Isn't the breeze nice?

[Hoshitsu]

Night had fallen over the village, and for the most part, everyone was resting peacefully. Everyone except Hoshitsu. After going out and experiencing the random and adventurous nature of the village, he couldn't help but yearn for more. thoughts raced through his mind. ' Its like this place is just buzzing with interesting people. I wonder what kind of things happen during this hour'. Curiosity got the better of him, so Hoshitsu grabbed his pouch and dressed himself. He'd make sure to bring some snacks and a few cigarettes with him, in case he found a nice spot to relax.

He took to the roofs of the houses in his neighborhood after scaling the walls. ' Might as well get some training in while I'm out'. He ran through the residential district without much difficulty, but the town was essentially a playground, getting out in the wilderness on the other hand might prove to be more of a challenge. Enjoying the slight chill in the air, and the lights from a half moon, and the glow of the entertainment district in the distance, Hoshitsu approached the edge of the village proper. He made his way to the outskirts of the Ancient forest. ' There's no way I'm messing with anything in there. not at this time of night. I better stick to the open area near the river'.

Spying a tall tree standing alone in the field, Hoshitsu scoped the area for signs of danger. There were a few odd noises coming from the forest, but they were far off. Not likely to venture out into the open. A few bats swooped around catching the bugs that littered the outer area. Hoshitsu focused his chakra and walked up the side of the tree. Walking on walls and such had become far more easy to do after all the practice he'd done. He had been taking things a step further in his own home, practicing how to hang from the ceiling, totally upside down. Finding a Low and sturdy branch, Hoshitsu clung to the bottom side, hanging from the tree by nothing but his chakra. ' It's liberating to be able to go where you please. I'm glad I've learned to move around better'. Looking towards the half moon shining in the sky, Hoshitsu produced a cigarette from his robes and lit it.

Hoshitsu looked out at the world and its luster. As he stared, the wind began to pick up and a nice cool breeze swept over the field where he hung. The tree swayed and rocked slightly in the wind, and gave Hoshitsu a comforting feeling.

"This is my home".

[marked for training]

 

[Hotaka Kyo]

Kyo spent time most nights putting in extra training away from the prying eyes of his family who might not approve of the way he was taking to improve his skills. He had taken to using weights and obsessive training of his body, while not neglecting his other training in class, the harsh training at home and while instructed to do so, he spent nearly all his free time in working on becoming stronger, faster, and having better endurance, he had to so that the training he went through at home would be survivable. He was looking for his limits and trying to expand them, he wanted to know exactly what his body was capable of and he worked towards that goal in secret as his family disproved of such dedication to a singular tenant of a shinobi's life and abilities outside of the families own training. Most of these training nights were spent in the Ancient Forest, most avoided it due to rumors (and the very real dangers that occasionally arose), which made it perfect for him to train in peace without fear of interruptions from those who most likely wouldn't understand as well as those that would likely inform his family of his late night extracurricular activities.

It during one such night of training that Hoshitsu had happened upon the same field that Kyo was using that night as the young boy found a nice tree to relax in and smoke his cigarettes. Kyo was silently moving about practicing his form with the weights added to each of his limbs, as well as a vest he wore over his clothes, he worked in complete silence, having no need to utilize the grunts and other loud noises that people generally did at his level. Kyo was so focused on keeping everything fluid and smooth that he didn’t even notice that Hoshitsu was there until he caught the small burst of light that accompanied the lighting of the boy’s cigarette, he paused in his movements and watched as the glow bobbed in the tree as Hoshitsu took a drag on it. “I let whoever that is basically sneak right up on me, I was too focused. I need to pay more attention to my surroundings out here. He could have been one of the monsters in the forest, or worse yet one of my family members following me. At least with the cigarette I know it’s not one of them.” He thought to himself as he stood up straight and stretched, he stepped out into the open field and wiped the sweat from his face and paused a moment before he waved to catch the attention of whoever it was in the tree, he knew none in his family or their close friends, “At least close enough to know about their wishes in this matter.” Smoked, so it was a safe bet that the person in the tree was either like him doing something they shouldn’t, “Smoking in their case.” Or were at the edge of the forest for another reason, either way Kyo knew he needed a break and the distraction was a good enough reason to take one. He pondered who it would be in the tree, and whether or not the person would even decide to greet the young boy covered in a sheen of sweat.

[Mark for Training]
[Edit: Spelling mistakes]

 

[Kumori]

“You’ll see Jun, I will find it, and then I’ll show you.” – Miko sprinted alone through the forest. With no one to share his words with, he conversed with the trees, with the sky, and with his brother Jun, who was nowhere around. It was a few minutes after twilight, and he’d been at it for an hour already.

To find the beast that dwells in the ancient forest, the monster that swallows whole those who wander and get lost; it was the reason why Miko had decided to go out and stay so late at night. It didn’t matter to him that he would be late to school the following day, it didn’t matter that he was in danger of being trapped by his so called victim instead of the other way around, it was nothing but children’s play, but he wanted to prove that he was right. It was about an hour past twilight that he heard it, or at least he thought. The rustling in the trees, the ground, something was close, and he would was set on finding it. And so he did, by following the sound of quick steps. Miko could barely keep up; the thing was fast, whatever it was. “A ghost? Is that the monster?”

“You have got to be kidding me… What is he doing here?” – Kyo sprinted forward, still unaware that Miko was close by, with his hoodie and bandit mask on. It had been a waste till the time, but it was not to be anymore, for Kyo was the perfect decoy. “If he exists, then this is my best shot… Sorry Kyo.”

Hell it would have been easy if Miko could only keep up, he was running out of stamina, if the monster was real, he would not be able to trap it or even fight back. “What was I thinking…”- he was starting to give up to fear, as the sky became darker, hidden by the forming clouds. The full moon illuminated just enough for him to maneuver his way around the trees, but Kyo was now long gone. The sound had faded away, the darkness had hidden the footprints, and Miko was left alone again in the darkness of the night. “He got him…”-a melancholic scent drifted in his sea of thoughts.

Just when he though that everything was lost, as he wandered alone, lost and a viable target to the forest beast, he had a glimpse of light, a cigarette in the dark. “A star? No… it moved.”- he decided to get closer, after all, it was either that or spend more time alone in the monsters dwelling. “But what if that IS the monster?!”- his thoughts were running wild with the possibilities. Curiosity won through though, and so he approached the lonely star atop the tree.

Midway there -“Kyo?” – it seemed he was still alive.

 

[Hoshitsu]

As Hoshitsu took another drag off his smoke, he looked down to the field below. Had he heard something? it was almost like someone had let out a sigh of relief. He scanned the ground, taking care never to look directly at the cherry of his cigarette. Without the light streak from the lit smoke to screw up his vision, he was clear to peer into the darker parts of the tall grass. ' There! it looks like someones coming this way'. There was no chance of his mother or father being the owner of the shadow, so Hoshitsu clung to the tree and awaited the figure. ' The whole point of getting out was to meet new people and see new things. What would be the point of running?' Hoshitsu reasoned as the figure drew close enough to identify.

"Hey, you're the kid from class. The one who took on Yuuto sensei. It's Kyo right? What are you up to out here so late?"

As Hoshitsu looked down from his perch he heard the rustle of leaves as someone emerged from the woods beside them. He looked to the entrance, still hanging upside down, and saw another one of his class mates, Miko. ' Hey, its that earth user who tried to get me in that sparring match.' addressing his class mate as he arrived, Hoshitsu appologized

"Miko, Sorry about hitting your girlfriend with that jutsu in class. She kinda shocked me with that electric trick."

He wondered if Miko was still mad about the fight in class, after all he had charged Hoshitsu once his fight with Yukiko had escalated. He made a note to control his temper around people.

"No hard feelin's right?"

With that he broke his hold on the tree and flipped rightside up, landing on the ground in a slight crouch. He took one last drag of his dwindling cigarette and then spit it out, grinding the ember beneath his boot. He was surprised to see so many people winding up in the same areas. Especially since Kumo wasn't exactly a small town by any means. Hoshitsu looked over at Kyo after noticing the moon shining off his skin. ' Dude's drenched in sweat, and are those training weights? OH!, now i get it, he comes out here to train. man, i wonder how many others train at night around here.' Reaching in to his belt pouch, Hoshitsu produced a small bottle of water. He had packed a few snacks and drinks for the road. 'never know what'll happen'. Hoshitsu handed the bottle to Kyo.

"you look thirsty man, gotta stay hydrated. Training saps a guys water real quick". He looked at the two, " so what have you guys been up to?"

 

[Fuu]

The hunt had lasted hours.

Pausing for a moment in the branch of a colossal tree, the ANBU slowed his breathing and listened intently, his eyes scanning the woods below. From his lofty vantage point, Fuu had an excellent view of the surrounding landscape, (what wasn’t engulfed in trees and foliage anyway.) From up here, his sharp eyes would catch even the slightest of movements. It only took a few moments for his attention to be caught, a tree a few hundred yards out shaking suddenly, releasing birds into the sky and leaves to the ground. ‘That was it.’ He figured, scanning the distance between him and it and evaluating different paths he could take. ‘Nothing else is that big, not around here.’

Earlier that day Fuu had received transmission from dispatch, sending him launching off of his post and out into the dusk. There had been reports of some behemoth beast running rampant in the outer layer Ancient Forest, and the main branch had sent in a low ranking squad to check it out. Considering the location, it wasn't unheard of for such atrocity's to exist. It had all been routine, up until the anguished cries had rang out across most official channels. Directly after that, all communication with the team had been silent, leaving little doubt at what had happened.

He had been one of the first on scene, a chorus of robes whipping in the wind as he and two other ANBU screamed across the sky, moving rapidly to where the connection had been lost. Upon arrival, they had been greeted by a scene of all around carnage. Blood and flesh was all around, and the stench of gore was heavy in the air, mixing with a thicker, unknown scent. The prints on the scene, as well the gouges in the trees marking the behemoths trail, made their adversary obvious.

“Here pig-pig” He muttered softly, so quietly he himself could not hear it. The ANBU could hear his prey, the apparently injured beast was still in a rage from its run in with the Genin squad. He could smell it even, the beast reeking of sweat, blood and overall filth. Within seconds Fuu would be on the beast, and silently he prepared for the worst. His comrades had fallen back, returning the bodies of the fallen squad to the hospital for preparation. It was up to him to avenge the young shinobi’s untimely demise, and Fuu was certain he could handle the job.

‘After all, it’s just a bo-‘ a loud ‘huff’ cut his musings short, the tall ANBU breathing softly as he crept through the trees towards his target. It was within sight now, and instantly Fuu could tell how the beast had overcome the three unfortunate shinobi. Towering at easily over eleven feet, the boar’s right fore leg alone was thicker that three of him. Fuu estimated the beast had multiple tons of weight behind it, and if its appearance was bad, its temper was worse. The monster lunged this way and that, crashing into trees and tearing off massive chunks of bark, trampling everything under foot. It appeared that the Genin had managed to injure the creature, its one eye caked in blood and sealed shut while its back leg hobbled every time the beast applied weight to it. The ANBU couldn’t help but be impressed, wondering how a group of kids had managed to injure the beast so badly. ‘Speaks volumes for our Academy.’

Shaking his head of the distractions, the man narrowed his eyes, studying the massive boar from behind his spider mask. The beast hadn’t noticed him yet, but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t. ‘Best kill it while I have the chance.’ Tightening his gloves, the tall man balanced carefully on a narrow tree branch and began forming complex handseals, his fingers a blur as he channeled his chakra into the very air around him.

-----------------------------------------------------

About a mile away, three students were having a chance reunion, unaware of the danger raging nearby. The more perceptive of the group might notice the wind suddenly change direction, growing more powerful the further it went. Moments later it wouldn’t matter, as even the least perceptive student couldn’t miss the blood curdling squeal, emitting from the direction the wind was moving in. Somewhere, deep in that dark forest, something was happening.

----------------------------------------------------

Fuu lunged backwards, blasting the behemoth beast with another powerful current of wind. Aside from dozens of cuts, the boar was undeterred, hounding after the ANBU no matter where he went. In its rage the boar tore at everything in its path, sending splintered tree’s crashing to the ground. Bolting this way and that, the agile man was struggling. Each time the boar charged him, it got marginally closer to making contact with the man, until one tusk raked across his leg, ripping it open like a hot knife to butter. Rolling, Fuu caught himself and sprung backwards, his feet making contact with a tree trunk as he flew back. Applying chakra to the soles of his feet, he clung to the tree like a spider, watching warily as the colossal monster reared and charged again.

Making eye contact with the monster as it charged, Fuu could see the blood lust. The beast wanted nothing more than to rip him to shreds, and it was slowly succeeding in its endeavor. The ANBU was tired, bleeding and most noteworthy, frightened. For the first time, he had come across something he couldn’t foresee himself defeating. Noting this for the first time consciously, his heart began to race as the behemoth roared towards him. ‘I could die here.’ He thought, time slowing as his heart continued to quicken. ‘Nobody would know. My body would lie here and rot...’ Picturing it in his mind, he could see himself slumped against the tree, his skin devoid of color and his eyes hollow and soulless.

‘Not today.’

He felt the difference instantly, almost laughing as he heard the beast slam into the tree behind him, roaring in frustration and confusion. Checking everywhere except behind, the boar snapped it's head left and right, searching. It’s slow, rage addled mind couldn’t comprehend what had just happened, and stared at the fallen tree for a moment before rearing back to face the nuisance that was Fuu. Only now, something was different. Of the few patches of exposed skin on the ANBU’s robed body, each displayed small black circles. Some of them were smaller than others, and some darker, all seeming to be in orbit on his skin.

Exhilarated, the ANBU smirked from behind his mask. NOW it was time to end the hunt. In seconds he had canvased the area in a thick web, his newfound speed facilitating the quickest web construction he had ever accomplished. Within moments, the boar was tangled in the sticky silk, squealing and roaring its outrage to be heard for miles around. Sliding his mask on top of his head, the young man regarded the beast for a moment before continuing, for a fleeting moment feeling sympathy for the creature. The emotion passed quickly as Fuu generated his heavy bow out of his Golden Mucus reserves. It was a massive beast of a weapon, the bow requiring all six of his arms to operate properly, and the man had only once before had the chance to use it.

So, with an apology on his lips, the ANBU spat out the glorified spear he would be using as projectile and nodded to the enraged beast. “You were one hell of a beast.” He remarked bluntly, pulling back the heavy string and taking careful aim. “Sorry.”

As his arrow struck it’s mark, the boar squealed one final time before collapsing into a heap, it’s massive furry body covered in thick spider silk. Popping a blood pill into his mouth, the ANBU slid his mask back onto his face, pulling the slide at the bottom to reveal his lower jaw and mouth. With a heavy sigh he tossed the bow to the ground, watching almost disappointed as it dissolved into the web. Reaching into his sleeve, the tired man pulled out a hand rolled cigarette and popped it in his mouth, sparking it with one of his extra sets of hands before tucking them carefully back into the folds of his robes.

He would need to bind and clean his wound, but for now the ANBU was content to stand on his web and stare at his kill, taking a Snapshot as he inhaled another hit of the pungent, homegrown tobacco. Each hit brought him back to himself, and shortly after sparking the cigarette his seal had receded, no longer covering his entire body with moving black spots. Putting a finger to his ear piece, he spoke softly into the microphone embedded in his mask, his voice reverent as he stared at the giant beast. “Doku reporting. The dire boar is terminated.”

[Sorry, I got a little carried away. Feel free to witness as much of that kill as you'd like, or completely ignore the pig squeal and clashing noises and just go on doing what ya'll were doing.]
[For the record, his Cursed Seal broke during the fight but he calmed it down right afterward. And the web mainly coats the ground, think of that one scene in the Hobbit.]
[Also, he's robed, hooded and masked, but his leg his exposed and bleeding.]

 

[Hoshitsu]

While Hoshitsu was in the middle of his reunion, He noticed something different about the air. What was once a balmy and slightly humid night, had suddenly cooled, as if a storm were moving in. ' Thats odd, there's not a cloud in sight. And more over, the trees dont have their leaves turned up'. He tried to shake it off and returned focus back to his classmates. As he did so a gust of wind stole his concentration, and lead him towards the sound of a scuffle a ways away.

Thinking quickly Hoshitsu addressed his classmates " Guys somethings not right over there, I'll be right back".

He rushed off and as he did, realized that the wind had gotten fierce and choppy. Hoshitsu made it to the sound of the ruckus and entered the outskirts of the forest just in time to see a hulking figure dart past. ' Holy shit, what kind of beast?!' Hoshitsu was gripped in fear. Thankfully he needed not move to see what was unfolding. What looked like an anbu member was fighting with the beast. ' That guy must be crazy to fight a monster like that'. Hoshitsu didn't have much time to think before witnessing the mans leg slice open from a hit. The masked man was pinned down between the beast and a tree. ' That guy's gonna get smashed! oh shit!' Hoshitsu began to make the handsigns for his water gun, when the beast charged. He heard the monster ram against the tree before he could make the last seal.

Hoshitsu stood in place, handsign still half formed, gripped by the death he had just witnessed. A million thoughts raced through his mind about running. But then he saw the beast look around startled, as if it had missed. ' What in th-' Hoshitsus' thought was cut short by the masked man appearing behind the beast, and wrapping him in webs. What was once a bleeding leg, was now a strange mural, as if the night sky was wrapped around his skin. What were these markings? And was this The same web slinging man from before? Hoshitsu watched as the previously believed dead man immobilized the beast, and ended his life.

Hoshitsu was able to move once more. the fear leaving his body and curiosity taking its place. He approached the injured masked man as he sat against a tree and smoked what looked like a cigarette.

"Dude that was fucking EPIC! I thought that thing squashed you." Hoshitsu looked at the man. He had an Anbu mask in the shape of a spider. 'Fitting' Hoshitsu thought. "That cut looks pretty bad though".He reached into his belt pouch and produced his other bottle of water. Anbu or not, the village was way too far to let anyone walk back with a leg wound like that. " Here. use this to rinse the wound while I make a bandage." He said, handing the water to the masked man, before removing one of the extra ties he had in his robe to keep things form fitting. ' Good thing vanity and necessity match up sometimes.'

 

[Kumori]

“She’s not my girlfriend…”-Miko seemed annoyed by comment, it wasn’t like him to get close with anybody but his brother. Yukiko was just a friend, and he didn’t expect her to be more than that for years to come.

"Guys something is not right over there, I'll be right back".- And just like that, Hoshitsu had dashed away, leaving the pair behind in darkness again, the little flame disappearing in the forest. He wouldn’t be back soon, Miko knew this, he knew the monster was lurking nearby, he had heard it too. The loud thump and cries from a battle taking place, the smell of sweat and blood being carried by the wind, the beast had already taken action. “I knew it… he’s real, and he’ll get Hoshitsu!”

Miko’s eyes opened wide in fear and desperation, he looked at Kyo, and between heavy breaths he spoke-“We gotta… we gotta go…”- There was no way he was going alone, not with that creature in the vicinity. He had arrived ready for it, but it was late already, Hoshitsu had probably ran into it… they had to do something. And so he summoned his courage, looked back one more time at Kyo, and charged forward. He made his way to the scene.

The floor was stained with blood; dirty with webs all over the place, in trees and coating the forest floor. Hoshitsu was standing nearby, already talking to a masked stranger. Miko looked to his left, identifying the dead giant. “Is that it? Is it dead?” –he approached Hoshitsu and victor.

“W- what happened?”

 

[Hotaka Kyo]

Kyo's turned about quickly arms raised and ready to defend himself as someone came up behind him and asked his name before he relaxed upon seeing it was Miko from the academy class he had taken on the instructor Yuuto recently. Kyo had ignored the words spoken by the one in the tree until he had seen who the other was that had emerged from the trees near him, it was only then that he looked back up and nodded, "I am Kyo, and I am training." "Isn't that obvious?", Hoshitsu then addressed Miko apologizing for striking his girlfriend in class with jutsu rather than sticking to the rules while at the same time laying the blame on her rather than on himself. It was then that he flipped from the tree and landed, taking one last drag from his cigarette before finally grinding the thing out before proffering a small bottle of water to Kyo and speaking once more, Kyo responded by waving dismissively at the bottle, "No thanks, that is a part of training as well."

It was about this time that the wind picked up, sending a shiver down the sweat logged boy as it stole the heat from him quickly, Hoshitsu quickly picked up on the sound carried by the wind and took off to see what it was while Miko was in the middle of denying that Yukiko was his girlfriend as the wind continued to pick up heading in the direction that Hoshitsu was heading. Miko talked about something being real and that it would get Hoshitsu as he started to breath raggedly, eyes wide in fear as he addressed Kyo telling them that they had to go before he charged off after Hoshitsu, in the same direction as the wind blew. "One has to wonder what he thinks is here, and at their willingness to charge after sounds in the ancient forest with the very real possibility that it actually was a dangerous entity." Kyo shook his head as he quickly ran up a nearby tree and followed along behind Miko, unsure why he was following the two of them towards something that could certainly kill them all. Part of the way their the dying squeal of what he soon learned was a giant boar was heard through out the wood, it didn't comfort the boy as he followed along behind Miko in the trees, leaping lightly from branch to branch, the weights about his body only slowing him slightly.

Kyo arrived to watch as Miko asked what had happened, though to Kyo it was pretty clear from seeing the mass of webbing, dead beast and wounded man. He had fought the beast alone and killed it, though looking at the beast it seemed to have far to much blood and gore on it for one man to account for. Looking to the masked man, "An Anbu." he thought to himself before speaking up, "Were is the rest of your team? Are they wounded and do the need help?" Hoshitsu was already offering things to help take care of the masked smoking man, but if there were others it was unlikely the man would be able to carry them back to the village, "I'd hate to leave my weights out here in the forest." was the only thing that really made it's way through the young boy's mind, all thoughts of safety being dismissed at the moment.

 

[Fuu]

Whirling on his heel, the ANBU turned to face the first student. In the heat of battle, his perceptive eyes had failed to notice the young boy’s arrival and when he spoke, the ANBU snapped around with a start. What in god’s name was a child doing out here? Had the boar really made it that close to the village, or was this child just delving far deeper than he rightly should? Dropping his guard, Fuu listened to the boy’s excited exclamation, remaining silent behind his bone white mask. “That cut looks pretty bad though.” The boy said, reaching into a small pack and procuring a bottle of water. "Here, use this to rinse the wound while I make a bandage."

Raising a gloved hand, he rejected the water and shook his head, his eyes already focusing behind the young teen. Quietly, another small boy emerged from the foliage, eye balling the slain beast with fear on his face. “W- what happened?” The boy stammered out, just in time for yet another student to emerge from the woods, this one covered in a sheen of sweat and noticeably calmer than the second. Almost amused, the ANBU crossed his visible arms (just the top two) and listened to the children, half expecting more to come piling out of the woods around him. ‘What are they doing out here?' The masked man wondered, assessing the trio skeptically. The only thing that was clear was that none of the three had any business being this deep in the Ancient Forest.

"Where is the rest of your team? Are they wounded and do the need help?" The third boy asked, his face stern and business liked. ‘That's the spirit kid.’ He thought approvingly, holding up a finger to signal for them to wait and taking another hit off of his pungent, hand rolled cigarette through his mask slide. As if on cue his earbud crackled to life, filling his ear with the surprisingly clear voice of the dispatch operator. “Dispatch to Doku. Affirmative on the termination, excellent work. Are you injured?” Glancing down at his bleeding leg, Fuu gently prodded the wound and winced. It hurt, but it wasn’t deep enough to do any real damage. “Negative, no injuries to speak of.” He lied, avoiding being mandated for physical inspection for the thousandth time. “Affirmative, please hold for further instruction.”

After affirming the order, the man set to work. Widening the hole in his pants leg, he exposed the injury to the open air. It wasn’t deep enough to disable his leg, but untreated it would quickly sap him of energy and make traveling uncomfortable. Inhaling sharply, he propped his leg up on the tree behind him and spat, releasing a steady stream of golden, silky mucus. Within seconds his wound was bound, the mucus drying and flexing, becoming like a second layer of skin. Covering his leg back up with his robe, Fuu turned his attention back to the students.

‘I can’t just leave them here.' He thought, glancing around. They were on the inner border of the outer edge of the Forest, practically straddling the invisible border between the deep wood and the surface wood. ‘But I also can’t escort them back yet, I may still be needed here.’ Stifling a sigh, he took another drag from his smoke stick before speaking up finally, his voice calm and assertive. “That beast,” he started, gesturing his hand to the hulking slab of bacon behind him “Came too far out of the forest. A squad was sent to subdue it but… They failed.” With a slight sigh, he addressed the last arrivals question, meeting the boys eyes with his own, cold and blue. “My squad is recovering the bodies.”

Taking a long drag Fuu paused for a moment, exhaling the thick, strong smoke slowly, savoring its robust flavor. It would do no good to hide the truth from these boy’s, as students they needed to know there were dangers even inside the village itself. Looking each in the face, he assessed each’s reaction before continuing. “Now. You boy’s need to identify yourselves and explain. Name, age, clan and reason for being here. One at a time.”

 

[Hoshitsu]

The masked man Turned down Hoshitsus' offer, and instead patched up his injury using some kind of spider-web saliva. Hoshitsu had nver seen an ability like that before, but expected no less from a cloud village Anbu. Miko and Kyo soon appeared, reviling in the sights behind the treeline. The masked man addressed the boys and ordered them to identify themselves and explain why they were there.

Hoshitsu stepped forward and spoke, holding out his hand " My name is Hoshitsu, of the Fuji clan. I'm 13 . I was out for a stroll to find a scenic place to have a smoke, and figured I'd get some training climbing trees while I was out. Pleased to meet you, it's always nice to know the village badasses have this place secure."

Becoming an Anbu was something Hoshitsu had been mulling around for a while. It seemed like a far better use of his time and skills than some petty family feud. But he knew he couldn't ever rest until he showed up his father and made him admit defeat. Still though, after seeing the size of the beast the masked man had just slain, and the casual demeanor of him, Hoshitsu had been star struck. 'Once I beat the old man, I really should join up. Man it'd be so cool to have that level of ass kicking skill.'

He stopped and allowed the others to speak.

 

[Hotaka Kyo]

Kyo watched the masked man raise a finger to silence any further questions or speaking before he answered someone on the radio, telling them that there was no injuries to speak of, which meant he was either referring to them, "Highly unlikely, no one should know we were out here.", or he was referring to himself, in which case he was lying to dispatch for some reason. "Perhaps to avoid punishment for failing to perform a clean mission.", The man then tore his own rob more and then spat a golden silky mucus, confirming Kyo's, and likely the others suspicion that the masked man was indeed behind the mess of webs that surrounded the beast and the quartet.

It wasn't but a moment before the man gestured behind him and told them that the rest of his squad was recovering the bodies of a squad who had failed in their mission, "That is the price of failure, it has always been so and will remain so.", the scar across Kyo's face itched suddenly as his eyes were met by the masked ANBU as he held the mans gaze and his nose flared a bit in protest to the itch, though otherwise he left it alone.

It was then that the man demanded that they identify themselves, "Clan? Guess I'll tell him what he wants as others still expect it with me being of the family. Still not used to that." he thought to himself about others simply being a part of their clan by dent of birth, as Hoshitsu answered before him, after waiting a moment to be sure that the boy was done he spoke up himself, "Kyo. Hotaka clan. Eleven. Training." He answered each of the masked mans demands for information in turn, while it wasn't a lie per-say, he simply didn't add everything, it wasn't necessary. All the information he had given the man would be easily verifiable and seem correct, but he still hadn't earned the right to his clan's name.

 

[Kumori]

He couldn’t be bolder; the masked man told them everything without censoring any details. The previous squad had failed, and died in action, in consequence of that the rest of the man’s squad was recovering the bodies, which in turn meant for the anbu to take down the beast by himself. He did, of course, take down the beast, the monster of Miko’s nightmares. Was this truly it, or was this just another fake?

“Is that it?”- Miko said under his breath, his cowardly expression changed to that of amazement in just a second. He took a step forward, fixating on the beast and contemplating it in all its might; the blood dripping on the ground. Then, the man spoke again, this time directing a question towards the group of students.

“Now. You boy’s need to identify yourselves and explain. Name, age, clan and reason for being here. One at a time.”

As expected from an adult, they wanted to know everything. This bothered Miko, since he didn’t want anyone pestering in his quest. If this was beast of the tales, he’d won the bet against his brother. “You see Jun! I told you it was real.”- Of course, he never expected it to be a giant pig. Hoshitsu was the first to respond to the anbu’s question, followed by Kyo. It was Miko’s turn, the group’s eyes all focused on him, expecting him to answer truthfully, there was no reason to lie. He wasn’t breaking any rules by being here, and he was pretty sure about who he was…

With a rather confused expression, he answered- “Name’s Tanaka Miko, age ten and a half, and I’m here because I was looking for… that?”- The pig… no, that couldn’t be right. There was no way that it could have been a pig, the monster that supposedly swallowed you whole.

 

[Fuu]

As the first and oldest boy spoke up, Fuu’s suspicions were affirmed. "My name is Hoshitsu, of the Fuji clan. I'm thirteen. I was out for a stroll to find a scenic place to have a smoke, and figured I'd get some training climbing trees while I was out. Pleased to meet you, it's always nice to know the village badasses have this place secure." The boy said, holding out his hand as he introduced himself. ‘Thirteen?’ He thought, absentmindedly tapping the boys hand with his own. The youngster was smoking cigarettes already, and training in a place that claimed more than its share of lives. Weren’t these kids being educated on the dangers of the Forest? Or did the just not heed the words of caution? Either way, the troupe of boys had to be an odd combination of both stupid and brave.

The next boy spoke up, the kid with the serious demeanor and extensive facial scarring. "Kyo. Hotaka clan. Eleven. Training." The boy answered curtly, only answering the questions asked and offering no elaboration. Fuu inferred that whatever had marred the child’s face had changed him, and he nodded at the thought. He was no stranger to living with a stigma. ‘Or two.’ He thought, remembering his recent run in with the demon at the gates. Whatever the case was, the boy was a child of few words, or so it seemed, and Fuu accepted that.

The last boy spoke up, his voice slightly timid. “Name’s Tanaka Miko, age ten and a half, and I’m here because I was looking for… that?” The words brought a frown to the ANBU’s face as he glanced over to the massive boar once again. The beast had slaughtered two Genin that he knew of, and had almost been death of him as well. ‘That boy wouldn’t have lasted a minute.’ He thought with disdain, his concerns about public safety increasing even more. Whatever was happening deep inside the Ancient Forest, it was having far reaching effects. Something would need to be done, but there was no way he could go alone, let alone in the company of three children.

“You boys ought to be more cautious.” The ANBU said, trying to avoid sounding like a nagging old man. “This is a dangerous place, plenty of-“. Stopping midsentence, the man rose a hand to his ear and listened as it crackled to life. “Dispatch to Doku. The third member of that squad is still un-accounted for. There’s a chance he could still be alive, somewhere deeper into the Forest. You’ve been tasked with locating him and bringing him back to safety.” Raising his eyebrows, he looked at the students with disdain. “Affirmative, moving to last known location now.” Turning his mic back off, Fuu took one final drag from his cigarette before flicking it away, snagging it in a nearby strand of web. Raising his mask up and on to the top of his head, the ANBU turned his attention back to the children.

‘Now what?’ He wondered, rubbing his eyes with a gloved hand. ‘I can’t leave them out here alone, but taking students into the deep wood…’ the ANBU almost shuddered at the thought, though it seemed there was no choice. ‘They're safer with me than alone.’ He figured, pushing a strand of sweat soaked blonde hair out of his eyes. Frowning skeptically, he addressed the children, looking each one in the eyes as he spoke to them. “Hoshitsu, Kyo, Miko, I am Doku, a Mempo of the ANBU. I can’t leave you boy’s out here alone, but I have orders that I must follow before I can escort you out.” Sighing heavily, he shook his head before continuing. “It’s troubling, but it looks like you boys are going to have to come with me.”

With a concerned look on his face, assessed the boys. Hoshitsu seemed almost eager to be in danger, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the boar. Kyo seemed stoic enough, but was already covered in sweat from his training. Then there was Miko, the timid boy possibly not even an academy student, though he seemed to have monster hunting aspirations. ‘Plenty of those out here.’ Fuu noted, listening to the sounds around him. Here, this close to the edge of the deepwood, where the thick foliage and tree clusters gave way to colossal trees with trunks as wide as mountains, the sounds of the forest were almost non exsitant. Where there would normally be a chorus of insects and birds, as well as the sounds of small animals scurrying about in the brush, there was nothing. Only the wind broke the absence of sound, its low howl only adding to the eerie nature of the woods.

Regardless of their physical and mental conditions, the boys didn’t have a choice. They would be stuck along for the ride. So, with yet another heavy sigh, Fuu began forming handseals. “The potential for lethal encounters out here is uncomfortably high. I’m going to go ahead and empower each of you the best I can.” Finishing the first set of handseals, he focused his mind on Hoshitsu. Occular Focus, used to increase ability to focus on targets and dodge their attacks. Stepping forward as he completed the next set of handseals he tapped Kyo on his sweaty shoulder, imbuing him with the effects of Superhuman, hopefully helping with his exhaustion and giving him renewed vigor. Lastly he turned to Miko, forming the signs and using Anthem of the Empowered, filling the young boy’s ears with a rallying melody, hopefully dispelling any fear and giving the boy courage.

Giving the boys a final once over, he pulled his mask back over his face and looked out in the direction of the massacre. He hated to bring children to such a terrible scene, but he truly had no choice. Looking over his shoulder, he glanced back at the boys and stretched his arms. “Everybody ready?” Upon receiving confirmation he would launch upwards into the trees, keeping his pace controlled to ensure the students could follow him. 'What a mess.'
[spoilername="Edit"]Miko:

The targets are far more capable crushing their enemies with this inspiration behind them.

Information
Prerequisite: D Rank

Rank 1: +30% Ninjutsu Damage to the next Ninjutsu
Rank 2: +35% Ninjutsu Damage to the next Ninjutsu

Notes:
- Lasts till the end of the round
- This technique may be used on up to two targets.
- The user of this Genjutsu must select a specific element for this Genjutsu to affect for both targets. Advanced Elements count as their Major Element.

Kyo:

By touching a target, the person instantly feels stronger than steel.

Information
Prerequisite: E Rank

Rank 1: The target takes -5% damage of 1 particular type.
Master: The target takes -5% damage of 1 particular type. They take -10% damage to the next attack towards them regardless of type.

Note:
- Particular type means any specific Taijutsu damage type (Slashing, Unarmed, etc.), A specific Ninjutsu Element (Advanced Elements count as their Major), Genjutsu Sense, (Kinetic, Will, etc), or Puppet type (offensive, defensive, support)
- Lasts for 3 rounds.

Hoshitsu:

A simple genjutsu for starters. It targets the eyes and triggers a response in the brain to unlock additional focus for those it effects.

Information
Prerequsites E Rank

Rank 1: Grants the target +1 Melee Dodge to one target.
Master Rank: Grants the target +1 Melee Dodge to two targets.

They're simple Genjutsu, I know, but Fuu doesn't do much Gen. I know it's not much, but hey. Feel free to fudge it a bit, it's not like this is modded XD[/spoilername]

 

[Hoshitsu]

'Doku huh? I wasn't expecting to go into the forest, but with a badass like him with us, I'm sure nothing could go wrong. He just killed the biggest thing in the forest'. Hoshitsu assessed the situation. He had been out for quite a while and was sure to catch a thrashing if his father caught him out. Yet on the other hand he really didn't care much. 'Besides,' he figured ' the old man might like the idea of me helping with the anbu. Make it seem like I'm taking my career choice seriously'. Hoshitsu paused for a moment. ' And if anything does happen, I could always use THAT'. He smiled and stretched, getting ready for his trip through the trees.

"Ready when you guys are."

Doku had used some sort of genjutsu on Hoshitsu, and he began to feel the effect right away. 'Its like my whole body is easier to move. This feels incredible!' He double checked his equipment for a moment, making sure his explosive notes were easy to access in case of emergency. He situated his footwear so he could maneuver easier in the brush. ' The buildings in town are way harder to climb than these trees. All that training should pay off in a place like this. Man, I kinda hope something happens.'

Hoshitsu stopped and thought back to Dokus' words. ' That boar killed shinobi that were higher rank than us... I wonder if we would be ok.' Hoshitsu shook the thoughts away. ' No way I'm letting some stupid pig eat me! I still have too many asses to beat'. Hoshitsu thought about his fathers mocking face. He clenched his fist.

" Might as well get more training" Hoshitsu aid quietly to himself. " Old man's never seen actual combat anyway. This could be my ace. "

 

[Kumori]

“Can you hear that Jun? The sound… what is it?”- The boy felt empowered as his chakra network got cleansed, opening up the points and facilitating the release and control. It was a feeling like no other, like having a cold gas inside your body, rinsing your muscles and releasing stress. He could feel his mind calm and his thoughts following a straighter up pattern than before, Miko was finally able to concentrate on the situation, he was now able to asses it with full control.

He looked at the deceased beast, his eyes fixating on its wounds; he contemplated them, the dripping blood tainting the grass in crimson. “You’re right, this is not it… It can’t be. It must be out there, still.”

Even with all his new-found courage, Miko couldn’t erase the thoughts of the demon that may or may not be still lurking nearby. The boar had killed a team of genin, it was dangerous alright, but it couldn’t be the only one… Something must have set it on a rampage, something must have led him this close to the village, and now they were probably supposed to find that something. “The AMBU got new orders, he has to finish the mission… and it is important enough that he can’t find the time to escort us out? This is going to be interesting… perhaps we run into him?”

“Ready”- said Miko as he jumped into the same branch as the AMBU, focusing chakra on his feet just in case.

 

[Fuu]

Upon receiving affirmation, all three of the boys jumping up into the trees after him, Fuu picked up the pace. He wanted his assignment to be over, the long hours of hunting and slaying a dire beast taking their toll as he hopped from branch to branch, his robed body saturated with sweat. The ANBU had a reputation for being dedicated to his job, and he wasn’t going to sacrifice that for a little assurance. ‘They want me to handle it alone, I’ll handle it alone.’

As they flew through the forest, Fuu listened intently to the sounds around him. Aside from the soft thuds of the students behind him and his own minor huffing and puffing, the forest remained silent. It was as though somebody had muted everything, leaving the usual canvas of sound feeling barren and secluded. This concerned him, considering the logistics of it. ‘The boar has been dead long enough, and we’ve moved far enough along.’ He thought ponderously, turning his body sideways midair to squeeze through a gap between two branches. To silence everything in the Ancient Forest, something had to be terribly out of place.

Within minutes the small group of Shinobi had covered the miles between the boar’s resting ground and the site of the original altercation. Landing with a soft thump at the edge of the all too familiar clearing, Fuu took in the scenario cautiously, throwing his hand up and behind him to signal the children to stop in the trees. Meticulously he scanned the bloody scene, searching for anything out of place from when he had been there hours before. Aside from the two mutilated bodies being removed, there was no difference between now and then, at least that the ANBU could tell. Satisfied it was safe, he walked forward slowly, signaling for the children behind him to follow along. “We’re looking for signs of a survivor.” He explained quietly, his hushed voice still loud in comparison to the woods around them.

It was not a pretty scene. Trees and rocks lay toppled and shattered, layers of bark and wood splinters canvasing the forest floor. Here and there some projectiles were visible, a cluster of Kunai stuck to one of the few trees left standing, some shuriken embedded in the ground. And blood. Everywhere. “Hope nobody is squeamish.” He muttered, glancing back at the group of boys. It was hardly ideal, having a group of kids with him on ANBU business, but Fuu couldn’t quell the nagging feeling that something good would come of this. ‘At the very least, these boys will know at least part of what being a shinobi entails.’

Glancing around, Fuu checked for signs of the third genin. The ground was littered with evidence of a battle, but the branches above remained largely intact. Judging from the angle of most of the projectiles, the genin had chosen to approach from above, no doubt hoping to avoid ending up face to face with their massive foe. Hopping lightly up a few dozen yards into the air, the ANBU caught a branch with one of his long arms and pulled himself up, glancing down at the students before continuing. ‘There.’ A bloody hand print tagged the trees trunk, accompanied by a bloody foot print, both left there in accidental haste. Looking out in the branches around him, it didn’t take long for him to spot another set, followed by another. They would be able to trace the poor soul’s route all the way to him, assuming his path didn’t intersect with water.

Whistling softly, he motioned for the boys to join him in the branches above, waiting for them each to find their way up. Once they were all together he would speak. “It looks like he survived.” The man said quietly, his voice low and soft. “At least, long enough to leave that.” Gesturing to the trail of bloody prints, he looked each boy in the eye, assessing each one silently yet again before turning away. Whatever he saw when he looked at the group, he didn’t say, but it was obvious the man was struggling with something. Regardless, without a word he was off again, slowly following the path left for him by his fellow shinobi, gradually pushing deeper and deeper into the woods.

Before too long, it began to grow dark. The night was growing old, but there was still plenty of time until dawn, the small amount of moon light snuffed out quickly by the behemoth trees that rose the greet them. ‘Deepwood.’ The ANBU thought, a small shiver running down his neck as he landed on a branch the size of a horizontal tree. Here, the silence was slowly fading away, replaced by something else. A strange clicking noise could be heard now, echoing throughout the forest in front of them. Unsure of its source, he would have no choice but to proceed with caution. Turning back to the boys behind him, he nodded his head and held a finger to his lips before bounding forward again, his feet landing without a sound on each branch they hit. He couldn’t expect the boy’s to move silently, but he figured they were light enough to make minimal noise as it was. ‘Even with Kyo’s training weights.’

Suddenly, the ANBU froze to a halt, holding his hands out beside him to catch any of the boys who might have missed his sudden stop. They had reached another clearing, though the difference between this and the last were immense. Instead of blood and bark, the ground was coated in what appeared to be hair and tracks. This didn’t disturb the young man much at first, but the more he stared the stranger things got. The ground was covered in tracks, as if it was a den, but the tracks were of all sorts of different makes. Hooves, claws and talons were all indented here, varying in size from average to downright freakish, causing his hair to stand on end.

And there, down below, lay the slumped figure of a Cloud Shinobi.

[Now we're getting somewhere. Sorry this is all drug out, tis my first time trying something like this.]
[MFT]

 

[Hoshitsu]

And with that they were off! The students followed the Anbu through the trees and headed out to find the unaccounted for shinobi. It was darker than the underside of a whale in the forest, but the ocular focus that Doku had bestowed upon him allowed Hoshitsu to see with hardly any flaw in his vision. They made there way to the scene of the slaughter. There were bodies that had been mangled and destroyed by the beast that now lie rotting in the outskirts of the woods.

"Hope nobody is squeamish"

Hoshitsu looked around at the scene, careful not to touch anything and mess up the crime scene. He looked over at one of the corpses. It lie trampled and disfigured, the spine visibly contorted in ways no human should ever experience. A look of sheer horror and agony was still plastered across the face to the dead shinobi. The insects had already began to eat away at the dead mans eyes and crawled in and out of his facial orifices. The blood that covered the ground had already begun to dry. But in the humid conditions of the forest, Hoshitsu knew the ruby splatters would still be wet and sticky for quite some time. ' Poor bastard' Hoshitsu thought to himself. He was no stranger to the sight of blood, and growing up in kumo, he was well aware of death each day.

He looked around as doku signaled to search for signs of the missing genin. There were several kunai lodged into a tree. Hoshitsu looked at the weapons with a slight feeling of sadness. ' These were their tools. the things they used every day in their life a shinobi. It would be wrong to just let them rust out here'. Hoshitsu went to grab one of the kunai that hadn't been driven as deep as the others. He stopped a moment and remembered that this was a crime scene. ' its not like they dont know what happened.' He sighed and let his hand drop away. ' I could pray for these men all year long. Preform whatever rituals I felt appropriate. Pester the gods themselves. And it still wont bring them back...'

Hoshitsu walked away from the mangled body and the stabbed tree. He lit up a cigarette as Doku jumped up and grabbed a branch. Hoshitsu took a drag and looked up at the branch where the Anbu clung. Immediately His eyes were drawn to the bloody handprint. ' looks like the guy made it away after all'. As Doku and the rest of the Group headed further into the woods, Hoshitsu was able to hear the silence of the woods. ' peaceful' He thought, unaware of the more sinister reason behind the silence. They continued on, jumping from branch to branch, Hoshitsu enjoying an occasional drag off his smoke mid leap.

The group traveled until an odd clicking noise began to fill the air. ' Well, so much for a quiet stroll.' The four shinobi traveled further until there was an abrupt stop. Hoshitsu hadn't intended on halting so quickly, and his momentum carried him farther than the intended stopping point. ' Shit' He thought, just in time to have Dokus' massive arm stop him.

"ghu'gh" Hoshitsu made an odd noise as the Anbus arm unintentionally knocked a breath out of him. His cigarette flew out of his mouth, and he watched as the soft glow slowly fell to the ground below. But what it illuminated when it hit the ground made Hoshitsu gasp all over again. There was the shinobi. sitting against a tree in the clearing below. Hoshitsu was thrilled that they had found the man. However his joy was quickly dashed away when he saw the fur and tracks on the ground below. Something wasn't right about this scene. His arm still in front of Hoshitsu, he saw that Doku was uneasy as well.

" This gives a whole new meaning to 'I've got a bad feeling guys'" Hoshitsu said quietly to the group.

 

[Kumori]

From branch to branch, the group advanced; little by little they got closer to an unexpected situation. The smell of death grew stronger with each step taken; Miko was starting to get impatient. It had been a few minutes since they met the ANBU, and there were no more signs of a beast, yet he could not get the thought out of his mind, the thought of something else lurking nearby. “Damnit Jun, these are the moments in which I am in dire need of you…” –The boy was not alone, and that seemed to soothe him a bit, but it was not enough for him to let loose his true self, the personality which he tirelessly tried to hide at every moment.

Silence filled the forest area for the night, once the dire beast had been slain; there was nothing else that remained. The labyrinth of trees hid many lies and mysteries, only revealing enough for those who came prepared not to get lost. It played tricks with the boy’s mind, sending a wretched smell of iron every once in a while, indicating spilled blood in the vicinity, but leaving the rest of the senses unaided. The blinding darkness, the deafening silence, and the sudden feel of fake ground in the palms of his feet, all worked together in junction to hide, to lie, and to give the boy a melancholic feeling of them reaching a close end. There was no greater fear than dwelling in ignorance, and no greater pain than that of no knowing. The gloomy feeling of lack of knowledge was an ever-present discomfort these days.

Finally, they reached a stop. Miko could barely see in the dark of night, just noticing a few kunai impaled in tree branches, the ground, and trunks. “We’re looking for signs of a survivor.”-And so he said, but what could the kids really do, especially Miko, with his disgustingly ordinary eyes. The wind had become stronger since they arrived, carrying the smell of iron once again… the smell of death. “The wind… is carrying a rather funny smell.”- that was all Miko had managed to say. He had not the eyes of a Hyuga, the sense of smell of an Inuzuka, or even the sensory powers of a member of the Yamanaka, but perhaps what little information he could provide would help at least a little. At times like these, the minor details that one tends to forget or oversee, are the most important.

The ANBU looked at Miko, and his troubled mind came to life. There were a thousand voices speaking to him, all at the same time, each telling a different story or shouting a different command. “Leave them here, it’s too late, they will die. I would rather die than desert on them. Light up your art, show them the meaning of chaotic beauty.”. They followed the handprints, swiftly maneuvering through the branches, before reaching another sudden stop. Something was very wrong; the silence was gone, replaced by a mysterious clicking noise. (tick, tock, tick, tock… Snape, Snape, Severus Snape, DOMBLEDOOR!)

Miko glanced at the floor, what where they all looking at? They had reached at clearing, similar to the other in almost every sense… but instead of blood and the signs of battle, there was fur… and a dead shinobi. It looked as if there had been a stampede, and the genin was caught in the middle of it.

 

[Hotaka Kyo]

Kyo listened to the ANBU reprimand them about being more careful before being interrupted halfway through by his radio as it came to life again, he affirmed that he would move to the last known location and flicked his cigarette into one of the nearby webs of his own creation and raising his mask, Kyo frowned at that but did not speak, he now knew the actual identity of Doku, or at the very least identify him. From what he understood the man shouldn't have done that, and should have remained faceless, even if they were all just a bunch of academy students. Kyo was still frowning as the man looked him in the face as he introduced himself and told them that he would escort them out after he completed the mission update he had just been given. He continued to frown as he listened and waited, Doku mentioned that the likely hood of encountering something lethal was uncomfortably high "Isn't that the lot of a shinobi?" and would empower each of them, providing them with something to help them along, "Genjutsu?" Kyo pondered as he watched the handseals the man was forming before he touched Hoshitsu, he chose a different set before Doku touched Kyo, sending a renewed surge of energy through the young boy’s body, his frown melted away as he waited patiently, simply nodding in response to Doku’s question, the other affirmed that they were as well and they set off deeper into the forest, past the point that Kyo had gone on his own and farther than he would have liked to go, what with his companions being an Injured ANBU and two other academy students.

Kyo picked his way carefully through the tree tops, perhaps a bit slower than the others as he had the extra weight to compensate for, or perhaps he realized the new vigor that had flowed through his body was only a temporary one. Either way he would be the last to arrive at the scene. Kyo had crouched down, hand between his legs as he perched atop the branch he had stopped on as Doku told them of his mission, to search for signs that a survivor had made it out of the battle with the giant boar they had faced. Kyo’s eyes danced about the clearing, noting the kunai and shurikens embedded in the trees about the trashed clearing, his eyes danced over to Hoshitsu as he lit up a cigarette down in the clearing, his face turning into a deep frown, he was about to speak when the soft whistle came from above him, his eyes followed and soon his body followed, bouncing from one tree to another and then back to the branch that the ANBU perched upon. Kyo listened carefully and nodded as he looked at the trail, the smell that had been emanating from the clearing was enough to turn his stomach on its own, his frown had vanished replaced by a mask of indifference by the time that they had started on their way again, speaking quietly he reprimanded Hoshitsu as he followed along beside him before dropping back to the back once more, “Are you looking to die or get us all killed? That habit of yours will get you killed one day; it provides a light, smell and way to target you for poison all in one convenient package. Smoke on your own time, not when we are in a dangerous situation requiring stealth like this.”

Kyo’s movement brought about little noise as he compensated for the extra weights by landing on his toes and then using his feet and knees to absorb his body weight. He could have been quieter, as could the others, but their training wasn’t that advanced as of yet, and they did what they could. By the time that the others had stopped Kyo was ready, and he landed in a crouch, left hand on the branch between his knees as he stared down at the clearing, the fur and tracks on the ground giving indication that something had been here near the body, and was perhaps still in the area. Rather than focusing on the fallen nin Kyo’s eyes darted about the edge of the clearing, looking for the beast that had been there recently.

[I'm back.]

[MFT]

 

[Fuu]

“Shit.”

As Fuu watched the cigarette spiral downwards he couldn’t help but utter a hushed curse. He should have had the children hang back, allowing him to work efficiently and without added concern, but the time for that had passed. Fighting the urge to strike the incompetent child, the ANBU sucked in a sharp breath a watched in silent horror as the tobacco stick struck the ground below, exploding in a shower of red sparks.

The change was immediate, in seconds the clicking rose in both tempo and volume, drowning out all other sound. The clearing, moments before still and calm, came alive with movement. Fuu could see various branches shaking, occasionally followed by a small blur darting across his vision, but even his sharp eyes could not make out any details. Whatever was out there, it wasn’t alone. “Boys,” he muttered quietly, his voice tense and his body rigid “I need you to run. Go back the way we came, I’ll catch up.” Growling, he spun around on his heel, practically throwing Hoshitsu back to the branch behind them. Even now he could hear movement, nearly unnoticable in comparison to the uproar of clicks, scurrying rapidly in their direction. Turning back to face the clearing, he shot one final look back the students behind him. “Go, NOW!”

The ANBU was anxious, and with good reason. His concern wasn’t for himself, or even for his mission, but for the children behind him. They were too young, too green yet to be this deep inside the forest, and it was his fault for bringing them there. Cursing himself he prayed silently, to no god in particular, that the students might escape. ‘Their safer with you than alone.’ He told himself, staring down at the body below. ‘Time to move.’

Channeling a burst of chakra to his foot he launched himself downwards, the force of his step fracturing the thick bark below his feet and causing it to explode outwards. Hitting the ground with an audible thud, Fuu wasted no time in reaching the Genin, his skin covered in a sheen of hard mucus. Upon reaching the body, any hopes of the shinobi being alive were instantly demolished, the gaping hole in the young man’s neck expelling any doubt. Cursing again, the ANBU threw the body over his broad shoulders, holding it in place with his top two arms.

======================================

As the ANBU flew to the ground below, the children made their own startling revelation. Within moments of his disappearance the sounds of movement grew louder, and mere seconds after that the cause became apparent. Dozens of strange, rodent like creatures flooded towards the students, clicking away as they leapt and charged. Though shrouded in darkness, the creatures appeared to be some sort of squirrel. That is of course if squirrels came directly from hell, were about double the average size with raven-black fur and freakish red eyes and sported a mouth full of razor sharp fangs.

Within seconds they would be surrounded, leaving them with the two age-old options. Fight or flight.

[So damn sorry for the delay, and I've even sorrier for the sorry quality of this post. No more week+ longs waits from me, scouts honor.]
[Feel free to take control of the dire squirrels and RP kicking as much ass as you want, Fuu will reunite with the boys next round probably.]
[MFT]