At first light, Kakashi called the five of them to the roadside, crouched down, and picked up a twig to draw three circles in the dirt.
"Vanguard, center guard, rear guard. From today on, we move by assignment."
Naruto was the first to jump forward.
"I've got the vanguard! I've got a good nose!"
"Rear guard is the easiest. It suits you."
"Hey!"
Naruto pointed at himself, but before he could finish, Kakashi was already standing and brushing the dirt off his trousers.
"Does rear guard mean I'm the least important?!"
No one answered him.
Resigned, he shuffled to the back of the line, walked a couple of steps, glanced behind him, then walked another couple of steps.
As usual, Sasuke kept an arm's length from the others, walking alone without looking at anyone.
Sakura tightened her backpack straps and took the vanguard position, looking back every dozen steps or so.
Tazuna stood outside the circles with his carrying pole over his shoulder. Once they finished assigning positions, he muttered something no one caught.
Kiyoshi led the center guard, walking on Tazuna's side, with Tazuna's load just to his right.
The group set off, the carrying pole creaking beside him all the way.
From this position, he could see both the front and the rear.
Kakashi himself trailed diagonally behind the formation. Whichever of the three circles made a sound, he could step into it in a single stride.
He changed their formation as casually as tying a shoelace.
It matched what Kiyoshi had been thinking.
On this road, watching their footing alone was no longer enough.
He didn't say it aloud. Neither did Kakashi.
Every so often, Naruto's voice drifted up from the rear as he talked to himself, then fell silent after a couple of sentences.
That morning,