SHADOWS OF THE VILLAGE (Naruto)

Chapter 15: Missing Digits

"Time to go, Bear," Imori whispered, right hand wrapping around the hilt of his tantō and carefully re-sheathing it over his shoulder. He then grabbed a kunai, adjusting the weight on his back. "Hold on tight."

A pained hum was all Imori needed to press forward, ducking an oncoming branch and slashing through the shinobi rushing towards him.

He dodged the most of the deadly weaponry sent his way, letting out a strangled cry as some landed. He closed his pointer finger and thumb of his left hand around the kunai, apologising as he let go of his brother briefly to throw it before grabbing him again.

The body hit went limp as it fell from the branch, landing heavily on the soft ground below. But Imori didn't have time to look back, his left hand struggling to support Kuma's body from slipping off his back.

Kuma's red matted hair stuck to Imori's neck and sweat drenched blue hair. His brother's head lulled dangerously on Imori's shoulder, forcing him to readjust hurriedly to keep Kuma steady. He could feel a wet patch beginning to form on his back and pushed more chakra into his legs.

"Just hang on, Bear," Imori begged, his bloodied left hand was unsteady and slipping as he winded down an unmarked path he had rigged prior to them slaughtering the missing nin they were tasked to kill.

They had been stronger than expected and their other partner - Hound - had spilt rather quickly with the stolen documents. She had told them the mission came first and proceeded to leave them to die. They already knew she was a bitch, but this dog act just reinforced it.

The ground shook violently behind him as he ran away from the explosions. Feeling his legs growing heavy as he fought to remain conscious. He couldn't stop now. He wouldn't let his brother down again. After what felt like hours of running, he decided that they had lost their pursuers.

Imori stumbled into a small secluded opening and dropped to his knees, Kuma groaning from the jolt as he's rolled onto the grass. Both were unable to hide their chakra signals any longer.

"You'll be okay, Kuma," Imori quickly dug into his pouch and grabbed rolls of bandages and gauze. "I'll fix you up as well as I can but I'm not very good at-" he swallowed his panic and cut Kuma's shirt to reveal a large puncture, filled with debris. "- you're the medic between the two of us but you know that."

Imori was rambling as he doused his hands in medical grade alcohol, hissing as it seeped into his own wounds. Kuma propped himself on his elbows, lifting his head to see what was causing his brother so much pain.

On his left hand, Imori was missing three fingers and part of his hand. Kuma's concern rose drastically as apologies spewed from his mouth, but Imori just told him to stop as he haphazardly wrapped his hand before picking up tweezers in his shaking right hand.

It felt like someone was bashing his skull with a hammer as he tweezed debris from the wound on Kuma's abdomen. Apologising every time he caused his brother anymore pain, as he disinfected it. Imori used fresh gauze to stem the bleeding and wrap the wounds as best he could. It was sloppy compared to Kuma's skilled handiwork work but I'd have to do.

"There's - there's someone coming," Kuma gasped, eyes wide as his hands find their way to a dropped kunai. His vision was hazy and he was unable to distinguish the chakra signals. "You need to run, Imori."