Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Protector	By : djserani Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female Views: 1759 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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Chapter List
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“I wish I knew.” Tenten said. “We stopped midday for a brief lunch before moving on. We hadn’t been moving too swiftly, because the message had said that the village was late on a trade, but no other information was given. We were chosen because of the location of the village – so close to the Valley. If there was anything amiss, they wanted a group good at fighting. “
“After we stopped for lunch, we were moving through the trees as usually when I was knocked to the ground. When I came to, Lee was standing over me with Neji behind him. Someone had tried to take us out, but Neji got them first. He injured one and they took off. At least, that’s what they told me.” She took a breath before continuing.
“About ten miles further, we were attacked again. This time, I was able to see them. One – a woman with no hitate-ate – in fact nothing to identify her at all. She was a weapons specialist like me, though. We threw knives and shuriken back and forth for what seemed like forever. Then, out of the blue, she just…” Tenten snapped her fingers, “poofed. Disappeared. It was odd. I caught up to Lee and Neji who had both run up against similar opponents – also oddly matched in abilities, like whoever sent them knew who they’d be fighting and what we were good at.”
“We met up with them again, twice more before making it to the village. Both fights lasted almost forever. That’s what’s taken us so long. After the second fight, we were so exhausted that we ended up having to rest. We only got close to the gate this morning. That was when they picked the fight with us the third time. It was like they were trying to keep us from getting to the village. This last time is when Neji got into the fight with the bird.” She looked down at Neji at this.
“Wait…bird?” Hinata cast her a puzzled look. “I saw some chakra from something not human – do you mean it was an actual bird? Just a bird?”
“Well, no. It wasn’t ‘just’ a bird. There were some definite human characteristic to it. It talked, though it didn’t say much. Basic ridiculous things like, ‘die, human’ and the like.” She rolled her eyes. “But it was mostly avian in appearance. If what you saw is the same creature, that explains its behavior. It obviously wasn’t really human. Anyway, the last fight, the bird…thing…got a couple of good hits on Neji because he was busy helping Lee with his fight. Apparently, he wasn’t as readily able to sense the bird-thing’s chakra and it took him by surprise.”
Hinata looked down at Neji and realized she’d started to breathe more normally. He would be fine. She turned her attention back to Tenten. “So, why haven’t you sent word? “
“We just now were able to settle down. Lee was about to go out and call one of the messengers when you guys opened the door.” She trailed off as Lee, Genma and Sai came into the building.
“No one is on the other side of the village, either. It’s as if everyone vanished. Lee said they had checked some of it out, and found the same in the rest of the homes.” Genma stopped when he noticed the odd looks on our faces. We’ll have to figure this out, but first I need to send word to Tsunade before she sends more people after us. “ He headed outside quickly.
“Did you see the flying thing?” Sai asked quietly. Hinata and Tenten took turns filling them in. “Hm,” was all Sai said. He sat down and began rummaging through his pack.
“He’s going to be fine now, Hinata. He just needs rest.” Ino said, and Hinata jumped. She’d almost forgotten the medical nin.
“Thank you, Ino.” Hinata looked back down at her cousin. She still wasn’t ready to let go of his hand.
“Tenten, Lee, “ Sai called softly from the other side of the room, drawing pad and pencil in hand. “Tell me what you saw, give me every detail you can.” The moved over next to him and began talking.
Neji started coughing a bit and opened his eyes. Hinata moved to pull her hand out of his, but he wouldn’t let go. “Did you come to protect me?” He whispered and chuckled, causing him to cough.
“Obviously, you couldn’t protect yourself.” She said and made a face at him, trying again to pull her hand out of his. She was, once again, unsuccessful.
“I’m not going to bite it…unless you want me to.” This time he started coughing a bit more.
Hinata hid her surprise in scolding him, “quiet, Neji. Ino says you need rest.”
“I suppose I do. “ He sighed, grasped her hand a bit tighter and closed his eyes.
She leaned over, “Let go. I can put my vest under your head to help you be a bit more comfortable.”
“I’d rather have your hand,” he coughed, but let it go. She shrugged out of her padded vest and folded it up to put it under Neji’s head. After he was settled again, he grabbed her hand once more.
“Ino, are you sure he’ll be okay.” She whispered, “he’s acting strange.”
Ino gave her a knowing smirk and said, “he’s fine. “ Hinata didn’t know what to make of it, but with no more information, she settled back against the wall, holding Neji’s hand and brushed his hair out of his face with the other.
Genma strolled in a moment or two later. “Okay, Tsunade has been informed. Now, where the heck is everyone?”
Hinata was lost in thought. Something wasn’t right about this. “The oddest part here isn’t so much the empty village. I mean, yes, that’s strange, but the fact that there are meals left half-eaten… I don’t know. “
“I agree. Okay, I think we should head split up. Sai, do you have anything yet on the other…thing?”
Sai held up a drawing. It definitely looked bird-like. But instead of feathers, it was more like skin. It looked like an odd cross between an eagle with skin and a dove. It made Hinata shiver.
“Okay, that’s what we’re looking for, along with any other evidence. Now that we’re sure no one is here, we need to investigate each of the houses in more detail. There has to be some clue as to where everyone has gone. Hinata, we’re going to need you.” Genma scratched his head and looked uncomfortable.
Neji must have been listening because he gave her hand a slight squeeze and let go. Hinata cast another puzzled glance down at Neji before getting to her feet. “Hai. Lee, Tenten, Sai, let’s go.”
They all moved out into the bright light of the the mid-afternoon. “We don’t have a lot of time before nightfall. Ino?” She called back into the house.
“Yes?” Ino came to the door.
“We’re going to need to camp here, I think.” Ino nodded and went back inside. “Let’s split up. Though I’m fairly sure no one is here, we don’t need to take undue chances. I don’t need to tell you that.”
Each of them went a different direction, but it wasn’t until Tenten stumbled across another house with the door left open, near the western-most end of the village that anything started to make sense. Noting the location, she went in search of Hinata.
“You need to see this. Something isn’t right, but I’m no tracker.” Hinata nodded and followed her to the house.
“Did you go in?” She asked, glancing sideways at Tenten.
“Hell no. I’m not that crazy. I don’t want that Hyuuga stare of yours on me. “ She giggled.
Hinata laughed before getting down to business. She examined the area in front of the door. She was able to sort Tenten’s foot prints out from the rest. Carefully, she counted six sets most recently. Six. That doesn’t tell me much until I know how many lived here. She examined the door, doorframe and handle and then headed into the house.
The family had been eating, like most of the other households. There was a pot on the stove, now gone cold. The table was set…five plates. One chair was knocked over. “Byakugan” she whispered, activating her bloodline trait once again. A few more details came into focus. Shoes in one corner, so they hadn’t walked out. Wait, there… Hinata walked over to the corner of the table closes to the door. Letting go of her byakugan, she examined a tiny piece of paper. After confirming it wasn’t a paper bomb, she picked it up.
“A seal…” she said to herself.
“What?” Tenten said from the doorway.
“A seal of some sort, though I’ve never seen this one before. Genma is the seal expert. We’ll need to get back.” She glanced out the window, realizing the shadows had been gathering during her investigation.

“I’ve never seen this exact seal before, either.” Genma examined it closer, under the light of a lantern they found. “This symbol is for holding something, but…what?” He continued in a quiet mutter to himself.
Hinata was sitting next to Neji again. He’d grabbed her hand as soon as she’d knelt next to him to check on him and he hadn’t let go yet. Ino had found a mat in one bedroom and brought it out and with the help of Lee, managed to get Neji onto it.
“This looks very close to the seals we use to hold our dead until we can get them back to the village, but it’s different.” He rubbed his eyes. “I’ve never seen it before. It’s almost like it was meant to hold the living, but that makes no sense.”
“Doesn’t it?” Neji’s voice was rusty from coughing and disuse. Hinata looked down at him in surprise. She tried to pull her hand away again, but Neji just continued to hold firmly. “The village is empty. Everyone seemingly vanished in the middle of everything. Perhaps that’s exactly what it is. Perhaps someone kidnapped the entire village, using those seals.”
“Definitely possible, though where the heck would they take an entire village?” Genma continued to study the seal for a moment longer before carefully wrapping it in paper from Sai and putting it into his pack.
“I don’t know about that. But I’m fairly certain that’s what happened.” Neji closed his eyes again as if the conversation had taken it’s toll.
“Ino,” Hinata whispered. She tugged once more on her hand, then leaned over and said quietly, “I’ll be right back, Neji, for goodness sake!”
Ino and Hinata moved to the other side of the room. “Are you sure he’ll be okay? He’s never acted like this before.”
Ino nodded confidently. “Hinata, he’ll be fine to travel in the morning. I’ve healed the majority of his injuries, but even the Great Hyuuga Neji needs to rest to let his body do the rest of the work.”
“No, I know that. He just seems….I don’t know. I can’t put my finger on it.” Her voice trailed off.
“I could, but I don’t think it’s my place to be the one to tell you. Trust me when I say that you’ll know soon.” She gave her a knowing smile and went over to sit down.
“We’ll rest here tonight and decide what to do in the morning. With no more information than this, there’s not much we can do except notify the Hokage. Get some rest, everyone.” There was some chaos as everyone found space to lay down. Hinata noticed that Lee and Tenten laid down very close together. Genma sat up next to the door and Ino and Sai took up the other floor space. The only spot left for her to lie was next to Neji. She wondered briefly if that was an accident. Somehow, she thought not.
Stretching out, hand still clasped with Neji, she lay on her side facing him and tried to get some sleep.
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