I am so sorry... it's been over a month now since my last update and I need to stop procrastinating. Anyway, please enjoy.

An unnerving chill crept up my spine as I continued to stare, unmoving into the seemingly darker forestry ahead of me.

My position in this clearing has made me vulnerable - unguarded - an easy target - to whatever is silently watching me from between the trees where a darkening aura has begun to emit.

There is something almost inhuman about my observer, no, there are two pairs of eyes trained on me, two observers. This feeling of unease that has come with their arrival, it's disturbing, and the atmosphere of the forest seems to have become more foreboding and threatening with their presence.

The silence that surrounded me now seems to have enhanced every other small sound that has begun to betray me as I stay crouched in the intensifying heat of the sun. The beating of my heart, while remaining even in pace, echoed through my ribcage and seemed to pound against my eardrums. The shaking breaths that escaped my lips with every calming exhale slivered through my mask and into the still air around me. The almost inaudiable sound of shifting spinters of wood from the puppet that I was still looming over. They all seemed to echo around the clearing as I tried not to shift position while waiting for the intruder to make their move.

My eyes widened slightly and I scolded myself for the small gasp that had escaped me. The previously gradual reintroduction of throbing aches that had inhabited my body were now increasing their pace as they spread deeper into my muscles and into my bones. My vision began to blur as the sudden assult rattled through my brain causing my head to pound.

My breathing became laboured as the pain familiarised itself with my body again and the last of the pain killers became diluted in my system. Having to conciously keep my limbs from shaking as I held the crouching position I was in, I could feel my palms and forehead begin to persperate.

'Yeah, this venture into the woods could most definitely be considered as an error of judgement... my bad...' I internally commentated as I tried to take my mind off the sudden onslaught of irritating physical symptoms of the muscle fatigue, fractured bones and whatever else the good Doctor had diagnosed me with. Surely it shouldn't be this bad after a whole week...

My mind snapped back to the present as I sensed movement from the forestry.

If I move, will they attack?

If I remain still, will they attack?

If I go for my weapons pouch, they'll probably attack...

I can unsheath my katana quickly if they attack, but I am in no condition to instigate a fight and prevail... I really shoulda thought this one through...

Damn it! Stay focused! I scolded myself before the intruders decided to give up on their 'here but not really here' thing.

"Hmmm it couldn't have been her that killed my pet" A deep gravely voice drifted through the trees causing my muscles to tense and my breath to hitch.

"I don't know Sasori, un, she looks quite incriminated at the moment." A second, more casual and younger sounding voice responded to the first.

"That was a stealth based puppet, Deidera, there's no way a mere child could have detected such an art piece. Especially one of mine..." The previously identified 'Sasori' grumbled lowly.

"Well maybe, Sasori my man, your so called 'art' is not as high grade as you think it is, un." The forementioned 'Deidera' teased, humour lacing his voice.

"Be cautious, Deidera, my partners never seems to last long and you are no exception." He seethed, the deadly aura in the air thickening.

"Hey, no disrespect intended, un. This might actually be the most praise worthy artwork of yours I've seen. This pile of splinters isn't looking too eternal at the moment, ahh art truly is fleeting." Deidera concluded calmly in response to the threat.

We're getting nowhere like this, this damn standstill, it's making me anxious... and I don't know how much longer I can stay on my feet.

"I'm feeling kind of excluded from this conversation. If you'd like, I can leave and let youse continue by yourselves?" I inquired in what I hope was a lighthearted voice. But the throbing between my ears is worsening as I try to stop myself from physically wincing and clutching my head to sooth the pain.

"Ahh, so she's a polite little brat, un. Now what to do, Sasori my man?" Deidera pondered lightly.

Damn, was it really so wrong to hope that they'd actually go for my suggestion??

A short, wide form emerged slightly from between the trees, still remaining in the shadows. A black cloak, spotted with blood red clouds covered his body, while a straw hat with white strips of paper and a small bell hanging from its hem, shrouded his face.

"We complete the mission, obviously." The hunched form spoke with Sasori's gravely voice.

"Hm, back to business then" Deidera remarked as he too revealed himself slightly, wearing similar clothing that hung off his taller and slimmer built frame.

The pair seemed to observe me for a moment, I swayed slightly as I slowly raised myself into a standing position. Each movement sent a jolt through my body which i tried to ignore, but nothing could stop the sweat that had collected on my forehead as my body seemed to be heating up. The sun had moved over enough so the rays didn't directly penetrate the small clearing, but instead shone through the thin canopy surrounding the edges.

I glared at the intruders, hands fisting at my sides trying to psych myself up for a fight which I was sure was coming.

"You hide it well, child, but you're clearly in no condition to defend yourself. Just give us what we came for, and I'll make sure your heart stops before I begin your transformation into another one of my pets. I am, after all, short of one due to your interference." The threat was thick in Sasori's voice as he deduced my current state.

My breath hitched, I'd completely forgotten about the scrolls tucked securely into my waist band that now seemed all too obvious under my shirt. I should have ran when I had the chance, I can't let them get these scrolls or it's all for nothing.

"My apologies about that" my eyes flickered to the pile of splinters below me before returning to my now confirmed enemy. "I was just strolling through the forest looking for my lost dog that I received as a birthday present from my late Auntie, God rest her soul, and mistook your 'pet' for Spot and tried to catch him. I didn't mean to break it... honest..." I stated innocently, letting a trace of guilt linger in my voice.

The pair just stared at me, they seemed to exchange a glance between each other before looking back.

There is no way I am getting out of this...

"I like this girl, un, she's got guts" Deidera broke the silence. "But, unfortunately, we do have a mission to complete." He made a step towards me. I could see a flicker of blonde hair aswell as a wide grin on the lower half of his face that became visible as he stepped slightly out of the shadows.

I grasped the hilt of my katana and was about to unsheath it for a second time this day when Deidera stopped abruptly. "Aww just when it was gonna get fun..." He trailed of retreating slowly to the shadows again. I confusedly reajusted my grip on the handle as I stared between the retreating Deidera and the motionless Sasori whose glare I could feel burning into my already throbbing skull.

I continued to stare between them as they made a silent exchange that was beyond my ears before they both disappeared into the forest, I could no longer feel their eyes, and they left no other trace besides the mangled puppet next to me.

The blonde retreated back into the shadows after sensing the approaching chakra signatures.

"Sasori my man, we can't afford to get identified here. Leader will have our heads if we make ourselves known yet..." He spoke calmly to his partner, not bothering to keep the dissapointment from his voice from being denied his fun with the silver haired girl that still stood glaring at them and swaying slightly.

"But the girl, Deidera, she knows of us... and we came for the scrolls" Sasori seethed at his partners change in demeanour.

"There's no time, we can always come back. But we don't need a ninja squad coming after us, that'd just be bothersome, and Pein would be pissed if we did anything apart from the mission he gave us." Deidera replied, fighting everything in him that loved more than anything to cause trouble, but his alternate motive had to be put above his whimsical need for entertainment. The bombers sense of the girl in front of him was strange and he wanted more time to toy with her. Which wouldn't happen with the still approaching ninja, and Sasori wanting to gut her and make her one of his Puppets.

"Hmmm perhaps you're right Deidera" The Puppeteer spoke whilst staring intently at the silver haired girl who had destroyed his pet. "But I will remember that one..." He finished before slinking back into the shadows and silently dissapearing through the forest with his smirking companion.

I continued to stare after them in confusion. They had me at such a disadvantage, and yet they're leaving me alone, without even what they came for.

I silently pondered this predicament for a moment before jumping to turn around quickly at the eyes I felt on my back. Did they just move around without me noticing!? We're my thought before something worse than the previous intruders broke through the trees.

"Kida! What are you doing out here!" Kakashi's voice boomed through the clearing, his eyes glanced me over looking for any new injuries, before he retired to a calmer, neutral demeanour and continued, "And what is that?"

I followed his pointed finger to the mangled mess of wood and splinters at my feet.

An orange blur barelled through the shrubbery behind Kakashi, heaving slightly to catch his breath. "See Kakashi Sensei! There was nothing to worry about! I found her!" Naruto's exstatic voice rang through the clearing causing both Kakashi and I to sigh.

Wait. There were three sighs just then. I looked down and spotted a bored looking Pakun by Kakashi's feet. "Well, my work here is done. See ya Kakashi." Pakun waved before dissapearing in a cloud of grey smoke. He's really not the social sort... I thought before refocusing my gaze on Kakashi who was staring me down, waiting for an answer.

This is it. My next explanation is gonna get me out of every kind of trouble that I've dug myself into today. Maybe even every trouble for the next week. This. This here is my moment.

"I spotted a suspicious creature in the forest from the hospital window and felt the need to investigate."

My mouth and throat became dry as I spoke.

"Once I caught up to the creature... jump... stab..."

Every part of me feels overheated, despite the dimming sun that no longer penetrated the clearing.

"Further examination... found... um... wood... yeah?"

An unfamiliar nauseousness settled in my stomach as I continued, confused by my uncharacteristic decline in vocabulary.

"Oh, I borrowed Naruto's shoes, thanks Naruto, cause footwear in the outdoors is important"

My vision seemed to get brighter, and colours merged together. Kakashi's hair was almost glowing and Naruto's orange jump suit was an asulting neon blob.

"Scrolls, yeah, scrolls too."

Everything was going in and out of focus, and becoming jumbly around the edges. I tapped my waist where the scrolls still rested before my hand fell back down to my side, dangling there uselessly. I was loosing feeling in my body, not sure if I was swaying or stepping backwards, or maybe Kakashi was moving closer...

"I don't wanna be a puppet."

I managed to mumble out before darkness consumed me.