Kushina Uzumaki straightened up, wiping sweat from her cheek, and stared at me with a raised eyebrow analysing me. Her deep purple eyes locked onto mine as she cocked her hips, her scarlet hair swaying with the movement.
I tried to keep calm, knowing I was acting abnormally. Shinobi were all around, going about their day. Sure, Chunin were read into some of the village's secrets, and Jinchuriki were one of them, but we didn't know who ours was...
But I did... and that was the problem.
Tsume turned to look at me strangely as we continued walking.
"I knew you had a type..." she said with a fanged smirk, her facial tattoos giving her a wilder look.
"And trust me on this, that one," she tilted her head toward the redhead, "...has a lot of baggage."
At her tone, I glared at her from the corner of my eye. "It's not like that...."
There is no way I want to get entangled with her...I thought warily. Weirdly enough, I knew I could trust Tsume.
"You know I'm a sensor," I continued, keeping my tone neutral. Her expression shifted to one of seriousness, though a hint of her jovial nature remained. She didn't say anything as we reached the tent.
Kushina didn't say anything either, just cast a look at us, then nodding to the guards. She stepped inside the tent, and we pushed aside the fabric, keeping the dust out as quietly as possible. I followed Tsume inside.
The tent flap fell back into place behind us with a soft whoosh, sealing out the midday dust and the clamor of the camp.
Inside, the air was still, with little ventilation other than some slits in the canvas above us. The air was laced with the scent of old canvas, ink, and people. I had underestimated the size of it from the outside. The command tent, big enough to house a small platoon if needed, stretched taut over wooden poles that creaked faintly under the weight of the canvas swaying in the wind. A large wooden table dominated the center, scarred from years of use, covered in unrolled scrolls, maps pinned down with kunai, and stacks of reports. Lanterns hung from the crossbeams, casting a warm, flickering glow that mixed with the sunlight filtering through the fabric, turning everything a hazy orange.
Tsume didn't waste time. She nodded toward the far side of the tent, where a cluster of lower-ranking shinobi, mostly younger ones like me, stood with arms crossed or hands on hips, listening without interrupting. "Stay over there...," she muttered under her breath, her face returning to professional courtesy. "Stay sharp, this is where everything happens."
True enough, I thought.
I nodded, keeping my expression neutral as I peeled off from her and headed to the spot she'd indicated. The ground underfoot was packed dirt, smoothed out but still gritty, and I positioned myself against one of the support poles, blending into the background as best I could. From here, amongst the other chunin who gave me a once over, I had a clear view of the table without being in the way. The higher-ups were deep in discussion already; there were jonin and a couple of special jonin. If I had to guess, I didn't know most of them...
Commander Yuhi stood at the head of the table, his back straight as a ramrod, one hand braced on the map as he traced a line with a finger. He was older than most out here, hair streaked with gray, though his eyes reminded me of Kurenai, his daughter. She had that same off shade of red in them. He was flanked by a few others: a burly Inuzuka with scars across his forearms, probably a relative of Tsume's; a Hyuga with those pale eyes scanning the room like only someone born with a different set could; and a couple of nondescript types who screamed "ANBU alumni" from their blank expressions.
"...and the latest from the forward scouts confirms it," Yuhi was saying, his voice steady but laced with that undercurrent of frustration that was felt by all. "Sand's advance has slowed to a crawl. Surprisingly so. Last week they were pushing hard on our flank, but now? Their patrols are pulling back into the desert. We haven't hit them thatbad."
One of the jonin, a woman with short-cropped blond hair, leaned forward, tapping a spot on the map. "Could be a feint to draw us in, then wipe us out. Or maybe they're waiting for reinforcements from their supposedallies."
I listened with half an ear, my gaze drifting around the tent as the words washed over me. All these details would eventually be filtered down to us chunin, in broad strokes, not the nitty-gritty details like this. My senses prickled faintly, picking up the chakra signatures in the room,all of them strong, controlled. Just by how it flowed inside them, you could tell that these shinobi milling about weren't just any grunts. Many clans were represented here. An Aburame over by the entrance, his coat buzzing faintly with hidden insects. A Nara lounging next to a pole just like me, as he chewed on a senbon.
My eyes snagged on the Uchiha cluster near the back, seven of them, all with that signature black hair and those damn resting smug faces even as they listened to the discussion with that trademark stoicism their clan was known for. They stuck out, not just because of the fan emblem on their backs, but the way they held themselves, like they were above the rank and file. I'd fought alongside a few before; they were lethal, no doubt, but there was always that edge, whispers of discontent bubbling under the surface. Even in wartime, you could feel the tension. One of them caught my glance, his dark eyes narrowing just a fraction, and I looked away after nodding. No need to start something in here.
Yuhi grunted in agreement with the jonin. "Entirely possible. The border sealing team's been working overtime; reports say they're close to locking down the boundary barrier along the mountain line. Once that's up, it'll buy us time in case the Sand forces commit if they want to punch through."
A murmur rippled through the group, heads nodding. Tsume had slipped into the circle closer to the table. She shot me a quick look,like she was checking if I was paying attention. I gave a subtle nod, but my focus was splitting now. The discussion droned on, voices overlapping in efficient shinobi shorthand.
"Medic corps is mobilizing from our base camp," the Hyuga added, his voice soft but precise. "They'll be at this outpost by dusk, and we have the medical section set up."
"Good," Yuhi said, straightening up and rubbing his chin.
As they delved deeper into logistics, supply routes, food reserves, potential ambush points, my gaze wandered again, cataloging the room by habit. That's when I spotted her.
Tucked off to the side, near a stack of supply crates, stood an older kunoichi. She had to be in her fifties, maybe older, with silver-streaked hair pulled into a tight bun and lines etched deep around her eyes and mouth, marks of a life spent in the shadows and on the front lines. But it wasn't her age that struck me the most; it was the armor. Red-plated, segmented like old samurai gear, scuffed and battle-worn but still gleaming in places. And right there, emblazoned on her shoulder guard, was the Senju clan symbol, that swirling leaf motif on both sides, unmistakable.
I blinked, surprise jolting through me. Senju armor? You don't see that every day, and the kunoichi looked old enough to be part of the first generation of Konoha shinobi.
That means she was part of the generation that grew up during the warring clans era...
I felt for her chakra. It was strong, and more than that, there was a certain heaviness to it.
And then Kushina moved. I'd almost forgotten her in the shuffle; she'd entered ahead of us, but now she crossed the tent with that confident stride, her red hair swinging like a banner. She approached the older woman with a familiarity that made my gut twist. "Oba-san," Kushina said, voice low but warm, dipping her head in a respectful nod.
Huh... that would make sense. Mito Uzumaki probably raised her after she had moved to Konoha, I thought.
I couldn't stop staring, my mind racing even as commander Yuhi's voice pulled me back.
"...priority is holding the line until the Sealing team finishes the barrier. We'll rotate shifts to cover the weak points, and as per reports and instructions from the village, we are to provide assistance to the nobility in the Land of Rivers. Dismissed for now, but keep yourselves on guard."
The group broke up with nods and muttered affirmatives. Bodies shifted as people filed toward the exit or peeled off into side conversations. Tsume caught my eye again, jerking her head toward the tent flap.
Time to go.
I pushed off the pole, weaving through the crowd, but not before stealing one last glance at Kushina and the Senju woman. They were still talking, Kushina's expression jovial, her hand gesturing animatedly as the Senju woman indulged her as one would a child.
I made my way outside. I had lost sight of Tsume, so I sent out my senses. There she was, standing on the other side, her chakra burning with agitation, probably because I hadn't promptly followed her. I power-walked toward her as she perked up from where she stood next to a crate.
"So, how was your first strategic meeting...?" she asked leadingly as I reached her.
"Illuminating..." I answered dryly, then continued, "I'd prefer to skip this and get some more rest."
I stretched my back, feeling the day's exhaustion catching up to me. She snorted and said, "That's the burden of command."
I looked at her as we walked, her leading me through the camp, something that had been on my mind for a few days.
"How come this front has had so little contact with the enemy lately...?"
Her expression turned serious, losing some of its levity. "No one is sure, but command thinks Suna is up to something big." Looking me in the eye, she
continued, "One of the reasons the village sent one of the big sticksour way."
I knew instantly she was referring to Kushina.
I nodded solemnly and didn't say anything.
"Well, it's good that we have some downtime, more or less, thanks to that bitch, Shigure," her tone brightened, looking at the silver lining.
I ignored her crass language and asked, surprised, "What does she have to do with us being here...?"
"It wasn't exactly easy to keep the squad together, even for me. We were going to be split between the Iwa and Mizu fronts, but her contacts within the medical corps came through."
She shrugged her shoulders. "Hence, we are here..."
I let out a noise of understanding and nodded, letting the matter slide. As we walked, I considered what Suna could possibly be preparing as we reached the edge of the camp, where our squad was posted. There were multiple tents, decently sized, and a common area with logs set around a central place for hot coals.
I could sense that the others were already inside their tents, resting. We reached a large one, and Tsume pointed with one hand and
said, "That's ours. You're bunking with me, and Shigure will join us there too."
I nodded to her tiredly. "Sure, I'm going to get some rest then... it's been a long day."
She snorted with a smirk, looking me up and down. "I have some more work in the camp. You knock yourself out," she said playfully.
I stared at her dryly at her pun and ignored her dog-like laugh as I went inside the tent.