Northern Pass

A opening to a mountainous trail that leads to the cloud village. It is a maze if you don't have a guide or map and perfect for ambushes from rogue shinobi.

Kotaro and Raze put their equipment in the packs they carried as they prepared to journey from their village checkpoint to the wind village. They had a map, water, food, and plenty of camping equipment. It would be a long hike. And they wrre sure to e ambushed along the way. Kotaro looked down the trail. "Lets go." Raze nodded and followed obediently as they started down the trail.

Kitsune and Ookami were already at the northern pass waiting on the Raikage. The Mizukage knew of Kotaro's journey and had his two head Anbu members accompany them. They were equipped with food, 2 canteens of water each, and they were fully suited for infiltration wearing their anbu clothing along with their katanas

(Kitsune is a girl and her name stands for fox which is wat anbu mask she wears while Ookami is a male and his name means wolf which is what anbu mask he wears)

Kotaro continued walking till he reached the two anbu waiiting. “The fox and the wolf of the mist.” He said with a nod. “You have my gratitude for joining us on this mission. However, i do have something to say...” His eyes narrowed. “This is merely a recon mission. There will be no contact with the wind village unless attacked. Although you are not of my village and anbu, you are to still take orders from me. If you have a problem with that, leave right now, because I have no need for hesitant ninja.”

they bowed slightly "We understand Raikage" they said almost in unision "The Mizukage already informed us and we specialize in infilitration and recon"

Kotaro looked them both over one last time and nodded. “Then I am honored to have you by my side. Raze!”

Raze stepped foreward, wearing her eagle anbu mask. She held out a map. “This pass is a maze. Easy to get lost. This map should help if we get seperated.Also, this pass is filled with bandits and rogue shinobi. we are expected too be ambushed more then once. Be prepared at all times.” He smiled. “Now lets get going.” He said starting down the path.

Grins flashed under their masks "Well lets hope we do get ambushed" Ookami said "Please ignore him Raikage" She Kitsune said as she took the map from Raze

Kotaro hid a grin. “Did the Mizukage inform you of the shrine we will stop at?” He hadn't told Kinai of the shrine, he just wanted to converse as they hiked.

"No, Mizukage"Kitsune said as her and Ookami walked side by side along with the Raikage [color:4612=Dark blue]"What is the purpose of stopping at a shrine?" Ookami replied

“I trust you aren't familiar with the tale of the Tsubiki.” Kotaro said in response. “When the tailed beasts were formed, they weren't mere chakra beasts, but actual beings. However, one of the beasts, Nine-tails, was power mad. he believed that in order to become stronger, you had too forsake your sanity, your reason, and become merely a beast. So he split the tailed beasts in half, their fiercenes and anger as well as beastly attitude into the beasts we all know.” He snapped his fingers. “And their reason and sanity into the Tsubiki. They took the forms of humanoid beings, only half animal, a reminder of where they came from. The Tsubiki were just as powerful as their tailed counter-parts, but they weren't evil at all.”

He reached into him bag and pulled out a map of the known world. “Each Tsubiki was sealed into a shrine. The legend goes that once a worthy host is found, the Tsubiki of that shrine will take itself into the host, giving it its strength. The reason i want to stop at the shrine isbecause I wish to make sure no one has degraded it.”

"Oh ok Raikage" Kitsune said "Well are we ready to move out? Ookami said itching to fight some rouge ninja

(sorry for short posts)

Kotaro nodded. "Lets move." He said starting down the trail. Like he had said, the pass was a maze after just 5minutes of walking they had to take out a map to find out where to go. Kotaro noticed multiple puddles on the floor, possibly from rain on the mountain.

Raze pointed down the left side of the pass. "This way." She said. Kotaro nodded and followed her. "Something doesn't feel right...."

"I Believe you are right Raze" Ookami said "It seems as we are being watched" Kitsune replied as the followed Raze and the Raikage "Well if someone is out there then it would be their best interest to leave us alone" He finishes with a menacing chuckle

Kotaro looked up into the sky. Not a cloud apparent. He sighed and walked over to a small rock formation. "There should be a fork in the road up" suddenly 6 kunai entered his chest and he was sent to the ground.

"Kotaro!" Raze pulled out a kunai and ran in front of his body. Suddenly the body turned to rock. "A clone?"

Grins flickered under Kitsune and Ookami's mask "Raze you should worry more about yourself right now. He is the Raikage after all She says as her and Ookami gets ready for any other incoming attacks. [color:b51c=dark blue]"Come on out Cowards! Ookami roared

Suddenly a multitude of weapons flew from all directions. Raze deflected them and dodged with ease. "Why so many weapons?" A demon wind shurikan came from the left, which she dodged and sent a kunai toward the thrower."

Kitsune and Ookami pulled a kunai out each and got back to back. As the weapons flew in closer they deflected each one with ease "Maybe because they are cowards to fight face to face" He laughed as Kitsune said nothing but focusing and searching for any chakara levels near by

The weapons suddenly stopped as a thus was heard. A body was suddenly thrown off a cliff. It was a rogue sand ninja. "Single weaponeer." A voice said over the cliff. Kotaro sent a kunai through the ninja's neck as he jumped off the cliff. "Took a bit too find him."

When learning it was a sand ninja kitsune pulls out a small book in which she rights the encounter they just experienced in it. She mainly wrote down it was a sand ninja. Ookami walked over to the lifeless body and removed his Sand village headband and put it in a pouch. Kitsune then turned to the Raikage "Excuse us for our actions. We are to document the encounters we have made with any enemy shinobi. Also document what village they are from Ookami then butted in "We are also ordered to take their headband for proof of our encounter"

"I hope he doesn't believe the sand village is to blame for this rogue's actions." He said contuing to walk the pass. Raze followed him and glanced at the two. "The Mizukage seems to be building a list...." kotaro shook his head. "Drop it."

Ookami did not hear what Raze said but Kitsune did. She then walked next to raze and the Raikage "I understand your concern Raze She said with a brief pause 'But he has good reasons. He just wants to protect his village. He knows of all the things everyone has been through lately and will do anything to prevent it happening to his village along with his ally's villages again. Even if this means completely destroying other villages She said bluntly as ookami continued to walk behind them not saying anything

"I understand the Mizukage's reason. But still, writing down all encounters. This was a rogue ninja, surely he won't blame the sand village?" Raze said in response.

Kotaro had a thought of Kinai's intentions. He remained silent though, until he got more information.

Kitsune responded "His full intentions is not revealed to me yet." She continued on "I think he will if we continue to have encounters from shinobi with the head band of the sand"

"If it makes you feel better Raze, I will talk to him about it." Kotaro said turning right on. Fork in the road. "We are almost to the shrine, lets hurry."

The two anbu are quick to follow behind

As they cleared the turn they entered a large clearing with a statue that had a calm looking wolf on a pedastal. "The shrine of Luki." He said to them.