Cameia and I rushed towards the temple, seeing the familiar figures of Anko, Kurenai, and Rekyses approaching rapidly as well.
Looking into the dark, misty entrance of the temple, we all exchanged glances.
"What made it-"
Anko tried to ask a question, only to fall silent when we felt the ground shake, more mist spilling from the entrance as another roar was released.
Jumping back, we crouched on some branches as we narrowed our eyes, trying to make out the shape that approached the gateway of the ruined temple.
Nocking an arrow, I looked at Cameia, who had drawn her two kama, the sickle like blades shrouded with darkness chakra.
Nodding to one another, we returned our gazes to the gateway, watching as a large, feathered creature exited.
Starting from its feet, the giant, curved talons were flickering with chakra as they gouged the earth with each step. The skin was a leathery brown, and its veins were a pulsating purple.
It's round body was covered in long, flowing green feathers, the tips fading into a dark blue. They glistened in the few rays of sunshine that broke through the forests canopy.
As it exited the temple it extended its wings, flapping them and creating a light gale that rustled the branches and scattered the leaves and twigs on the forest floor.
Finally, as I turned my gaze towards its head, I bit my lip.
Just like a rooster it had a wattle, the same brown leathery skin that made up its feet. Above the wattle was a razor sharp beak, bone white and shrouded in chakra, just like the talons. Lastly, its eyes were a shining blue, and I shivered as it cracked open its beak, ethereal blue fire spilling from its mouth as it growled.
Lowering its wings, the Basan looked around the forest, its blue eyes scouring the ground as it took a few more steps outside.
Seeing Anko's hands moving, I nodded to her, turning to Cameia as I whispered "They want us to attack first, before going farther up into the trees."
The Darkness Priestess looked over at the other three women, before jumping higher into the canopy.
Sighing, I looked at my arrow and attached a chakra string, before aiming at the Basan.
It was walking around the clearing outside the temple, its head swiveling from side to side as it narrowed its blue eyes.
Channeling some wind chakra onto the arrow, I drew the arrow back fully, aiming for the center of the Basan's chest.
Letting the arrow fly, I drew another and sent it hurtling behind the first, hoping to weaken or pierce the flesh of the Basan with the first one, the second arrow digging deeper afterwords.
The first arrow collided with the green feathers, the wind chakra pushing them aside as it...
Barely lodged into the Basan's chest, the other arrow splitting the first, only to bounce harmlessly off the beasts skin.
Its head swung towards my direction, the Basan letting out a roar as its blue eyes narrowed.
Flapping its large wings, the Basan created a strong gale around itself, before colliding its wings together.
A large blade of wind sliced towards my position, making me jump higher into the trees.
Its attack easily sheared the branch off the tree, hurtling past and gouging a large gash into the tree behind us.
Landing besides Cameia, I pursed my lips, looking at the angry Basan.
"Thats... annoying. How hard is its flesh?"
Cameia pursed her lips, before...
Slashing one of her kama towards the beast, I watched as a crescent blade of darkness whistled through the air, slicing into the side of the beast and leaving a light gash.
"Indeed, it has some strong defenses..."
The Basan sent another wind blade hurtling our way, and we jumped off the branch, watching as it was splintered under the strength of the blade.
I started gathering my wind chakra, shaping it into an arrow as I jumped from branch to branch.
Cameia landed beside me, looking at the spiraling chakra on my bowstring, saying "Let me help."
Holding her hand out, I watched as her darkness chakra spilled from her palm, coiling around my own as the wind turned a stormy gray.
A chill ran up my arm, and I shivered as the cold seeped into my bones.
As Cameia poured more chakra onto my own, the chill only deepened, making my teeth chitter as I shook.
"Are you okay?"
Hearing Cameia, I nodded, my teeth chattering.
Her golden eyes narrowed slightly, however she only nodded.
"That's... enough..."
Hearing her steady voice, I breathed a sigh of relief, the chill almost becoming too much.
My hands trembled as I tried to aim the bow, only for me to stiffen as Cameia slid behind me, her hands steadying my own as she held me steady.
The feeling of her soft, cold hands over my own, the touch of her cheek against my head as she helped me aim...
How her body clung to mine as she raised my arms, a familiar stiffness from below and softness from above.
"Kokoro... Focus."
I shivered, her voice cutting through the slight haze in my mind as I nodded.
Focussing my attention on the bow, I gently raised the bow up and to the right, before shivering again as Cameia's right hand held my own.
"On three, release..."
Nodding again, I evened my breathing, trying to steady my hands.
"One..."
One of her legs pushed between mine, while her body clung tighter to me.
"Two..."
Her breath tickled my ear, sending my hair fluttering slightly.
I was surprised...
After all, her hands were cold, and she only gave me a slight warmth as her body melded to mine, but her breath...
Was so, so warm...
"Three."
Her voice echoed in my ear, and I released the string.
As soon as the arrow left the string, my body started warming up, eventually reaching a heat as she continued to hold my hands in her own.
The grey wind arrow split the air, traveling faster than I had ever seen as it pierced into the Basan's chest.
The wind spiraled past the blue tipped feathers, reveling the Basan's dark blue flesh.
Spiralling faster and faster, the chakra arrow entered the Basan's flesh, making the beast let out a screech as a splash of purple blood splattered onto the grass.
However, the chakra arrow only dug about a foot deep before the winds dissipated.
Thankfully the darkness chakra entered the Basan, the surrounding flesh turning gray.
"C-Cameia..."
I had no idea why, but as the golden eyed expressionless woman held me in her arms, I felt my heart race, only to speed up faster as I felt something poking me from below.
Cameia looked down at me, her golden eyes staring intently at my own before she tilted her head.
"I've never felt like... this, before..."
I gulped, her hair falling onto my face, tickling my nose slightly.
Dropping my hands, I stepped away from her, panting slightly, both relieved and disappointed about that.
Staring at her, I looked her over, noting the way she instantly turned away, drawing her kama as she dropped from the branch.
Biting my lip, I tightened my grip on my bow, not entirely understanding what had just happened, nor why I was so irked by her quick dismissal.
Shaking my head, I dropped down as well, returning my focus to the immense, raging beast that was coughing out slight bouts of its ethereal blue fire as it scratched at the earth with its large talons.
As it looked at us with its narrowed, blue eyes, I widened my own as I saw...
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Say hello to cliff-kun~!
Besides that, I was just curious; was Kunoichi's Tale the first (or only) of my works you read? If so, what else do you read? Or where did you first find me? I was just curious, as I see some of the same people everywhere (Hello Camo, Wasad, Zachary_Patterson, Stieborn_666, BaaSheep123, and sami_funges to name a few~), and wanted to know how my readers first found me!
Anyways, enjoy~
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