After everyone had been rescued, some chose to leave straight away, afraid of escaping the wolf's den only to enter the tiger's lair.
After all, they had no ability to protect themselves and had just been through something so terrifying. It was understandable.
So after thanking Tamamo Hotaru and Sasuke, they banded together and headed off in one direction.
That was their own choice. Even if they really did encounter danger along the way, they would have to bear it themselves.
The remaining few decided to go back with Tamamo Hotaru to thank the person she had mentioned, and see whether he could take them out of this wilderness as well.
From what Tamamo Hotaru knew of a certain fellow, he would most likely grumble about the trouble, then neither agree nor refuse, letting them follow until they reached somewhere safe.
He sounded like a scumbag who refused to take responsibility.
Of course, a very dependable scumbag.
The mother who had found her child and Shion both came along.
Shion's thinking was simple. She wanted to ask them to escort her to the rendezvous point where she was to meet the people from Konoha.
She had been watching earlier. Whether people wanted to leave or come along, Tamamo Hotaru had never shown any impatience.
Instead, she had comforted and reassured everyone with great gentleness and kindness.
There was also how she had announced that she had been tricked as soon as she appeared, and how dejected she had looked afterward.
So Shion felt certain that Tamamo Hotaru was a good person. Even Sasuke, who had repeatedly looked impatient but never abandoned them, did not seem like a bad person. He seemed more like a tsundere.
From that, she could infer that the others they were about to meet were probably