The rain was still falling.
Inside the dilapidated temple, Tsunade crouched before Nagato, with the bundle of dry rations and the water flask between them.
Nagato had not reached for them, but some of the wariness in his eyes had eased.
Tsunade did not urge him. She simply waited in silence.
Suddenly, footsteps came from outside the temple, splashing through the mud, one light and one heavy.
Two small figures peered through the doorway.
Their clothes were soaked at the hems, and they held several things wrapped in lotus leaves against their chests.
The boy in front had short orange hair and an excited smile on his face as he called out:
"Nagato! Look what we found-"
Before he finished, he looked up and saw Tsunade crouching before Nagato.
The smile instantly froze on his face.
He stopped short, his whole body rooted to the spot.
The girl behind him stopped too.
Raindrops clung to her blue hair, which resembled a paper flower. Her wary gaze swept over Tsunade, and one hand was already slipping toward the kunai tucked behind her waist.
The kunai's edge was curled, but she still gripped it tightly.
Tsunade shifted her gaze from Nagato to the two children.
She recognized them:
The orange-haired boy was Yahiko, and the blue-haired girl behind him was Konan.
The three orphans of the Land of Rain had come together once again because of this war.
Yahiko stood in front of Konan, his body taut. His gaze swept over Tsunade's face before he glanced at Nagato.
Only after seeing that Nagato was unhurt did he relax a little, though he remained on guard:
"Who are you? What do you want with Nagato?"
Konan said nothing, still holding the kunai.
Tsunade stood up.
She towered over the two children.
Her long