Tales Of Shinobi

The four had made their preparations that night with varying levels of effort. From Kotetsu and Teruo's rushed excitement, Atsuo's calm and collected-ness, to Keina's subdued and low-spirited efforts. The next morning, Kotetsu almost ripped his tent trying to escape. He practically sprinted between the rows of tents toward the camp entrance. His overloaded bag heaved with weight, and his sword strapped to its side steadily bounced with his rapid footsteps. He spotted two figures already present at the entrance, standing a distance apart in the early light of that spring morning. Kotetsu felt his balance dangerously skew as his body collided with another high speed object.

"He-Ow!" Teruo shouted as the pair slammed into each other, both being sent skidding across the ground.

"Watch where you're going, big mouth!" Teruo remarked, glaring at Kotetsu.

"Aren't you supposed to have better vision than me?" Kotetsu snapped.

The two got up and, ignoring their dropped belongings, began to circle each other. They were interrupted as Atsuo stepped between them.

"Settle down now, or else."

Both boys ceased as Atsuo scowled back and forth at the two of them. Looking down in consternation, the boys slowly picked up their dropped bags and glumly marched to the entrance, followed close by Atsuo, mumbling as they did. All three came to a stop as Keina, who had her back to the event, turned and shook everyone to silence with her face of iron.

"Are we ready to proceed?" She questioned Atsuo.

"Uh… Y-Yes." Atsuo stammered. Kotetsu shot him a look of astonishment at the hesitation.

"Then let's proceed. There will be no talking unless absolutely necessary." Keina coldly stated before facing the entrance and stalking ahead.

Kotetsu and Teruo shot each other an awkward glance, before following at an uneasy pace.

—

The group trooped through the forest, over hills, and followed a river downstream through a small valley. Kotetsu and Teruo kept a far enough distance in the back, so as to keep their occasional quiet comments as unheard as possible. Atsuo would periodically glance back at the two with an almost resentful look.

Hours of walking passed by. Teruo had wanted to ask when they could stop many times, as he had mostly skipped breakfast in favor of getting out of camp as quickly as possible. He would not speak such a dangerous question though as it might result in his life ending. Kotetsu had no such inhibitions, and jogged up to Keina and Atsuo before Teruo could restrain him.

"I'm hungry. Can we stop?" He flagrantly asked.

Atsuo stopped and turned to look at Kotetsu. Keina continued forward for half a dozen paces before stopping herself. Atsuo had wanted to ask that same question almost an hour earlier, but he too did not wish to end up as fertilizer. After a long moment, Keina spoke.

"Very well. You have fifteen minutes. Be quick."

Surprised, the three boys did not waste any time. In fifteen minutes, they managed to cobble together a not-so-flavorful meal of dried meat, berries and nuts from their bags. Keina sat alone, eating something pulled from her bag. Keina did not want to stop walking, as that would leave her with nothing to do but let her mind wander. She needed the focus of the mission to keep herself distracted. Without it, she began to dwell.

—

The night she discovered her father was dead had changed Keina. Her mother had succumbed to an incurable illness early in her life, leaving herself and her father alone. Now only she remained. The next day, she sat by herself in the cavernous family tent that belonged to them- to her. She traced her finger along the edges and seams of the clothes her father would wear. These clothes would be given back to the clan for someone else to wear. A sound outside the tent brought her to open the flap to find the clan leader, Eito. He stood in the cold black night wrapped in a cloak, carrying two bowls of hot soup. Without a word, he set one bowl down and began to walk away. Keina spoke out before she could stop herself.

"I already ate."

Eito paused to turn back slightly. "You have not."

Keina's feeble attempt to not eat crumbled at his admission and the smell of the hot food. It washed away the scent of ash that filled her nose. Not that she would ever forget that smell. Picking up the bowl, she asked another question before she could stop herself.

"Is that bowl for you?"

Eito looked down at the other bowl of soup he carried, before shaking his head. "This one is for our guest. Would you… Like to take it to him?" He offered after a hesitation.

Keina glanced down into her bowl. It truly did smell delicious. Something in the back of her head pushed her to act, to do something. She set the soup down, got up, and walked toward Eito, arms outstretched.

"Allow me."

Keina could not discern the complex expression that passed over Eito's face. After a slight hesitation, he handed the bowl over to Keina's shaking hands. That night, she walked across the camp and silently placed the food in front of Kotetsu's temporary tent. From a distance, she watched the bandaged boy peek his head around, then broadly smile as he spotted the soup beneath him. The soup that night was the best she had tasted since she could remember.

—

Keina snapped out of her recollection as Atsuo approached her.

"We're ready to go." He stated without preamble.

She stood up, glanced at the rest of the group, brushed herself off and grabbed her bag.

"Let's get moving."

The group felt lighter with each step as they slowly made their way out of the wilderness. Hours later, shortly before nightfall, the lights of a village were seen twinkling in the distance. The group had been moving through a wide plain, intermittently dotted with large trees. The plain eventually angled upward onto a flattened hill, revealing the village. Long stretches of farmland stretched on for kilometers in all directions, with the village spread in between connected by rough cobbled roads leading to farm houses. The four breathed sighs of relief as their goal finally approached.

—

The thieves had regularly stolen from this farming village. Over the months, they dared to steal more and more until their thievery had been caught and they were chased out. That had not stopped them from making occasional visits to partake in the village's wine stores, produced from the winding vineyards that lined the farmlands. While being chased out from their latest burgle, some of the villagers had taunted them with threats of having hired shinobi to stop them. They were determined to hold on to their easy situation, so they decided to fight back in their own way.

"We can't let those village idiots walk all over us with some shinobi. We have to show that we are not to be messed with, that WE can take whatever we want." Said one man, prodding the low fire they huddled around with a long stick.

"You're right. But I doubt those stupid farmers could pay a group of real shinobi. Surely, they're bluffing." Spoke another man, watching the embers dance away into the air.

The two men continued to complain back and forth, when a pair of footsteps interrupted their conversation. One of the men spoke out.

"Hello? Kabin? Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me. I brought our backup. He's going to make our job much easier."

The face of Kabin was lit up by the soft glow of the campfire. Behind him, a looming figure stood a distance away.

"Uh…" The two men sitting around the fire shot glances at each other.

"Don't show too much gratitude, you twits. This man here is a hunter, passing through the plains. He's agreed to scare off these puny shinobi for a fair price." Kabin said, eyes rolling in the vague light.

One of the men got to his feet and awkwardly took a few steps toward Kabin and the newcomer.

"Uh… Nice to meet you, Mister hunter." The man said after a few awkward moments, bowing his head slightly.

The hunter towered over the three young men, easily spanning over six feet tall, with most of his body obscured by a rough black leather cloak that fell to his feet. The men could not make out much detail in the dim light of the fading day.

"Tomorrow, all you have to do is threaten those wannabe shinobi and they will go running for the hills. Isn't that right, Mister hunter?" Kabin jokingly stated.

The hunter was silent for a few long seconds. When he spoke, his voice was soft with an accent the three men were unfamiliar with. "Of course, lad. Like you said, it will be… Easy."

All that illuminated the small campsite filled with half-drank wine and stolen goods was the single dwindling campfire. A horrid ripping sound filled the air, and a gush of blood sprayed out from Kabin's chest, dousing the weak flames and flooding the area with darkness. The other two men screamed as their only source of light was ripped away, running and tripping over their scattered loot. One by one, their screams were cut off by loud thuds. Smoke twirled up and out of the bloodied fire pit.

The hunter stood in the midst of the carnage. This village and its unsuspecting guardians would be the opportunity he had been chasing. He had only gone through two sheddings, and the third shedding would truly allow his newfound power to take root. Not to mention, he was starving.

—

The group made their way into the village, following the winding path up through fields. The trail eventually connected to a larger stone roadway, paved to make the towing of hefty carts easier. People bustled about along the road, carrying equipment or pulling wagons filled with various supplies. Kotetsu and Teruo gawked at the village as it spread around them, getting tugged along by Atsuo so as not to get in anyone's way.

"Will you two stop staring and keep your eyes forward? We're here to do a job. At least try to look professional." Atsuo scolded. The two boys sheepishly pulled their shoulders together and kept their faces forward, though their eyes still glanced about. Atsuo sighed for what must have been the hundredth time that day.

The villagers were wrapping up their long day of preparing the farm land, working to sow the fields. The early spring day held no clouds and presented the perfect opportunity, which was not to be wasted. Atsuo, Kotetsu and Teruo silently followed Keina as she unerringly made her way toward the town hall, located on the rim of a relatively large paved circle which connected the network of roads. The four received looks and stares from passersby as they made their way toward the hall. The hall itself was the largest building by far, a large wooden structure that stretched higher than the surrounding farmhouses.

"It's… A box." Kotetsu proclaimed.

"Shh." Atsuo pressed a finger to his mouth. The group entered the hall through large sturdy doors that were propped open. Once inside, rows of polished wooden chairs lined the sides of the hollow hall. Long thin window frames stretched up from the middle of the walls up to the roof, letting in the fading evening light. A few men and women stood on the opposite end of the hall, talking quietly amongst themselves. One of the men looked over to see the group, and smiled.

"Ah, you are here! Welcome, young warriors. I am happy to see you have arrived safely." The man excused himself from the others and strode over to the four kids. The man was portly, with a balding head and loose stained clothes. Keina spoke before the man could get any more words out.

"We are here to fulfill our duty. Please lead us to where we will be staying so we can adequately prepare." Her monotone delivery had the approaching man raising his eyebrows.

"Ah… Yes, I will show you to your accommodations. You must be tired after your trip. My name is Ichita. It is my honor to welcome the young Uchiha to our humble village…" Ichita trailed off as he made eye contact with each shinobi, before settling on Kotetsu. His gaze wandered to the sword sheathed at the boy's waist, and the intricate designs etched along its length. His surprise showed for only a moment before he regained his composure.

"...Please, follow me." He finished after several seconds of awkward silence.

Atsuo's stomach felt queasy at the interaction. Kotetsu wondered if everyone would look at him like that.

The four trailed behind Ichita as he led them to the outskirts of the village, attempting to make small talk as they approached a lone building that stood vacant. The inside was filled with the scent of old grain, implying a store room of sorts.

"We had to remove the seeds from this house after finding rats were chewing into the walls. We just recently cleared the infestation, so you shouldn't worry about anything slipping in here while you sleep. Someone will come by with food in short order, but I must be heading back now." Ichita spieled.

Keina inwardly groaned at the small accommodation. The other three outwardly groaned at the thought of potentially finding rat droppings. Keina glared at the trio, then turned to Ichita.

"Thank you. This will be fine." She gave a curt nod to Ichita. Ichita took the hint and, dusting his hands on his trousers, closed the door with a soft clatter.

A while later, a group of older boys and girls showed up with the promised food. The group had resorted to staking out corners of the small room, maximizing their sleep distance. Atsuo drew the short stick and was stuck in the only corner with rat droppings. The four made their way outside and accepted the stale bread, old preserves and tough jerky with forced smiles. Some of the farm kids tried to make small talk, but the shinobi simply wanted to get the day over with and prepare for the next week of hot sun and strong winds. One boy stepped forward with a sneer pasting his face.

"You really think you can stop those thieves? Old man Ichita is wasting our money on you lot. Those bastards will just wait for you all to leave and come back once you're gone." The boy spat at the shinobi's feet.

Kotetsu almost stepped forward, but was held back by Atsuo's outstretched arm. He looked up into the older Uchiha's face to see disdain, before Atsuo shook his head. Kotetsu took a step back while the farm boy jeered some more.

"You won't even defend yourself, huh? Maybe those thieves will just waltz through here and we'll take care of them while you all watch!" The boy taunted.

"Thank you for the food." Keina coldly replied. The boy glanced at her face, then froze. He backed up half a step before catching himself. Keina turned, creaked open the door to their temporary home, then marched in, the other three following closely after. The gaggle of farm kids walked away, wondering at the strange nature of their hired defenders.

"That was exhausting." Kotetsu deflated.

Teruo threw a smirk at Kotetsu. "What, you think they would fawn at your feet for being a cool shinobi?"

Kotetsu caught himself before he nodded. He stared daggers at Teruo.

"Boar boy."

"Big mou-"

"Shut. It." Atsuo barked before the two could get into it. The two glanced guiltily at Atsuo, then pulled their eyes down to their food at the hard stare Keina directed at them. The four ate in silence, grateful for the food despite its condition. They passed out in short order afterward.

—

The village was winding down after their first successful day of preparations. In a lone tree over a kilometer away, a man stood hidden above by the lush leaves and stretching branches. He had observed the village for most of the day through a long spyglass held firmly in both hands, which was worn from considerable use. He had seen the shinobi enter the village and kept track of their steady progress. When they were led to the paltry box that would serve as their sleeping quarter, he cursed softly to himself. They would not even be separated by a wall, the inside most likely possessing a single room. He would have no opportunity to claim their lives quietly. As he considered his conundrum, a group of farm children arrived. He watched with wrapped attention as one boy in particular stood out, appearing to antagonize the shinobi. This would make due.

Hours later.

Night swiftly claimed the village, small lights piercing through veiled curtains the only source of illumination as the moon hid itself from the night sky. Okihiko had forgotten about his final duty for the day, and silently blamed the shinobi for distracting him from his tasks. The boy made his way out from his family house and toward the barn filled with animals. His feet seemed to find every spot of mud, almost slipping multiple times on his way out to the large structure. He held a small candle to illuminate his way, encased in glass so as not to go out at the faintest wind. The barn loomed closer, until Okihiko could make out the large doors. He noticed that one of the doors was left ajar.

Slowing down as he stomped up to the unlatched barn doors, he wondered if his father had already checked the animals due to his lack of attention. His father would have mentioned having taken care of it though, so he was left confused. He decided to check the animals just in case, so as not to get yelled at later. He opened the door slowly.

Okihiko stepped within, his feet remembering to avoid the creaking boards so as not to spook the cows. However, something was wrong. His mind tried to pinpoint the feeling, racing through a mental checklist to see what felt off. Then he understood. There was no sound within the barn. Even at this hour, he could usually hear the soft creaking as the animals adjusted themselves or stepped about. The huffs of breath and the scraping of wood. There was none of this. Moving to one stall, Okihiko peered in to see the group of small pigs were… Completely still. They stood upright, tails pointed in the air, ears straight out. He had seen something similar, once. It only happened when they had sensed a dangerous predator.

Suddenly, the barn door he had left partially open shut in a loud clang. In a panic, the light slipped from Okihiko's fingers, but he regained his grip at the last second. The fire wavered, casting dancing shadows through the large interior of the barn. He tried to regain his wits, looking at the shut door. His mind reasoned that the wind must have pushed the door shut. He slowly shuffled toward the front of the barn, his eyes darting in each and every direction. His hopes were snuffed as he saw the doors had not only been pulled shut, but the inner latch had been set in place. Someone, or something- was in here with him.

A sound brought Okihiko to glance around in panicked fervor. The creak of floorboards in one direction led his eyes to find a large figure hidden by a distant shadow, who instantly began charging at the boy. Scared into sudden remembrance, his hand jutted out to the wall next to the doors to find the rake he had left hanging there the day before. Pulling the rake off the wall, he dropped his candle by his side, before gripping the tool with both hands and bringing it down in a vicious strike at the approaching figure. Okihiko felt the rake rip into something. He pulled the rake back into the meager candle light to find dark liquid dripping off the end. Dropping the rake in fright, he reached back and unlatched the door, pushing it open and racing out with haste.

His quick legs managed to carry him almost three steps out of the barn before his body fell limp to the ground. The last thing Okihiko had felt was a sharp piercing pain in the back of his head. From the moment he entered the barn to the second he left, not a single sound escaped those broad walls into the frigid night.