Entangled

Precipice - Chapter Four

Precipice — Chapter Four

Hinata picked up her pace as she sprinted around the village. A few stray strands stuck to her sweaty face, the rest tied tight into a ponytail. The humid air weighed heavy. Her thick sweater held her down as much as the weights on her ankles. Slowing to a stop, her mind teetered. She lifted a hand to that daunting zipper and hesitated. Shaking her head at her foolishness she pulled it down. Stripping it off, she dropped it on the ground.

Returning to her run, a cool breeze whispered along her bare arms. Clad in a black t-shirt and mesh covering she felt exposed to the world, to all peering eyes. She pushed herself faster, closing her eyes and inhaling the scent of morning. Her lips lifted, loving the feel of the wind. She jumped up to the trees homed to the chirping birds and bounded forward with them.

Her early morning meeting stole away her sleep. She'd returned the scroll to the Hokage and their discussion had lasted longer than she originally anticipated and resulted in something she could not have predicted. But, the hour spent with the Hokage cut short her regular morning warmup.

She'd also been informed that she would be with Team Seven for the week. Her heart sunk at the thought of no longer training with Team Gai but she pushed the feeling away, instead focusing on her singing muscles.

Crossing a familiar path, she veered to the left, her body running against her mind. 'Just for a minute,' she reassured herself at her sudden change of destination. Her pace slowed as a battle warred within her.

Minutes later in the glaring sunlight she hopped off the tree and onto the freshly cut grass. She ignored the man present as she shuffled towards the Memorial Stone. Her stomach flipped as a wave of nausea hit her. She took a gasping breath before trapping her lower lip between her teeth.

She hadn't come to visit them in nearly two months. She stood motionless as guilt crawled its way up.

Hinata's teeth dug deeper, hating that dismal pressure under her eyes. Exhaling sharply, she pivoted on the spot and jumped back into the trees. Once again she ignored Kakashi and his knowing gaze.

Training Ground Three sat half a mile to the west. If she concentrated, using what Kakashi taught her about chakra networks around the ear, she could hear the soothing sound of running water.

The area was empty much to Hinata's sudden relief.

Plopping down where she stood, she placed herself into lotus position; one leg crossed overtop the other.

Her eyes closed and her breathing shallowed.

The world silenced as Hinata narrowed in on herself. She felt the chakra flowing through her connective network. It moved like the blood through her veins. Yet this was something she could control.

Starting in her abdomen she pushed the waves in the opposite direction of their natural flow. It sloshed to and fro, back and forth, before coming to a halt. Her body cooled, the buzz that always clouded her mind coming to a silence. It felt as if her spirit lifted, expanding outwards and becoming one with the breeze she so enjoyed.

Fresh sweat beaded on the back of her neck.

She gave her chakra another push, testing her control. It heeded her command as she concentrated, forcing it down to her toes. A bead of sweat dropped to the ground.

She maneuvered it up, focusing it around her knees. It cooled the swollen joint from the sticky air.

She brought it up-

Hinata bent forwards making her nose kiss the ground. Her eyes peeked up in time to see a green blur flying over her. She straightened with blinking doe eyes. Torquing her neck she noticed the other three occupying the grounds, missing them in her meditative state.