Another day passed, and the fever finally broke.
Kakashi held a brief meeting propped against the headboard, his four students gathered in the outer room. Tsunami came in carrying porridge, but a hand by the bed stopped her at the doorway, and she quietly carried it away again.
"The enemy isn't dead. That 'hunter' was saving his own prey."
The outer room fell silent for a beat.
"He'll be back in about a week. When he comes, there'll be two of them."
Two. Putting one down on the bridge hadn't settled things; the one who had delivered the blades through the mist was still out there. From anyone else, those words would have been a scare tactic. From the man at the head of the bed, they were a work schedule.
Naruto clenched his fists on his knees, then slowly loosened them. Sasuke sat by the door, his jaw tight, saying nothing. Naruto opened his mouth, but this time he didn't shout. His fists spoke for him.
"So spend these next few days plugging the gaps. Tree climbing, on Back Mountain. I'll explain the basics to Sakura. She'll take you there."
With that, he sank back against the pillow. The fever was gone, but he was still drained, barely bothering to open his eyes all the way. His bandages carried a faint medicinal smell. Tsunami stood outside the door a while before her footsteps finally retreated.
Kiyoshi headed out first, but someone stopped him as he crossed the threshold.
"Practiced holding your position?"
"I have."
Kakashi's visible eye curved slightly.
He had heard that brief instruction on the dirt road. He understood this exchange in the outer room, too.
Kiyoshi said nothing more and lifted the curtain to leave.
Behind him came another brief warning about the training method, quiet