It took no time at all for Team Minato to be sent out on other supply runs. Again and again, back and forth between Konoha and the outposts all over Hi no Kuni.
Two weeks into that cycle of continuous missions, Minato and Kushina were sent to the joint Konoha-Suna frontline - while Kakashi, Obito, Rin and Okugi were hurled from outpost to outpost like tennis balls for the whole following week, encountering next to no shinobi resistance. It was a piece of cake for the three chuunin and two timetravellers.
"We've been home five days out of thirty," Obito had moaned, the night after they had returned from that last supply run. "I counted."
Rin mumbled something vaguely affirmative, half-asleep on the couch, while Okugi occupied what remained of it and laid his head on her lap. Kakashi - with Kurama's thorough but often impatient instructions in his ears - practiced on how to draw counterseals. Simple ones, for now.
When they weren't catching up on their sleep or eating something, they were training. Kakashi pushed himself harder and harder each day, gazing into the bottomless dark pit that was their future if they failed. He needed to be above Uchiha Madara if he wanted to save his comrades, his friends, his village.
During their missions, it wasn't unusual to cross paths with other Konoha-nin moving from the Kumo or Kiri borders, all converging on the Iwa line or coming back home for much-needed rest.
Obito and Rin had both voiced their relief and hope that now, with only one enemy country left, the Third Shinobi War would finally come to an end, after nearly six years of fighting.
Disregarding all future knowledge, it was a sensible hope; but Iwa was preparing the largest and most desperate attempt to stop Konoha and Suna's advance into the buffer states between them. Kusa and Ame had seen some of the harshest fighting in all the Third War, especially towards the end. Kiri had dragged on the war for another half year the first time around by sending their Seven Swordsmen, though it didn't seem quite as likely now.
But for now, Kakashi, Okugi and Kurama could have some sorely needed respite and time to prepare.
Even when, not even a day after their last B-rank supply run - which was most likely a mislabeled C-rank - Team Minato was called again to receive another mission.
This time, it was a joint mission with a genin team and their jonin sensei - Team Hiko.
Kakashi vaguely remembered the Akimichi girl from her disastrous fight against Satoshi Uchiha, and the blond Yamanaka boy from his fight against Obito. Wasn't there a Nara on their team? She had fought against Rin in the finals.
In the Nara's place there was a short, young Aburame, with his hands firmly stuck in the ample pockets of his dark-brown coat. As all Aburame, he had sunglasses firmly attached to his face, so they wouldn't fall off in battle.
Their jonin-sensei, Sarutobi Hiko, nodded in greeting. Her face stayed firmly blank, but her chakra betrayed her surprise. "You're our support chuunin team?"
"Hell yeah!" Obito yelled, pumping his fist in the air as they approached. Rin shushed him and nodded, flanked by both Kakashi and Obito as they made their way through the 'Mission distribution center' of Konoha.
They waited in line with a myriad of other teams - genin, chuunin and jonin alike waited, chattered, grumbled and stretched around them - and decided to talk. Kakashi tuned them out after they told them their names - Sishimi Akimichi, Koto Yamanaka and Shonin Aburame, all still genin.
'How's it going with the Fuinjutsu, Kurama?'
There was a low growl. "The Reverse-summoning Jutsu must be keyed in to your chakra, Kit. The Chakra-storage seals must contain some of your white chakra, unless you plan on coughing up half your guts."
