The Willow Maiden [Naruto]

{2} Help Me, Help You

"What? You're the person who sent that message?" Kakashi questioned the girl, Ruka. 

Ruka didn't say a word as she turned her head away from the Jounin. "Please. . . I need your help. . . I promise, I'll explain everything. But we have to leave before more of them show up." 

The squad looks at each other before turning back to the girl, then nodding their head, and take her up on her offer. 

Ruka gets herself up from the ground and starts walking South of her direction of the forest. "If you don't mind me asking, how were you able to send that message to us when it was from the Hidden Grass Village?" Kakashi asks Ruka. 

"I saw a hawk in the sky and wrote on the back of the paper. I thought that would be the best way to get your attention. It wouldn't be possible for me to go to the Leaf Village on my own." Ruka speaks in an angelic voice, but keeps a blunt expression. 

"So, are you from the Grass Village?" Sakura interrogated. 

"Not exactly. But, I know that they are after me and want to take me as prisoner." Ruka responds. "For a long time now, they've sent many troops into this forest and try to capture me." 

"How did you get away from them?" Asked Naruto. 

"Simple, I ran and hid. . ." She paused in the end, not wanting to tell them that she has also killed. She was afraid that they would turn her in. Ruka stopped and looked up at a tree, saying, "This is where I live, somewhat." 

"Somewhat?" Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Did you take this place or something?" 

"No. When I first saw it, it wasn't like this. So, I added a few touches to make feel like home. . . Why don't you all come inside." Ruka opens the door and lets the leaf shinobi into her tree house. 

"It's so small." Sakura complained. 

"I'm sorry for the size. I just never had anybody inside before. I live by myself." Ruka tells her as she sits on the bed in the middle of the room. "My name is Ruka. And you are?" 

"I'm Kakashi Hatake. These are my students; Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and Naruto Uzumaki." Kakashi introduces himself and the Genin. "Now, can you tell us what's going on?" 

"Of course." Ruka nods her head and begins to explain. "This forest is close to the Hidden Grass Village and my mother, and I lived her all our lives. She told me that living in the Grass Village wasn't safe, so we made the forest our home. 

I never understood why we couldn't live in the Grass Village, but seeing the look in my mother's eyes told me that she was scared. Scared for both of us. So, we've been living here for years. 

I grew up here and my mother taught me everything I needed to know. Mother and I were happy, and we felt safe here. . . But one day, a Grass Shinobi kept seeing my mother while she kept me hidden. 

I didn't know what they were talking about, but something told me not to trust this man. He seemed dangerous because he always carried weaponry with him. Once a week he would visit this forest, under the willow tree where my mother would sit near, and give her affection. But she rejected him.

He said that he loved her, and she merely shook her head. The next week, he brought her a flower and asked her hand in marriage, but she rejected his proposal, saying that she'd wed him never. 

Then, the third week he brought an axe sharp as a knife. . . He was angry and told my mother that he would set her free. But, she cried. Mother hid me somewhere safe as she confronted the man. But all I could hear was the willow coming down, and my mother weeping. . .

I covered my ears to cover the sound and waited for it to be over. And when it got quiet, I came out of hiding and saw that my mother was nowhere to be found. I looked all over the place for her, and she was gone. . . My mother was taken away from me. . ." Ruka began to weep, and continued. 

"I wanted to look for her, but I was too scared to leave the forest. I thought that I would be taken too and face whatever fate that came to me. . . I was a coward. . . I waited for so long for my mother to return, but she never did. She was either dead, or forced to stay wherever she was taken to. . . 

To this day, I am still afraid to walk out of this forest and search for my mother. . . I tried going out on my own many times, but the Grass Shinobi would follow me and try to take me too. . ." 

At the end of Ruka's story, the team frowned at her. "I'm sorry for your loss, Ruka. We're going to straighten things out with the Grass Village, and if possible, we will find your mother and bring her back to you." Kakashi placed his hand on her shoulder, comforting her with a smile. 

"Thank you. . ." Ruka smiled through her tears. "But, please. . . You can't tell them what I told you or else they will change my story. . . I know what they are like. . ." The girl frowns. 

"Don't worry. We're going to protect you, just like you requested. We're going to discuss this matter to whoever is sending these troops after you. We have to know why they are trying to take your prisoner. Sasuke will be here to look after you. Is that alright?" 

"Hai." Ruka nods her head. 

"Good. Naruto, Sakura, let's get going." Kakashi turns to his two students. 

"Right." The two nod their heads and follow Kakahsi out of the forest, and into the Grass Village. 

Ruka watches them leave as they leave Sasuke to look after Ruka. When it was just the two of them alone, Sasuke didn't say a word to the girl. 

But she was silent as she looked up at the sky with her dull eyes. Basically, they had nothing to tell each other. Even so, Sasuke looked at Ruka with a mysterious look as he eyed her from head to toe. 

'What's with this girl? She's not wearing any footwear, and she looks like she hasn't slept in weeks. Those eyes of hers are so dull.' Sasuke thought as he stared at Ruka. 

But that wasn't the only reason why he was looking at Ruka because of the way she looked. Despite her beauty, he feels as though she didn't tell everyone the entire story. It was like she left something out on purpose. 

But, Sasuke had no evidence and he doesn't understand the situation yet. So, he decides to forget about his thoughts and does his job like Kakashi told him to.

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Meanwhile, Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura made it to the Grass Village in no time and were already inside. 

Some of the troops had blocked their way, but Kakashi explained to them why they have came here. His exact words were, "We are from the Hidden Leaf Village, and we want to know who is sending troops after the girl in the forest." 

The troops looked at each other before lowering their weapons. "So you know about the Maiden in the Willow forest?" Says a voice from behind the warriors. 

The warriors step aside as a young man walks over to the Leaf Shinobi. He has long black hair, golden eyes, and he's wearing a black and white GI. Handsome, but the expression he gives out spells out the word DANGEORUS. 

"I'm the leader of the Grass Shinobi warriors, Tatsuya Ishikawa." He introduces himself. 

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