Crow's feathers - Naruto fanfiction

Chapter 1 Traitor

Uzumaki Naruto, who was one of the combatants, stared at the girl with concerned eyes. Something about her gave him the shivers. She was a few years his older, she could be twenty, had long dark hair and walked with a self-confidence and had a slim, but strong figure. She was beautiful. But it was her eyes that scared him. They were dark and deep and cold. This one was dangerous. He stared at her headband that indicated she came from Sunagakure. Something about her… He glance aside at the team from Suna. The three siblings were completely focused on the newcomer, but it was the youngest that held a murderous glare in his eyes. Even from this distance it was clear that he was gritting his teeth. Naruto looked at Sakura, who stood next to him. She too was staring at the girl and she trembled lightly he leaned towards her.
“Hey. Do you know who that is?” he asked. Sakura shook her head.
“No, but she scares me.” Naruto nodded and glanced at his teacher. His expression was the most surprising. He stared at the girl with a thoughtful expression.
“Kakashi-sensei,” Naruto asked, “who is that and why is everyone so tense?”
“Her name is Taryn of Sunagakure,” Kakashi answered.
“Sunagakure,” Sakura asked, “but why is she wearing a hitai-ate from Konoha as well?”
"Eh?” Naruto wondered. He took a better look and saw that she was right. Around the waist, the girl wore another hitai-ate. And the Konoha symbol was embedded in the small metal frame. He looked at Kakashi, but his sensei didn’t answer. He was still looking at Taryn. Naruto glanced at Sasuke who kept his face expressionless.
“Heh,” the boy scoffed. The sound drew the girl’s attention. She turned her head towards the boy and stared at him intensely.
“Uchiha Sasuke.” Her mouth formed the words without making a sound. Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

Taryn eyed the black haired boy. He had grown since she last saw him. Her eyes landed on the mark in his neck which was almost covered by his collar. Her eyes flickered for a moment. ‘I’m too late,’ she thought, ‘he got to him first.’
The hokage noticed her look. ‘So you are here for the boy are you? I wonder what for.’ Taryn returned her gaze towards Sarutobi and he nodded.
“We will talk after the prelims,” he said, “you are free to wait in my office, under supervision of course.”
Taryn stood up and bowed. “If you don’t mind I would like to attend the prelims.” They were out of hearing from the contestants and she looked at him with a faint question in her eyes. Sarutobi let his eyes go over the participants until they rested on the team from Wind Country. A faint smile came over his face. They stared at each other for a while to measure each other, then Sarutobi sat back.
“Considering the circumstances I will allow it,” he said.
“My lord…,” one of the Jounin protested. The hokage raised his hand to cut him off.
"If you can find three people in this room to stand for you,” he continued, “I can not afford to take risks at this point.”
Taryn swallowed and sighed. This would not be easy. She had felt the hostility when she walked onto the room and she didn’t blame tem. She nodded and the hokage stood up.
“We have a guest,” he announced loud enough for everyone to hear. “Taryn Desertstorm wishes to attend the preliminary exams. Who will stand for her? I need three voices.” It was silent for a long time, but Taryn had expected no less.
“I, Hatake Kakashi of Konohagakure stand for Taryn of Suna.”
Taryn’s eyes went wide from shock. She hadn’t seen him hen she came in. She sighed. To hear his voice again… Her head went up, but she didn’t dare look back at him. She wondered which team was his. She wondered if she would find out.

Up on the balcony, Kakashi’s team stared at their teacher in different varies of shock. Kakashi ignored them and kept his eyes on the girl. His arms were crossed in front of his chest. This was an opening move.

Her heart had calmed again and the silence had returned. The only sounds were the mumbles over Kakashi’s statement. Taryn let her breath escape and prepared herself to be send away when another voice broke the air.
“I, Gekko Hayate of Konoha stand for Taryn Desertstorm.” He coughed again.
Taryn turned around this time and nodded at him with thanks. For the first time her face relaxed a bit. Hayate had been her friend once. It seemed he still remembered. The mumbles increased. The Genin glanced around the room with uncertainty, hoping to find answer with their teachers, but didn’t receive one. The silence took over again. No one else would speak for her. She knew hat. So, that was how it was. A strange feeling of loss came over her. She would have to find some other way to stick around. There was no way she could leave now.
Sarutobi let his eyes wander the room and let them rest on Taryn.
“Very well,” he said, “if no one else…” 
"I, Gaara of the Sand of Sunagakure will stand for Taryn of Sunagakure.”
The young voice was clear and loud, but held no emotion whatsoever. There were gasps all around the room. A mere Genin had dared to claim this right? Taryn was one of those who gasped, but for a completely different reason. There was a faint pain in her chest, near her heart. She longed for home. She looked up at the balcony and met the boy’s eyes. Whatever she had hoped to find, it wasn’t there. His eyes were dark and cold. He tore his gaze away and Taryn turned her head back to the hokage. He nodded.
“So be it.” He sighed. “Go up to the balcony. You can watch from there with the others.”
A young woman gasped.
‘Lord hokage, are you sure this…”
“I have decided,” he cut her off.
‘But…”
“Anko, enough.”
Taryn turned her gaze towards the female Jounin. ‘Anko Mitarashi.’ Anko, who had the same curse mark as Uchiha Sasuke now had. The same one… she had… They stared at each other, the tow women, with reserve. It was no secret that they weren’t big fans of one another. Taryn nodded at Sarutobi and was about to turn when his voice stopped her.
“Taryn,” he ordered softly so only she could hear, “do not interfere with Uchiha Sasuke.”
Taryn stared at him.
“Do you understand?” he urged.
Taryn clenched her fists, but nodded and headed to the first floor.
Hayate watched her go and sighed. Then he turned to the crowd. “Let’s begin.”