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From the minute she stepped into the forest Nayami could tell something was up, the woodland didn’t feel as dangerous as before, it seemed to take on a calmer effect than anything to her.

“I know, you don’t think I realized that before hand?” She stated a bit hotly as she turned slightly on her heel to face Hageshii. The moment the trap didn’t go off she knew someone had deactivated them knowing her father wouldn’t just randomly remove his traps for no reason. “The point was not to get everyone in a fuss over it…” She sighed lightly as she reached down for her katana.

“Alright, it seems my father has caught wind of my visit, which…completely ******** over my plans…” Sliding the blade through the bark she carved a rather large X into the truck of the tree. She had been leaving small signs in case her fifth shinobi did ever take the time to show up.

“Either way there is going to be a trap, and being tedious is a complete waste of time since the traps along the right route have been disarmed….” The Arashikage cupped her forehead lightly as her fingers draped over the front of her head. “He wants us to get there faster for a reason, and I believe that reason may be is that he’s looking to try and separate us.”

Nayami clawed her face lightly as she dragged her fingers down the length of her visage. She was a bit frustrated wondering how in the hell her father found out about her plans and had already prepared for her visit.

“So you know what, let’s go right into his trap, lets see what he has to offer.”

Dropping her arm down slowly she slide her shadow stained blade back into its wooden sheath. “We all knew we’d get separated sooner or later, so…if we have to battle one on one battles, then be it. I believe all of you are strong enough to withstand anything my father has to throw at you and if you’re not, then you have no place within the Storm village.”

Her order seemed like more than a threat then anything, her brisk words traveling quickly on hot breath as she fully made up her mind.

“This mission is to kill my father, and there’s no point in trying to take a different route because some of the traps off the path may still be in effect. If you wish to venture away from me then be it, may the countless traps still hidden within the forest take you down swiftly.”

As that last sentence freed itself from her parted lips she once again took off into the forest, the bottom of her feet drumming along the branches as she leapt from limb to limb.

He didn't exist, it was one of the skills he'd mastered. He didn't move, he wasn't there, he might as well have been a rock. Despite being cocky, there was a certain amount of skill he had to possess inorder to back it up. After all, he wasn't among the best because he knew how to blow balloon animals.

...

Well, his balloon animals were awesome, but that wasn't why he was among the best ninja. It was his dedication to perfection, to impressing and obtaining Nayami. She had already impressed him and run off to be Kage with his heart. It was his turn to do what he could for her...and at the same time, the collar he wore couldn't have felt heavier.

Saikin was...in charge of him. He had no choice but to listen to him. Why... forcing the thoughts from his mind, he knew what he had to do. First and foremost, he had to handle them each in turn... and then... hopefully... he could do...something for Nayami.

The natural darkness of the forest suddenly went to pitch black. Bats proceeded to fly around, most of them part of the Genjutsu being employed while a few made quick passes to cling to, scratch and fly away from Nayami, Rei, Hageshii and Leina. Until the technique was dispelled, no one would be able to rightly tell the difference between the false and real bats until they were attacked. In the process, Kato moved quickly, using his tantou to leave a small cut the same size as the average scratches from the bats. He licked his blade off as the real bats left, hoping all of them escaped with their lives. He waited to let one of them dispel his current Genjutsu. Besides, making them worry about being attacked by a "vampire" would distract them from Temaki's other illusory traps to separate the group.

The vampiric shinobi's orders were simple, if there weren't enough for each of them to fight somebody for whatever reason, lure Nayami to Saikin. They were short one, so he was going to do exactly that. He transformed into Saikin and took some kunai from a pouch that he'd kept from disarming some of the traps. They flew quickly from his hand as he stood and leapt off. He flashed a smirk at Nayami and winked at her, bounding toward the village where his master waited. Where he would wait to see what his own fate was. If my master dies...my life is in her hands. Hopefully, she won't believe suicide would be an order I'd follow. He though, glancing back to make sure Nayami had seen and pursued him.

He hadn't expected any of them to catch up with him that quickly. Still, he couldn't just ignore it, plans changed and his duties were first. As his emotions flared and urged him to take off after her...to warn her that it wasn't Saikin she was chasing...still, he had his duties first. He had to keep reminding himself that. Instead, he warped the genjutsu quickly and skillfully.

Instead of pursueing the disguiesed Kato, she had stopped a few trees away. She then returned, "Probably just trickery..." she said at his will, hesitating, "The village is this way." she said before continuing on, obviously trying to ignore the wounded man he had created not too far from them. If he was going to take them out, he'd have to work from the back of the group forward.

Finding no more reason for the wounded man he had created, he was soon dead. Leaking a crimson river of guts unto the ground surrounded by a moat of blood. For one of the remaining three, the world would take on a different shape and effect.

As she took her next step, she was gripped around her ankle and promptly around her mouth. Next were her hands and her other ankle. Yet, before Leina's eyes, she saw her back. Walking and keeping pace with the others as if nothing had happened. He sat and waited, biding his time with her bound in his jutsu.

Once the others were far enough away, she was cut down. A familiar voice echoing in her ears. "Leina, are you alright?" The voice of the man she had lost so long ago. The love she had been denied, "Leina, what are you doing in a place like this?" he questioned with sincere concern turning her about softly.

Rei stopped, absently letting Hageshii, Leina and Nayami move on by himelf as he turned to chase the mass of white. That sure as hell wasn't something to be left alone. He glanced at the Genjutsu Leina once, flicking his eyes in the direction of Zellix's bear so that the medic knew where he was going. He immediately left the path Nayami was creating and followed the large, white animal exactly where it wanted him to go.

Rei glanced at his surroundings when the animal seemed to disappear. "Damnit...Well, are you going to come out or are you so weak it was your distraction's job to get rid of me too?" He remarked, mumbling the "damnit" when he realized it had been a trap then carrying on as if he'd known exactly what the bear's master had been planning. If he could at least make Zellix think he'd caught her, maybe it would help him get an advantage in this battle.

I hope he's proud...otherwise he probably knows I'm bullshitting him... The boy thought, still looking around for the other person and wishing he knew where he was.

Rei spun around immediately, three senbon flying at Zellix. He leapt back and perched on a branch since he figured that's what she had been doing in the first place. Yeah, he was definitely screwed, or else he would have had a much more vicious attack to defend against. He blinked suddenly, surprised to see who Zellix was.

"A kunoichi...? I hadn't thought of that...damnit." He grumbled. While morals against hitting girls wasn't an issue, he just never did get used to fighting a woman. It was the problems that came of how he treated fighting a woman no different than fighting a man, including something like pinning her down by the chest which normally got him slapped by a sparring partner after they finished. That, and he was just too "innocent" on the subject of women, so he began to pray to Ametsuchi that he wouldn't make any attacks that would tear her clothes.

"So, you must be where that bear came from...then that means your mission is the same as mine. I hope you'll be as powerful as Nayami-sama said his 'pets' would be." He remarked, still at his perch and waiting for Zellix to make a move.

Rei leapt off the branch, smirking to himself as he landed on the ground behind Zellix and drew his kunai. Perfect, he'd struck a nerve. He hadn't been successful about getting her with believing he knew what she was trying to do, but apparently she didn't like the idea of being underneath somebody.

He turned to face and jump away from her summoning, holding his kunai out defensively. "You should think about getting less conspicuous 'friends' This isn't very useful in the middle of a forest except to make a big, noisy scene." He remarked, watching the bear carefully, glancing at Zellix more often than focusing on it. It was big and powerful, but not all that fast as far as he could tell, so he really just needed to focus on Zellix. If she relied on this sort of animal as an ally, she had to be either very good herself or Saikin wasn't nearly as good with his choices of "powerful shinobi" as the stories were.

He dashed to one side, jumping up and kicking off of a tree to flip over the bear's head and land in front of its master, slashing at her quickly to at least land another blow rather than make sure it was deep. He was trying his best to ignore the sudden heating up he felt. It was getting harder to focus and he was already sweating. This had to be a jutsu, there was no other way he'd get this hot this fast.

((>.< I just realized I hadn't even addressed that so...yeah, I fixed the post >.> xd I made the thread for us Night, I'm gonna paste this post in it.))

Stepping out of the shrubs quietly, he raised his head after sniffing the air, staring directly at Hageshii. Snarling, showing his teeth, he takes back off into the woods, running toward the village at a speed only coyotes can learn...

Racing and jumping over plants, a huge grin plasters my face as I follow the youngest one family, we follow the trail of Temaki gleefully. My silver hair, whipping about me, I barely stop in time as one of the others of my pack skids to a stop near me. Looking into its eyes, I know why it ran and start taking off in that direction, the two coyotes close to my heels even as I howl to tell the rest the direction needed. Gripping my Nodachi tighter, I race back on the trail the terrfied coyote took, easily spotting the red hair of a man through the wildlife around me.

"Were you waiting for me?" Stepping out quickly, I cross my arms defiantly even as I sense my two companions coming up beside me. Smirking, I stare into the jade eyes behind the black mask, showing no fear what so ever.

"You're in luck. Let's play...."

((Make a board, Zatoiche. You get first move))