Prologue

The land of Lightning was a full three weeks trek from Konoha, but the journey was pleasant enough. The soles of their sandals trudging forth, shifting silently through the tree line, the late winter chill was mitigated by a rare coastal breeze that swept up from the south, sowing the ninjas hair and clothes with the scent of salt and the dream of warmer climates.

The vegetation grew increasingly sparse the further north they moved, the familiar greenery of home thinned into plains, rocky canyons, and eventually snow peaked mountains. As they traveled roads became further indistinguishable, covered in thick frost in uneven paths along the high ridges of the rugged countryside, the villages were cut off from one another for months judging from the lack of scents and tracks. The team paused scanning a nearby village, no signs of life again, they would need to make camp.

Taking the opportunity to accommodate their hound wrapping each of the large ivory beasts paws in a thick leather to combat the frost, the tree line was too thin, from now on they would have to travel on ground.

Hinata rubbed her cracked knuckles fanning her vision across the frozen tundra for chakra signatures, everything appeared white to the naked eye, pale ground bleached against an equally pale sky, her byakagun vision was no different, the surroundings were eerily silent of all creatures as if the land itself was frozen in time.

The mission was simple, observe, examine, remain undetected from rival villages, collect blood and tissue samples when need be, and return within two months. Prolonged disconnect from various seaports affected trading routes jeopardizing Konoha assets and was worth investigating. Initially thought to be victims of a plague this mission was proving to be otherwise, maybe this was some form of foul play, she could only speculate. It was an unusually extended and high priority mission granted to Team 8 thanks to Hinatas unique twist having recently incorporated basic medical training into her routine within the past three years.

She repressed a shudder. So far five villages along their route were abandoned of all life, and what bodies that were found were strewn in unusual positions, at the dinner table, fetching water, each time there were no signs of struggle or warning, just death covered in a thin layer of ice and snow. Taking samples of the earth and nearby water sources she ran though her macabre routine. Pausing, Hinata moved within a hut noticing a small, dingy booted foot sticking out from its entrance. A body of a young girl greeted her, not more than four years of age, hugged by, she assumed, the girls mother. They lay together embracing even in death, a grin spread sickeningly across both their faces. Hinata activated her byakagun once more analyzing for any internal or external tissue damage, any anomalies, there was nothing. Methodically she pulled forth her kunai and made a small incision along the arm of both the woman and child taking blood samples for further analysis, chunky liquid oozed forth from each corpse, thick and black from weeks of coagulation, thankfully the physical decomposition of the bodies had been slowed by the frost.

Team 8 had always excelled in two things, recon and stealth, their working dynamics were reflective to their healthy mix of personalities, which fostered a unique perspective on mission etiquette setting them apart from other teams, their strength was evasion and tracking, each member contributing a layer of skill innately bred, creating one of the most solid hunting team in their village. There was nothing they couldn't detect; but even this mission was proving extremely challenging.

"We'll camp further north" a muffled voice confirmed, she identified as Shino, his head poking in the doorway behind her.

Not far from the village, maybe an hour's travel, the main road tapered off along a cliffside, the team spotted a cave nestled within the frozen wall, they made camp unloading what little gear remained. Hinata gazed out the mouth of the cave, icicles were dramatically crystallized along the cavern entrance resembling pointed teeth to some ancient creature, and they being swallowed. She shook her head at her imagination; tomorrow they would begin their fruitless journey home.

Hinata held the vial a blood extracted from the young girl up to the fire examining its caliginous pigment, whatever was doing this heinous act would be identified and/or caught… eventually, she just hoped the Hokage and her fellow medical ninja would be able to elucidate this mystery of blood.

"Maybe we should head further north tomorrow"

An uncomfortable silence passed between the trio, "We should take our findings back"

"What findings?" Kiba muttered without looking towards the other man, "We haven't found anything yet. Maybe we can catch this thing-"

She smiled intently listening to her teammates. Conversations usually consisted of this, Kiba making a passionate statement followed by a melancholy truth from Shino, the discussion would continue until they turned to her to find a diplomatic medium. Conversations ranged from mission essentials, the superiority mammal companions vs. arthropods, to completely random what-if scenarios such as, "If you were stuck eating one type of food for the rest of your life, what would you choose?" that particular discussion had entertained the group for hours. It was a fun way to pass time if nothing else to distract them from their grim mission. She hoped they'd revert back to merriment rather than mission blues.

Both men cast their heavy gaze upon her, assuming now requesting her input, "The v-victims have all been deceased for w-weeks... and we're getting dangerously close to Kumogakure" she paused taking a deep breath repacking the vial of blood she'd been observing, "We'd be really g-gambling. The vials should go back for analysis". Satisfied with her answer the group resumed their comfortable silence.

Blood.

Blood everywhere.

The once picturesque meadow painted a mossy green now shrouded in thick crimson. A woman now alone, surrounded by fallen companions, one mouthing words she could not audibly hear but knew all to well its meaning. They had failed. Death was looming, his scythe drawn against her paled throat. There was no hope. Her vision focused on their surroundings, a young girl in familiar dingy boots stood holding her mothers arm smiling at them, bodies began falling from the sky, bones audibly snapping as they hit the earth, their faces contorted in horror. Hinata wanted to cry, to run, a warm liquid slowly oozed up her heels.

Words were spoken, a mere whisper and yet, to her, a scream, she had been able to distinguish his tattooed cheeks. Now his face was slick with that familiar crimson, the metallic smells percolating through the icy breeze, suffocating. Drawing a deep breath as if submerged in water she focused on his maple eyes, he was pleading. Her own violaceous eyes now focusing desperately on his lips, concentrating on the word that would forever haunt her, "Run".

The feeling of falling transcended her dream into reality; she sat up gasping for air, another nightmare. Hinata ran her hand through her long hair, her forehead slick with thick droplets of sweat despite the landscape, this was getting out of hand. Blinking eyes into focus, Hinata listened on a familiar whimper in the distance, "I'm o-okay" she forced a smile. The cave remained dimly lit by fire, Akamaru sat before her watching the woman his concern evident judging from his knotted brow, his white coat camouflaged seamlessly against the mouth of the cave asides from the patches of brown tickling his ears and nose.

She took a deep breath steadying her heartrate concentrating on the familiar noise of crackling wood and the light snores of her teammates deep slumber reverberating against the cavern walls.

Cocooning herself within a wool cloak, Hinata shivered despite the cold and shifted next to the large beast, scratching the soft spot behind his right ear, "I'll stand watch now" she cooed causing the hound to nuzzle her vacant hand graciously and move next to his master.

She was never much for superstition but these dreams became increasingly vivid as the days passed, she couldn't describe it properly, it was like an omen of some sort. As if, for some inexplicable reason, she felt doom surrounding them every waking moment, which she supposed was an advantage considering their profession, but this was teetering insanity. In slumber the feeling of dread would fester and multiply. It was as if each new corpse they encountered on their journey added to the body count of her subconscious, as if the dead themselves were warning her of some impending doom.

Hinata ran fingers through her hair once more massaging deep circles along her scalp, judging from the peeking of light upon the horizon it was early morning. Thick clouds of white danced along a fading darkness of skyline shifting into a pink and orange hues, white tufts of snow glittered against the peeking sunlight along the jagged ridges of isolated mountain range, like a sea of pearls polished to perfection. That familiar salty breeze carrying a barely distinguishable mist of white, blanketing the landscape, adding a sheen gloss of untouched land. Under any other circumstance she would have been moved by the frozen beauty and serenity of the place. Now she felt only dread.