Beast Collection: Part 2 [Mission/Private]

Spoiler:

Her prayers seemed to be answered and presented before them was the village Otogakure. The two ninja seemed to venture far today as they pushed themselves from the border lines of the country to its upper middle; their journey taking them through the Bear Country until they arrived at the Rice. Nasamea for one was not used to the long duration of travel and felt a bit tired. Part of it was probably the fact she had not fed in a good amount of time; rendering her regeneration useless and lowering her overall personal energy a bit. Regular human food would not help one bit no matter how many carbohydrates she managed to consume. Now getting back to the main picture.

The two made their way down the hillside and into a rather docile town. There were few pedestrians out but for the most part everyone seemed to keep to themselves and were rather quiet. Nasamea and Mitsu did not stand out though for it appeared that the fashion of the place involved people wearing black cloaks much like themselves. Mitsu appeared to have his hood on, blending in more, where Nasamea felt bare and open.

The overcast skies seemed to pose more of tricking threat than an actual assault. Maybe they wouldn't get any rain if they were lucky. After all, nobody liked to be on a mission with a wet tent. It would dry but that didn't mean the thing would smell afterwards.

"It looks like we're in the right place" Nasamea said after passing by a wooden sign reading 'Otogakure's Market'. It was nailed to a rather small complex for a market and appeared as though the job was either poorly done or the sign broke and nobody wished to fix it. What a place this was. She took back her previous comments about Konoha being the Land of the Damned, this place seemed to meet the description more.

"There's forests all around Otogakure. I'm personally surprised we didn't see any giant snakes on the way in but maybe we weren't looking hard enough since we kept trying to find Oto itself. Now that we're here though we have something to go by."

For a moment she fell awkwardly silent. There appeared to be a random individual making its way towards them from the opposite direction. Once the cloaked man actually passed, his eyes giving the ninja a rather disturbing gaze, she began once more while picking up some pace.

"We should pick a place to start in the forests and plan. I've personally heard numerous tales of the Giant snakes they use in the Forest of Death and seeing as how big that croc was, we kind of have an idea of what to expect. Seeing as snakes are cold blooded too maybe we will find one resting and can surprise it. Because it and us are all land creatures though, I have a feeling this one will be more tricky to catch so we'll need a good plan."

Nasamea was mostly rambling as she tried to already formulate some plan. She continued to head through town and was making her way to the opposite side of it. This way when the caught the snake they could just camp in the forests or head towards Iwa a bit. Personally she wished to do the first option again.

With an unsettled heart, Nasamea's frantic eyes continued to watch their surroundings. She was getting farther from an allies land and outside Konoha. Also, she was making her way to the heart of her enemies territory; casting worry in to her being. The sooner they finished now and returned to Konoha the better. Otherwise, lingering to long may prove to be deadly.

This was a shabby little village. There was no denying it. Mitsu expected that they would be the suspicious characters, but they seemed to be the normal ones. "I know this may seem a bit judgmental, but I think you should put your hood up. We are out of the country and we should probably keep our faces hidden. If we somehow manage to piss someone off by accident, we wouldn't want them knowing what we look like. I also have to agree with you. They are most likely going to be going into a hole or some type of dwelling soon. I assume if you use some fire jutsu, we could lure one out of hiding...Oh I'm terribly terribly sorry Nasa, I completely forgot about you. You haven't fed in some time have you? We will have to find a few animals in the forest for you then. Lets start running if you can. If push comes to shove, my blood will be the only option." Mitsu was serious about offering his blood. He felt terrible about forgetting about her need to feed off of blood. He hadn't been around her often enough to completely realize that. He started to jog hoping Nasa would be able to keep up. He would increase his pace until Nasa seemed to be unable to go faster. They had to find food soon, he didn't want her to get injured and then not able to heal herself.

She waved a hand at him, signifying that she didn't care all that much. As long as she didn't go without it for several days she would be mostly fine. Except she just couldn't heal nor really do much with her beast form. She couldn't remember if transformation was unaccessible without staying up to date with her diet. Last she remembered, it was food or no food. Considering she was off a few days too she may need to drain more than the usual quart. Push come to shove, she may need to drain from Mitsu AND a few animals while she was at it. Otherwise Mitsu may very well be the best bet. Human blood worked better than Animal blood due to the genetic makeup of humans being closely related to her own. She really needed to find that diary and figure out just HOW different she was and what allowed her to transform.

"We can worry about that when we set up camp but tell me if it makes you uncomfortable". She wasn't sure if she had been okay with it herself.

Following what he said, considering it made logical sense, Nasamea put the hood on and began to pick up pace behind Mitsu. It was easy keeping up with his light jog and soon the two of them were on the outskirts of town and into the forests yet again. It seemed like they could never leave the forest; which Nasamea didn't personally mind that fact. She loved the wilderness; as she mentioned to him before.

"Lets take it easy so we can watch out for anything. We need to bare in mind that snakes are sneaky and may lurk from behind if we aren't careful. We need to watch the trees and the ground while keeping out ears open," she said, her voice sounding like a whisper.

Hopefully something would pop up soon enough.

Soon they were in the forest looking for the giant snake. Mitsu took her suggestion and slowed down. This was good for more than one reason as well. Good because it let them search more thoroughly, it helped them keep an eye on their tails, and it let Nasa not use too much energy. He knew she must be at least somewhat tired. And he thought he was stretching that assumption, giving it more credit than it should. He was more worried about her than finding the snake, so he was searching for animals rather than the task at hand. The sound of of their foot falls made little sound in the grass, save for the few twigs they steeped on sometimes. Mitsu was just getting more and more worried about Nasa and couldn't take it anymore. Why he cared so much he didn't know. "I'm not sure how you are feeling, but I don't want anything to happen to you and then being unable to heal properly. I offer my blood to you here and now. There is a higher risk waiting more and more. And maybe the snake or some other animals could be lured out by the scent."

The two continued their path through the forest. Dark shadows danced across Nasamea's eyes as they guided themselves through the corkscrew trees. Occasionally Nasamea thought she may have seen movement, her eyes instinctively turning to the source as she searched for an answer. She figured it may have been a small animal if it had not been her mind playing tricks. She made sure to keep herself at peace and without worry as they went. Anything otherwise may very well cause more panic and enhance the chances of her going crazy from fear. She blocked that all out though. Truthfully she just wanted to catch the damn snake, go set up a tent somewhere, and sleep. The thought of draining any blood from Mitsu seemed better in the tent than in the open whether it may increase their chances of finding a snake or not. Who knew what else it could attract.

"It's best we wait until we're in the tent. When you have had your blood drained you begin to feel tired and so it's best we're prepared to sleep before then," she said, only glancing back for a millisecond while they leaped through the trees.

The two continued on for a good two minutes and Nasamea was starting to grow impatient. She sighed and stopped on a branch, her head turning to Mitsu behind her. Little did she know the world around them had grown rather still and oddly quiet. Her mind was focused on taking a small break and waiting for anything now for it appeared searching wasn't working.

"Maybe we can set up some sort of bait to draw one in. I don't think blood would work but-" suddenly she paused. Her eye grew a bit wider as she stared into the fierce starving eyes of a beast with a large head. In a heartbeat she then leaped forward as the head of beast extended outward. A hiss escaped its gaping mouth as Nasamea screamed "MITSU!"

It felt like milliseconds passed in slow motion as Nasamea slammed into Mitsu's front, shoving him to the ground roughly ten feet down. He would land in some bushes though, his body granted some safety. Nasamea barely noticed them though, for as soon as she hit Mitsu away she had to kawarimi out of the area. The snake's head nearly hit the ground before it saw what happened and began to raise its head back up once more. Nasamea appeared in the trees roughly five meters away from Mitsu, her eyes glaring at the beast as she formed hand seals. She planned to hit the damned thing with a fire jutsu and maybe some shadow clones. This just all depended whether Mitsu saw the beast and attacked first though.

"Get up..move' she would think had he not.

They kept moving after his offer of blood while she paused a bit to get an answer. Mitsu knew well of what would most likely happen when she took some of his blood. He would also loose a good deal of calcium, but he never seemed to have to worry about that. It was a good two minutes before they stopped to rest. Nasa was speaking, trying to plan something. Once she said 'lure' the idea of finding a forest critter and killing it to make it bait entered right away. But his name was suddenly shouted and he was tackled by Nasa and fell off the tree he was standing on into the bushes. As he fell, he was looking up at a giant snake head pass over them. His eyes widened at it's size while it flew over them. The landing on the bush cushioned the blow, but Mitsu was still a bit winded. He got up immediately. This wasn't the best thing for him right now. Ranged attacks were the best chance, but Mitsu was a close range type. He wasn't sure as to what he could do, so all he did was stand there and be ready to move if the thing stuck again. He noticed Nasa forming and signs. If only he had better jutsus.

The snake's golden eyes burned with the ferocity of a wild bear. It's head was the only thing visible in the dark realm they lurked. Man vs Beast was a typical thing to expect at some point in everyone's lives and so far it appeared Beast may actually win out. Oddly enough though, it was Beast vs Beast in Nasamea's eyes so maybe this wasn't the case. If only she could use her full form though. Maybe then she would restrain the creature while Mitsu placed the scroll. It was the wrong time to be thinking through the 'what if' scenarios though. Now was the time to take action.

The snake emitted a hiss like a boiler released steam, its mouth gaping open to reveal large fangs and its sights set on Mitsu. Nasamea knew snakes could not necessarily see and due to Nasamea kawarimi'ing, only Mitsu's scent could be smelled. This was good in Nasamea's eyes though.

"Mitsu distract its head!" she shouted at him from the trees. Shortly after that the snake aimed its head before it launched it forward through the trees and towards Mitsu. It came within five meters of his position, its movement lightning quick and possibly difficult to avoid, before a flame was pressed against its skull. No matter how fast it tried to attack them Nasamea had prepared last move and the snake was delaying. Even though it smelled Mitsu it had not been 100% sure exactly where he was in the dark abyss of the forest. Scents may be difficult to track to, especially if they are unfamiliar. She would think the thing would have his scent now though considering it went after him again. Mitsu would need to watch out and know what to do in case the snake managing to get him. The snake needed to get within range to attack right Surely he would have something planned.

After her flames barreled down on its head though it retreated it back up and released a loud hiss of rage. It had hit some rather large branches on the way back as well, clearing a better forth for its next move. Nasamea already began to prepare to attack it again, her hands forming handsigns before two more of her appeared. The snake began to prepare its next move to attack Mitsu as two clones positioned themselves at its body; right side and left side. They too formed hand signs.

Spoiler:

The snake eyes were pretty much the only thing Mitsu could see in the darkness. The eyes suddenly struck forward and he knew that he had to move. Mitsu jumped back to avoid, which he did successfully. The area of the forest was suddenly lit up by the flames Nasa shot out at the snake head. Most of the body was revealed, it was a huge snake, easily 20 meters long, most likely more, and not at its stretched length. Mitsu did get a good assumption of its range with the last strike and with the sight of its body. Mitsu would wait until the beast struck again, but this time Mitsu was ready for a counter attack. With a snake this large, it's skull would be strong, and a simple hit to the head wouldn't knock it out, not at his or even Nasa's strength. Mitsu only had one choice, to hit it hard enough to at least disorient it.

The snake reared it's head and jolted forward. Mitsu protruded a very dense bone out of his arm. it was like a tonfa attached to his arm, without the handle and nothing went past his wrist. He made sure the bone was dense too. He jumped up to avoid the strike, and put a bit of ration chakra into the bone. While he was in the air he spun clockwise and using the momentum to strengthen the strike, hit with full force on the snake's head, right where the head met where it's neck would be. Mitsu got out of there quickly. The ration chakra would be a bonus effect since it was that close to its spine, and the hit was a good one too. The snake pulled it's head back and hissed loudly, and opened it's mouth, showing its fangs, it was re-cooperating, and now was the time to do something. Mitsu bolted for the snake's underside, fifteen meters away from him. "NASA! THROW ME THE SCROLL NOW!" Mitsu shouted while he ran. He didn't have much time, but if Nasa reacted correctly, he would catch the scroll and apply it immediately if he could. He kept himself ready incase the snake fell or something.

Spoiler:

The clones finished their handsigns as Nasa did hers. They were ready to attack the snake from all three angles with the Goukakyuu no Jutsu yet again. Nasamea kept an eye on Mitsu though, watching to see what he had up his sleeve. The snake readied its next attack now, its eyes burning more than ever from the rage it had gathered from the flames. It opened its mouth and flew forward with ease considering it no longer had to work around any trees. It appeared Mitsu had a plan to deal with this snake by leaping up over its head and attacking it with a bone. While he was doing this the two clones held their attack. The snake hit the ground and huffed out a his before it tried raising its head again. Considering Nasa was right above it she released a Gogkakyuu down on its head. This caused the snakes body to flail a more from dealing with lightning coursing through its body and the attack to its head. The snakes head flailed about and soon smacked into the branches beneath her feet. She had reacted by leaping, casting herself into the air and over the snake. A stream of blood coursed down her face though from the snake hitting the branches. It had to have been a piece of wood which scratched her but she wasn't sure.

"NASA! THROW ME THE SCROLL NOW!"

She flashed her eyes to him after landing on the snakes back, reached into her pouch, and tossed him the scroll. Meanwhile the snake felt her as it tried to re-coop and thrust its head back. It made its self roll over then as it tried hitting its head on the ground to make the burn go away. The two clones dispersed considering they were of no use whatsoever while Nasamea leaped off the snake. She ran towards the head with a drawn kunai attached to wire; the blood from her face slipping down her cheek. She was going to try to restrain the beast if she had to while Mitsu worked with the scroll.

Spoiler:

The snake was flailing about like crazy while Mitsu rushed it. Flames from two areas shot out at the snake, lighting up the forest and the snake itself. Mitsu's strike let Nasa fly overhead and attack then land. Mitsu was unable to see the scratch or the blood on her face. Nasa responded by throwing the scroll post his request. Mitsu was very close and was almost crushed by the snake when it flipped over. "We are trying to contain it, not make it so its useless!" He still had respect for life that did not truly needed to be taken, but it was more along the lines of the mission that was his concern. He was now jumping onto the snake with the scroll ready. Nasa had jumped off and attempted to restrain it slightly. This was not going to be enough to hold it down, but that didn't matter. Mitsu had slapped the seal on the snake and it did what it was supposed to. The snake was now gone as the adrenalin stopped coursing through Mitsu's veins. He still had some energy when he noticed the blood on Nasa's face. He rushed over and stopped, catching his breath, the scroll in his hand, held outward so Nasa could take it.l "Are you alright?"

A perk of irritation came over her for an instant at what he said. She knew they weren't trying to make it useless. She may have used two fire attacks to its head with his lightning ability but the snake was very aggressive and ready for more. Had they left now it would probably get back on its belly and slither off; ready to kill all in its path. The hisses were loud and full of rage as it continued to flail. There was no doubt the burns were hurting it but it would be okay. She heard it took more than that to take down one of the snakes in the forest of death from some other Chunin.

Nasamea halted near the snakes head with the kunai and wire in hand. She was ready to use the tools, as small as they were, to try to at least close its mouth but soon enough he large beast vanished. Mitsu had slapped the scroll where it was needed and captured the beast. This allowed Nasamea to relax a bit, her eyes turning back to Mitsu through the darkness. She reached up and felt the blood as she huffed a few breaths. So this is what it was like to feel like a human. She felt fragile and hated it. It felt like she was weak.

She began to wipe the blood off with her sleeve. Apparently Mitsu had seen it too for he was soon rushing over to her; his foot steps sounding rather loud amongst the silent forest. The snake seemed to have frightened all the other creatures of the night with its cries of pain and hatred. Nasamea could practically feel the tense calm.

"Are you alright?"

Mitsu's voice disrupted the silence aside from his footsteps. She glanced up at him with a half smile and a tired face, a sign of her tiredness.

"Yeah, I should be okay. But let's camp here soon. Something may come searching for dinner in this area so lets move at least 50 meters away from here and find somewhere safe. We can set up camp there and sleep until the morning. THEN we will head to Iwa for the next beast."

She sighed before she started to walk forward, her hand beckoning him to follow. They could walk the next 50 meters or until they found a decent place to sleep. Once there they could set up camp and prepare to rest for the night as she had said.

The snake was finally gone. That was definately a relief. Nasa said she was fine, but looked very tired. He knew he was going to have to give more than a pint of blood, which would slow their travel a small amount. But that small amount would be not even close to the amount they would be slowed if he didn't give his blood. He decided to wait until they had set up camp. "I agree. You can have some blood once we are there and ready." Mitsu didn't try to put his mind on the actual process of how she might take the blood, but he was vigorous, and usually didn't tire easily. It wasn't the after effects though that made him cringe in his mind, it was the fangs biting into his neck. He knew it would only be a small prick of some kind, and would mainly just have to stand there, but nonetheless it made him cringe inside.

Mitsu's eyes were still adjusting to the darkened forest. Mitsu was picking up sticks and other wood along the way for the fire he would start at camp. They passed through a slight break in the trees above and Mitsu looked up. The sky was riding the fence on whether or not it would actually rain. Mitsu didn't want it to rain. Sure the sound of it colliding with the tent was relaxing, but too much made it annoying, and the relaxing effect was the only thing that seemed pleasant about it. They set up the two rod tent with ease, and the divider was set.

Nasa offered to use a small fire jutsu to get one started, but Mitsu refused and did it the old fashioned way, he even managed to bring some flint rocks with him. He struck the rocks and the sparks fell into the small dry grass he piled up, which was surrounded by a twig tee-pee. The grass grew to embers as the sparks slowly ignited them. Mitsu leaned in and gently breathed life into the fire. It was just enough on the first try, and the flames started to arise, burning the grass, then the twigs soon enough. As the fire grew, Mitsu cared for it like it was his child, making sure not to pick at it too much, and only when needed. He made sure it was getting not too much or too little air, just the right amount so that it would grow. He added fuel he had with him. Nasa drew a tad to close for Mitsu's comfort, and he moved his hand without even looking in that direction, letting her know to keep her distance. He was giving the fire the up most care, and would not let this die out. All this time, as soon as the sparks started, the reflection of everything could be seen in Mitsu's eyes. Building the fire kept his mind off everything else. It did not last long, but the time spent on it relaxed him. His form became more relaxed, knowing Nasa would most likely stay alert, especially in her weak condition. The sound of crickets and other night creatures, along with the crackling of the fire, were the only audible things. The smell of the fire and the tree's fresh air could be smelled as well. Mitsu had no idea what Nasa was looking at, but all he could see was the fire. The cold ground began to heat before him as his body heat did that job. The night was peaceful.

The fire was now large enough that Mitsu could leave it on it's own. Mitsu took a deep breath and stood up and walked a bit near Nasa. "The fire is started now, and it should last us the whole night." Mitsu paused a bit, and he relaxed state allowed him to say this without hesitation. "Now would be a good time to take some blood though. If I'm going to be as tired as you said I could be, while we are resting would be the best place to do it. Just tell me what I need to do and I will do it. Take whatever amount you need as long as I'm able to move okay by the morning."

Since they set up the tent Nasamea had taken laid down just inside it. The front door was unzipped to where she could peer out and watch Mitsu. He was working deliberately with sticks tied together as a tee pee. She had offered to help him but he simply declined and said he wished to do this the old fashion way. Which she was okay with that fact. She just hoped he didn't try doing it out in the rain or anything. Sometime while he was working though she laid her head down on the flat pillow and rested. Meanwhile her ears were listening for him and any other signs of danger she may need to be aware of. She would be more on edge now considering they were getting closer to Iwa; the enemy Kisaki's territory. Technically she was in it but their direction was heading straight for home base; a bad move on her part but something she had to do. She just hoped they could go in, capture the beast, and get out before anyone noticed. They were doing so well this far too. It would be a shame if anything happened.

Odd visions, or dreams, began to dance across Nasa's eyelids before her ears tuned into approaching foot steps. She snapped from her partial dream state and raised her head slowly to peer up at Mitsu. He appeared to be done with the fire; the warm blaze small and fragile but warm at that. She could feel the light bounce off her face as it created a small warmth that soothed her. She loved fire, no doubt about that.

"The fire is started now, - .... -able to move by the morning"

Nasamea had listened to all he had to say and simply nodded. She pushed herself up from her stomach and sat on her knees; her hands beginning to take down the divider. She preferred the safety of the tent to do this and considering he may grow very tired, the best bet was to be in the tent. If he wished to lay down he could do so inside and she would simply put the divider back as needed. Once she removed it, she beckoned him in and directed him towards his sleeping bag.

"You don't have to lay down if you don't want. It would be better if you sat up," she said with a tired uncertainty. She felt kind of awkward for taking his and it made her partially nervous. She wasn't going to hurt him or steal to much to the point he couldn't move or anything nor would she lose control like a savage beast but much like Shi, she just didn't like "mooching" off comrades. Once he was ready though, she would begin with this feeling nestled in her insides.

Considering she couldn't use her form without blood she couldn't have sharpen teeth or nails. Instead she had to use the tip of a kunai which slid across the skin near his neck and collar bone. Typical vampire story book BS but it was where the main blood areas where. She knew precisely where she could cut to get enough that she needed and for the wound to heal over afterwards. Nasamea was taking extra care in this one though considering Mitsu was her friend. She slit a wound and put the kunai away before placing her mouth over the wound. She was hesitant still for what she needed to do next and she was sure he knew why considering their last run in on the boat. She hesitated for a moment, her mouth simply resting on his skin. Maybe a good few seconds passed though and soon she released a light warm breath from sighing.

She closed her eyes and began, her tongue licking at the wound first like an animal would to clean up any potential drips or hazards. If she took them in she could consume them with ease due to the D base. It would rid them in no time and keep her healthy. Afterwards she then began to suck at it some to draw out the blood while using her tongue to ease any pain from the wound or motion. It was almost like what somebody would do to their lover to create a hickie. This wasn't her goal though; this was her means of obtaining what she needed to survive. With the red warm liquid flowing down her throat for a long time though she began to feel a burning sensation. She needed more. Her stomach started to grumble a bit from her neglecting it and soon she found herself embracing him. Her hands wrapped beneath his arms, along his sides, and would touch the square of his back as she tried draining more. She remained in control though despite this act and would only take maybe a pint and a half. Normal blood donors took a pint and her kind needed two a day but she didn't want to make him dizzy. She would just need to take a major hunting trip when they returned to Konoha. She was used to that though.

Her mouth remained pressed against his neck for maybe a good minute, her breaths even and partially slower as any normal drinking humans was. They passed against his neck as she occasionally continued to lick the wound to soothe yet heal. When she finally finished her pint and half, she's fed enough now to tell, she then proceeded to lift her mouth some. The blood started to flow out from the cut wound but a simple licking was all it took to keep it contained. Soon enough the wound would heal too. Once it had, Nasamea would stop, sigh, and allow her hands to fall away from Mitsu. Tiredness was still sweeping over her but she felt at ease more so than before; her stomach stopping its sounds as she relaxed herself. Her head would rest against Mitsu's shoulder while her eyes would remain down casted. She felt partially ashamed; guilty of having to take his and not hunting in a nearby town instead. Maybe this was the safest route to go but it didn't help her feel any better. He would have to give her some form of assurance that it was okay, if it were anyway.

"Sorry if I hurt you and had to take yours. And sorry you had to actually witness and fall victim to this side of me..." she whispered, her voice just high enough for him to hear but with a tone that would only let them both hear. Her ears were tuned to his breaths and heartbeat now. She was making sure he was okay and not freaking out. She had taken care of him as far as she was concerned and actually he had done the same for her; a paradox maybe?

She then peered up at his face and more specifically into his eyes as a mark of worry crossed her face. He would probably feel at least a tad bit tired, not including the wear and tear of collecting two beasts today, but he would be okay. To make the relaxation, and sleepiness, she felt worse; the sound of a light rain began to tap the tent.

Mitsu followed Nasa inside the tent as they took down the divider. She seemed a bit nervous about taking his blood. There was no need to be nervous at all. It was one comrade helping the other, and it even brought them closer together as friends, even building their trust. He sat on his knees like she did, and he lifted his head up to give better access to his neck for her. He saw her draw a kunai and so he closed his eyes tight and refused to watch the cutting take place. He felt the slight sting of the blade as it slit through the skin and drew blood. At first, Nasa simply placed her lips on his neck for a bit in the awkward silence that was present.

Soon though Nasa was soothing the wound with her tongue as the blood flowed into her mouth and down her throat. She suddenly started to try drawing out the blood by sucking, her tongue trying to soothe the practically nonexistent pain. Her hands were on his back as she embraced him, while all he could do was keep his head back while his eyes were closed as he felt her warm and steady breath along with everything else. He felt his energy start to fade slightly, but he deepened his breathes and kept himself calm. "Sorry if I hurt you and had to take yours. And sorry you had to actually witness and fall victim to this side of me..."

He could tell that she felt sorry for doing that, she practically said it herself. He had to say something to her. He placed his hands on her shoulders as he stared into her eyes. "Hey, there is no need to be sorry. There is nothing wrong with having to take my blood. It's perfectly fine and I am truly okay with it. I'm always happy to help out a friend in need, even at my expense, to a certain point. You have trusted me with so much, and I to you so little. This is sort of my way of giving back what I feel I am in debt to you. But if I didn't trust you, or thought that you would loose control and give in to the craving for blood, I would never have offered. Giving you my blood, even though there was a chance of you taking too much and possibly killing me, meant I trusted you with my life basically. You are my only close friend, so Its only fair we share each other's pain." Mitsu's hands slid down to her upper biceps and he leaned over and kissed her forehead lightly before letting go and laying down on his sleeping bag and pillow and looking back at the fire, knowing there would be enough embers for the morning if they decided to stay, that is until the sound of light rain was heard hitting the tent. After a few more minutes he spoke again. "Hehehe...I guess all that effort into the fire was for nothing. Oh well, we don't have to put it out now... Mitsu paused for a moment, slightly hesitent and tired from the loss of blood. "And those words I said before, I meant every one of them. Don't be sorry, and don't feel like its a bad thing to do. I don't feel that way, and neither should you...Its getting late, we should be going to sleep now. Let me sleep naturally, I should wake up at a decent time, even with the loss of blood. Goodnight Nasa." And with that, Mitsu fell asleep shortly after, unless Nasa had something to say back.

His hands touched her shoulders as a means of easement, causing her to tense up some out of instinct. Her amber hues stared into his still but her head was still slightly sunk. She still seemed uncertain despite his words but one other thing that popped out of wall of blocked emotions was the expression that she was studying him. It was barely visible within her eyes but there. She watched his muscles, the way he moved, and continued to try to listen to him. He sounded tired. There was more to her study though than just to see if he was okay. When a kiss was planted on her forehead a grave expression casted past her face for a split second. She then just stared, her mind running a mile per second as she searched for the meaning of it. Just a friendly way of saying he was fine, had it be. Maybe she seemed more worried than she thought she had.

The expression soon faded some as he laid back onto his sleeping back. His eyes remained closed still yet she continued to peer down. It put her in mind of a guardian; their duty to watch over and protect whom they care for. She sighed quietly as an attempt to relax herself as she listened. Her attention remained on him up until the point he began to doze. She knew he was tired and prolonging the conversation would just keep him awake. He of all needed sleep more than her so he could recooperate for the morning and be ready to go. Like she had said though, he would be fine.

"Goodnight Nasa"

She tilted her head some and gave him a look of a care much like a mother would for her child. It was her instinct though considering she was a Kisaki, a technical "mother of the clan" despite possessing no young. Maybe she picked it up from her own mother. She remembered giving Shi the expression a few times as well. This startled her some.

"Goodnight Mitsu..." she whispered, watching him until he fell asleep. Once he had she would brush the hair from his face and check the wound. By then it should have been healed. Afterwards she would place the divider back up, wondering if it was even necessary now, before laying down in her own sleeping bag. The soft rain continued to press against the tent in a rhythmic fashion and a rise of guilt panged her heart. She worried of the fire but something else was now bothering her. Shi, Mitsu, Shi? It was troubling her. She felt like she was partially walking on a tight rope now but soon brushed the thoughts aside. She would think of that later. For now she needed to get some rest and let her stomach digest the blood into energy. A shame though, her scratch to her face would most likely scar.


The next morning Nasamea would be the first to wake up. She crawled out of the tent first and listened for any threats. Her nose sniffed the air for signs of trespassers but as she smelled was the dampness of the rain. All seemed fine. Her eyes pierced through the darkness a tad but still nothing. It was good tracking and sense training on her opinion. Brushing that thought aside though she went over to the fire. It had went out as they thought, leaving her a little sad. All the work for nothing. She poked at the charred wet flames before it feel over. This made her more sad. She would begin to prepare another fire soon enough as she waited for Mitsu to wake up. Hopefully it wouldn't be to long though. They needed to bust ass to Iwa. The sooner the better on her opinion.

'No animal threats or trespassing humans... neither the smell of any Kisaki or other members... all seems well..' she thought as she stayed on full alert. She only hoped that it actually stayed this way.

Once Mitsu woke up they would quickly pack tent and head out to Iwa to finish the last part of their mission. According to Nasa's memory this would be Day 4 of their adventure; leaving them time to collect the last beast and head back if they played their cards right. They had got a lot done yesterday and she still felt some muscle ache but would get over it. The sooner they returned back the better she would feel. Even Mitsu would be able to get some rest then. More so then what they were getting anyway.

'Next stop...border between Snow and Taki... I can tell Mitsu once he's awake. Afterwards we'll make our next day dedicated to the beast and getting home.'

She would be sure to tell Mitsu this when he woke up.

Mitsu was actually not the first one up that morning, as he was still tired from the loss of blood. But due to his vigorous nature, he was up after Nasa very shortly. He could smell the dampness from the night's rain, and as he exited the tent, he could see Nasa poking at the fire, a small bit of smoke still drifting from it. "I'm awake now, we should get going now. If I recall, it should get cold quickly, so we should be dressed accordingly. My training suit and cloak are very insulated, so I shouldn't be bothered. And I am well enough to walk through the whole day. I just need to stay hydrated is all. As long as I do that and eat a little bit more we shouldn't have to take breaks."

So, Mitsu and Nasa started walking along through the morning, Mitsu eating an apple, making sure to properly discard the core if they were being followed by some animal or worse, a ninja they had not yet spotted. Mitsu had his hood up, having the slight feeling of suspicion with him as they traveled. He did not like the feeling and so he kept his body at the ready for most of the trip. They never even stopped to eat lunch, Mitsu living off of fruit. He didn't mind the fruit at all, he actually preferred it to be honest since it was healthy. He tended to eat apples, but he ate other fruit as well along the way. It was about noon when the feeling of being watched finally left him, and he started to relax. He pulled out a second little book and a small pencil as well and started to write down his thoughts. There were doodles scattered about as well.

He made notes on other jutsu ideas and styles. He eventually got to the point where he was even beginning the thoughts of a new clematic dance which got him sucked into the subject quickly. It held his interests for a few hours until he got stuck. He needed to know body mechanics better before he could go on so he stopped. His body was still tired from the loss of blood, but it was nothing serious. Then his mind began to drift as they walked through the snow country. Then it fell upon the memory of the night before. He felt like he was experiencing it again, his mind imitating the sensations. He looked over at Nasa almost longingly. He had no idea what his exact feelings were with her, but he knew there was something definitely worthwhile. His mind began to drift again, his mind falling back on the subject again and again every so often, causing him to stare at her. Soon though it was nightfall as the cold night air from Snow and Taki were mixing together. They would arrive tomorrow in Taki. "I think I have recovered enough from the blood loss that I think I can keep going on through the night if you are fine with it too. What do you say?"

The moment Mitsu exited the tent marked the start of their journey from Rice to Iwa. They had quickly packed up and head out before the sun's light even began to pierce the dark sky. However amongst the shadowed twisting trees, which filtered a light mist that seemed to start up; Nasamea could hear weird bird calls. They were unfamiliar, and she was hoping it was birds and not something else, but it was surely a sign that they had been moving since sometime past 5. Nasamea thought she herself must have been up before 4, her usual waking time. This meant she was better than she thought since drinking the blood.

Anyway, the time the sun had rose Nasamea inferred that they were moving since sometime between 5 and 6am. They were keeping a decent pace, a little faster than what they first started with, and together the two of them made their way through Otogakure. From what Nasamea remembered from the map it would take roughly two days to even get an Oto. Since this day happened to be their fourth that would leave them with a day to return. The mission was mostly constant travel and seeing as how one of the people involved had been a Genin, both of them never traveling this far out, the actual travel time was a challenge in itself. They were no longer taking as many breaks now; cutting this down by half for maybe a small rest and to get some water. They had picked up a few water bottles up in a town they crossed once they exited the forest. It was small place with a few huts, a market, a dry cleaner, and what appeared to be a weapon shop. Only a few ninja seemed to reside there. Considering Nasa had not wished to step on any toes they entered, purchased some water and fruit, then left. The people were friendly but sticking around to long could cause trouble; especially if they held ties to Nasamea's clan.

Hours passed before the scenery changed from woodlands with grass to brush with snow. The lands of Snow seemed to be at a higher elevation than Oto too for it appeared they were going uphill for some bit after entering. During their climb it was growing colder too; which was quickly coming over Nasa as well. She had a cloak but unlike Mitsu it wasn’t as insulated. She did, however, have katon chakra. Utilizing that said chakra she focused it throughout her body and practiced using it as a means of keeping herself warm. She would occasionally extend it outside her body and practiced turning it into heat while holding the Tora hand seal. Once she had the hang of this simple manipulation she would then keep a steady warm flow throughout her clothes. Heat was still heat and thus this would fade much like body heat, requiring a constant steady flow. So in tern she was practicing both her chakra control and teaching herself a new jutsu; like killing two birds with one stone.

This usage progressed through out their travels through Snow. The further they went the colder it seemed, or at least this is what Nasamea’s mind thought. The scenery around them never changed in some aspects, most of it having to do with hills and snow, but occasionally a few bundles of brush would be thrown in as well. The two of them continued to limit their stops seeing as how there wasn’t many small towns to stop in anyway. Mitsu continued to feast on fruit whenever he was hungry and now Nasamea appreciated her bloodline more. It aided her in the fact she rarely needed to stop to grab a bite to eat and could basically just keep going and going. If only the two of them had a lot of stamina.

When dusk began to finally fall Nasamea was starting to slow down more and more until eventually they were walking. The less noise they made now the better seeing as how every step made a heavy crunch. The world was mostly silent all day but as night fell it grew worse. Only the occasional snow falling off a tree was heard. Nasamea had lessened her exertion of heat throughout her body so she could conserve. It was an E rank amount of chakra but that much built up over time. Maybe an hour after she started to originally keep it steady she began to do it in spurts; keeping herself from freezing over. She could only imagine what it would be like when sleeping. Least then she would have her heavy duty sleeping bag but still; it was cold and it only would get worse at night.

"I think I have recovered enough from the blood loss that I think I can keep going on through the night if you are fine with it too. What do you say?"

The sound of Mitsu’s voice startled her in the night. She fidgeted first before turning to peer back at him. This entire time she had been on alert, making her a bit tired, but when night fell and they neared Taki it only grew worse. She appeared almost angry as she gazed back but after a second this expression partially died.

”I’m glad you’re feeling better, sorry if I gave you a bad expression… you kind of startled me” she whispered, her ears still tuned into the world around them. She paused for a moment in thought before peering back again. ”Let’s try to go for as long as we can. We have been traveling all day without many stops which is why we started walking once dusk approached. It will help us conserve some energy…”

With that said she paused again, her ears tuning into the sound of snow falling off a tree nearby. She had stopped this time to listen, her eyes scanning the area while her breaths remained emphasized by the coolness of the air. No threat, nothing to be alarmed about, she began to walk again.

”Dusk has just fell but it will start to get colder from here on out. Nothing moves at night and I don’t think we should either for the sake of our skin. Once we believe we have crossed the border of Taki, or when we think it is midnight, we should pitch tent again. We need to sleep at least a little bit to regain energy and be fresh and ready for our last capture… plus whatever else may be thrown at us…” she said, pausing to listen. Yet again she heard no threats and felt there was nothing to be alarmed about yet.

”Mitsu…when we camp...there’s something we need to talk about…I should have told you sooner but better late than never....”

She barely said it above audible level but to where she knew he could hear her. What was odd was the fact she had not looked at him at that time either. Her attention was too focused all around them as she stepped gingerly through the snow. She began to try and focus chakra to her feet, treating this as a way of “walking on water” and hoping Mitsu would catch on. They could hide their footprints better then way. Sad part was though, Nasamea had yet to learn this ability from anyone yet, even though chakra was easy to focus to her feet thanks to Coal’s exercise before her odd disappearance. Maybe she could consider this training.

It was getting rather cold outside. The crisp and dry air was enough to send more than a few shivers down Mitsu's spine, had he not been as properly clothed as he had been. They continued to walk along the small little trail, well what was visible through the layer of snow at least. Mitsu's words seemed to have startled Nasa as she looked back with a glare that faded a bit. He nodded his head and continued to walk with her, going as far now would mean less travel tomorrow, a good plan. Snow fell from a tree and Mitsu stopped along with Nasa, Nasa being more alert than him. He was more casual about it, which could have been a stupid move, but he was alert still.

They moved on for about an hour and a half or so, then stopped to camp. They made good progress as well. They quickly put up the tent, and then Mitsu started a fire rather quickly this time. The air was growing colder and there was a slight breeze as snow fell. This made is feel colder. This night was going to be frigid and not pleasant if one was not well prepared for it. The heat of the fire melted the snow in the surrounding area making a small radius. It was providing decent heat for, giving Mitsu a small amount of comfort. "So, now that we are at camp, what is it that you wanted to tell me about?"

The two made haste when setting up the tent and their supplies. Nasamea even took the extra leap by focusing heated chakra into the tent. She held the Tora seal as the tent quickly grew warmer; making her seem like a space heater of sorts. She was simply taking the extra precaution to ensure that the two of them wouldn't freeze to death in the middle of the night. Of course this heat would begin to slowly be pulled from the tent but some heat was better than none right?

Nasamea finished laying out her heavy duty sleeping bag and stepped out into the frigid air yet again. She had her blanket on this time, the one she carried basically everywhere, which lay wrapped around her shoulders. She had folded it some so it wouldn't sink into the snow; making herself look like an elder. Then again the purple hair made her look like a punkstar no matter where she went. At least..this is what she thought anyway.

"It's chilly out here.." she complained, shivering a tad before sitting beside the fire. She gratefully accepted the heat and tried to soak it in. Her light breaths were obvious in the cold air even when they sat before the fire as well. Oh how long she had missed the snow and such of Takigakure. Problem was she was so adapted to Konoha now that the frigidness had become a loving hate than that of kindness.

"I wanted to talk to you about well... Iwagakure.. and more so things regarding my clan..." she finally said, her shiver leaving her breath as she sat nearly calm. Her amber eyes seemed to be their own beings as the reflection of the fire danced across them; their gaze remaining on the flames as though she were spellbound.

"I don't remember if I have told you this before but in my clan there are three leaders; me, one in Kirigakure, and one in Iwagakure. I own Konoha as my territory, the leader in Kiri owns just that, and the leader in Iwa owns everything else. The thing is though, the leader in Iwagakure happens to be both my and the Kiri leaders enemies. She's the one who...well...." Nasamea grew silent for a moment. Soon she released a sigh, the frigid air making it form into a cloud as she had, "murdered my mother. She's the one I need to fight in the future. Otherwise she will kill me. The thing I wished to talk to you about was that..as we approach Iwa...we need to take extra precaution on watching all angles of where we are. The sooner we get there and get out the better. We should plan to capture the beast and head straight home. A Kisaki, or leader's, scent is potent and easily detected."

The fire released its spell at that moment as her pair of worried eyes quickly turned to meet his gaze, "they'll track me at all costs if they get a whiff of me. I was told that I match my mother's scent and besides, whether I do or not the leader knows my scent. She nearly happened to get a hold of me before I escaped...truth is I am from this land, Takigakure, not Konoha. I moved there and live with my foster parents. I suppose that sums it up without getting into to much detail. But I just thought I should warn you before we get to Iwa of the dangers we face. Maybe this mission wasn't such a good idea... but I have faith we will get back before anything bad happens... there's one thing we need to change though."

Suddenly she pushed herself from her crouched position to her feet. It appeared then that her eyes were once again spell bound to the fire. She sighed a bit and walked up close to it, nearly standing in it. She wasn't planning to burn herself though. With a slight kick of the foot she tossed snow over it; causing the fire to hiss in retaliation before it died completely. Water prevailed yet again.

Nasamea turned back to Mitsu, feeling a lot of guilt for destroying his masterpiece. This said emotion spread across her face instantly as she reached out to take his hand. She planned to help him to his feet as a way of at least trying to feel better for the guilt. She hated killed his hard work just like that. Especially when he was only trying to warm them up.

"I'm sorry...I didn't want to do that," she said, keeping her hand extended until he took it, "but in this frigid land that's like a beacon summoning any whom are cold. It's helped us a lot but let it only be us that it helped. Besides, we need to go to sleep. We have a large journey before us tomorrow and it's already near midnight."

Her voice sounded like a low whisper. She seemed to be rushing her discussion earlier and barely left much room for Mitsu to even talk; a sign of her worry. Whenever she did this she talked rater fast to because it seemed as though any input may make her even tenser and cause her to spill out more info faster afterwards. She was also rushing them to sleep for the mere fact that once they entered the tent Mitsu would notice a bit of a chance. Actually, a sort of awkward change in Nasa's opinion. Something which would keep them warmer by working together. Any could nearly tell where this was leading.

Once he had taken her hand she would walk him to the tent and lead him in. It wasn't necessarily her holding his hand out of any sort of emotion but her way of trying to calm herself down. By keeping contact like that she was saying "im worried and want someone to hang onto so I don't sink into myself from my thoughts". At least it made sense to her, although she would never admit it. Anyway, within the tent Mitsu would have seen the divider removed and both of their sleeping bags placed together. She would simply explain once they were inside.

Mitsu sat there and listened to her speak and tuned in on this new information. She had never told him about there being others outside of the Konoha region. He had no idea they would be on her enemy's home turf, much less her own home turf either. He knew someone of her kind killed her mother, but she had never told him who or where they were. He felt sorry for her, being forced to leave her home village and to move away to another town secretly, all the while having to lead a group of her kind while she was at it. That must have been seriously hard on her to have to go through that at such a young age. Mitsu tilted his head when she kicked out the fire he had made and put so much time into. He understood though when she explained it though.

"Ya you are right, it was best it be put out anyway. Lets get to bed then." Mitsu extended his hand and grasped hers as he pulled himself up. She had a grip on him as she lead him into the tent. He could feel concern coming from her, like she needed comforting since she talked about her painful past. He walked into the tent with her and noticed the re-arrangement she had made to the tent. "Umm Nasa? What is all this for?" He had a good idea of what she might have been planning. He did notice the difference in temperature when he entered the tent however, and he zipped up the zipper since they would be in for the night, and to keep the heat in as much as possible.

She released his hand the moment they entered the tent and formed the Tora sign. A quick sigh formed from the breath of life quickly harassed a familiar energy within her to start up. It sparked and soon katon chakra surrounded her. She closed her eyes and began to push this chakra out, creating heat to tackle the chilliness from them opening the tent. This may have been the last time she would do this as well considering they would be going to sleep again. Travel, sleep, and fight; all they ever seemed to do on this mission. What else would one expect though?

"I don't make any of it awkward but it's a means of securing heat."

She dropped her hand seals and the look of concentration bled from her face to one that expressed her calmness. She seemed positive of the scenario and crossed to her sleeping bag. Taking a seat on top she then peered up at Mitsu again. His sleeping bag rest beside hers on her right; both in the center of the tent.

"The last thing either of us need is to freeze in this wasteland so I did this. If we stick to the center of the tent then it will take us a bit longer to become cold. I know I ahve a heavy duty bag but wasn't sure about you and either way, body heat can travel between two sources to stay warm. Now that don't expect me to cuddle either," she said with the same even tone. She then raised her eyebrow as a partial smirk crossed her face. This was her sign of challenging him but mostly that she just joking around.

Afterwards though, she continued with what else she had to say.

"I taught myself a jutsu on the way here that allows me to put out katon chakra as heat. I provided us a good degree before we sleep that should hopefully linger a good long time. If I wake up in the middle of the night I will heat it up again and then do so before we leave so we aren't cold going into the cold. But aside from that.." she paused, her hand moving up and tapping his sleeping bag, "we need to get some sleep."

It was a sincere sign of trust when it came to letting anyone sleep that close to her. They were in separate bags so it was nothing of that sort but the closeness still remained. She began to peel back her bag and crawl in, feel its partially cold inners. That was easy to fix though and with a simple use of the jutsu again she was able to heat the bag up a tad. Thing was all this E rank chakra usage over time was making her tired. It wouldn't drain her completely but it was enough to make her sleepy in no time. They needed to be ready for tomorrow too so she would have to cut back on using it. She could suck it up no big deal, only using it so she didn't freeze of course, but tonight it may not be necessary to use again had her idea gone well. She just hoped she didn't wake up all snuggled up next to him like she used to do as a child to her parents. Hey, she got cold, it was how she rolled, but it made her kind of nervous now. Oh how embarrassing that would be to explain.

With her ears open for anything Mitsu had to say and her eyes closed, she felt herself slipping into easement. Soon enough she would be asleep and ready to wake up to a new day. One she hoped would not be their last.

Mitsu knew well about sharing body heat, and he had also hoped that the heat she created would suffice for the both of them. Mitsu's jumpsuit, cloak, AND sleeping bag were greatly insulated for the cold weather. Mitsu smirked at her comment and challenging look. He wasn't the type to try anything anyway. Well, at least not with her and other women that could kick her ass or would be offended by it. Thanks for the heat boost then. You shouldn't have to worry about re-heating the place unless you yourself get cold. My sleeping bag alone is enough to withstand well below freezing weather. And no need to worry, I'm not usually a 'cuddle' type of guy. We can share my cloak as a blanket if you want. I'd rather have the person more prone to getting cold to have it, which could be either on of us. But I rarely get cold, but I'm not pointing any fingers either. You are right, let's get some sleep."

Mitsu laid down in his sleeping bag and wiggled in, getting comfortable. He took the cloak and tossed it over the both of them. Mitsu could slightly feel her body heat radiate outward as he closed his eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep. "Goodnight Nasa..." He feigntly said before drifting off into what would become a deep slumber.

"Goodnight Mitsu..." she whispered, nearly half asleep. Her eyes remained closed as she felt herself drowning into her darkness before soon enough she was out like a light.


To jump start the morning, Nasa's fear came true. Her ears tuned in first as she listened around them for any signs of threat. Seconds ticked by before her sense of feeling then came into picture; causing some upset. Her ears tuned into Mitsu's breathing which seemed very close before her eyes flashed open. She was curled up partially in a ball up against him, her sleeping bag partially dragged towards him while she was nestled under the cloak. The bag was much like a cacoon except open towards Mitsu, thus where she was. Her sense of hearing tuned into him before she slowly peered up. Her eyes were full of shock as she stared before slowly pushing herself away. She could feel the chill in the tent as she crept further, limiting the body heat they shared. She sat up then and listened more now that she was awake. Nothing, just the silent of the night aside from the light wind outside. She huffed, sighting her breath within the tent and shivering. She needed to warm the place up.

Forming the Tora seal she began to concentrate. Her chakra reserve had successfully filled back up over the night and now she was fresh to utilize jutsu yet again. Settling with the E rank, she focused her heated chakra outward and slowly felt the degrees of the tent warm up. It would only take a few minutes before the tent was warmer and more habitable. Now it was nearly time to go. With a soft hand she pressed against Mitsu's shoulder beside her and nudged him. This time she wasn't afraid to wake him up this way, seeing as how there wasn't a divider between them.

"Mitsu.." she whispered lightly, nudging him a bit, "we need to get going soon."

She figured it wouldn't be hard to wake him, had he not been already because of her, an once he had they could pack up and head out. They needed to cross Taki today and get to the border between the Fire Country and Iwa so they could capture their last beast. Once they did this they would travel the rest of the day and night to return home. From what Nasa could remember, this was Day 6, their last day to do anything. They still had day 7, but it was wise to use this time to travel and head home. Nasamea may have been running out of time...

Mitsu was slightly disturbed during the night and he gently opened his eyes. He noticed that Nasa was cuddling against him, obviously moving close in her sleep. No cuddling eh? Mitsu smirked to himself and went back to sleep. Some time towards the nearing dawn, Mitsu felt an increase in temperature, waking him up. He felt Nasa's hand nudging his shoulder and telling him it was time to get moving. They had to go through Taki to the border of Iwa to get the last beast. His eyes flitted open and he stretched with a yawn. "Ah, good morning Nasa. I trust you slept well?" Mitsu stood up and took his cloak and packed up his things into his backpack and removed the map. He opened the map and stared at it, trying to find out where they were. He pointed to a spot on the map, then to another. "So we are here, and we need to go here, right? Then lets get going."

They packed up the tent and started traveling. The trip seemed short, although it took half the day to get through Taki. It was quite cold most of the time, but the temperature increased the further they got. The sun was bright and shining and the sky was clear. It was pleasant and the warmth of the sun kept Mitsu's mind off of the cold surrounding them. He even managed to read most of his book while they traveled, even making a few more observations in his journal about the surrounding areas. Then they arrived to the border and would soon begin their search to the giant mountain lion.