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The Forest of Death (1)

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This morning, I was aroused from my sleep by the rising sun that sent blazing glares directly into my eyes. While that annoyed me, remarkably, what I also found challenging about today was the deprivation of presence in the house. I could hear every creak and groan as I trudged through the house's tiny hallway.

It was somewhat eerie, to have the, once lively dwelling, void of any banging pots, pans, and Mamoru's quiet cursing. Only now do I realize how much of an impact Mamoru had in my day-to-day life. Almost every morning, he would make me breakfast, tell me his plans, and ask me about my day. Most of the time, he would bother me continuously about getting friends, saying that I need more companions than just Naruto.

When preparing breakfast, I realized the extensiveness regarding this portion of the exam. Before I came home, I opted to stopping by the 44th training ground. Much to my surprise, it was a gigantic forest compound called, "The Forest of Death". The name itself is quite explanatory in regards to how dangerous this will be. My theory is that the proctors will drop all the Genin in the forest to fend for ourselves. If that is the case, then I need to be prepared.

After breakfast, I made several various types of sandwiches and packages of herbs, spices, and other cooking essentials. I knew, however, that I couldn't pack all this in my bag. So alternatively, I went into Mamoru's room and 'borrowed' a scroll to store the edibles.

As much as I been in Mamoru's room, this time, it seemed much different. Just like the remainder of the house, it felt abandoned. The chamber was cleaned(because Mamoru was always a neat-freak), but it was partially empty aside from the cabinet of weapons and the small photographs that sat on his bedside.

As I gawked at the beautiful weaponry Mamoru had acquired, Moltres' voice rumbled in my head, "Take the knives." His commonly vague specifications followed, "You'll need it for the exam." I obediently complied with his order, taking most of Mamoru's exquisite butterfly knives and Kunai. Although I felt a little guilty, I also recognized that Mamoru was very gracious and would presumably excuse me for using his knives. Besides, he'll come back at some point, and I'll return them then.

While I moved to head out of his room, my eyes drifted to the photographs lying on his bedside. I don't recall ever noticing them, and I debated doing so. There was this little voice in my head,however, that urged me to. 'His door was unlocked, and the photographs are sitting in the open. Just take a peek...!' I grudgingly complied, admiring one of the bigger pictures.

It was of Mamoru and I in front of the house. If I remember correctly, it was when we first moved out of the apartment with Mamoru's new paycheck. He was so delighted to be out of the apartment building with all the loud neighbors. I, however, only liked the concept of moving because of the backyard. In the end, we both got what we wanted.

The other photos were unfamiliar to me. One was of an older man and a young boy who both appeared to be caught amid their training session, holding large naginata with sweaty grins on their faces. Another picture was of a delicate-looking lady, laying in her bed with a bouquet of beautiful pink lilacs.

After observing the pictures, I worked my way to the 44th training grounds. However, the petite lady's sad smile still haunted my thoughts. 'Come to think of it- I don't know much about Mamoru at all.'