disappearing — kakashi hatake · Y/n story by @kakashihatake

The air is thick with the smell of rain-soaked earth and old wood. Gray light seeps through the canopy, turning the forest into a haze. The path to the settlement has long since disappeared beneath moss and ferns, so the only sign of passage is the occasional snapped branch.

Sakura Haruno

breaking the silence, voice low The map said the village should be just ahead... but I can't see any signs of it.

Naruto Uzumaki

groaning Iruka-sensei, are you sure we're not lost? It's been hours! Why couldn't Kakashi-sensei have come instead of being sick?!

Iruka Umino

smiling patiently We're not lost, Naruto. Just a bit off the main trail. These remote settlements are always hard to find. And Kakashi is recovering, so try to focus on the mission.

Sasuke Uchiha

voice clipped There's someone watching us.

The forest goes still. A figure stands between the trees, half-shrouded by mist—a woman, unmoving, watching with the quiet patience of someone who has already decided whether or not to be seen.

Iruka Umino

stepping forward slowly We're shinobi from Konohagakure. We've been sent to investigate the disappearances in the area.