A/N: Happy Belated Birthday to this story. 6 years old. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Thanks for favoriting and following this story. Read and review, please.
Airmid stopped as she tried to catch her breath from the running she's been doing all night. She heard some noises and quickly hid behind a broken piece of a wall. She slowly sneaked a peek at the newcomers; it was two more of Kizune's men.
One of them stated, "We need to find them so the Lord can finally finish the ritual."
The other stated, "Don't you think I know that."
The first one nodded in a direction, "Let's go check down that way. We need to make sure we have at least that asset still."
Airmid covered her mouth as she overheard more of the people's conversation. Both froze and she lightly gulped as one looked around.
"What is it?" one of them asked.
The other stated, "Thought I heard something, must've been my imagination."
Airmid slightly sighed in relief as they return what they were doing and she resumed spying on them; a shadow fell behind her as a hand reached out and grabbed her.
She shrieked as the person picked her up and claimed victoriously, "Ha! Got you!"
She kicked and thrashed the best she could to get out of the mystery man's hold. The situation worsen when the two people she was spying actually approached them. Airmid was in trouble as she was surrounded. Her mind couldn't process what was going on at the moment because it was stuck on a primal instinct: run! Panic covered her body, causing her to thrash even more so to desperately escape her captor. She cursed her weakened state for it didn't help her chance of escape any better. She felt them moving; walking to a destination. Finally, she freed her mouth and bit into the captor's arm hard enough to dig through the skin. He yelped in pain and threw her onto the ground. She painfully stood up and bolted away from the group. The two grunts looked at the bitten one as he growled, "What are you waiting for? RETRIEVE HER!"
They followed after her while the other one gripped his arm in pain.
He mutters, "That bitch is going to pay for this."
Back to Stitch and Sakura...
Stitch and Sakura kept running through the burnt down houses in the village and Sakura kept seeing the marks after the attack. The fire had affected everything in its path and she frowns slightly seeing how her home has once again was in ruin. Stitch stopped, which made Sakura halt in her footsteps as she looks around the area. "What is it Stitch? You smell or hear something coming this way?"
"Yes," Stitch stated as his ears twitched and then he turned to the left, Sakura slowly looked left and cautiously grabbed her kunai out of her pouch.
Stitch's posture weakened and Sakura took that as a cue, putting back her kunai in her pouch as they both walk over. Stitch turned around the corner and there was Angel running down towards them. Angel happily screamed, "Stitch! Sakura!"
"Angel!" both chorus happily as they ran up to her.
Angel hugged Stitch and then smile at Sakura.
Angel asked, "What are you two doing here?"
Stitch replied, "I smelled blood so we decided to go and see whose was it."
Angel said, "I guess that makes sense since I'm doing the same thing here a well. I smelled blood and was heading towards the direction."
She asked, "So, did you notice the scent Stitch?"
"It is blood," Stitch answered.
"But do you know who?" she retorted.
"Honestly, I can't say," he admitted.
"I believe it to be Blaze's blood," Angel stated as she looked at them. "The scent matches the time I met him. So, it has to be his."
Sakura noted, "It could be his, or it could be a trap. We should group up together and go see this."
Angel nodded in agreement and then asked, "Stitch, what's wrong with your eyes? Are you okay?"
Stitch answered, "I'm fine. Just my eyes were affected by something, I'm still capable of helping you two out."
"You sure?" she asked concern evident in her voice.
"Yes, I'm sure. I was built to be the best fighter after all," Stitch stated slightly annoyed.
He walked off with Angel and Sakura tailing behind him.
Angel looked behind her and prayed, 'Please be careful Naruto. Don't get yourself into any serious trouble.'
Meanwhile...
Tsunade ran through the rubble as she held onto her shoulder, speeding through the night. Her mind raced with worrisome thoughts, 'What am I to do? There's no way he should be able to do this much damage to me, but he did. What is he? How strong is he really?'
A hand had forced its way through the rubble and grabbed her by the neck and lifted her up; the owner of the said hand appeared and grinned as he tightened his grip. 'What? How did he find me? I have to do something before it's too late.'
With that in mind, Tsunade then grabbed his arm and glare at him. She raised her arm and slammed it down with all its might and he released his hold on her. She coughed and looked at him, "I don't know what you or your master has set in motion, but we will stop it."
He laughed as he popped his arm back into place, "You are foolish if you think you stand a chance against us."
He added as his tone became serious, "Why not just give in? You can see before yourself that you are outclassed. Don't you get it? If we don't do this, a worse fate will befall us. One where none of us might make it out alive."
"What are you talking about? What nonsense are you saying?" She asked bewildered.
He turned to her, "It doesn't matter because you are going to be saved. Now prepare to enter the red fire that shall cover and protect you."
He rushed in and she raised her arms to guard it, but she managed to get hit as she fell to the ground. She shook her head in an attempt to collect herself to crawl to her knees. She could feel her body getting sore all over and her chakra was depleting rapidly. The pain was manageable, but her body was at its limit. Nothing wanted to listen to her and she grimaced at the fact that now she was left wide open. She slowly stood up and looked around, wondering. 'Where is he now? Is he just toying with me? Anyway, I have to get somewhere less out in the open and rethink of a plan of attack while healing myself.'
She ran as she looked around the area in an attempt to make sure he wasn't tailing her. Even though she felt that right now he is playing with her; that thought alone sent shivers down her spine.
During that moment...
Airmid was scared of the enemy finding her again; it seemed as if she was cursed. The swelling pain in her ankle hindered her process of running away and hiding. She was under a brush trying to keep her breathing under control; however, she could feel her panic elevating quickly. She was trapped in this foreign landscape and was cornered by the enemy; she knew that she had to do something. For sooner or later, they will find her in the brush; but she didn't know exactly what to do. Until she heard a commotion that diverted the enemies' attention, making them leave her location and she sighed thankfully. Slowly emerging from the brush, she cautiously looked around the area to double check that she was in the clear. With relief, she ran from her location and as far as she possibly could. She knew that anywhere than here was better for her chances of survival.