Izumi was jogging her way through the cold desert night. The winds were blowing something fierce that chilled her to the bone, so she kept herself as warm as she could by jogging. Her duffle bag slapping her back as she ran. She couldn't believe she had responded so late to her acceptance to the Chuunin Exams. They were starting within the next day or so, and apparently all the other Genin had already traveled there. She hurried her pace as her mind swam with thoughts of arriving late and being disqualified. The thought ignited her anger within her and made her press on.

She pulled out her map as she travelled, having already highlighted the fastest route to Sunagakure no Sato, Izumi was not stopping until she arrived. She had packed plenty of food to eat on the go and was well stocked on water. Her foster parents had wished her a good luck, but also talked behind her back about how they had wished her not to go. She remembered hearing them from her room as they chatted about how a girl shouldn't be a ninja and allowed to travel so far away by herself. She was hardly by herself though, and she wasn't like normal village women. Izumi was a shinobi, and more than that, a shinobi of Iwagakure. Like her sensei had taught her, she was carrying the Stone Will with her to Suna, and she wasn't coming back until she had passed the Chuunin Exams. Izumi remembered making that oath to herself after hearing her foster family talk. She'd show them what women can do as shinobi. She'd show the world.

She shook her head, noticing that she had slowed down with all of her thinking. Being late didn't give her the luxury to remember, so she quickened her pace. Keeping track of her time and distance, it seemed she would get there just in time. The desert looked dark and lonely at night, and seemed to go on forever in a great sea of sand. One thing she was dreading, was the amount of sand that would be in her sandals, clothes, and hair every day. Showering would be a pain, and if she had to fight someone that could control Sand, which she had heard rumors about before heading out, Izumi would flip. Sand gets everywhere, and that was definitely one thing she was not excited for.

So far in her travels, she had only seen one caravan train and they ended up stopping about halfway to Suna to call it in for the night. She didn't really understand why at first, seeing as the desert was much more bearable cold then it was hot. The desert heat had nearly run her out of water had she not stopped at the town with the caravan for a quick fill up at the town's well. That stop alone had set her back at least an hour. She cursed herself for being lazy as she ran. How could she have forgotten the date for when the Chuunin Exams started? If it hadn't been for her foster father reminding her, she'd have completely missed it. Sometimes, even Izumi found ways to surprise herself.

After nearly a full day of running with a few 30 minute breaks of walking, drinking, and eating, Izumi reached the great big walls of sand that wrapped around Sunagakure no Sato. The sun was poking its head over the sand dunes in the east as she reached one of the village's gates. Handing the guards her Chuunin Exam enrollment papers, she was allowed in. Immediately upon arrival she set herself up at a local inn and conked herself out on the bed.