“That’s crazy.” Taiga stepped forward and grabbed Renji by the arm, dragging him toward the camp. “You’re coming in. We’re all shinobi here.”
“Taiga!” Iruka moved to protest, but Aimee stepped beside him, wrenching her eyes from the newcomer.
She rested a hand lightly on Iruka’s elbow and shook her head.
“He needs this after what happened at the canyon.” She glanced meaningfully at Taiga. “And…he’s not a complete idiot.”
Iruka raised an eyebrow.
“I know, I know, sometimes he can be, but he won’t do anything too stupid.”
“I don’t trust him.” Iruka nodded toward Renji.
“Neither do I.” She lowered her voice. “But if we turn him out, we’ll have to worry about why he was following us. At least now, we can keep an eye on him.”
Iruka considered her words, his frown deepening. After a moment, he gave a reluctant nod. “Fine.”
They walked back into the cave to find Taiga waving his hands wildly, animatedly describing the giant snake they had encountered. Between gestures, he handed over portions of their rations to Renji, who sat cross-legged, chewing on dried meat.
“Lovely place you have here,” Renji said with a wry smile as they sat down, his eyes flicking up toward Aimee.
She snorted, folding her arms. “No offense, but I don’t know you, and I definitely don’t trust you. Don’t talk to me.”
For a brief second, a flicker of pain flashed across Renji’s face, but he shrugged it off, turning his attention back to Iruka. “So, what do they do for training in Hi Haven these days?”
Iruka gave him a flat look, clearly uninterested in engaging. But before the silence grew awkward, Taiga jumped in, launching into a detailed account of their latest mission, a long escort through the dense forests of Ten Haven.
Aimee rocked forward, then back as the air inside the cave seemed to thicken. It felt too hot, too close, and the presence of Renji, despite his calm demeanor, only made it worse. It wasn’t fear, exactly, but something about him stirred a strange restlessness in her, like an itch she couldn’t scratch. She could feel his eyes on her from time to time, but when she glanced over, he was focused on Taiga or Iruka, talking casually. Still, it made her twitchy.
She stood abruptly, the cave suddenly suffocating, and moved toward the entrance, needing to feel the open air. Once outside, she exhaled, leaning against the cool stone as the setting sun cast longshadows over the desert. The air felt lighter out here, but that persistent feeling of unease remained, tugging at the edges of her thoughts. She examined the rocky horizon, her senses tuned for any sign of shinobi approaching, yet her mind kept drifting back to Renji.
Why does he get under my skin? she wondered, watching the sun slowly approach the horizon. It wasn’t a bad feeling, just something unsettling.
Just need to make it through until dawn, she reminded herself, knowing full well that the night would likely bring even more challenges.
Chapter twenty-eight
Aimee’searsperkedup,her pulse quickening as she stood on guard outside the cave.
“I don’t believe you!” Iruka’s voice echoed from within, followed by a thud as his fist struck the rock wall.
Her body tensed as she slipped quietly from the shadows outside and stepped into the cave’s dim interior. Aimee’s gaze darted to where Iruka and Renji sat, their heads bent close, voices hushed as firelight danced from a small lantern. Renji sat back, though his eyes gleamed in the dim light like a serpent coiled and waiting to strike. His outfit, though Mizu Haven’s standard blue, was tattered and stained with dried blood. Not that it seemed to bother him.
Meanwhile, Taiga had slumped against the cave wall, his head bobbing as he drifted into sleep, a thin line of drool dangling from his mouth.
“Everything all right in here?” She looked for any sign of trouble.
Iruka glanced up, his expression a mask of forced calm, though his knuckles were white where he clenched his fists against his lap.
“It’s fine.” A muscle in his jaw ticked.
“If you say so.” Aimee’s eyes found Renji. He sat back, arms folded, but the flash in his eyes betrayed something else that she couldn’t quite put her finger on.
Something about his whole demeanor set her on edge. Keeping her movements casual, she turned toward Taiga, crouching beside him before giving him a firm shake. “Hey, the sun’s down. Time to get moving.”
Aimee’s hand rested on the hilt of one of her swords, the worn leather grip familiar under her fingers. She adjusted the folds of her cloak, pulling the fabric tighter against the biting night air. “We won’t win by hiding out in here all night.”
Taiga shot awake with a snort, immediately alert. “Yeah! Let’s go!” He scrambled to his feet, brushing the red dust from his pants and bouncing on the balls of his feet. “What’s the plan?”
