To Track a shadow [ Entering country]

[Uka]

Sand, sand and guess what - more sand. The wind country was the most exciting place she had ever resided in. All of those rocks were absolutely fabulous when you consider the sand dunes and cactuses for the last twenty miles. The second that things started to change was actually quite the staggering experience. Shurbbery slowly but surely became more common until finally the sand transitioned into dirt. From there trees began to show up once more alongside grass. In a way she had a rather strange feeling.

"Fire country ahoy."<i></i> She would announce, taking her earplugs out. "Any specific ideas where to go or just follow down the road to the leaf village? As fun of an idea as that might be I could say that I don't really like it. The pull can be quite something."<i></i> Natsuru announced, choosing not to keep that little fact hidden. The fact that she was a Senju originally from Konoha was a messy ordeal, especially when she was this close to the actual location. The tree over in Suna was helping, but there was still that curse pulling at her.
It was a bit like a sweet nectar, which was also covered with a deadly toxin, one which was quickly starting to eat through her body. It was both bliss and agony at the same time. This was going to be quite the exprience for sure and the entire feeling was likely the withdrawal from years of the curse. Trully this was hell. In a way at least. "I'm surprised Kazuki would have come here frankly. Then again he was always the strongest of us in many ways even if he was far, far too detached."<i></i>

[Entering Country]
S rank runtime - 1 hour
[Waiting for Michi]

 

[Michi]

"And that is why the great sandy caterpillar became extinct," Fuu concluded as Natsuru removed the earplugs from her ears. Yes, Fuu spoke the entire time, she never slept. They would travel through the night and into the next day. The team of sandrunners would rest for a few hours at a time, mostly during the hottest hours of the day when they found some water or shade. She never questioned why Natsuru never answered any of her questions, it did not matter because she had plenty to say.

Eventually they would find Fire Country, she had never been in Fire Country before. She had never left Wind Country in fact and after she passed the imaginary line that separated the countries she felt an increasing sense of dread. She knew of Fire COuntry but she did not know the countryside or the people. She had referenced various sources of literature over the years but she never placed any of the information she had obtained to any practical use.

"Fire country ahoy."

Indeed, Fire Country.

"Any specific ideas where to go or just follow down the road to the leaf village? As fun of an idea as that might be I could say that I don't really like it. The pull can be quite something."

"Pull," she repeated. That was not an expected word. "What do you mean pull?" That was a clan secret Kazuki failed to disclose. She would pull back on the reins to tell the sandrunners to slow before she turned to her. "Is there a compulsion I am unaware of at work here?" She did not know about the tree or its sap and how to took away the will of those that partook. "And more importantly do you suffer the same ailment?" There was a concern that crossed her mind with this line of questioning or rather interrogation. She might have to fight Kazuki or even Natsuru to get him back to Wind Country.

"I'm surprised Kazuki would have come here frankly. Then again he was always the strongest of us in many ways even if he was far, far too detached."

She studied Natsuru's features. "This. All of this. Is a trap. If we find him and he refuses to return, we will need to make him return. "Is this something you will be capable of?" Her concern was that this might turn into a battle where the odds were not in her favor, not that she anticipated they would ever be in her favor. "It is likely that when he returns he will not be allowed to leave. I do not know what happened to make him feel like he should return, if it was just the fact that Kohonagakure was liberated or if someone beckoned him... but his liberty will be forfeit if he enters that village." People felt that they could and that they should possess things, that people were also things and that they could possess them as well. She knew what it was like to be a thing, a possession rather than an owner.

[Entering Country]

S Rank - 1 hour

Following Natsuru

 

[Uka]

She cursed in her mind. Dropping some information like that was not like her. The lack of sleep was slowly but surely starting to mess with her. As confident as she was when it came to making energy pills there was a limit on how much the body can actually handle when it came to avoiding sleep. "Never felt a want to go back to the country you were born in?"<i></i> Natsuru would ask, using the first real excuse that came into her mind. Explaining clan secrets wasn't something she wasnted to do. She would glance over to Michi out of the corner of her eye, still facing forwards. "Possibly? I don't believe Kazuki is as sentimental as me, though he might just not show it.<i></i> She would shrug, directing her attention to the road once more.

"Should be about two to three days until we reach Konoha from here. At least where it used to be."<i></i> Natsu would quickly add, moving the conversation forward and away from her little mistake. "I do hope you realise how difficult it can be to force him to do anything he doesn't want to. An impossibility would be a good way to describe the entire ordeal."<i></i> She would respond, letting out a light huff. "There is also another problem. Considering the village was rebuilt and we never came back there is a rather high chance we might be considered traitors. As nice as visiting home sounds it might turn out as you say. After all who wants their secrets in the hands of a possible enemy. I can't say what it is like now, but there is always that one risk."<i></i> The Senju would shrug, letting out a light chuckle. "Would be interesting to find out, though risky it would be fun. Now I do believe he mentioned that he hadn't had a chance to return before. I might have a bit of an idea what he might want to do. Some thing are predictable and him trying to honour memories is one of them."<i></i> She would disclose without trying to hide it.

[Leaving topic unless stopped]
[Country entered]