[center][b][i]A plan in motion.
A dangerous hunt.

Part II

A collab between Lillydove and Gerontis.

Summary :
After some days of travel, Team 3 is wandering around. Both are sent on a mission to bring down or capture a missing nin that had murdered his parents, after which he tried to spark a conflict between the Cloud and the Fire Union .[/center][/b][/i]

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[hider=Crossing the border]

[b]"The land is only what you make it be,"[/b] Hanako said. It was true, knowing how to navigate the land was important but not so much it would cost one their life. She was glad her Sensei knew the land could be an ally and glad he knew how to navigate the land. Hanako looked around as the sky darkened some more and felt a sense of calmness come over her. Most of her clans folk were dark skinned and would easily blend into the night but even though she was not she still felt the same calm they did. [b]"So what do we know of the person we are searching for?" [/b] she asked.

[b]''Hmm.''[/b] Satoshi stored the bottle back once he had moved the lid back on it. Being sure it was firmly attached back, he placed it in his bag as he thought back to the information that they had on the man that they were chasing. [b]''His name is Nipo. A traitor to our village.''[/b] Satoshi stared in the flames as he started to sum up what he knew about the man. [b]''He has murdered his own parents and so far I know, there hasn't been any known reason why he had done that. But his worst crime towards the state is that he tried to spark a conflict between the Fire Union and the Cloud with false reports that the Frost was trying to join the Fire Union. Luckily his acts didn't deceive the intelligence forces and he has been on the run ever since.''[/b] Satoshi glanced at Hanako. [b]''And now we will try to either capture him alive or kill him on spot. That is what happens with missing nin.''[/b]

Hanako listened to what he said and shuddered when he said the man had killed his parents. Why would he harm the people who gave him life? It made no sense to her. Now he was wanted and it was their jobs to bring him back or try to. [b]"Do you think we will need to kill him?"[/b] Hanako asked. She was not afraid to kill but she tried to avoid it if there was another option. Everyone was put on the Earth for a reason and it seemed almost evil to take a life for no reason. But it seemed the Raikage had plenty reason to see him dead. 

Not really a question that Satoshi liked to think about, but he knew better. [b]''Probably yes. If the man has killed his parents and the reason is unknown, I guess that talking with the man is out of the question.''[/b] Satoshi replied back. He wasn't fond of ending a life, but he rather stayed alive instead of being killed by a crazy warmonger. He had his own valid reasons to keep on living, at least in his opinion. [b]''Though we could try to move in and try to capture him alive. Perhaps we can learn why he has comitted some deeds.''[/b] He mumbled the words, thinking more out loud than meaning it as a suggestion.

A deep frown embedded itself into her expression and she frowned into the fire. [b]"I had hoped we would just capture him.... But if you think it is not an option from what we know.... You are likely right," [/b] Hanako said slowly. It made her think of what she could do when they found him, she could find him easily enough with her sensory and Satoshi-Sensei was good with sensory as well. But what could she do? She did not know much offensive jutsu and had no weapon. [b]"Do you have a plan? Or have we yet to make one?"[/b] she asked.

[b]''Sadly, I must disappoint you there. I have some slight information about his fighting style and abilities, but nothing solid to form a plan. Considering our own abilities, I figure that it will be more useful if we manage to corner or lure him to a place where we can hit and pursue him.''[/b] Satoshi explained. [b]''Using our sensory technique and advantage of numbers, we can perhaps just exhaust him in a chase and then either take him alive or kill him. Depends on the situation and surroundings.''[/b] He wasn't sure about that stage of the mission. He could form some ideas, but without any knowledge on the condition of their target and other factors, it was just guessing around. [b]''But who do you want to take the first watch?''[/b]

So she would need to help him form a plan and execute it in a timely fashion. [b]"Ok, so tell me about his fighting abilities and style,"[/b] Hanako said. She listened to what he said afterwards and nodded accordingly as she took mental notes. [b]"I can take the first watch and you can get some sleep,"[/b] she said. She got up and stood on northern side of the camp site to look out into the forest.

Placing his bag behind him, he smiled. [b]''Tomorrow I will inform you about his fighting abilities. Nothing too special, just in case you were wondering.''[/b] Satoshi told her as he leaned back. The fire was slowly starting to shrink and Satoshi suspected it would eventually burn out in a half hour or such. [b]''Wake me up after a hour or four from now. Then I will take my turn.''[/b] Closing his eyes, he started to think back to who was waiting for him at the Cloud. Hopefully he could be home soon again.

Hanako nodded and performed the handsignals for the Rock Clone as she watched it appear. She felt better with two people on watch rather than just one and told the clone to stand at the south side of the camp. Keeping a clear view of the land in front of her and channeling some chakra into the Earth as she focused on sensing any chakra signatures. 

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[center][b][i]The following morning.[/center][/b][/i]

After having eaten breakfast and cleaning up the remains of their camp, Satoshi started to lead him and Hanako further. With each passing moment that they neared the mountain passes, Satoshi's mood started to lighten up. Not that he had woken up in a bad mood, but he felt like coming home. Though the mountain region wasn't small and he wasn't sure where he was at the current moment, Satoshi was convinced he could determine their location and position once he would find a pass. [b]''Ah. I suggest we will make a short camp at the nearby pass. From there I will be able to determine the location of where we are and if somebody passed by.''[/b] Satoshi told Hanako. Turning his head to look at the direction they were heading, he took a deep breath in. It was like always, a pleasure to be around this parts of the world.

Breakfast had been nice and it was needed refresh of energy for Hanako. She realized the amount of time she had not been active as Shinobi had made her less fit to be one and she would need to work extra hard to get back to her prime form. [b]"Of course, if you think we should then I agree with you. Do you think we will encounter anyone of interest there?"[/b] Hanako asked. She tilted her head at his tone, it seemed lighter than before. 
 
That was a good question and Satoshi thought about it. The Black Guard would stay out of sight if they were even close. Thinking about using his sensory technique, he realized that it wouldn't help as most of the members were able to surpress their chakra to avoid being spotted too easily. [b]''If we are being watched then perhaps. I suspect that if it is the border corps, that they will not likely approach us.''[/b] Satoshi answered, but then he considered the possibility that the target could be around. That wasn't something he would like.

Hanako watched him as he thought about her question. She wondered what kind of people would live in the Frost Country and if they were friendly towards outsiders. Looking back to Satoshi-Sensei as he answered her question and listened with moderate interest. [b]"I suppose it is a good thing we are likely to go without being stopped. Do you anticipate any hostility from the citizens of the Frost Country? And where do you think we will find our target?" [/b] Hanako asked. She asked her questions as they continued on towards the Frost Country and wondered if the plant life was different.

[b]''Hostility? No, none at all.''[/b] Satsohi briefly chuckled at the question. [b]''The Frost is part of the Cloud as they are our vassal and we have a good bond with them for quite some time.''[/b] He thought about her other question. [b]''The briefing said that the man was heading to the Frost Country and I suspect he will be there. Hanging around in these parts would be a death sentence for him. Probably somewhere where the chances are slim that he will encounter shinobi loyal to the Raikage.''[/b] It was still a bit to climb, but a pass was visible in the distance. Satoshi tried to scan the area with his eyes for any visible traces or tracks. Signs that would indicate that somebody had traveled this way before them or perhaps signs of the border corps?

She nodded, remembering what a vassal was and how it served the village or country it was vassal for. At least now she knew there would not be any hostility towards them and maybe they could ask if anyone has seen someone who looked like the target. [b]"The citizens might be able to tell us if they saw him and when or would the citizens have been killed if they saw him? Maybe someone has seen him?"[/b] Hanako asked. It could be a long shot asking the citizens if they saw him or not but it could also help them figure out where he could be heading next or where he is. 

While he climbed further as the terrain became a bit steeper, Satoshi frowned as he thought about Hanako's words. [b]''I am not sure.''[/b] He mumbled. [b]''They have shinobi their as well and I do believe that nin from Kumo are also being stationed within the Frost country. I doubt that he will just kill any civilian on his way. Then again,''[/b] Satoshi's cheerful mood was briefly gone as he thought about the crimes of their target. The man had murdered his own parents, so what would stop him from trying to murder civilians while he was at it? Pushing the grim thoughts away, Satoshi spoke again. [b]''And I think we will be able to find out once we have reached a post or some place where we can gather up some more information.''[/b] The pass wasn't far away anymore.

Listening to him as he answered her questions made her feel a bit uneasy, uncertainty was dangerous if the target clearly had the capability to kill. From what she had heard of his crimes he was one who did not think twice before taking a life and trying to cause a war. What could have made him so bad? In her experience people always started off good and only change as they get older. [b]"Wonder why he is so bad now..."[/b] Hanako said but trailed off as she the pass up ahead. It looked like it had been untouched for a while.

Though he had heard the words, Satoshi didn't reply to them. He had his own thoughts or hunches on why the man had turned bad or at least as messed up as he was in Satoshi's opinion. But orders were orders and he saw little to no problem of helping the word of protecting the civilians from people like this Nipo. They were nearing the pass and at the entrance of the long and somewhat narrow mountain pass, they halted. Raising his head to scan the pass, Satoshi crounched and looked around him for tracks. None. Yet there was not that much snow. It could be the time of the year, but he wasn't so sure. [b]''We will wait here for a few minutes. Then we will advance through this pass and enter the land of the Frost.''[/b] Satoshi explained as he rose up from his crounched stance.[/hider]