The Poor Scarecrow

"Just what we need. Ninja tracking us," Ayumi growled, turning away. She had to get away, get her own space. She was still too angry to maintain control of herself. (Who knows? I might hurt Emi or one of the others next time. I can't risk that.) She watched for only a few seconds as Kakashi, Emi, Kisa, and Isumi continued to examine the bodies.

As she moved to walk away and cool down, Seikyou cut in her path.

"Where you going?" he asked, staring at her like a nosy, bored child.

She glared at him. "Go away. I'm not in the mood."

"Aw, why?"

She strode past him. "Just go away."

She didn't go far. She found a small rise with sheer slopes on three sides, and sat down at the peak.

Isumi thought as the others rabbled on about the bodies. If these aren't rock ninja, who are they?

"There's more to this than we first thought, obviously." Emi said to Kisa,"This 'scroll' has very important information that alot of other countries want."

"Brilliant observation." Kisa said, her words heavy with sarcasm.

"Do you know of anything more?" Emi spat.

Ayumi stood up. She had had enough time to calm down, and she needed to return to the squad.

As she stood up, movement in the trees caught her attention. She studied it, almost straining her eyes. Finally, the glint of sunlight on something shiny. (A headband! Ninja!)

"Shit." She disappeared down the path she had taken and found herself on the road again. Kisa and Emi were steadily arguing.

"We have company. We better move," Ayumi announced.

(((Okay, people I can't be the only one writing! WAKE UP!)))

The group entered the trees, and took to the canopy, heading northeast.

"Kakashi-sensei," Emi said, slowing to run even with him, "how much farther befoe we reach Hidden Rain?"

I'm truly back and I'll post soon.

WHAT DO WE DO NOW, IS IT DEAD, AM I ALL ALONE NOW?

((No, I'm still wanting to write on this thing, but nobody else is responding...And it was going so well! Hey, how about WE just keep it going?))

Okay, where do we start then?

((Um...well, we left off with a question for Kakashi, so...))

He shrugged. "I'm not really sure. I do know whe'll be there probably by tomorrow afternoon at the earliest."

Emi accepted that.

Ayumi nodded. "It's starting to get dark; when should we make camp?"

"Not until later, I suppose. At least, not while they're following us." He gestured towards the path behind them. Were the ninja still following them?

Isumi though kakashi may say that.

"Stop!" yelled kakash. They all stopped but wondered why. he just said to keep going. "Isumi of the Yoko family."

"Yes?"

"Is it true you can detect who's following us?"

"Well, yes, but."

"What?" Asked Kakashi as he turned around.

"My power is limited to a certain range, I can't..."

"You can do it," said Seikyou cuting him off. "You haven't done much fighting, but I can see right through you. Your power is only limited by you. If you try you are sure to do it."

Ayumi stood suprised(Could that stacker really mean that?)

Isumi smiled, "If you say so, I'll give it a try." He focused on his chakra. "I have them!"

"Where are they?" Asked Kakashi.

"Two kilometers south southeast."

"Good, Isumi, follow me. Ayumi," he tossed her the scroll, "I'm putting you in charge. Isumi and I will take care of them."

Ayumi looked at him with disgust, she wanted to fight, but she had her orders.

"Wait Kakashi sensei, I want Seikyou to come as well?" Aked Isumi

"What!? Why me!?"

"Because, you should listen to yourself every once in a while."

"Alright, Isumi and Seikyou with me. Ayumi, take Emi and Kisa and continue. we'll meet up with you later."

"Right!" Ayumi mation to the other two and they took off.

"Right, lets go. Isumi, guide us," said Kakashi.

"Yes sir. Come on Seikyou, lets go."

"Okay."

Ayumi made sure Kisa and Emi stayed near to her. If she lost either one of them...

(Stop it! Now's not the time to think pesimistically! I won'tlose them!)

She didn't know how far she led them, at least a couple of kilometers. Finally, she stopped.

She turned to her companions. "Scout the area. See if you can find some sort of geographical feature we can use to out benefit."

"Are we going to wait on them?" Emi asked, jealous the fact Ayumi had been put in charge. (Too bad it's not your turn, yet, Emi. We all need a chance to show our worth.)

The girls split up, and searched. They didn't go too far; they couldn't risk be separated completely with enemy ninja so close.

Finally, Emi summoned them to the base of the ravine. A river poured over the top of the back wall, filling a deep, narrow crevice with raging white water. Ayumi realized that was why the gorge was so steep...water had cut it out. On one side of the falls was a path leading into a cave behind the waterfall.

"We'll wait in here. We'll take turns with watch duty, and if you see them, don't make a sound. Just raise your hand."

((Back from hiatus! Only just realized that the site's up, had to take care of mod and greeter duties, blah blah blah....so in short, SORRY!!!!!!! :flails around crazily:))


Kisa passed through the waterfall, not denting the flow of eternal water.

"What the crap was that?" asked Emi, having dived through the water somewhat ungracefully.

"What the crap was what?" asked Kisa, checking out the damp cave. "Ugh....fungi."

Emi got up, and felt something squish between her fingers.

"Ew, what's this...HUH?!"

Blood covered her hands, the substance pooling out from a corpse she was kneeling on.

"OH MY GOD!" shouted Emi, staggering upwards and almost falling into Ayumi, who was coming through the waterfall.

"Ew," was Kisa's only comment as she knelt down to examine the body.

Isumi, Kakashi, and Seikyou sped towards the enamy. Soon they came apon a small clearing with a stream near by.

"Isumi, wear's the enamy?" Asked Kakashi.

"There here."

Two ninja Jumped out of the wood.

"Jonin." said Kakashi. "Isumi, Seikyou, take the one on the right. I'll take the other one," he said lifting up his head band.

I'll finish later.