Aimee stood, then, draining the last of her tea and setting the cup back down on the table with a soft clink. “Thanks for dinner.” She flashed Kiba a small salute. “I’ll see you all in the morning. Just going to take a post-dinner stroll before bed.”
Her eyes lingered on the Squad Leader for a beat longer than necessary as she turned to leave, and the rest of the team slipped back into their usual, comfortable conversation, already halfway into another debate. She knew they’d keep going until the restaurant staff finally kicked them out.
“Check, please,” she heard Kiba call to a server just before she shut the door behind her, leaving the lively noise of the room behind.
The quiet of the night greeted her, cool air settling around her as she stepped into the peaceful calm outside.
Chapter twenty-seven
“So,westicktogether,right?” Taiga adjusted his sashira, the lightweight, sand-colored fabric woven from desert fibers to protect Kaze Haven shinobi from the unforgiving sun.
The three of them ran along the jagged canyon edge, where the desolate landscape opened into the battleground of the Goran no Gekitotsu.
“Seems like a solid plan.” Aimee’s eyes scanned the deep, shadowed crevices below for any hidden threats. “But keep your sashira tight.” She swatted the back of his head. “The sun out here will kill you faster than any shinobi we’re up against.”
“Still don’t get why they picked Kaze Haven for this,” Taiga grumbled, pulling his covering tighter. “Would’ve been way more fun at Mizu Haven.”
“Idiot,” Iruka muttered, pointing toward a narrow strip of shade cast by an overhanging rock formation. The stone arched over a shallow alcove, offering momentary relief from the blistering heat. “Managing the environment is part of the battle. You can defeat an enemyjust as easily by taking their water in a place like this as with some flashy elemental attack. Out here, patience and planning are worth more than brute strength.”
“Yeah, you’ve got a point,” Taiga admitted, pulling his covering back over his face and steering the group toward the patch of shadow. The air shimmered with heat as they neared the weathered mesa jutting up from the canyon’s edge, its surface cracked and mottled from years of harsh sun and wind. “Looks like we’re in the clear for now. Let’s rest for a moment.”
Gradually, the group eased up, their footsteps falling quiet as they neared the shaded rock formation.
Pulling out her water skin, “Just a sip,” she cautioned the others, wiping sweat from her brow with the back of her hand.
“So, let me get this straight,” Taiga said, taking a long swig of water before Iruka swiped it from his hands and stuffed it into his own pack.
“Hey!” Taiga lunged to grab it back, but Iruka just shook his head, unfazed.
“Fine, whatever.” Taiga sank back onto the rock. “So anyway, to beat someone, all I need to do is snatch this little placard off their vest?” He pointed to the red wooden Hi Haven disc tied securely to the front of his shirt.
“Yes.” Iruka nodded, glancing down at his own disc. “Whoever collects the most by dawn wins.”
“And why don’t I just hide mine?” Taiga cocked an eyebrow.
“There’s a Mana tie.” Iruka shook his head. “Once the tie is broken, it changes color. You're disqualified if your disc isn’t in its original state by the end.” He paused, a small smile tugging at his lips. “But…it’s not a terrible idea. We could hide the discs we take from other shinobi.”
Aimee nodded. “That way, if one of us is defeated, we wouldn’t lose all the discs they carried. The rest of us could keep them safe.”
“Plus,” Taiga added, “we might be underestimated if the enemy thinks we haven’t beaten anyone yet.”
Both Aimee and Iruka snapped their heads up, staring at Taiga.
“What! People are always underestimating me.” He kicked at a rock, his cheeks flushing slightly.
Iruka grinned. “That’s because you look like an easy target.”
“Whatever,” Taiga grumbled. “It’s still an advantage.”
Aimee chuckled and, without warning, reached over to ruffle his hair. “Well done,” she teased as Taiga squirmed in her grip.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” He wriggled free and brushed her off. “So, what’s the plan?” He looked expectantly between Iruka and Aimee.
Aimee glanced up at the clear blue sky, the sun bearing down on them. “Fighting under this sun is a fool's errand. We should find somewhere more secure to wait for nightfall.”
Iruka gave a quick nod. “Take and follow formation?”
Aimee adjusted the sashira covering her head and nodded back. “You take the first sweep. Then Taiga, then me.”
