Moon Eyes

Chapter Warnings: Creepiness and strong language, along with a side order of typoes and/or misspellings. (I think)
Author Notes: ALRIGHT! The next chapter is out whoo hoo!!! I really like this chapter I just do. And yes I am aware that I skipped some people's point of views... I did it on purpose. I figure it would be super boring to have it in a person point of view every chapter, so I'm gona break up every so often. So don't worry everyone will eventually get their turn. ^^ People's outfits are changing in this story, or well some of them are.
Special Chapter Dedication: This chapter goes out to DaBerrila for getting her guess pretty damn close. Thanks for replying!

READ AND ENJOY FOLKS!!!

Chapter: Strategizing

They all sat around huddled in a tight circle inside the tent around a large map depicting all the nations, all except the villagers who were set up in other tents, and Sakura said woman lying coved in two thick blankets off to the side of the tent. The wind howled outside the fabric walls, having moved outside the trees protection they now sat on the border of wind and fire. They now knew how the nation had gotten it’s name as its name sake beat down on their camp like a wild rabid beast, thankfully Shikamaru had thought ahead once again and decided they needed the winter tents not just regular ones.

A lantern hung from the middle of the tent ceiling their only light, and as they were trying to conserve supplies it was set just high enough for everyone to make out the map. Shikamaru sighed, there was only one place he felt could house them all plus others they may find on their way. Nobody was going to like his idea, but it really was the best place, the closest to all nations, and a great way to mask all their chakra.

Raising a hand to the back of his neck he rubbed at it irritated at the feel of dirt and sweat that was caked onto his skin. This whole ordeal was fuckin’ troublesome and the filth that covered him only served to piss him off more. Pinching the bridge of his nose and growling in irritation his brown eyes finally looked up and he took the time to look all the other nin in the eye one at a time.

“Okay, so I finally figured out where we’re all headed and where we will set up base.” He quietly said dead serious as he pointed to a large mountain range in the middle of all the nations.

Ino’s eyes widened as did several others but she was the first to speak, “are you serious? That’s an active volcano.”

“I’m dead serious. Everything puts off energy, with everyone’s chakra signature, including the villagers we can’t afford to have it detected. A volcano, an active one, puts off enough energy to mask a mass amount of people chakra.” He explained.

“That suicide.” TenTen breathed.

Shikamaru shook his head, “no staying out here is. Either we’ll freeze to death or we’ll get attacked by those fuckin’ rabid assholes.”

Iruka’s face knit into a deep frown and he cleared his throat clearly displeased with the language the young man had used. A couple people snickered and Shikamaru sighed.

“Sorry Iruka-sensei.” Shikamaru amended to which Iruka nodded his forgiveness.

“Alright, are we sure there is nowhere else to go?” Lee asked not sounding quite like himself.

Shikamaru sighed a slight growl pushing out with it, “no. I’ve talked with Kakashi and Yamato-sempai, and Sai-san extensively as they have done the most travel out of all of us. We discussed all the different terrains, the kind of rabid-nin we could encounter, and the relative distances other places are from one another. With the supplies we have, and the people we are traveling with I have concluded the volcano is the best coarse of action.”

“Shikamaru-san is right.” Sai spoke up his voice gravelly with lack of sleep, “I have traveled near that volcano many times, you’re chakra and team mates chakras get lost amongst the large amount of energy that mountain range is giving off.”

“I’m going to have to agree with them on this. I too have traveled near there, you can loose your teammates in the forest surrounding there.” Yamato spoke next.

“Well if Sai-san and Yamato-sempai agree then it must be a good plan.” Lee announced clenching his fist.

“I trust Sai’s judgment, if not for him then Shino and I probably wouldn’t still be alive.” Hinata quietly added beside her Shino nodded.

Iruka sighed and rubbed at his oily forehead before his hand swiped down his face. He was so damn tired, and his back hurt to top it off. He glanced over at his former student still comatose beneath the thick blankets. Taking in with how much care she had been lain there and covered up by Sai. He glanced at Sai who met him straight on but gave nothing away, before he looked back at the young Kunoichi to think about the small group of people they were looking after. Shikamaru was the best strategist in all nations not just in fire, if he said it was the best coarse of action then it more than likely was.

“I am curious,” he began looking at Shikamaru.

“Yes Iruka-sensei?”

“Where would we set up camp? It’s not like these flimsy tents will matter, winter prepared as they are, once the weather gets worse.”

“You are right Iruka-sensei, we are going to make the volcano itself our home by tunneling into it’s surface and making hallways and rooms.” Shikamaru finally announced.

“Is that wise?” Yamato asked him.

“It will have to be.” Shikamaru answered.

Everyone looked to one another gauging what their comrades thought of this idea. Before anyone could say anything a howl was heard in the distance everyone paused and held their breath, then exhaled when Akamaru howled in return. Kakashi unzipped the tent letting the biting wind in and stepped out before zipping it back up. Paku was back and brought news from Suna, from the sound of the next howl he had good news, this pleased the copy-nin.

The pack of seven dogs came to a halt in front of him, when the wind howled again he zipped up his coat tighter and tried to look as casual as he could. “So what news?”

Paku shivered, “there is life, normal life. We have noticed that there is a difference in sent between unaffected and turned humans.”

“Are there rabid people there as well?” Kakashi asked with a frown in his eye.

“Yes, and plenty of it, we almost just assumed there was only that left in Suna.” Paku reported.

“Damn it.”

The tent unzipped again and out walked Sai, his bangs pulled back into a ponytail that laid flat against his head the rest of his hair starting to look more shaggy as well, his chin and neck having a speckle of five o’clock shadow. Wearing a black coat with grey fur around the edges of hood, having it zipped almost to the top just hinting at the green tank top Kakashi knew he had under it. With black pants similar to the ones Kiba had worn he had also added white wrapping cloth to mid shin down into a pair off black boots he sported instead of the ninja sandals. The only thing that still seemed to be the same was the ever present pack with his scrolls and painting supplies and the tight leather gloves. It had never entered Kakashi’s mind how much Sai put into making himself presentable as a shunobi until this. He was suddenly struck by how much older Sai might actually be compared to his peers.

“So Suna is dangerous.” Sai stated.

Paku nodded, to which Sai’s lips thinned, the only indication that he did not like this news in the least. Kakashi smiled under his mask, it was interesting to see this side to the younger man. Suddenly stuffing his hands in his pockets, for the purpose of looking calm and collected and not because the cold bit at his skin, he looked back at his pack of dogs who panted. He sighed, he would have to allow them rest before sending them else where to check for other survivors.

“Dismissed, get rest I’ll be calling on you again soon enough.” Kakashi told them.

They all nodded before in a poof of smoke they were no more. Sai and Kakashi stood quietly with the wind slamming against them in sudden rage. Akamaru walked up to Sai who absent mindedly scratched behind his ears with out even looking at the large beast. The white dog whined which had Sai looking at him from the corner of his eyes. Akamaru looked off to the right and behind him and Sai nodded with a sigh.

“Something I should be concerning myself with?” Kakashi asked.

“No, Akamaru would have just howled if there was.”

“Then what is the problem?”

Sai turned and regarded him his blank face back in place, “we will have to concern ourselves soon.”

“Should we head out?”

“We can’t, to many people are exhausted. It would be better to double the guard and stand our ground.” Sai replied looking back to the dark tree line his eyes narrowing.

The tent opened and closed again to emit one Abarame his hands in his pockets and most of his face covered. The man still sported all his usual clothes, but there was still something very different with the man, something darker or possibly more wise. Kakashi and Sai regarded him and the three shared a silent conversation that anyone who might be observing wouldn’t understand how the two could even see past the dark spectacles to read the bug nins thoughts.

“I will take your shift Sai-san you need to rest.” He stated breaking the quite.

Sai nodded, crouching down allowing the large white dog to head but him lovingly as he roughed up the dogs collar fur giving the dog a good pet. Kakashi wasn’t completely sure why the dog chose to stay with Sai instead of bunking up with Shino and Hinata, but he had a sneaking suspicion that it had something to do with the Abarame and Hyuuga. The two were grateful for the dog, but there was a lot of pain between the mutt and the two nins it would be a long while before they were okay with one another. Until then Akamaru would more than likely stick it out with Sai, though why Sai allowed the companionship was still a mystery in and of it’s self.

Standing Sai nodded to the two and then gave the dog one last meaningful glance before walking back to the tent just as it unzipped and everyone that wasn’t assigned to that one came out. Shikamaru, Hinata, Ino, Iruka, TenTen, and Lee all stepped out stretched and headed towards their tents, either to sleep until their shift or prepare for a shift. Iruka nodded towards Kakashi in passing before walking with help from Ino, they would have to find him a cane or something it had to be grading on the man to be helped by a student Kakashi mused.

Once Sai had entered the tent and zipped it back up once more, Akamaru stationed himself just outside the door, laid down, and lazily watched the going ons around him. Everyone understood that the dog felt better outside at the time being and was watch dog over the tent his new found master and friend slept in. Kakashi sighed, it was his turn to watch over the eastern section of the area that they had sectioned off as theirs. Shino nodded and headed off in the direction of the forest line, which was Sai’s area, stopping momentarily to discuss something with Hinata.

Well it was best he got going then, he thought as he pulled out a certain orange book he had found lying carelessly on the counter of one of the house holds they had scavenged from. A contented smile in his one visible eye he made his way to his area, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings, but those who knew him best knew differently.

*****

Shino looked out into the darkened forest, the only light filtering through the trees the red glow from the moon above that hadn’t moved from it’s place in four days. It had however seemed to get closer, something that even his bugs had noted. For some reason unbeknownst to him, he could look up at the moon and feel nothing, which was strange as his whole family had fallen victim, at least those that had been in Konoha. He had very little hope that those who’d been on mission were sane if still alive, something deep in his gut told him so.

High in the trees he placed his hand on a large oak trunk and waited for his insects to report back to him. He did not like being on shift, it always gave him the creeps, and he found it hard to discern reality from his over active mind. Thankfully his bugs now understood the difference between infected and non, which gave him a small amount of relief. After the Kiba incident he had made them study very hard to discern the difference. He did not need another episode like that to happen again, he had almost lost Hinata back there.

One of his bugs landed on the back of his neck and buzzed it’s information to him and he nodded. So far it was quiet, but he was sure it wouldn’t stay that way, they had for some time now been being trailed. By what no one really knew, but they all assumed the worse, not to mention they had been hit by three random nins in the area from rock. They had lost five people, thankfully but also sadly, they had been civilian.

Something caught his eyes and he zeroed in on the shadows at least twenty five feet from him and to the left. It could have been nothing but in this time one couldn’t be to cautious. He didn’t move and he calmed his suddenly racing heart, before sending a few bugs out into the night. Shino had instructed them to be extra quiet, and he kept his eyes trained on the area he had last seen the movement.

Before his little messengers could get over there again the movement came, but this time it was clear. On the tree, crawling like a spider, or lizard, a man inched into a patch of red light, turned his head as if like an owl and focused his eyes right on him. Shino swallowed his panic as his heart plummeted into his stomach and watched in detached horror the man’s mouth split into a sadistic grin. The man leapt from the tree trunk using all fours and spun towards him like his body was made of jello.

When the creature’s silver band came into view Shino’s eyes widened when he read the insignia upon it. Sound, it was from sound. Some how Orochimaru’s experiments had gotten free and that wasn’t a good sign, they were animal enough without the help from the moon eyes. When the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end he jumped out of the way just in time as a large man slammed a meat clever into the place where he had been moments ago.

Shino landed on a tree in a crouched position and watched as the creeper he’d first seen landed and practically slithered over the larger man’s body. Both of them smiled a smile that could curdle milk and freeze the blood in one’s veins. Shino felt the familiar pump of fear race through his blood and a cold sweat broke out on his body. His insects were also in a frenzy, which didn’t bode well for him in this battle.

The smaller man, the one he had dubbed creeper, stuck out his tongue and licked his eye the sick smile still in place his body all twisted up in knots. The larger man with the huge meat clever calmly leaned against it sizing him up with hungry eyes, which earned him the nick name nasty. The three, fifteen feet away from one another, regarded each other in tense silence. Then with out warning and super quick reflexes they leapt towards Shino.

“Well, fuck.” He hissed, and his bugs agreed.

*****

Sai nodded as Shikamaru finished going over his several strategies about the rescue he would be commencing to help those in Suna. There were a lot of what if factors but Sai trusted Shikamaru’s judgment and plans. He looked back at the map that was just wind nation, where Shikamaru had gotten all the information he had on the terrain was beyond him, but he was thankful for it. He pointed his finger down at the place the other man had decided would be best to leave from if the entrance to Suna was to risky to approach.

“So if I see that the entrance is heavily blocked I should take the survivors here.” A nod, “this will be very difficult if Subaku no Gaara is no loner with us.”

“I’m pretty confidant he is, but if that is the case then yes it will.”

“I will more than likely loose people this way.”

“That is very true, but if you try to leave the conventional way, assuming there is heavy infected there, then you’ll all die.”

“I understand.” Sai answered still looking at the map.

“Hopefully Temari is also alive, hell if all the sand siblings are still with us then you’ll be in business.”

“I take it they are a formidable team together.”

“You’ve met them all.”

“Yes, but not all together, in fact the only one I’ve seen fight is Subaku no Gaara.” Sai confided.

“Hm, just remember all the strategies and you’ll be fine.” Shikamaru told him.

Sai nodded and looked at Akamaru who had suddenly gone on alert. When the dog growled low in his throat both Shikamaru and Sai went to the tent door and opened it stepping out quickly and closing it once Akamaru was out as well. From the tree line Shino came flying out of it backwards throwing a few kunai back into the brush. Shortly after the bug nin, came a man who could have better been described a giant with an equally large meat cleaver, said weapon blocking the ones Shino had thrown at him.

“Well shit, you still think that it’s smarter to hold our ground?” Shikamaru asked Sai who frowned.

“Unfortunately yes, but I know you agree.”

“Heh, fuck as troublesome as it is, it is the better coarse of action.” Shikamaru answered zipping his dark grey coat up tighter around his torso.

Akamaru let out a loud war cry throwing back his head that seemed to make the two men quiver and made the attacker pause. This gave Shino time to get out of the way, which the shunobi promptly did as such. Out of the tents and from watch duty at other points of the camp the rest of their group came towards the fight.

“Ah hell you gotta be kidding me.” Ino whined, her blond hair blowing in the wind.

The woman had white ear muffs over on as her white winter coat had no hood. A pair of dark purple form fitting pants clung tightly to her legs and slid down into knee high purple closed toe sandals. Hinata sported similar wear, but had uneven leggings that matched hair. Her left side strapped tight to her upper thigh the other one strapped to just above her knee, open toed sandals, but with the leggings protecting her feet. On her arms under her heavy coat, a new one but which was designed and colored just as her old one, were tough leather plates tied tight around her forearms a loop around her middle finger to keep them in place to allow her to protect herself from sharp objects. Currently the woman had her dark hair pulled up in a tight bun that she had braided before wrapping it so, a trick she had learned from TenTen.

TenTen looked about the same as she always had, but instead of shorts she wore long brown pants to go along with her green top, and a pair of close toe sandals that reached up to her knees. Having switched from her two bun look to one that was a twin to Hinata’s hair, and hooded coat of silver grey material that only was long enough to come tight against her waist with a stretchy elastic fabric. Lee stood next her having changed nothing, and wore an orange winter coat that would make even Naruto jealous. Yamato too still looked the same sporting a dark colored winter coat that’s color was indiscernible.

“They’re from sound,” Sai observed out loud.

“That’s fantastic,” Kakashi replied sarcastically.

Shikamaru placed a hand on Sai’s shoulder, “you need to head to Suna, you can’t waist time here fighting this battle with us.”

Sai’s lips thinned but he nodded, and looked at Akamaru who seemed just as unhappy about leaving the group. The two turned in the direction they were to travel, for the first part of it they would travel together, in which Sai would hitch a ride on the Akamaru’s back. Shikamaru had designed a very light weight but sturdy harness Sai could hold onto. Said harness also doubled as an effective safety to stop something from biting into the dogs neck easily, as the man was not apart of the Inuzuka clan it had to be made. Apparently animal and man were fitted together like a matching pair, and if the Inuzuka blood didn’t flow through your veins it made it impossible for you to meld yourself to the animal at all. Sliding onto the dog’s back Sai wrapped his left hand around the leather strap and Akamaru took off running.

Shikamaru watched as the awkward pair took off, but was pleasantly surprised to see Sai get a decent hang of riding the dog as he had hoped the man would. Turning back to the task at hand he sighed hanging back to watch the movements of the opponents, and was not pleased to see a few others come out into the clearing. As if he wasn’t working his brain enough they had to be attacked.

“Alright, everyone attack only to gain information for Shikamaru, “Kakashi announced. “This means no uncalculated risks.”

The group nodded and Shikamaru prepared himself for his task, and didn’t miss that a couple of the men hung far left to follow Sai and Akamaru. There wasn’t anything they could do, he couldn’t waste any man power to keep them there. Hinata and TenTen went running forward running in between the wooden poles that went rushing towards the enemy as well. Shino’s insects swarmed out from every open area in the coat around him before they went flying towards the trees.

The giant with the meat clever slammed it into the ground that shook everything as if an earth quake were happening, and sucked in a huge breath his chest expanding to diameters that shouldn’t be physically possible. Shikamaru’s eyes widened and he turned to yell at Yamato.

“Yamato-sempai quickly erect a barrier around the camp site, TenTen Hinata fall back quickly!!!” he ordered.

Time seemed to slow down as his mind calculated all the scenarios just as the man let the air out from his lungs and it came hurtling at them.

Fucking hell.

~TBC~

END NOTE: Was that not a fuckin' great cliffy or what? Come on come on! Tell me it wasn't I dare you to try. XDD Hinata's outfit is not actually soely my idea. I saw a pic drawn by the great Asuka/Askerian on DA and then added to it a bit. Here is the link to the pic as I got permition from her to use it: http://askerian.deviantart.com/art/china-ink-another-kinda-hinata-55158586
Also I want you all to keep in mind that it's minus all the fleshy parts as she has skin tight pants on, and no fans obviously. Plus she has a huge coat on so you don't see what the top part looks like. lol. As I said I did change somethings but this is where I got the idea from and I told the artist that I would give her credit if she allowed me to use her pic.

Okay now for my replies to me reviewers!!

overlordofnobodies: It's all good maybe you'll have more to say about this chapter hm? Let me know what you thought always happy to hear from ya.
DaBerrila: So close its scary, tis why I dedicated this chapter to you! Great guess it made me happy. Hope to continue to hear from you.
Propaganda!: Well I hope this chapter got your blood a pumping and that it made up for your wait! I'm hoping that I get to hear from you as well. I always like to hear from my readers! And Madara does sort of have a split personality. It's explained better later.
All My Readers: Seriously guys I love you all so much! I can't believe how many hits I'm getting. I am honestly over joyed at how popular this fic seems. I hope I live up to all of your expectations. If all goes well the next chapter should be coming out in a couple of days. Unitl then feel free to drop me a line I really would like to here from all my readers!!! Love to all!