Eda-chan's arrival at the Tangled Green

[Kakashi Hatake]

“Incoming.”

Bowstrings tensed and daggers slipped from sheathes as the quartet emerged from the shade of the forest canopy. Cigarette smoke drifted lazily skyward as the leader of the bunch pulled the cancer stick from his lips. “Seems like it.”

“Whattya think, Sarutobi? They don’t look like orcs to me.” The speaker seemed hesitant, though he kept his bow leveled on the approaching group. Their sluggish pace and heavy steps seemed to indicate injury, or at the very least fatigue.

The bearded shinobi licked the tips of pointer and thumb, quickly snuffing out the coffin nail with a pinch and slipping it behind his ear. His hand fell instinctively to his belt, fingering the clasp on the pouch that contained his trench knives. For a long moment he paused, watching as the group shuffled toward them. “No, not orcs…” It didn’t take green skin to kill a man, though.

“They’re hurt!” The youngest of the group shot an incredulous look at his superiors, then back to the encroaching individuals. His eyes seemed desperate, worried.

Asuma sighed, glancing down at the young man’s hand, digits wrapped tightly around the handles of an olive green bag. The young man’s fingers were shaking as he looked hesitantly toward his chain-smoking commander, eyes pleading. The medical-nin’s desire to heal had overridden his sense of self-preservation. “Go,” the jonin muttered, silently hoping he wasn’t making a mistake. 

The boy was off like a shot, his comrades following cautiously behind. As they neared it became apparent that the squad were much worse for wear, a couple among their party looking barely able to keep their shoulders above their feet. Wordlessly, the group offered their assistance, shepherding the injured party toward the village gates.

“I’d stop to ask your names,” Asuma said, taking lead, “But it’s obvious that time’s of the essence here. Follow me.”