A single drop of sweat ran down her cheek. Two days ago she would have wiped it off, but now she simply diidn't care. Her skin was sticky and covered in dust and dirt.
Sakura Haruno, the young shinobi from the land of fire, never would have thought that after ten days into the mission she would desire nothing more than a bath.
She sighed, as she reached for her bottle of water. After unlocking it, she had to control herself not do pour it over her skin. Who knew when they would find the next spring.
What went wrong, she asked herself like so often in the last days. The mission was simple. Herself, Ino and Hinata were chosen to infiltrate a palace far in the south. The local lord had a fable for young and beautiful women as his servants. Everything went according to plan. After six days the three were hired and they could finally begin their exploration. But already the same night they were discovered and every single palace guard seemed to be on their trail. They had no choice but to flee. Escaping still seemed nothing more like a wonder. But during the wild pursuit they somehow lost orientation and found themselves ending up in a vast and hot jungle.
Today was the tenth day since they were assigned to the mission and for the last three days they were on the run. For three days none of them had more than a couple of hours sleep and for three days they had to eat what they could find in the jungle. Luckily Ino had some knowledge of plants. Which they could eat and which were harmful.
Sakura felt weak and tired. There was no end to this jungle and going back was not an option. Not to mention they were hopelessly lost.
She sighed anew and leaned against a thick tree. It was sunset. Through the leafs fell blood red light.
" What's keeping those two?", she asked herself quietly.
She was the first to arrive at their designated checkpoint. When Ino and Hinata return, she will finally have the opportunity to get some sleep. At least until it was her time to take over as night guard. The thought of getting a chance to rest made her yawn in delight. I couldn't be much longer.
Something rustled to the left. Alarmed she turned to that direction and at the same time drew a kunai. Nothing moved between the leafs. Weapon in hand and ready to strike she moved away from the tree and onto the small clearing, so she could defend herself more easily. She searched for any sign of threat.
" Ino? Hinata?"
Again a rustle! This time it was behind her. She turned around and threw the kunai. Right after the blade hit a tree on the other side of the clearing, a scared scream sounded off and something long retreated between die thick leafs in the top of the tree.
" Who's there?!", Sakura screamed, the next kunai already drawn.
No answer.
" Who ever is up there, show yourself if you don't want me to chop you down together with the tree your hiding on!", she yelled with a solid voice.
" All right. All right. I'm coming out.", declared a voice from the dark.
Sakura could hear branches being pushed apart, someone was coming down. She prepared herself for anything, ready to defend herself…until she saw what slid down from the top of the tree.
A snakehead appeared with large yellow eyes, gliding down the tree until it was on eyesight with the young woman. The body was long with dot's covering it's back. The kunoichi was surprised, but didn't let down her guard.
" Ssso, here I am.", said the creature in front of Sakura.
The shinobi didn't answer.
Snakes don't talk, she thought and ignored the reptile.
She fixated the top of the tree again and tried to make out anything between the thick leafs.
" What kind of trick is this?! Stop these games and show yourself!", she yelled.
The snake seemed surprised.
" What are you ssstill sssearching for? I'm right here."
The young woman looked at the snakehead just for an instant as he was nothing but a nuisance. He looked hurt, when he realized that she didn't take him seriously.
" You humansss are really ssstrange. I don't reveal myself to just anybody. If may introduccce myse…"
" Be quiet!", she interrupted him harshly.
" I don't have time for this nonsense! If you don't come down yourself, than I'll make you. This is your last chance!"
The large head in front of her sighed disappointed and looked down.
" What kind of mannersss do they teach you men-cups."
When he raised his head again he fixated Sakura.
" You sssee men-cup. I don't eat a meal to which I didn't introduce myself to properly."
The snake started moving towards her. The kunoichi lifted her weapon to defend herself.
" What are you planning?!", she yelled.
Something had changed in the eyes of the snake. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it made her nervous. She made a step back.
" Don't worry. It will be over sssoon. I promissse."
More and more of the large body slid out from the hideout. The floating head came closer, while Sakura retreated step by step. Her heart started to pound faster. What was suddenly wrong with her?
" I'm warning you! Stay where you are or I'll…", her back hit something solid. She tried to look over her shoulder, but strangely she had problems to turn her head. She had reached the end of the small clearing and was standing with the back to one of the many trees.
" Dead end.", her pursuer said full of joy and triumph.
She had no choice, she had to fight. Suddenly her fighting spirit was back. The unrest was gone. If this beast wants a fight, it will get one. Quickly she turned around, ready to face her enemy.
The large head was now about four feet away. Sakura faced him with new found determination…and froze.
In the twilight of the evening the eyes of the reptile shined like clear rainbows in the most wonderful colours Sakura has ever seen. Instantly she was captivated by their beauty. Every second a magnificent ring of colour pulsed in the eyes that were staring at the young woman.
Fascinated her own eyes widened, her jaw dropped in amazement. Again she felt how her heart started to pound faster. But instead of the unrest a moment ago, she felt joy and calm growing in her with every single colour loop she took in. The world around her started to vanish, all that counted was the beautiful sensation before her green eyes.
Sakuras body started to relax. Her right arm holding the kunai slowly began to drop until it slipped from her hand.
So beautiful, she heard her own voice in her head.
" S-…so…beau-…beauty-…ful…", she stuttered.
When he heard her voice, the snake stopped confused, now two feet away. He seemed surprised, seemingly so irritated that it caused the hypnotic colours in his eyes to stop.
The instant he stopped, Sakura began to blink, feeling like she had just awoken from a beautiful daydream. Everything in her head started to spin. She had to lean against the tree next to her.
" What the…?"
A pleasant feeling of weakness ran through her body. She slid down the tree to the ground, lowering her head and massaging its sides. It wasn't pain. It felt more like someone took a warm, comforting coat from her shoulders.
" Interesssting.", she heard a voice.
" I ssstarted to wonder, I have to admit. Normally the eyesss of my victimsss adept the same pattern asss mine when they are under hypnosssisss. The fact that you were even able to ssspeak even though I didn't asssk you sssomething musssst mean that you have a ssstronger will than mossst of your kind. Well then, it'sss ssseemsss that I have to put more effort in it, now doesss it?"
The dazed shinobi was confused hearing that, but suddenly she remembered the snake. She looked up in shock to find herself again face to face with the serpent…and those beautiful colours which instantly started to entrance her.
She remembered the feeling of peace and happiness they gave her just a moment ago, she felt the warm cloak once more wrapping around her.
The wish to simply surrender grew with each passing colour, ventured deeper and deeper into her mind with every pulsing circle.
Sakura felt how the fascination took a hold of her immediately, how her eyes widened again to thankfully embrace every sensation of those wonderful colours that was given to her.