A Hidden Kindness Pt3 (Complete)

Chapter 15

Author's note: Here we go, retrieval arc

Kiba felt Akamaru, whimper and he slowed down.
"What is it?"
"What's the matter with him?" Shikamaru asked.
"He smells blood. Somewhere nearby." Kiba explained, Melody glanced up, sweat dripping off the back of her neck.
"Sasuke?" She thought, her mind began to cloud and she shook her head. "Now of all times, stop it brain focus." And they continued, running.
"Here's what happened, the scent of two new comers converged on the scent of Sasuke and the four others and two have stayed behind while Sasuke's group moved on. So what now?" Kiba asked, Shikamaru frowned.
"Just as I thought, Sasuke has an escort." He said out loud. "Man this is turning out to be such a drag." Shikamaru said.
"There' no question we gotta go after Sasuke." Naruto barked.
"Who died and made you boss? Last time I checked, Shikamaru was in charge of running this show, it's up to him to decide." Kiba said, Chouji spoke up.
"Well Shikamaru?"
"Well since Akamaru smelt blood. My guess there was a battle between Sasuke's group and the new comers. If we go to the spot where they fought we might be able to gather some intel. Of course we can't just rush in it might be a trap. So we get close and go into full reconnaissance mode and take it slowly." Shikamaru instructed.
"And while we're doing that, Sasuke will have crossed the boarders to the land of Fire and be lost to us." Neji piped up.
"Okay Shikamaru so what's it going to be?" Naruto asked. Melody inhaled and exhaled, Shikamaru sighed.
"We go after Sasuke." He announced and the group kept going, Shikamaru kept talking and Melody rubbed her head and grit her teeth together.
"Everyone is so loud." She thought.
"The enemies scent is all around us." Kiba gasped.
"Everyone stop!" Shikamaru yelled, causing everyone to stop suddenly.
"Look up there, in that tree." Shikamaru said, Melody glanced up and spotted a paper bomb, Neji looked around.
"I'm sure there is five more of them, a perimeter barrier." He said,
"So if the person goes right into the trap it will set off in the middle, causing a massive explosion and you being caught right in the middle." Shikamaru explained Melody nodded.
"Now we gotta waste time going around it." Kiba said, and they all worked their way around it.

After a while the group had completely slowed down to walking, Melody's breathing had gotten slightly better and she was able to see clearer. The group was now stepping over trip wires, the enemy had set up booby traps all over the forest, but they were getting sloppy.
"Hey Naruto do me a favour, and watch where you're going, I don't need you blowing us up." Kiba said, Naruto scoffed.
"Tell me something I don't know." Naruto muttered, Melody glanced up.
"Naruto hold it!" Shikamaru yelled, Naruto held himself there and Melody's eyes widened as Shikamaru was gripping Chouji's scarf, and holding Naruto with his shadow possession jutsu. Melody let out a chuckle as Naruto panicked.
"What did I JUST SAY?!" Kiba yelled. Once they got Naruto safely down they all surrounded the trip wire.
"I get it, one wire catches the light, and is easy to see and the other is camouflaged and harder to see. While you're busy avoiding the first, you trip the second." Shikamaru muttered as Melody rested her chin against his shoulder.
"They've created a trap within a trap." Neji said, "They're clever whoever they are."
"All these other traps were quick and dirty. But this is well thought out." Shikamaru said, "She's still really hot. Burning almost." He thought, his eyes flickered to Melody, who was breathing shakily behind him.
"They could have stopped to rest. Maybe one of them is injured or is this part of the trap." Neji said, Naruto straightened up, as Neji used his byukgan. "I see them."
"Let's go, I'm dying to show these clowns what I've got." Naruto said
"Is that so? I hate to disappoint you hot shot, but I've got some new tricks too." Kiba said.
"Same here." Chouji said, Melody didn't respond as she looked at all her friends. Her eyes lowered and Shikamaru stood up causing her to straighten too.
"Alright calm down, first we make a plan and get everything ready. And then we go in and take them out." Shikamaru instructed and the group began to form a plan.