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Reading Totems	By : GrizzlyTeddyBear Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female Views: 1242 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 27
- 28
- 29
Author�s pre-ramble:�
Alrighty then!� Here we go!� The reveal of the bad guys!� Dun dun dun�

Thank you to my reviewers:�
HumanInfiltrator, OX King, Lady Slave, kodama, MsMina, eva24,
Alaskantiger, Darksteel1992, Pan12398, wildkit, Navygirl19999, Paintedbutterfly,
Valla, Jess, Kilrath Sluzath, jewel, kimahrigirl, Incarnadyne Tears, CasaHouse,
Onitsu Blackfeather, alexa ebonscathe, jadedkatrina, Ian Sarver, BishiHunter123,
wastelandsofthemind, Maddogg, ObsidianLace, Vivichan

Yeah�you know it�s coming�go read CasaHouse�s The Code!

Title:� Reading
Totems
By:�
GrizzlyTeddyBear
Disclaimer:� I
don�t own Naruto, and this makes me sad.�
I do own Paige Stone, my OC!� All
information regarding animal totems was taken from the books Dancing The Wheel by Sun Bear and Animal Speak by Ted Andrews.
Main Pairings:�
ShinoxOC, NaruxHina, SasuxSaku
Rating:� M for
mentioned adult themes
Warning:� AU,
Post-series start time.� Rookie 9 is
23-24 years old.� Fic mentions pagan
religions, if you can�t handle it, don�t read! Also is OC-centric.� Hold your pants, all will be revealed as the
story progresses.� I like to take my
time.

Chapter Summary:� Somehow,
days always manage to go from bad to worse.

***Chapter 28***

Just walking up to the arena in which the last stage of the
Chunin Exams was being held made her crane her neck backwards.� Paige was struck with an image of the Roman
Coliseum�despite the Suna construction favoring a dome shape.� Reaching their seats on the inside reinforced
the coliseum image.� A dirt floor was
surrounded by a 10 meter wall, above were row upon row of stadium style
seats.� It was clear one section was
reserved for the Kage and other visiting politicians even if she hadn�t
recognized Tsunade and Gaara in their formal wardrobe�the seats were larger,
there were bodyguards, and their canopy gave just a bit more shade then what
was over the rest of the audience.� A
voice drew her attention from her surroundings.

�Shino!� Paige!�
yelled Hinata with a wave.

She returned the wave with a smile as she watched the Hyuga
woman make her way to the seat next to her not occupied by Shino.� �I haven�t seen you and Kiba since we�ve left
Konoha.�

�Kiba�s been on duty keeping watch over Tsunade-sama.� And I�ve been busy along with Sakura making
sure there are as few lives lost as possible this exam.�

Paige looked between the two Konoha shinobi seated next to
her.� �I didn�t realize it was that
ruthless of a competition.� Isn�t it held
to improve relations between villages?�

Shino broke his silence.�
�Old animosities sometimes die hard.�

�But it does improve relations.�� Hinata pointed out.� �This is Hoshigakure�s second Chunin Exams
since being recognized as having a Kage by the other villages.� This exam they have someone that�s made it to
the third stage.� It�s something they
have been working towards for years.�

Something about what Shino and Hinata said struck Paige.� She felt her totems stir.� Something important was hidden within all of
those words, but she wasn�t getting a clear answer from her gifts.� �It also gives them something to prove,� she
whispered to herself.�

However it had caught the attention of Shino who turned
towards her with a questioning look.

�I think it was right for me to come here today,� she
offered in explanation as she threaded her fingers with his.� Paige turned her attention back to Hinata,
�Can you point out the students and their sensei for me?��

�Sure.�

She paid attention to each shinobi pointed out to her with her
gifts�attempting to sense any totems or emotions which would give her some clue
of who the enemy of Konoha was.� A sensei
named Hoshiro, the Hoshikage, had an extremely strong association with ravens.� The similarity between their totems struck
Paige, but the differences between them were greater.� Hoshiro was filled with a seething
anger.� It was not a hot boiling rage,
like Danzo, but rather a more dangerous anger that was cold and calculating.� She turned her attention to his student,
Masa, who was a careful study of emotionless-cold with an even stronger
association with ravens than Hoshiro. �The
two shinobi made her skin crawl, and she worked hard to suppress a shudder when
she thought Hoshiro briefly made eye contact with her.�

Her attention then was drawn to another Hoshi shinobi, one
of the Hoshikage�s bodyguards.� He felt
of grizzly bears, conflict and shame.� It
was a curious mix since the position of bodyguard required loyalty.� Paige debated on telling about her
discoveries, but decided against it.�
She�d tell Shino later tonight.�

The matches of the Chunin Exam�s third round were
ruthless.� Paige was strangely fascinated
with how the young genin could be so deadly and graceful at the same time.� Literally on the edge of her seat, she
watched as the young shinobi, some no older than 12, attacked, parried, and
retreated in not-so-mock combat.� Wincing
in sympathy pain when blows were landed, biting nails when they circled each
other to assess strengths and weaknesses of the opponent, it was spellbinding.� Paige also noticed Hoshiro seemed to be
enjoying each of the matches�and maybe even enjoying the more brutal ones a
little more?� Anxiety was slowly building
in her with each completed match.� Something
was just wrong about him and Masa.

Masa had yet to fight in the third stage.� She was certain he was the type of shinobi
that was beyond ruthless.� Sure he looked
a little older than some of the other genin at the exams, but to have so many
ravens following him around, he had to have killed many�from a young age.� Paige fought another shutter when Masa�s name
was called almost at the same moment she reached the conclusion Masa was not
about to start showing mercy just for the sake of inter-village relations.� �This is going to be bad,� she stated to no
one in particular.

�Paige?�� Concern
almost radiated from Shino.� It looked
like he had been picking up on her tension, despite her attempts to hide it.

�Masa doesn�t know how to hold back�he�s almost completely
emotionless.� He�s someone I could have
lived a happy life not knowing that people like him actually existed in the
world.�� Paige inched a little closer to
Shino, but spoke to Hinata.� �You�re
going to be needed down there.� You
should get Sakura too�as many medics as you can.�� She watched Masa�s opponent walk slowly
towards him in the area.� �That Kusa
shinobi is going to need a lot of medical attention.�� She didn�t have the heart to tell the Hyuga
that he might need a funeral planner as well�he was marked by one of Masa�s
ravens already.

�I�ll go now.�� Hinata
gave the couple a curt nod and was gone in a small swirl of leaves.

Arms came around Paige.�
�We don�t have to stay.�

She gave a loud sigh.�
�I think I need to see this.�
Tsunade said death was a part of life in a shinobi village.� I need to learn how to deal with people like
Masa eventually.�

�I�m hear to deal with people like him, so you don�t have
to,� stated Shino matter-of-factly.

�A compromise then�you help me deal with people like him?� she
ventured.� The arms around her tightened
momentarily.

�Acceptable.�

Paige�s grip on Shino did not loosen after the match with
Masa began.� It tightened, and she often
found herself hiding her face from some of the more brutal moves.�

He was toying with the Kusa ninja�rushing in to inflict
damage that would cause bleeding and then dodging any counterattacks.� There must have been a hundred wounds that
were bleeding, but none were threatening enough to stop the match�� And then the mortal wound was inflicted.� kunai in hand, Masa flickered momentarily.� If Paige had blinked she would have missed
it.� What drew her attention next was the
Kusa shinobi staggering to the side�.the kunai that had been in Masa�s hand was
now neatly sticking out from under his chin.�
Strange gurgling sounds accompanied the blood coming from his mouth and
the wound.� The length of the kunai�the
depth of the wound�his soft pallet was most likely punctured, leading the brain
to be pierced.� Masa calmly walked from
the arena as medics rushed in�as if he did this sort of thing daily.

�I think I need the restroom.� I�m going to be sick.�� Paige�s statement was muffled from her
attempt to burrow into Shino and not watch the Kusa ninja die.� There was no need for an answering statement.� She just felt herself being gently pulled
upright and led out of the stadium part of the arena.� Looking up when she wasn�t being guided
anymore, Paige saw the universal sign for a women�s public restroom.� A hand appeared in front of her.

�I�ll hold your medicine wheel bag.�

She gave a half-smile while handing it over to Shino.� �Thanks.��
The harsh lighting of bathrooms greeted her inside the restroom.� Catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror,
Paige winced.� �You look a little green
around the gills, if I do say so, my dear,� she stated to herself.� Turning on the cold water, she splashed some
on her face and then used a paper towel to dry off.� The cold helped with the nausea, but she
still felt rather shook up.� Paige had
never actually seen anyone killed in
front of her before.� Sure there was
Tami-chan, but this was different�colder�darker.�

The feeling of unease intensified when the knowledge of
totems waiting outside the bathroom for Paige suddenly pushed at her gifts.

Beetle.� Protection.� Shino was ready to protect her from danger.

She was struck with a dilemma.� Does she go outside?� Does she stay inside?� Bathrooms were not known as good strategic
positions.� As silently as possible, she
made her way to the door and placed her ear against it, hoping to hear
something.�

Silence.� Nothing.

Neither shinobi was making a noise, but they were
broadcasting loudly in other ways.� Paige
felt Shino�s protectiveness and readiness for battle.� Ravens were on the other side of the door as
well�Masa.� Exiting the bathroom through
conventional methods had officially been ruled out.� Shish kabob Paige was not on the menu.� Spotting the window at the end of the
opposing rows of toilet stalls and sinks, another exit strategy became a
possibility.� A quick assessment of
supplies was made:� Shino�s jacket and
two weapons pouches with kunai, shuriken, and wire.� Now all Paige needed was an army knife and
she could MacGyver herself out of a bathroom via the window.

Hurriedly, she made a few quick preparations.� Paige knew her time was now.� A short piece of wire was cut, one end tied
to her piece of amber in its pouch, the other to a kunai�the contraption went
back in a weapons pouch for now.� Taking
off Shino�s forever borrowed jacket, wire was looped through the arms and torso
of the piece of clothing before she put it back on.� Paige was hoping the jacket would rip instead
of her flesh for the stunt she was about to pull.� The other end of the wire was tied to the
pipes of the sink closest to the window.�
Walking back to the window to open it, Paige took the kunai with the
piece of amber in her hand and a deep breath before calling loudly, �Aburame
Shino!�

The door opened swiftly in response.

The reaction time confirmed Paige�s suspicions.� Aiming for the wall next to the door, she
threw the kunai with her bundle.� �Keep
that for me.� I need to go,� she yelled
as she made her running start.� Closing
her eyes, she did the absolute dumbest thing in her life�jumped out of a ten
meter high window.� �Brothers protect
me.�

Wind in her face.

A feeling of weightlessness.

Warm protective fur.

The sound of many wings fluttering

Paige�s eye snapped open at the last sensation.� �Thank you brothers.�� Next she felt her feet sliding down the
convex curved outer walls of the arena.�
Sitting back on her heals, Paige braced for impact.

The wires stopped her descent first in a jerk that almost
knocked the wind out of her.� Shino�s
jacket let out a loud ripping noise, and Paige winced.� Looking down she guessed she had about 2 more
meters to hit the ground.� Wriggling out
of the now ripped jacket, she dangled for a moment�and then dropped to the
ground, executing a tumble that was more practical than graceful to reduce the
shock to her joints.� When her feet hit a
solid surface once more, she began to run like her life depended on it.

Because it did.

She headed for the most crowded section of Suna�the
Bazaar.� However, as the Bazaar finally
came into view, Paige realized her mistake.�
On the day of the third round of the Chunin Exams, the Bazaar was
closed.� There were no crowds to lose
herself in, only rows of empty and shuttered stalls.� She couldn�t afford to slow down, and so
Paige picked a row to go down at random, hoping to find inspiration for her
next move.� What she did find, was the
Hoshikage�s body guard who had the totem of grizzly bears.�

Conflict.� Resignation.�

Paige skidded to a halt and calmly drew two kunai.� �You don�t want to do this,� she attempted to
reason.� She was surprised her hands and
voice were both steady.

Resignation.� �You will come with me,� was the Hoshi
shinobi�s reply.�

�Didn�t your mother ever teach you to be polite when asking
a lady for a favor?� she retorted.

Anger.� �Come.�
With.� Me.� Now.�

It looked like she had hit a nerve in speaking about his
mother.� A dark chuckle from behind her
caused her to shift her stance to take in the new arrival.�

�You do not have a say in the matter.� You come with us, or he dies.�� It was Masa�holding Shino who looked more
than a little worse for wear.�

�Sh-Shino?�� Her voice
cracked.� They knew how to get to
her�hurting Shino.

Shino gave her a signal to leave.

Paige chewed on her lower lip.� Should she leave?� Abandon Shino?� Was she able to take on these two shinobi and
escape?� Was this her moment of serving
Konoha?� Needing direction, she sent up a
quick prayer for guidance.

Comfort Safety and
a pull towards the Hoshikage�s bodyguard were her answer.

Sighing, and giving Shino a look which pleaded him to
understand her actions, she held one of the kunai to her own throat and locked
gazes with Masa.� �Leave him, and I will
come with you.� Hurt him more, and I end
all of this now with no one getting what they want.�

Giving a mirthless smile, Masa let Shino crumple to the ground
and began to advance on her.

Struggling with her own fear, she had forgotten about the
other Hoshi shinobi.� The next thing
Paige knew, she had been relieved of both kunai and her weapons pouches.� Turning in surprise, she caught the sight of
a hand coming down hard.� A hand�with a
kikaichu hitching a ride.� And
then�blackness�

***

Paige awoke to the strange sensation of being slung over
someone�s shoulder for carrying.� From
her position she could see her surroundings retreat at an alarming rate.� No ninja should be able to move this
fast!� Not even Shibi running full out
taking her back to the carnage of her old apartment building had run this
fast�� Paige began to wonder about Hoshi
shinobi and pray that her time with them would be short.� A small part of her mind digested the detail
of the sun getting ready to set.

�You�re awake finally,� was Masa�s greeting.

Turning her head, she realized with some relief that she was
not being carried by Masa.� He was the
one to be feared between the two.� �Yes,
I am,� she answered.�

�You are not struggling,� the Hoshikage�s bodyguard
commented.

�It seems smarter to take a �wait and see� approach for
now,� Paige answered the unspoken question of why she was not trying to escape.

�Masa, we should set up camp for the night.� She does not have the training we do,� stated
Paige�s ride.

�Fine,� was the grunted reply.� �There are caves ahead.�

In the silence that followed, she attempted to recognize any
of her surroundings, but was unable to do so.�
She was not in Suna anymore.�
There was no sight of the desert and the temperature was decidedly
cooler.� Paige was not in Fire Country
either, no signs of the large forests it was known for.� She was silently cursing herself for not
telling Shino of her findings regarding the Hoshikage and his shinobi.� He would have no way of knowing where she was
being taken.

After a few moments, the strange group slowed down and
eventually stopped at a large cave.� The
Hoshikage�s bodyguard unceremoniously dropped Paige on the ground inside and
then dropped something in her lap.� A
ration bar.� �Thank you,� she said in a
reflexive response to being given something.

Masa gave another chuckle that made Paige shiver at the
coldness of its sound, �It�s not a favor.�

�We were told not to harm you unless it is deemed
necessary,� explained the bodyguard

�I wanted you to fight back more,� stated Masa.

Paige struggled to swallow the ration bar through the lump
that suddenly formed in her throat at that statement.� She was beginning to wish she had Shino with
her.� He said he would help her deal with
people like Masa, and he wasn�t here to help her now.� Struggling against the tears threatening to
begin, Paige felt a slight tickling sensation on her side.� Curiosity winning out for the moment, she turned
slightly away from the two Hoshi shinobi.

Lifting her shirt, she spotted something that caused her
tears to finally break through.� It was
Scarab.�

Realizing she had been spotted, the small kikaichu stopped
her tickling.�

Paige kept silent, but hoped the small insect knew the
relief she brought with her.� Scarab was
the kikaichu on the shinobi�s hand that she had spotted before being knocked
unconscious.� There was a chance Shino
would be able to track her down.� The
chance, no matter how small, let Paige decide that no matter what happened to
her, she would be able to survive, and return to her new home. ��

While Paige watched in fascination, Scarab proceeded to go
back to what she was doing.� Scarab
calmly, and without inflicting any pain or bleeding, burrowed herself into and
beneath Paige�s skin, safe from prying eyes and fingers.

It was almost ridiculous that an insect could bring so much
comfort, but Paige�s relief was so great that she had a piece of Shino with
her, a piece that could help him track her, and a piece intelligent enough to
know how to hide, that she felt her eyes grow heavy with emotional exhaustion.� Curling up on her side on the cold floor of
the cave, Paige felt her totems stir slightly, and then fell into a dreamless
sleep.

***

She was roughly awakened then next morning by someone
shaking her.

�We�re going.�

Paige nodded at the Hoshikage�s bodyguard and obediently got
up.� For this portion of the journey, she
was allowed to travel on his back while they ran towards their
destination.� The sheer speed with which
they traveled still amazed and frightened Paige.� If she was found, would Konoha shinobi be a
match for Hoshi shinobi?� What training
methods were they using to gain such speed and strength?� She couldn�t help the shudder at the other
question that followed.� What training
methods created someone like Masa, a cold, almost emotionless soldier?� And were there more like him somewhere?

It was when the scenery began to pass at a slower pace, one
that didn�t strain her eyes if she tried to follow it, she asked the question
which had been running through her mind.�
�Where are you taking me?�

�Don�t answer,� stated Masa.

�She�ll learn soon enough, anyway.� I see no harm in telling her what she will
find out in a few minutes,� challenged the bodyguard.

Paige watched the interplay between the two shinobi.� They acted more like adversaries than allies.

The bodyguard then turned his head slightly to address Paige
as they once again slowed their pace.�
Letting her down, he spoke, �You are to be taken before Hoshiro,
Hoshikage and leader of Hoshigakure, in Bear Country.�

She couldn�t help the sharp intake of breath at the
information.� Bear Country?� Paige felt her grizzly bear totem stir and
wrap her in a feeling of warmth and safety.�
It had the immediate effect of making her calmer, able to think more
clearly.� �This is not an official
meeting.� Otherwise the Hoshikage would
have gone about meeting me in a more�diplomatic fashion,� she accused the
two.� She was following Masa along a
winding path in the forest they had been traveling through while the bodyguard
brought up the rear.

No one answered to her accusation.

They traveled the path for several more minutes before
coming to a small building built into the side of a hill.� Masa held the door open for her.

Paige stood in front of the open door.� �After you, I insist.�

�You don�t trust me.��
Masa phrased it as a comment, not a question.

�No,� she answered anyway.

He gave another mirthless smile before entering ahead of
her.� �Danzo said you were intelligent.�

Danzo.� The connection
had been sitting in front of her all of this time.� Danzo had been feeding information to the
Hoshikage.� Taking a calming breath,
Paige entered the room where the Hoshikage sat, in a plain chair, waiting for
her.�

Hoshiro motioned to the chair across from him.� �Shall we begin?� he asked.

Paige steeled herself to face him and sat down in the
offered chair.

***

Author�s post-ramble:�
So�everything clear as mud now?�
Everyone fess up, who saw the Hoshi shinobi as the bad guys��cause I
wanna know if I surprised you!

On a more personal note:�
the posting of chapter 29 may be delayed.� It is completely written, but I like to keep
a buffer of pre-written chapters so that I have time to self-edit up to my
usual standards that you�ve all come to know and love.� The reason for this?� I was in a car accident last Friday, my car
was totaled, and I�m in the process of buying a new one.� So yeah.�
I haven�t had much time to spend on chapter 30 and thusly, must slow
down the posting of 29 until I�ve got more work done on 30.� Don�t hurt me!
- 27
- 28
- 29
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