NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6: 6
"How did you get here so fast? The village is still almost two weeks out" Naruto looked at Kakashi and shook his head.
"No Sensei, you're only a day from the village borders, I was in sage mode and felt your chakra flare so I told Granny Tsunade about it. She thought maybe someone ambushed you and she sent us out at full speed to help. We thought you were captured when your chakra died off" He grinned broadly and looked Rea up and down.
"I guess you were huh?" Sakura raised her hand and Naruto ran behind Kakashi who moved quickly away from Naruto. Rea laughed and smiled brightly at everyone
"Sorry I worried you, I didn't know something like that could be sensed" A tall boy with a large dog said "Kakashi should have realized." Kakashi glared at the boy and said "I thought we were farther out!" Rea could tell he was blushing under his mask.
She realized he must have put it back on before he woke her up. Naruto walked up next to her and put his arm around her shoulders and whispered "Did you see under his mask?" Rea raised an eyebrow and said "No…" thankful that he hadn't phrased the question differently, she didn't see 'under' his mask.
But she did see him without it yet she had a feeling that he didn't want that known. Naruto sighed in disappointment and then went to help Kakashi pack up the camp to head back to the village.
Rea talked with Sakura and the boy who was apparently named Kiba as they began the walk to the village.
Naruto and Kakashi followed everyone else and talked quietly together.
Thirty minutes into their trek Naruto leapt into the main group and said "C'mon guys, we should report back now that we know everything's okay." He winked at Rea, then the three ninjas and nin' dog headed out quickly after a nod and a brief farewell.
Silence crept over the forest and Rea waited for Kakashi to catch up to her before she began walking again.
Kakashi smiled and said "Sorry Rea, I'd like to say that our secret is safe… but the whole village will probably know by the time we arrive."
Rea smiled back at him with no sign of regret or embarrassment and he sighed with relief. As the evening began to close in around them they decided to stop for their last night just outside of the village borders.
Tomorrow they would cross into the hidden leaf's territory and it would take them roughly twelve to sixteen hours to make it to the actual village.
"Where will I stay in the village Kakashi?" Rea asked that evening as they waited for their dinner to cook on the fire.
"The Hokage will probably have a place set up for you as a village guest." Rea frowned "Will I be alone?"
"Of course, but you'll be gone most of the time, it's just so you have a place to stay while you're not traveling."
"Can't I just stay with someone?"
"I suppose but you don't know anyone except for… oh… uh, Rea that could cause trouble; I'll likely catch hell for last night since the Hokage will know about it."
"But won't you be taking me on my tour of your country anyway? We may as well stay together in the village too, unless you don't want to; that is, it's okay if you don't want too…" Kakashi laughed lightly and hugged Rea "You know you'll probably be attracted to a lot of guys much closer to your age"
"It's not that Kakashi, you're really my first friend and I'm not ready to let go of that just yet,… and being alone still scares me."
Kakashi hugged her tightly and they stood in each other's arms until the lovely smell of food called to their empty stomachs. They ate and joked until the sun went down and then they fell asleep next to the blazing fire in each other's arms.
Rea woke with the first rays of the sun. Excitement filled her and she wanted to run all of the way to the gates of Kakashi's village hidden in the leaf.
Kakashi suggested that they enjoy their last hours of solitude however; and they took a comfortable stroll throughout the day.
Rea refused to stop for lunch, she was too excited, and just as dusk was visible on the horizon a great fence came into view and Rea had to bite her cheek to keep from squealing with joy.
The guards at the gate smiled warmly and waved at Rea, they patted Kakashi on the back and welcomed him home.
A tall man in a green jump suit ran up to Kakashi and shouted happily about Kakashi's renewed youthful spirit and then ran away again but this time he was on his hands.
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