The Forest of Death - 9

The blonde boy gulped, staring down at Haku whose face was somehow not peaceful. He certainly was paler than usual and it was plain to see he had been very ill. Naruto petted his unconscious teammate's head worriedly, forgetting his hunger.

"When do you think he'll wake up?" He felt the need to ask.

Gaara shrugged, "I have no idea. Soon, maybe, once he's had enough rest."

Naruto nodded glumly, not understanding how Haku's health could fail him in the middle of the Chunin Exam. He thought of Sato briefly, wondering if there was a virus going around, 'If that idiot turns out to be the germ-bag behind this I'm gonna-!'

"I'm going outside." Gaara spoke abruptly, his voice hinting that Naruto should join him.

The blonde stood up reflexively, trying to overcome his growing concerns for Haku's state of health. He followed quietly after the red haired boy, only realizing that they had been resting in a cave once they had gotten out of it. Gaara didn't even bother to hole up the entrance behind them.

"Don't set off any traps-" Gaara's warning came a bit too late, as he watched Naruto dodge a hail of kunai that had sprung from a nettle of leaves, where he had unwittingly stepped on a trip wire. He sighed at his friend, expecting as much.

"Yeesh! You could give a bit more warning than that Gaara!" The blonde boy followed after his teammate, peeved, "What? Were you trying to scare off any army or something while we were out?"

"It's a possibility." Gaara said blandly, finding he was unable to smirk as he normally would at a moment like this. He absently wandered back to the stream as Naruto followed him, wary for traps.

Gaara sat down by the water and splashed a handful of it over his tired face. Naruto plopped down beside him and immersed his entire head into the cool water. His teammate sighed in exasperation. The blonde resurfaced, grinning and refreshed.

It was then Gaara considered telling Naruto about his encounter with his long-lost siblings. Though he was aware it would probably come as a shock, since he had never spoken about them before in his time with Naruto and Haku. He felt torn. It was horrible and never before had he been so hopelessly confused in his life.

Gaara decided against it. Naruto had a lot to deal with at the moment and forcing his problems onto the blonde would only complicate things further.

He'd find out eventually anyway.

"Maybe we should just...wake Haku-kun up," Naruto suggested thoughtfully as they stood, "You know, give him a little nudge. I bet he's got enough energy to at least have us get to the tower..."

For once, Gaara couldn't argue with him. Haku would have to get going any way; they simply didn't have any more time to allow him to recover. The red haired boy nodded solemnly in response and Naruto raised his eyebrows at him for a moment, but then shrugged, glad Gaara didn't deem his idea foolish.

They returned to their temporary hideout where Haku remained in a deep sleep. It felt like a crime to wake him, being that Gaara had spoken of how terribly ill he had been, but it needed to be done.

Naruto kneeled down next to the dark haired boy and gently shook his shoulder, "Haku-kun, it's time for us to get going..."

Haku's eyes opened slowly and his pain was visible. It took a moment for them to adjust to the light before the image of Naruto's whiskered face came into view. Gaara sighed inwardly, hoping he had enough energy for the continuation of their journey.

The blonde boy helped Haku sit up and let him have a sip of water from his canteen, 'I don't know about this...he's still as weak as a kitten and he can barely see straight...' Haku was cross-eyed at the moment.

"How are you feeling?" Gaara couldn't help but notice the dark haired boy shaking slightly. It wasn't comforting.

"I feel like I was hit by a train..." Haku's voice was hoarse, but humorous. Naruto grinned, glad that he wasn't the zombie-version of himself he had been expecting.

"We kind of lost two days after the fight with the crazy guy," Naruto announced sheepishly, "So we better haul ass in the next few days or we'll be late and...yeah." He didn't want to upset Haku, but he was a bit late on the uptake.

Haku's storm colored eyes lowered in shame, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Naruto barked, indignant, "You've got no reason to apologize, Haku-kun!"

"I've been a burden," He said softly, "I've slowed us down."

"Technically you've both been burdens," Gaara pointed out and his teammates looked hurt, "It's not something to be remorseful about. We're here and have both scrolls. If we go now there's little chance that we'll be disqualified at all."

Their expressions brightened considerably.

"Well? You think you're up to it, Haku-kun?" Naruto's mood was as sunny as usual.

He nodded, sliding his legs beneath him and stood awkwardly. He looked terrible, but if he believed that he was able to continue his teammates weren't about to stop him.

"I have a question though." Haku's eyebrows knitted together in a frown, "While we were knocked out, what happened? Were there any other shinobi that you encountered, Gaara-kun?"

"A team of Cloud," He answered succinctly, walking ahead of them into the sun-lit brush of the forest, "I crushed them before they could get too close." It was only half of the truth, but the truth nonetheless.

"Ah." Haku nodded in understanding and had no further comment on the matter. Naruto walked beside him, guardedly, keeping watch for any other ninja, as improbable as another encounter would be.

Haku felt his chakra slowly begin to return to him, but it was painfully low. His limbs ached as he followed his teammates up into the treetops, and he hoped that he would never again slow them down.

*

At that time Kabuto arrived at the tower. He bade farewell to Team 7, whom he had escorted there after stumbling upon them in the forest.

The silver haired boy pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose as he pulled open one of the double doors and went inside silently, as if expected.

He was.

"Ah, so you've brought the information, Kabuto-kun?" Orochimaru's voice hung slippery in the air as he leaned against a wall, his arms folded across his chest.

Kabuto smirked darkly, holding up one of his cards, "Yes, Orochimaru-sama. It's all here: the information on Uchiha Sasuke."

Orochimaru accepted the card offered to him, before he asked "And what of the other? Young Haku-kun?"

Kabuto frowned, "I'm afraid I was only able to track down Sasuke. Haku and his teammates have remained elusive," His smirk returned, wider than ever, "Though I should have no problem collecting information on him. He seems to be one of the favorites of this village..."

"No matter," Orochimaru waved the subject away, not caring very much. He had seen what he wanted from both boys, "I will be watching both of them with interest. It's quite surprising that they have both survived..."

Kabuto remained quiet; his eyes were unblinking behind his glasses.

"The Hokage knows that I'm here," Orochimaru's smiled sadistically to himself, recalling how Anko had confronted him the night before, "He isn't foolish enough to stop the exams...not when I'm having so much fun."

"What are your orders?" Kabuto asked.

"Do not let the third stage of the exam be interrupted;" Orochimaru said simply, vanishing into the shadows, "I'm looking forward to it..."

The silver haired boy nodded and then moved on, unable to suppress his gleeful smirk of how easily things had gone according to plan.