The Blue Bird Squad found a brief chance to catch their breath downstream in a creek valley half-hidden by vines and boulders.
Crow kept watch on the perimeter while the Blue Bird captain quickly checked the map and their bearings.
Hyuga Tianyi sat cross-legged behind a rock on higher ground.
He activated Wide-Area Magnet Release Sensing.
In his sensory field, metal and strong, rhythmic chakra signatures stood out across several kilometers.
Then he detected the massive cluster of chakra that had remained at the battle site.
It scattered like a startled swarm, breaking into smaller streams of energy that headed roughly their way.
Two of those streams were moving with clear purpose, cutting straight toward their creek valley!
Tianyi's eyes flew open. "Captain!
Three o'clock, about seven kilometers out! One squad, ten chakra signatures!
Five o'clock, about six kilometers out! Another squad, ten strong!
They're closing on us fast! They split off from the main force in that area to track us, and they're moving extremely quickly!"
The Blue Bird captain folded the map away at once. A sharp glint crossed his eyes as he made his decision.
"Move! No more rest! Crow, scout ahead and avoid open ground! Cat, keep the child safe!
Fox, keep watch for chakra signatures and warn us if they try to flank us!"
The squad members who had just sat down sprang to their feet. Crow swept the young Uzumaki girl onto his back and quickly secured her with a special harness.
Tianyi stayed in the middle, pushing his Magnet Release Sensory to its limit. It swept their surroundings like an invisible radar.
He watched for the other three scattered squads and any possible ambush.
The squad plunged back into the dim, dense forest, circling toward the planned rendezvous point faster than before.
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