The forest was still except for the leaves rustling softly under her feet. She looked around her carefully, always expecting to catch movement deep in the shadows, but there was nothing. The silence mocked her as well as the mist, which swirled around her ankles like a living thing, caressing her skin with damp fingers. A shiver ran through her body and she pulled her hood far down. She wore what seemed like a white raincoat although rain was not likely to fall on that day. It wasn’t the possible change of weather which had made her put the coat on, anyway. The truth was that she felt more comfortable hiding her face, as always when she went out of the village. No-one should know that she was a girl. This bit of information could easily become dangerous. There were worse things than death.

Casually, Misoka reached for the scroll kept in the pocket of her short black capri pants. The mission was easy; so it seemed at least. All she had to do was deliver this message to the Hokage and go back to Suna. Still, she was on her guard as a true shinobi should be. Always watching, always listening.

She must have been walking for one or two hours now, she pondered, keeping a steady pace. So far, she had met no-one at all. The forest seemed peaceful.
Until Misoka heard a branch snap somewhere in the distance. She stopped in her tracks and straightened quickly. Again, she pulled at her hood, though it didn’t make any difference of course.

A pair of male voices reached her ears, making her heart thump with anxiousness. There was no mistaking: They were bandits roaming the forest. Bandits. Misoka’s face turned pale; she felt her body gradually seizing up.
The idea of hiding from them crossed her mind one moment too late.

“Over there! Who have we got here?” One of the three men had spotted her and came closer. Misoka swallowed, keeping her head down.
“Hey little boy, what are you doing in this forest?”
She peeked through her hood. The man standing in front of her was tall and broadly built. She didn’t dare to look up to see his face, but she could still hear his eerie smile.
“Hey, answer me, boy. And show me your face!” – “Fumio, who are you talking to over there?!” Another voice called out in a bossy tone. Misoka was sure this was their leader.
When the man in front of her shouted something back, the young girl prepared herself.

“So, I’m getting impatient here. Off with that hood.”

But she was ready. The moment the man pulled her hood back, she used her kekkei genkai. Instantly, her eyes turned a sparkling cyan colour, blinding her opponent with their beauty. The bandit staggered back, his mouth formed an “Oh” and then Misoka ran off.

Her long hair got loose and fluttered in the air as she hurried to a place where she could hide. Were they following her?

The man’s voice reached her ears again, “It's a girl, dammit! I’m going to find her and take her hostage! You don’t get to meet such a pretty one every day!” – “Shut up, Fumio and help patrolling the forest!”

Misoka’s heart raced. Even if the guy chose to run after her, he wouldn’t catch up. She slid behind a big tree and leaned against it, panting. There were no footsteps coming. A wave of relief washed over her. The boss had understood that she was too fast for them, especially considering her head start.
With shaking hands, she grabbed her long shiny hair and pulled the hood over it again, so far down that it shaded her face as well. That way, she could shake off her nervousness slightly. They were just bandits. And she was a kunoichi. This was no time to get wrapped up in memories.

She took a kunai out, holding it tightly. Back to step one. Always watching, always listening. Except that she now knew that there were real enemies to watch out for.