Entangled

Precipice - Chapter Ten

Precipice — Chapter Ten

Hinata's palm's were sweaty despite her calm heartbeat. She wiped them on the side of her pants while taking another glance around.

They had been traveling since sunrise; the sun now falling over the horizon. They stayed along the well worn path, not bothering to go faster than a brisk walk. The trees on either side of them began to thin as they got farther away from Konoha.

They had six days to make their trek to where the Chunin exams would be held. For some unknown reason to Hinata, Kakashi wanted to leave early. She took it as a blessing in disguise. Her body ached from the arduous training she had been put under. What she did during the day did not begin to compare to what she experienced at night; bruises and cuts still lingered along her body and even worse lingered beyond the skin.

He'd said it was the only way to make a great shinobi, but she wasn't sure.

"Nervous?"

Hinata looked up at Kakashi. "No."

"Hm, that's good," he said absently, his face pressed into his book.

Hinata inspected the area again. She stayed alert, activating her Byakugan periodically. The traumatizing experience of her last time beyond the protective gates of her village clawed its way up every few minutes. And, every time it did, she would push it away and reclaim the necessary control over her emotions.

"You seem nervous," Kakashi prodded again.

She ignored him, focusing on her task of scanning the area. Her range had improved drastically in the past month. She could see to the full range of ten kilometres.

"No one's gonna hurt you," he continued to read. "Not while I'm here."

Hinata pressed her lips together.

"How's training been?" He tried to distract.

"Good."

He flipped a page of his book. "I didn't know Asuma trained his students so hard. You've got quite a few bruises."

"I've been training at night."

Kakashi tilted his head towards Hinata, though his eyes stayed on the page. "Alone?"

"Yes."

"I see."

A cricket would have found the current silence unnerving.

The wind whipped through the thinning trees as storm clouds loomed on the horizon, following their path. Hinata glanced at the sky. A heaviness pressed down on her and her nose picked up an earthy smell; her senses warned her of the upcoming storm.

"We're almost there," Kakashi responded to Hinata's unspoken question. "There's a neighbouring village past the hill so we won't have to sleep in the rain."

True to his words as they reached the precipice of the steady incline numerous lights danced at the bottom against the dark of night.

Arriving at the tiny village's open border an aura of happiness met her. An aura of freedom.

Hinata could not help the halt in her steps.

Kakashi paused with her.

This village maintained its freedom from the intricacies of the shinobi world, sitting peacefully in a node between waves of chaos. Laughter flowed through the wide set streets. Smiles graced the hurrying patrons, eager to get home to their awaiting families before the storm hit.

"Come on," Kakashi pulled Hinata from her musing.

Hinata stayed close to Kakashi. Surrounded by strangers her body bustled on alert. Her newly improved senses buzzed in overload. Hinata's ears twitched at the sudden sound of shattering glass. Pushing more chakra to her ears she met the sound of screeching chairs and cussing adults; a man and a woman if she heard correctly.