The group moved efficiently, checking their packs and weapons. Aimee’s fingers brushed against her second water skin, ensuring it was securely tied. She flexed her shoulders, loosening the tightness that had built from the long run along the canyon’s edge. Taiga was busy tightening the tie of his belt, his head covering still slightly crooked.
Just as they were about to move, a sharp hiss broke the quiet.
“Ahaaaa!” Taiga yelped, jumping nearly four feet into the air, arms flailing. “A snake!”
The small, sand-colored serpent coiled in the dust at their feet, its tongue flicking out as it sized up the intruders. Iruka eyed the snake with mild amusement.
“You really need to work on your composure.” He circled around the creature, crouching low in an excellent execution of basic snakestyle before flicking his hand upward. A controlled whoosh of wind shot forward, lifting the beast off the ground and sending it spiraling out into the desert.
Aimee watched the small creature sail through the air, her heart twinging unexpectedly. She couldn’t say why; it was just a snake. She shook off the feeling and turned back to Taiga, resting a hand on his shoulder.
“It's just a snake, man. Calm down.”
Taiga shivered, staring after the airborne reptile. “I hate snakes.”
Iruka remained silent, his eyes narrowed slightly as he gazed out toward where he’d sent the reptile flying.
Aimee squeezed Taiga’s shoulder one more time, giving him a light pat before pulling her hand away. “Let’s move.”
Without another word, the three of them fell into formation, slipping back into the rhythm of the mission. They ran for over an hour, their soft-soled boots barely stirring the fine, sunbaked sand beneath their feet. Sparse patches of brittle scrub clung to the rocky outcrops, their dry branches crackling as the wind swept through the barren landscape. The desert stretched endlessly before them. It was sun, sand, and rock as far as the eye could see.
Every now and then, a flash of light flickered in the distance, followed by the bangs of shinobi clashing. Elemental blasts cracked the air, but they kept their distance, carefully avoiding any potential skirmishes. Aimee’s eyes narrowed, scanning the endless expanse of desert. The longer they ran, the more her worry gnawed at her. They needed cover, somewhere to rest before the sun drained them completely.
Then, just as she was about to signal for them to slow, a sharp, rising whistle echoed from ahead. Taiga’s signal.
Aimee halted mid-stride, exchanging a quick glance with Iruka before taking a wide, cautious route around to where Taiga should be.She slipped between towering rock formations, her feet barely touching the ground as she looped through the maze of stone, ensuring they weren’t being watched.
“Hurry!” Taiga yelled as he lay sprawled on his belly, half his body dangling over the edge of the canyon.
“Don’t let go! Please don’t let go!” a panicked voice cried from somewhere below, echoing off the canyon walls.
Aimee stepped forward, but Iruka’s hand reached out, gripping her shirt before she could get any closer. “Wait!” he hissed. “It could be a trap.”
“It’s not!” Taiga twisted to look over his shoulder, his face pale with strain. “Half his leg is gone, and he’s losing blood by the bucket! Get over here and help me!”
Aimee exchanged a quick glance with Iruka, and they both rushed forward, closing the gap in seconds. Aimee dropped to her knees beside Taiga, peering over the edge.
It wasn’t a trap.
Below, a boy wearing a tattered headband from Mizu Haven clung desperately to Taiga’s arm, his wide eyes frantic. The torn remains of his leg dangled lifelessly below him, a shredded mess of blood and muscle.
“Pull him up!” Iruka threw himself down beside them and grabbed the boy’s other arm.
“I can’t!” Taiga grunted through gritted teeth. “Something’s got him! Mana ropes or something. He’s stuck!”
“Please,” the boy whimpered, his face ghostly pale. “Please, I don’t want to die.”
Aimee squinted, her gaze sweeping over the boy’s body until she spotted a faint glow along his waist. Mana bindings, barely visible.
“There!” She unsheathed her swords and, without hesitation, stepped lightly over the canyon’s edge, pressing her body against the rough rock wall. Clinging to the stone, her boots scraped the surface as she inched closer to the glowing threads.
In a single motion, she slashed a hand, and the Mana ropes snapped, flickering out of existence.
“Got it!” Aimee called, swinging herself back up.
Freed from the restraints, the boy jerked forward, and with Taiga and Iruka straining, they heaved him over the edge. His body hit the ground with a heavythudjust as a deep, guttural roar echoed from the shadows below.
The canyon quaked, rocks dislodging and falling into the darkness.
