We've been on the move all day. They were getting annoyed that i was complaining, "Come on! Can we please just stop?! We're almost there anyways!"
"Atori. Let's just wait and Play it by ear."
"I have never heard of the great Copy Ninja playing it by ear." I said mockingly. I earned some giggles and chuckles from some of our teamates.
I felt something wet hit my arm. "What the- hey! It's raining!"
Kakashi groaned and rolled his one visible eye. I frowned then shut myself up.
----
Hours seemed to have passed and we were still hopping from branch to branch. And it was STILL raining. It was pouring now.
Everyone had sped up and was now I front of me. All excepted Yagura who was behind me.
I was panting, but not from tiredness or exhaustion. I was slowing down each minute, watching as everyone moved ahead of me.
Then my body gave out, I stumbled of the branch that I had just stepped off of. I fell 100 feet in the air. I thought that I was going to fall all the way down, But I didn't. As I was about to hit the ground, I felt secure, warm arms grip my body, bridal style. I opened up my eyes just a crack to see Yagura looking at me, the other slowly gathering around to catch up on what had just happened.
"She has a fever." I heard Yagura's faint, calming voice say. "We need to let her rest. Or she will take longer to heal. As much as I would like to push forward, her well-being is most important right now."
What? Nah. He couldn't possibly care for me in any way. He doesn't know me. I dont know him. He doesn't think anything of me. While I think of how much I dislike him. We're not even friends.
Then, I passed out.
YAGURA POV
I slowed my pace as she slowed hers. I could tell that she disliked me, I didn't know why, either. Even though she showed no hostility towards me, you could sence it the air between us. I was going to find out later, though.
I noticed she was slowing and slowing more, until she stumbled and fell. For a second I thought I couldn't get to her fast enough before she smacked the ground. But I did.
I caught her, landing softly on one knee and standing straight up. Her body temperature was burning up. Making me hot just holding her in the cold rain.
She opened an eye just a bit, I guess to see who had caught her. I half expected her to punch and kick me with all the force she had left. But she didn't. She only closed her eyes again and started panting.
"She has a fever." I stated as the other gathered around. "We need to let her rest. Or she will take longer to heal. As much as I would like to push forward, her well-being is most important right now." I said.
I noticed that she was asleep now. "There should be a cave somewhere close by. I think I saw one when I was on the way to the Konaha."
I paused. "We don't have that much left to travel tomorrow. We can still be there early morning, Mid morning to the latest. I'm just not sure where the cave is. But it's close." I said with a nod.
"Alright." This time, it was Kakashi who spoke up, "Everyone look for the cave and meet here in twenty. Got it?" They all nodded. "Okay. Scatter." He said and they all went separate directions.
I stayed behind, "Atori, you're so annoying. You know that?" I said with a hint of playfulness. I heard a tired groan. "I heard-" she coughed a couple times, "That." She finally finished, her voice dry and scratchy. "Let's find you some water."
I hear an annoyed moan, telling me to be quiet. "Shh. You be quiet. Rest now, child." She was annoyed now, but didn't say anything.
---
About ten minutes later, we were at a shallow creek. "This'll do. The water is cleaner too." I said as I took a canteen and scooped what i could. "But just to be sure," I set the water down and did some hand signs. "Purify." I whispered. Now the water was clean, and germ free.
I picked it up and walked over to her. "You have water style?" She asked all groggy. "Sshh. Sleep." I gave her the water and she slowing drank form it. She gave it back and fell asleep.
This time, since I knew where I was going, it only took me a few minutes to get back to the clearing. I waited a few more minutes and then Shikamaru came back. Then Kiba, Hinata, Neji, Naruto, Lee, and the rest of the crew came back. "Find anything?" I asked. Everyone shook their heads no. "I did." Hinata said quietly. "In fact, it's only about ten minutes away from here. So we'll be back on this trail in no time." She said, still quiet. I nodded my thanks. "Alright, let's get moving." I said.
We probably could have set up camp, but the down pour stopped us.
But Hinata was right, it was only less then ten minutes away from the trail. "Here it is." She said.
This cave was bigger then I remember. "Okay let's go." I said. It was way bigger then I thought. Everyone, especially Naruto, was staring at it in awe.
"We're all already soaked, so let's all go get supplies we need to set up camp. Hinata, you can stay here and watch over Atori, the rest of us, partner up and tell each group what you're collecting."
"Um, Lord Mizukage," Naruto looked at me like I was crazy. His facial expression read what?! Your the Mizukage?! She continued, "That's alright, I can go out and look for supplies. You stay here and watch her. You're the Mizukage, you are most important." She said, twiddling her index fingers together. I smiled. "You're wrong about that. I am equal to everyone here." I said while chuckling. "But I'll watch her if you insist. But I insist that you stay here and watch her."
"No, no, thats fine." She said quickly while blushing. "Well okay." After that, everyone separated again.
I sighed. I heard a faint moan from my arms. I looked down and realized I was still carrying her. I set her up against the cave walls and got out a sleeping bag from her traveling backpack.
