Chapter 15 - K

"So how did you say you met this fox?" Sasha asks. They've been walking for half an hour together mostly in silence in case there are walkers near, but they've not sighted anything dangerous so they're relaxed.

"Well, I was trying to go to the houses near the lake because I hoped to find food. Some walkers surprised me but Nine helped me. I think I remind him of his real owner."

Kurama who's in front of the group suddenly stops and turns his head to growl at Sophia. The group steps back, startled, as they unconsciously press their weapons close to their bodies.

Sophia is unfazed as she looks at him with a frown. "Um, right. No owner… I look like your idiotic friend then?"

Kurama nods and continues walking forward, ignoring the hushed whispers.

After a couple more minutes, Adam pushes his slightly wet hair away from his forehead. "We should search for a place to cover from the rain. It will grow worse and we can't afford to get sick in this time."

The others start nodding, making sounds of agreement and plans for the night. Sophia looks at him and Kurama points his head towards a hill. They're really near. The scent's not strong but it's clearer than before. As if they've been more than a couple of times there. It's mixed with some kind of smoke and dry plants he can really recognize thanks to the rain but it's there. He dashes forward.

"We're near," she says.

"You said that before but how do you know that, Sophia?"

"Nine says so, let's go!"

She runs behind him but he's the first to reach the highway. There are lots of those cars she told him about before and he goes to the specific one with the scent of Sophia's mother. There's no human near but he still jumps on top of the cars and when he reaches the one with the food he inhales the cars alongside it where he can catch the scent of other people, memorizing them before the rain erases it.

"We separated near here," she murmurs. "There were walkers and… They left me food and a blanket."

Donna stands behind her and extends her arms to offer her a hug but Sophia turns around and walks to where he is. She kneels, blanket pressed against her chest, tears forming in her eyes but it doesn't stop her to look him directly into his eyes.

"It's raining. Are we going to be able to find them?"

He frowns. Kurama's not the kind to give empty promises. Or pull a Naruto and work to turn the promise into reality with every fiber of his being. It's not him so he doesn't even try.

"I memorized the scent," he whispers instead, softly enough for only her to hear. It's not a promise but a fact. And it seems to help her regain her bearings. She slowly nods and stands. This time she does accept Donna's hug.

- Naruto -

Ero-sennin has always said he has a screwed-up relationship with Lady Luck. That or he was her favorite plaything. He has good luck with chance games and the kind, but whenever something that's supposed to be simple that he has to do comes to him, he knows it's going to turn dangerous in a snap. He doesn't even remember being in a C-rank that hasn't turned into a B or an A. Sometimes even S.

He's never believed Ero-sennin's words to be true. But waking up in a new world to find being unable to move, every muscle in his being aching while his skin screams in discomfort, well, it makes him question the validity of his words. There are groans all around him, but when he looks from the corner of his eyes to take a look at his surroundings as he doesn't want to attempt to move his head, he only sees his skin turned as red as those times he came off from using the fourth tail.

His connection with Kurama's chakra is much, much better so he knows is not that. Most likely is thanks to the sun shining annoyingly bright above him.

Naruto wants to stand up and see what those groans are. He makes his fingers twitch and that action is enough to make him curse.

So moving is a bad idea then.

He sighs and closes his eyes, ignoring the sounds near and letting the warm sun burn his skin even more. He hopes Kurama and Sasuke are faring better.

Hopes can't really affect reality, though.

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