VIII.

Caught somewhere sleep and wakefulness, Sakura sensed the chakra of another ninja. Training and instincts kicked in to send her rolling from her bedroll up into a fighting crouch, kunai in hand, even before her eyes were fully open.

Ready to face her enemy she found . . . Mizuno, her mission leader, Mr. stick-up-the-butt ANBU himself. Coming out of her crouch, she offered him what she hoped was an apologetic smile, considering she was still pointing a kunai at his heart.

Her smile was not returned.

“Your watch,” he said, before heading towards his own bedroll.

Dropping her smile, she scowled at Mizuno’s back, only to have the effect spoiled by a jaw-popping yawn. Sheathing her blade with a flick of her fingers, she decided against sticking her tongue out at his retreating back. Bastard! He could have at least looked a little impressed with her abilities. She wasn’t Kakashi-level where she could sense another nin’s chakra at two hundred yards from a sound sleep, but her sensing abilities were pretty impressive compared to many others.

Grumbling under her breath, she set about arming herself with more weapons. Satisfied she was ready for her watch, she reached into her knapsack for the disguised Icha Icha and one of the honey-sweetened travel bars she’d packed. She always found herself hungry when she had the middle of the night watch. Tucking book and food into her pockets, Sakura stepped lightly around the other sleeping shinobi and melted into the shadows that surrounded the camp.

Sakura circled the perimeter of the camp twice, familiarizing herself with the sounds of the forest around them and the most probable ways that enemies would try to attack. Her last circuit complete, Sakura retreated a little away from the camp and climbed into the upper branches of a thick-limbed tree. There she settled herself on a branch, her back against the truck of the tree.

Closing her eyes to concentrate, she let the sounds of the forest fill her head so she’d know if the sound changed. Next she sent tendrils of her own chakra snaking out, spinning them out into a web cast over the camp.

Satisfied with her preparations, she pulled Icha Icha out of her pocket and flipped the little book open to her marked page. She’d gotten into the habit each night during her watch to read ten pages and then do another sweep of the camp and surrounding area. It was a good way to time herself and make sure she didn’t let her attention drift too far into the story. She may be picking up Kakashi’s habits, and she knew she resembled her former teacher in her choice of reading material and reading spot, but she wasn’t the Copy-Nin to be able to act as an efficient sentry without ever lifting her gaze from the printed page.

Settling a bit further back against the tree, she sighed. Truth be told, Vol. II was not as good as Vol I. She was actually rather disappointed in Master Jiraya. This volume, she thought, pulled heavily from the first book while introducing little new material. It was, all-in-all, a rather fascinating contrast – the book was both exciting and yet predicable. Dull but oddly compelling. It kept her occupied but didn’t completely absorb her attention so she was still cognizant of her surroundings and through it all, there was just enough titillation – and sex – to keep her interested. She was really beginning to see why Kakashi liked the books so much.