To Fell the Fel [Great]

[Kakashi Hatake]

“Do you not hear me?” The lilac-skinned woman inquired, her tone unsteady. “You must turn back!” Kakashi could sense desperation in the night elf’s words.

“We don’t have a choice, we have to get to that camp before they assault our village.” Sofia asserted, staring intently at the kaldorei. Her hand strayed to the hilt of a dagger fastened to her belt.

“You musn’t!” the night elf pleaded. “We must run!”

“She smells of fear,” Pakkun muttered, just low enough for his shinobi companion to hear.

“We?” Kakashi inquired, cocking his head. “Are you running from them?”

The dark-skinned woman leapt nimbly through the branches, landing mere feet from the quartet. Kakashi sized the woman up as she approached, taking note of what looked to be a large laceration on her forehead. Her silver eyes were unfocused, wild. Despite her disheveled state, the scarecrow noted that she was strikingly beautiful and a good deal taller than he expected. At around 6’ 5’’, she towered over the group.

“Y-you’re bleeding…” Dack stammered.

“My scouting group was attacked as we were returning to our glade,” the kaldorei explained, ignoring the tawny-haired boy’s concerns. “My sisters were captured...my lover is holding them off so that I may escape and seek help.”

“Well, since we’re on our way there anyway, we’ll see if we can help out with that,” Hatake replied, raising a hand as she made to protest. “Look, our mission is clear. We will not abandon it. You should return to your village; we'll look into your orc problem.”

The night elf sighed, slumping somewhat against a tree bough. “If you insist on entering the encampment, I will accompany you. I would not forgive myself if I ran like a coward while humans did my dirty work.”

“Fine by me,” the copy ninja replied, “we could use the help. What’s your name?”

“Larea,” the night elf replied. “Larea Darkdew.”

“Well Ms. Darkdew, as you seem to know where we’re headed, would you like to lead the way?”

She nodded, turning toward the south. “This way!” With remarkable grace she lunged forward, skipping across the increasingly dense limbs.

“Do you really think we can trust her?” Sofia inquired of the silver-haired shinobi as the newcomer vanished into the forest.

“That look in her eyes...I’ve seen it before,” Kakashi replied quietly. “Desperation, but not out of a desire to save her own skin...to save her friends.” Rin’s face suddenly appeared before the copy ninja’s mind’s eye, blood dribbling down her soft cheeks. The night elf wore the same desperation that Rin wore that night as he ran her through.

“At your orders, we’ll foll-,” Sofia began; before she could finish her thought, their captain made chase into the forest.

- - -

“We’re very close. The smell of blood is so strong...so much death.” Pakkun rasped, springing from limb to limb abreast his summoner.

The sharingan wielder nodded, but did not truly hear. He was focused on Larea, on the pain that her eyes held. He was used to the idea of pain; hell, causing pain was practically his job. Something about the kaldorei woman, however, had struck a nerve with him.

“Not to be a killjoy,” Dack called, speeding up to match Kakashi’s pace, “but how are we going to assassinate Spinebreaker and free her friends? They’re bound to be on alert at this point.”

“Kid’s got a point,” Pakkun interjected. “What’s our plan?”

Truthfully the scarecrow had not given this much thought. When the mission had been to pick off one enemy, it could have been accomplished with a simple blade to the throat. This new development now meant the task would require a bit more finesse. All things considered, there was also a strong possibility that the captured elves could all have been killed already. Whatever complications it would bring to their assignment, Kakashi hoped Larea’s people were still alive.

“We’re near the clearing,” Larea called, slowing to meet the pace of the rest of her entourage. “Everyone keep quiet. These brutes aren’t known for their keen senses, but nonetheless.”

“Agreed. Now would be a good time to discuss our pl-”

An ear-piercing scream echoed through the forest, coming from not 50 yards in front of them, followed by the sound of splintering wood.

“Tor ilisar'thera'nal!” Larea bellowed. Before the group could make a move to stop her, she dove headlong toward the commotion.