Naruto and Kimimaro departed the Land of Hot Springs and continued on their way to the Land of Earth.
The two boys grew close as they traveled, talking about the flora and fauna they saw along the way. This afternoon, Kimimaro was telling Naruto what his favorite species among aquatic flowers were when they simultaneously stopped walking and gasped at something in the distance.
On top of a plateau, a gigantic tree stood like an ancient sentinel, its verdant canopy stretching far above the surrounding forest, making all other trees look like mere saplings. In front of the tree, a fine ribbon of water draped over the cliff's edge, cascading down in a graceful, continuous fall.
"Wow, I've never seen a tree that big before!" Naruto marveled.
"Or a waterfall that tall!" Kimimaro stood in awe of the magnificent sight.
"We're almost at Takigakure, right?" Naruto looked over at the map Kimimaro was holding.
"Yes, the entrance should be at the base of that waterfall," Kimimaro answered. "But I'm not sure we can go inside the village. Only Yugakure welcomes tourists."
"We can just stop by the waterfall, I want to take a closer look at it!"
"Alright."
Arriving at the base of the waterfall where water plunged into a frothy pond, they took deep breaths of the invigorating air, enriched with negative ions produced by the collision of water particles. The soft murmur of the tumbling water they had heard from afar was now a steady roar that reverberated through the forest. As the sun broke through the clouds, a rainbow arched across the misty spray of the waterfall, creating an ethereal glow.
"This place is beautiful," Kimimaro said with a sigh of admiration.
Naruto took off his sandals and dipped his foot into the pool. "The water is so cool and refreshing!"
"Be careful, it may be deeper than it seems."
The two sat down beside the pond and splashed around, sending more ripples across the already ruffled surface of the water. Enclosing the waterfall, the rocky terrain was covered in lush green moss and ferns that thrived in the perpetual moisture. Birds flitted through the trees, their chirping barely audible against the overpowering sound of rushing water.
For a moment, neither of them felt the weight of their past or the uncertainty of their future. Here, in nature's soothing presence, they felt calm, enjoying the serenity that wrapped around them like a gentle embrace.
"Isn't this supposed to be Taki's entrance? I don't see any gates," Kimimaro wondered, scanning their surroundings.
"Let's look around. Maybe it's nearby," Naruto suggested.
They got up and wandered through the woods for a while, the sky darkening into a rich, velvety blue that melded with the dark silhouettes of the trees. Rustlings and soft hoots filled the air as nocturnal creatures awakened from their slumber. After pausing for dinner, they continued their search, climbing a small hill where they stumbled upon an inn for travelers visiting the waterfall.
Deciding to rest for the night, the two boys booked a room and walked down the creaky hallway. They unlocked the door—only to find an unexpected guest.
A girl about their age, with messy dark pink hair, was sprawled out on one of the single beds. The moment she noticed them, she shot up, her expression tense—like she'd been caught. After only a second of hesitation, she bolted toward them and tried to shove them out the door.
"H-Hey! This room should be ours!" Naruto shouted in confusion from behind the half-closed door.
Kimimaro pushed against the door along with Naruto and said, "Sorry, but we have the key, it's no use trying to push us out!"
The girl gritted her teeth and kept pushing.
"If you keep this up, we'll just call the innkeeper and let him handle it," Kimimaro added.
The girl froze, her shoulders slumping as she realized she couldn't win. With a reluctant sigh, she stepped back and let them in. She hurried to grab her bag and was about to sneak out the window through which she had entered when Naruto called, "Wait, you can stay too! There's enough space for all of us."
The girl turned to look at him, her brown eyes filled with disbelief. "You serious?"
"Yeah, if you don't mind," Naruto assured her. "We wanted a smaller, cheaper room, but all the others were full. It wouldn't be a waste of money if we share it with someone else!"
The girl's eyes widened, clearly shocked by the generosity.
"You can have that bed. Kimimaro and I can share the other," Naruto added.
The girl looked between the beds and then back at Naruto. She walked over and sat back on the bed she'd been lying on, plopping her bag on the floor beside it—a silent acceptance of the offer. Naruto put his bag on the luggage rack and sat down on the other bed. "So, what's your name? I'm Naruto, and he's Kimimaro."
She looked suspiciously at him. "I ain't telling you my dam name, shrimp."
Naruto had to resist the urge to react to the nickname. He knew he was one head shorter compared to her, but he was still growing! With a sigh, he said, "Well, okay, Angry Eyes."
The girl bristled at his response. "What did you just fucking call me?!"
Naruto shrugged. "Since you won't tell me your name, I just called you by what I see."
The girl folded her arms in exasperation and turned her head away. "…Name's Tayuya."
Naruto suppressed a smirk. "Alright, Tayuya, nice to meet you. Did you come here to see the big waterfall, too?"
"Don't get too fucking friendly, shrimp. I didn't stay because I wanted to chat."
Kimimaro studied the girl's long, untamed hair and shabby clothing for a moment. "You didn't travel here for sightseeing?"
Tayuya's eyes narrowed. "I've got better things to do."
"What brought you here, then?" Naruto asked.
Tayuya stiffened. "None of your god dam business," she said curtly, trying to deflect the question.
Naruto rubbed the back of his neck. "Just wondering what you were doing here alone."
"What the fuck is it to you?" Tayuya snapped.
"Well…" Naruto scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Kimimaro and I are heading to Iwagakure in the Land of Earth to become ninjas. If you're also going that way, maybe we could travel together!"
Tayuya let out a dry, mocking laugh. "The Land of Earth, huh? I'm from there. And let me tell you something—if you think you can just waltz into Iwa and sign up for ninja school, you're an even bigged dumbass than you look. That place chews up weaklings and spits them out. A shrimp like you wouldn't last a day. Same goes for you, pale-face."
Kimimaro frowned at the nickname but stayed silent. Naruto blinked at her abrasive manner before puffing out his chest. "We're not afraid! We're gonna be strong ninjas, and nothing's gonna stop us!"
Tayuya's lips curled into a sneer. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. But guts won't keep you alive in Iwa. You'd be dead before you even figured out which way is north."
Kimimaro managed to keep his composure despite her insults. "When are you going back to the Land of Earth? If you know your way around, maybe you could lead us there and give us some survival tips?"
Tayuya shot him a withering look. "Why the hell would I waste my time babysitting you two shitheads? I'm not going back to that hellhole ever again," she huffed, then bit her lip, as if realizing she'd said too much.
"If Iwagakure is as dangerous as you say, maybe we should change our plans," Kimimaro said, turning to Naruto. "We could head for Sunagakure instead. It's closer than Kumogakure and would be a safer option."
Naruto nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, that's a good idea. We can still train and get strong there."
Tayuya scoffed. "Suna? You're just choosing a slower death. You guys really are dumbasses."
Kimimaro had had enough of her derisive remarks. "Well, tell us a safe place to go. Where are you heading?"
Tayuya scowled and fell silent. Despite her gruff facade, she looked just as lost as Kimimaro had been before meeting Naruto.
"You don't have a destination, do you?" he guessed, his tone softening.
Tayuya glared at him, but she didn't refute his assumption.
"Hey, if you don't have anywhere to go, why not join us?" Naruto leaned in with a warm smile. "You're all by yourself, right? Nowhere's really safe, but it'd be safer if we stuck together."
"…I don't need your concern," Tayuya muttered, looking away. She hated how easily they had read her situation, but something about the blondie's words caused an odd flutter in her chest.
"Naruto's right. Even Yugakure, the village everyone calls peaceful, isn't as safe as we thought. Especially for girls traveling alone," Kimimaro added.
Tayuya's defiant expression faltered.
The memory of a close call flashed through her mind. That lewd, hungry gaze still made her skin crawl. She touched the bruise on her wrist, a grim reminder of how vulnerable an 8-year-old girl like her really was.
Maybe learning to fight at a ninja academy wasn't a bad idea.
"Fine, I'll go to Suna with you. But let's get one thing straight—I'm not tagging along because I need your protection. I can take care of myself. You two shitheads better not slow me down."
Naruto grinned, taking her reluctant agreement as a win. "You won't regret coming with us! And we're pretty tough, believe it!"
"Whatever. I'm going to sleep." Tayuya rolled her eyes and turned away, pulling up her blanket.
With that, the three settled into their beds.