All That I Am (Discontinued)

5

sorry this ch took so long. i found it really hard to write and i don't really like it but here it is all crappy and unedited regardless lol

Before the Dawn

Karin's stomach twisted uncomfortably as she padded through the damp forest foliage quietly. She glanced over her shoulder once, twice, three times to make sure that Orochimaru wasn't lurking behind her and slowly wound her arms around herself.

As much as she felt indebted to the snake nin, she yearned for something. She didn't know what but all she knew was that it was something. In the hideout, she felt somewhat itchy and anty in anticipation. She had no idea why. She thought she had everything she needed there, Orochimaru told her so himself. Food, shelter, a purpose. She felt like an irritably ungrateful girl because it wasn't enough anymore.

Eyes flitting over the tree-riddled landscape, Karin recalled Kabuto's short geography lesson - the one he'd given her before he realized that she was, indeed, a slow learner. (All she was good for, he had expertly commented, was waiting on their master like a good pup would.) If she followed the stream long enough, she'd reach a civilian craftsmen village that was under the Sound's rule. She remembered it, memorized every notch and octave in his voice as he told her. But what she failed to remember, was which stream. There were multiple that splayed out in different directions, and she was new to the Sound - sort of. More accurately, she'd barely stepped outside for weeks, months even.

A droplet of water splattered on her pale cheeks. She blinked in surprise and slowly craned her neck so her head tilted backwards, and fat sky tears began to trickle down towards her. It ran in her eyes and over her mouth and drenched her blazing red hair. Karin didn't know when was the last time she saw a storm, dark grey monstrous clouds and bucket loads of chilling water.

And she enjoyed it, for what felt like only a minute and then she grew cold. She sniffled and sneezed, wrapping her arms tighter around herself, fingers digging into her arms. Her eyes swiveled left to right, determining her best options. Dammit. Maybe she shouldn't have left her room.

Although she was absolutely certain nobody would notice her absence, she still felt a tug in her mind to return back to the hideout. And yet there was a inner force that nudged her to press forward, to see the faces of actual people who weren't lifeless experiments and perhaps bless her taste buds with real food.

So she continued to walk, shuddering as she did. With each gentle brush of wind on her skin, goosebumps traced its path and her teeth chattered. She was thankful it was only the afternoon because had it been night, she was sure to pass out from the cold. Oto wasn't exactly renowned for its warm nights.

Soon as she progressed through the thick woodland, Karin began to sense movement. She could feel the churning, calm chakra of people from a few hundred feet away from her current position and felt her eyes widen in glee. She hadn't realised she was so close to civilisation and inwardly cheered.

She quickened her pace, getting nearer and nearer, close to bursting into a sprint. Lips twitched upwards and a pink hue glossed her cheeks. Then, her entire body went rigid. She dug her heels into the dirt and her face of hope fell and she began to back away. Because with great sensory came great sensory. Within that furry bundle of chakra was something dark and evil and horrible.

It was of great mass, foreign and evil. Powerful. But it wasn't like Orochimaru or the men who had ravished her body for chakra replenishment. No, it was far worse, far darker and far more scary. Intimidating, and disturbingly enormous. Karin staggered from the weight . She felt like it was looming over her, ready to devour her into darkness.