashi had done his best, but Mai... she knew they had connected. The girl had pulled him back from the brink to rethink things. Then who had come to ruin it all?

She didn't like it, as the Be Fong moved back outside. From the walkway, she stared down at the street before scrambling up onto the roof. The forest stood just beyond the high walls, and her body turned in the direction the Shikamaru's team had gone in search of the defected ninja. In her heart, the Be Fong wanted to believe that everyone would come back safe with the impulsive Uchiha and show him the error of his ways. Yet deep in her mind, Mai knew they would not be successful. Not if Sasuke was willing to run while the hired help blocked the Leaf Ninjas way.

Fingers twitching, they felt out the surroundings. Judging its speed and direction of the light breeze in the air. She felt determination in her next step forward from this point. Without hesitation the arms jerked forward before crossing in front of the body in a downward motion. The tree branches resting against or above the roof sliced to pieces, some raining down on the street below. In the midst of the movement there were a few snares as the strings snapped forward causing two heavy objects to crash onto the roof. Mai didn't have to glance behind her to know who it was, as grunts escaped the Chuunins lips from the harsh contact.

"Don't follow me," she ordered.

The Be Fong crouched low in order to slingshot herself across the distance between the complex and the nearest building. Her feet hit the flat surface and repeated the motion in a fluid manner that the two ninja couldn't help but approve of. Gaining enough momentum, the girl shot off in the blink of an eye, and completely disappeared from their view.

"Tsunade is going to kill us," Kotetsu stated.

"Then hurry up and try to reach a kunai to cut us out," Izumo said.

Though it proved to be a more difficult task than it was supposed to be. The two squirmed around in a desperate attempt to loosen the binds. However, they were locked tightly around them.