The entrance of Konoha welcomed home two very tired Chuunin. Naruto limped slightly, his left leg tightly bandaged. Around his neck was the arm of Shino, barely able to walk. He raised his head upon Naruto's jubilant exclamation.

"Home!" he shouted, nearly dropping Shino's arm.

"Naruto! Be more careful," Shino grumbled. He had suffered a few broken ribs and an almost total chakra depletion, but it was still heartening to return to the village after such a long mission.

"Eh? Gomen!" he returned, bringing his attention back to his injured companion. "I'll take you to the Med Ward, and then go make the preliminary reports." Shino nodded at his suggestion, eager to lie on a real bed once again. "Not many people will be around the Academy this late at night." Though, Naruto was sure they would have to find the Hokage at her residence rather than her office.

"Do you think we should wait for the others?" Shino asked, shifting his weight carefully so he could glance at Naruto.

"I'll wait for the others after I get you to a doctor." He smiled faintly at his companion, concern evident in his voice. "I'm sure they are in the same condition we are." Though merely a reconnaissance mission, it had been unexpectedly exhausting. Three others had accompanied them - Sasuke, Tenten, and Kiba, all Chuunin level ninjas. They were not informed as to why five Chuunin were assigned to such an easy mission, but had soon found out that the Hokage had indeed known more then she had told them.

The medical facility was in the center of the village, but in their tired state it took nearly a half hour to get there. Naruto handed Shino off to the medics there who immediately took him in to be treated. Glancing him over, they tried to convince Naruto to remain as well for treatment, but he refused. He was feeling better, he claimed, and needed to make the reports anyway. However, they made him promise to return as soon as he had a chance.

Returning to the entrance, Naruto finally allowed himself to relax a bit and squatted down near a tree. The heavenly combination of the moonless night air and a light breeze brought a refreshing sensation upon his face. He let his fingers travel through tussled blonde locks, nearly the length of his chin. Such somber silence gave him an uneasiness of spirit.

"Naruto..." a soft voice spoke up behind him. A bit embarrassed at being caught unaware, he immediately slapped on a cocky grin. Tenten smirked in response, sitting down next to him. "I see you made it back alright. How is Shino?"

Letting the false smile fade, he replaced it with a genuine expression of relief. "Shino is a bit banged up, but otherwise fine. What about you?"

"We're both alright," Kiba spoke up, crouching down next to the pair. Akamaru slept beneath his coat, a slight whimper escaping with each breath. Tenten gave him a gentle pat. The trio seemed calm, but the unspoken thoughts they all shared caused an unnerving tension that could not be ignored. Naruto dug his fingers in the grass while Kiba could not sit still and Tenten's hands continuously tossed weapons in the air.

"How long should we wait?" she asked, not wanting to meet either of their gazes so she kept her own to the ground. She knew that someone would eventually have to suggest it, and being the no-nonsense girl she was, it might as well be over with. It was a long, silent moment before anyone ventured a reply.

"We should -" Naruto began, though his voice broke off. His shoulders slumped, but he stood up regardless. There was no animalistic expression, no determined tone to his words. "We should report to the Hokage what has happened." A silent nod from each of them was all that ensued.

There was very little disappointment in the group when they learned that Tsunade was visiting another country on a diplomatic mission. They sat in silence outside her office filling out paperwork. Only logistics were required, such as injuries or the success rate of the mission, and these were easily answered. Afterwards, the three left to visit Shino in the Ward.

It was a morbid aura that accompanied them, as if being stalked by death itself through the streets of a slumbering Konoha. Naruto's gaze never left the ground, a deepening sense of sorrow finally erupting into a grief he had never before experienced. Why now? He questioned his thoughts, desiring nothing but to resist their relentless prodding. Hopelessness was something Naruto rarely experienced, often burnt out by the desperate determination which was always present in him. Not now, however. This despairing sensation was like being held just beneath the surface of the water while his lungs craved for life-giving oxygen.

"Naruto?" Tenten's soft voice broke through his thoughts. She had placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. They now stood just outside the medical facility, its hazy lights painting strange pictures upon their faces. Forcing a smile, Naruto stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"I just hope they'll let us in this late at night, ne?" he offered, though Tenten's concerned eyes never left his own.

As they entered, the nurses smiled at Naruto and told him where Shino was at when he asked. Tenten felt a little better now, seeing that a few more people had finally accepted him for what he was. It was no secret now that the Kyuubi resided within him, but most of the village still resented Naruto for something that was beyond his control instead of seeing him for the hero he was.

Thankfully Shino had the room to himself so that they were free to talk without guarding their words in hushed voices. He was awake, bandages wrapping around his torso. Though Shino rarely smiled, he let one escape him when he saw his companions enter the room. They waved and mumbled greetings, finding places to sit around the room. Kiba hoisted himself onto the windowsill while Tenten took a seat near the head of Shino's bed. Naruto pulled back a separation curtain and sprawled out on a nearby bed.

"So, what did Hokage-sama say about the mission?" Shino questioned. He was typically more direct, but he knew that they all had become more sensitive since they had arrived back home.

"She left the village nearly a week ago," Naruto said distractedly. "So, no one else knows."

"They're going to eventually suspect something when they see that we're back, but Sasuke isn't," Kiba cut in. Akamaru sat in his lap, fogging up the window with his panting.

"True," Shino said, shifting in his bed a bit in order to sit up. "We probably have a couple days before anyone will start to ask questions, however."

"Sure, but what happens when he doesn't return? He'll be labeled a missing-nin in an instant. You know that Tsunade-sama still does not trust him." Naruto now sat up, dangling his feet over the edge of the bed. Sasuke had left the village three times now in search of his vengeance. Naruto was sure if it had been anyone else they would have been considered treasonous and been immediately banished or executed.

"Again, true," Shino spoke up, his unwavering calmness slicing through the tense atmosphere. "But remember, only the Hokage can label someone a missing-nin, and who knows how long she will be gone."

"Then what do we do?" Tenten asked, curling up her legs in the armchair.

"There's only one thing we can do," answered Naruto, looking at each of them seriously. "We have to go after him."

"You really are an idiot, Naruto!" Kiba exclaimed, resting his head against the window. "We're all injured, tired, and hungry! Besides, what do you think the Hokage will do when she finds us gone too? We can't just leave!"

"I would go, Naruto," Shino said, "but I am in no condition to fight or in the very least, travel." Naruto nodded, and looked to Kiba.

"No way," he shook his head.

"I'll go," Tenten interjected. Naruto had no smile to offer her in thanks, but he acknowledged her with a nod in her direction. "I need to rest, though, just for the night. None of us have the kind of stamina you possess." She rose, giving Shino a warm smile as she passed by his bed. "Come by my house when you are ready. I know of a path that can get us out without being seen."

"Alright," he responded, waving to her as she left. "Are you sure, Kiba? I could really use your help."

"Sorry, Naruto," he said, raising his arm to show off the hardened blood on his coat. "Someone has to stay behind to cover for you while he's in the hospital."

Soon after, Naruto left the Medical Ward feeling a sense of impending dread about his decision. Sasuke had just disappeared during one of their information-gathering sessions in the Hidden Stone village. For all his strength, Naruto knew it was unlikely that he had been abducted or killed. Besides, they had been very careful about not leaving a trail.

The breeze had died not too long ago, leaving an eerie silence to settle in. There was no way he would be able to sleep tonight. He wished the ramen shop were open, for only a place to go rather than to eat. Man, things must be bad if he didn't even have an appetite for his favorite food.

Deciding to take a detour, Naruto's path led him towards the massive Hyuuga mansion. There were several lights still on in the house even though they would most likely be sleeping at this hour. He knew what unconscious thought brought him here, though. It had been many months since he had seen Hinata, and he wondered how she was doing. Certainly Neji was taking care of her, but the endless atrocities the forlorn girl had suffered in this house had caused his heart to break. She had grown into a strong-willed woman, and a very close friend.

An overpowering sense of regret brought a weight upon his being. He would not be able to see her before he left, and the uncertainty of what laid ahead of him deeply saddened him. Sigh. I hope she will forgive me.

Passing by without a further glance, Naruto entered a meditative mindset and continued down the road.