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Sasuke's POV (Northern Mountains of Irminsul - Terra)
"My pack!" Fullius roared as a third bear appeared carrying a torch. "It is time for a delicacy among our clan. Tonight, we will prepare weasel, Blood Weasel!" There was wild applause from the crowd, a mix of roars and stomps as the audience made their joy obvious. Sasuke watched with a raised brow as Muri shrunk and climbed back on his shoulder, seemingly encaptured in morbid curiosity but upset by it all the same. "But not any regular old member of the Bloodthirsters! But their infamous leader, Spleen Feaster! We shall engage in a pleasing meal and a suiting punishment for our dastardly foes tonight. He will suffer the fate of all condemned members of the Snow Crescent Clan! The Icy embrace of hell shall cook his flesh to perfection!"
Sasuke and Muri watched as the torch bear spat the torch into the fire pit. The pit must've been prepared sometime before, for the flames erupted once in contact, causing a roaring fire in earnest. The heat was so intense both Sasuke and Muri felt the heat. Spleen Feaster felt it as well, gasping in pain. The weasel writhed inside the cage, as the heat from fire made the air shimmer around the cage. Soon, screams sounded off from Spleen Feaster, matched with a disturbing sizzle and smell. It smelled like burnt fur and meat similar to pork, the screams went on and on. The two of them and the bears watched as Spleen Feaster suffered. The ice must've been unique, for it didn't melt as it heated up. Instead, it seemed more like metal, continuously rising in temp as the flames cooked the weasel that was helpless to escape. Even its impressive teeth could do little to ice. The sight of the weasel slowly being burned, the smell of burnt flesh and hair filling the air, and the begging for mercy and screaming in pain made for an assault on the senses. (5)
However, the bears around them were infinitely less bothered. Actively enjoying and even cheering on the harsh execution. They seemed to grow in mood as the pain for Spleen Feaster did. Joking about and even seeming to be hungry for Spleen Feaster's torture.
"This seems cruel, but rest assured it is deserved. These pests have notonly hunted, killed, and captured us, but they often feed on their prey while still alive. This punishes the weasel responsible and sets a warning for our foes." Moone interjected during the torture.
"Besides, those weasels taste better when cooked alive anyway!" Moona agreed. "Though if you don't wish to watch, we can begin the inspection."
Sasuke eyed the bear's revenge a little longer. Seeing the result and cruelty of vengeance was somewhat chilling, but the Uchiha could empathize. He had often dreamed of the revenge he'd get for his clan. With such being true, could he truly judge this cruelty? Though the senselessness of it all was so disgusting, Sasuke would not mind leaving.
Besides, he didn't have time to waste.
"Lead the way." Sasuke agreed. The three began exploring the campsite; Muri's emphatic nature and Sasuke's meticulous attention ensured they explored every nook and cranny. The bears were patient, jovial, and seemingly happy to lead them around. As Sasuke examined a waste pit to ensure no human remained, Muri crawled back onto Sasuke, wrapping around his neck; the proximity allowed Sasuke to feel the raccoon shaking.
As the group moved on, Sasuke whispered to his companion the bears leading from the front allowed them some privacy. "Are you okay?"
Muri seemed to tremble even more as he answered. "Are you?! They are cruelly torturing a living being. Are you not disgusted?!"
"It is certainly tasteless," Sasuke agreed with a shrug. "However, the two groups are in open war, and likely, there is a deep and bloody history at the heart of it all. It is unfair to judge a situation we know nothing about."
"That makes wanton cruelty, okay? Even if they had valid reasons their actions are inexcusable!" Muri snapped back.
"No, morally speaking, regardless of context, it is a depraved act. Furthermore, I would not mindlessly harm my enemies. Should I hate them so deeply I would simply kill them. However, we don't know the situation nor is it our business. Perhaps they have been wronged gravely. Humans or animals tend to be vengeful if wronged greatly…"
"Even if they merely return a cruel act, it is reprehensible! The slaughtering of the enemy would make sense and while it would be despicable is understandable, but that-"
"As I said, I don't support it, but I can understand it to some degree. In this world, or any world we may live in, there is always cause and effect. An action taken by a person or group will always have a consequence. People remember those who do wrong to them much better than those who treated them right. And when unforgivable sins and slights are had, they always weigh more heavily on those slighted. That resentment, that hatred, the cold-hearted thought of if they hadn't been there, hadn't done what they did. It is all fueled by the pain caused by that initial sin. Once someone has lost something, they become something else entirely. Motivated by vengeance and hate, blinded by it truly. They are willing to go to any lengths for their own justice…" Sasuke lectured Muri. "I understand it seems strange and wholly wrong to you, but it is the nature of life. Why is it affecting you so deeply? From what you described, this world is much more savage than ours."
"Certain members of the Okama Clan are gifted with empathic abilities. Strong emotions for those who are distance-wise close to us are felt by us as if they were our own. The stronger the emotion, the stronger the effect. It makes me look at the world differently than others. When you realize just how similar all life is, it's hard to be cold-hearted…" Muri trailed off as he trembled more.
"So the intense pain, fear, and despair from the torture would have a profound effect on you." Sasuke guessed.
"Yes, it did," Muri began. "But to be frank, it was only part of the problem. What I found more disturbing than that is that you don't merely understand… in some way, you hold that same darkness inside of you."
"Hn," Sasuke grunted noncommittally. Though part of him did wonder just how much darkness Muri could see inside of him.
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Kurobachi's POV (Eastern Forest of Irminsul - Terra)
Kurobachi grunted as he carried his brother leaping from branch to branch as he slowly tracked down his sister. Jibachi was soaked in his own blood, and it seemed by the minute he was getting weaker. The quick medical assistance he had provided Jibachi proved a waste. The pathetic cries of his sibling were slowly getting quieter as time went on. Kurobachi would have to find help for him soon.
What a disaster that attack had been. That Aburame, Shino he had named himself. Had been no mere Chunin. To take them both on at once was impressive. Shortly after, he dismantled his Jounin sibling even more so. It was shameful that they had not only failed but been driven off. Kurobachi, a former head of the great Kamizuru, had been matched in both unfair and one-on-one combat. By another woman of all things…
It had been his decision to hunt them, not to seek out their sister. Jibachi would likely remember such a thing, which would cause Suzumebachi's influence to grow. It was as if the past was repeating itself…
Kurobachi froze as he landed on a branch. A bone-chilling howl sounded through the air. Pulsating his chakra to check for nearby threats, he felt his heart drop as he realized he was surrounded. There were nearly thirty shinobi around him! Had the Leaf brought an entire platoon? Why? They clearly were no allies if they were sneaking around them. They seemed to be attempting to surround him…