Hinata wailed, thin and high as the Grass-nin's incisors bit into the side of her neck. Kiba and Shino froze at the sight, both aware that something unnatural was being done to their teammate, neither sure of what it was.
Typically it was Kiba who reacted first. "Get away from her you freak!" he shouted and leapt forwards, Akamaru at his heels. The effeminate Grass-nin opened his jaws almost casually, releasing the small kunoichi in order to deal with the new threat - which he achieved decisively, disabling Akamaru with a shrewdly placed kick that sent the small dog tumbling to the forest floor, scarely able to breathe. Seconds later, Kiba fell after his partner, barely catching hold of a bough with one bloody arm to avoid a collision with the ground that would probably have killed him.
Behind his dark classes, Shino's eyes narrowed and insects poured from his sleeves and pants to move along the branches of the forest. The enemy was clearly not a genin and the Aburame ninja quickly switched his focus from defeating the Grass-nin to escaping him, taking Hinata with him if he could. Even that prospect was looking rather dubious as the two faced each other, until a succession of kunai hammered into the wood beneath the Grass-nin's feet and the explosive seals hanging from them detonated, shattering the thick branch as if it were a twig.
Out of the darkness, a bespectacled leaf-nin swung out, supported only by a long ribbon of paper, catching Hinata as she fell away from her attacker, who had leapt for the next branch when the his foothold was lost. Shino reflexively drew back, relying on the commotion to disguise his departure and was halfway down the tree towards Kiba when he saw the Inuzuka boy accepting Akameru from another classmate, who also held one of those paper strips.
"Head for the tower," ordered Kirigishi Katsu, apparently oblivious to his lack of rank to give such an order. "Notify anyone you encounter and whoever's in charge there that Orochimaru has inflitrated the Exam in the guise of a Grass-nin. His teammates may be assumed to be interlopers and hostile in the extreme. The apparent target is Hyuuga Hinata but it's possible he'll try to grab Hyuuga Neji as well."
The paper strip retracted as he finished speaking and dragged Katsu up into the dense foliage above them. A neat trick, Shino noted, wondering where Team Seven had learnt the trick.
"What about Hinata!?" called Kiba.
Shino looked at him. "In all the years we were at the academy," he said, "Did you ever beat Neshan at taijutsu?"
"...no," Kiba admitted grudgingly.
"Katsu at ninjutsu?"
"...no."
"Shikanenai at..." Shino trailed off, unsure how to express his meaning.
"...sneaky, devious and nastiness?" Kiba asked. He turned and started to head in the direction they;d been sent in. "No. And I'm beginning to feel sorry for Orochi- Orochimaru!" They boy spoun on his heel as he finally realised who they'd been trying to fight. "HINAAAATAAAA!"
Shino groaned and restrained his teammate, physically dragging him away from the irregular showers of leaves and debris that marked where battle was being fought above them.
D for Drakensis
You're only young once, but immaturity is forever.
Typically it was Kiba who reacted first. "Get away from her you freak!" he shouted and leapt forwards, Akamaru at his heels. The effeminate Grass-nin opened his jaws almost casually, releasing the small kunoichi in order to deal with the new threat - which he achieved decisively, disabling Akamaru with a shrewdly placed kick that sent the small dog tumbling to the forest floor, scarely able to breathe. Seconds later, Kiba fell after his partner, barely catching hold of a bough with one bloody arm to avoid a collision with the ground that would probably have killed him.
Behind his dark classes, Shino's eyes narrowed and insects poured from his sleeves and pants to move along the branches of the forest. The enemy was clearly not a genin and the Aburame ninja quickly switched his focus from defeating the Grass-nin to escaping him, taking Hinata with him if he could. Even that prospect was looking rather dubious as the two faced each other, until a succession of kunai hammered into the wood beneath the Grass-nin's feet and the explosive seals hanging from them detonated, shattering the thick branch as if it were a twig.
Out of the darkness, a bespectacled leaf-nin swung out, supported only by a long ribbon of paper, catching Hinata as she fell away from her attacker, who had leapt for the next branch when the his foothold was lost. Shino reflexively drew back, relying on the commotion to disguise his departure and was halfway down the tree towards Kiba when he saw the Inuzuka boy accepting Akameru from another classmate, who also held one of those paper strips.
"Head for the tower," ordered Kirigishi Katsu, apparently oblivious to his lack of rank to give such an order. "Notify anyone you encounter and whoever's in charge there that Orochimaru has inflitrated the Exam in the guise of a Grass-nin. His teammates may be assumed to be interlopers and hostile in the extreme. The apparent target is Hyuuga Hinata but it's possible he'll try to grab Hyuuga Neji as well."
The paper strip retracted as he finished speaking and dragged Katsu up into the dense foliage above them. A neat trick, Shino noted, wondering where Team Seven had learnt the trick.
"What about Hinata!?" called Kiba.
Shino looked at him. "In all the years we were at the academy," he said, "Did you ever beat Neshan at taijutsu?"
"...no," Kiba admitted grudgingly.
"Katsu at ninjutsu?"
"...no."
"Shikanenai at..." Shino trailed off, unsure how to express his meaning.
"...sneaky, devious and nastiness?" Kiba asked. He turned and started to head in the direction they;d been sent in. "No. And I'm beginning to feel sorry for Orochi- Orochimaru!" They boy spoun on his heel as he finally realised who they'd been trying to fight. "HINAAAATAAAA!"
Shino groaned and restrained his teammate, physically dragging him away from the irregular showers of leaves and debris that marked where battle was being fought above them.
D for Drakensis
You're only young once, but immaturity is forever.