The three Sand Shinobi leaped over the wall and fled swiftly across the rooftops.
Looking down, they saw large numbers of Konoha civilians carrying their valuables as they fled in panic under the coordination of several Genin and Chunin.
Temari rapidly analyzed the current situation.
Their core objective was to shake off their pursuers and buy Gaara the time and space to recover his Chakra.
Rather than exhaust themselves running, it would be better to hide in one of the evacuated homes.
That way, they would not stray too far from the battlefield while also providing Gaara with a more suitable environment for recovery.
Having made up her mind, Temari quickly chose a house with an unlatched window. She signaled for Kankuro to carry Gaara, and the three of them slipped inside.
Elsewhere, Sasuke had pursued them for several miles but had not seen any sign of the three.
Smoke and fire were rising all around him as battles erupted everywhere, and his anxiety grew unbearable.
Just as he was at a loss, Sasuke suddenly remembered the Heart of Animal Language on his chest.
Sasuke looked around and spotted a trembling squirrel inside a hollow by the roadside.
"Hey, don't be afraid."
Sasuke called softly. The squirrel was startled at first, then began chattering.
"What happened all of a sudden? Why is the ground shaking? Why is the sky filled with the smell of blood?"
"Don't be afraid. Bad people have come to destroy our village, and I'm going to drive every one of them out."
Sasuke reassured it gently.
"Little squirrel, tell me, did you see three Sand Shinobi? One had a huge cocoon wrapped in bandages on his back, another carried a gourd, and the last was a woman holding a giant fan."
The squirrel thought back and