The streets of Aurora were silent, save for an occasional gust of wind and the cry of a lonely child. Very few people were shuffling along silently, minding each other's own business. The sight made it hard to believe that Aurora was the more cheerful of the Two Great Ninja Villages. No two people walked together; every ninja gave a wide berth to the other. No children were playing about in the bright snow. The doors and windows of all the houses were shut. Even birds weren't flying in the sky.
But what use was all this to the average ninja? Nothing. No use at all. That was why ninjas had to learn the art of patience; the art of waiting futilely for hours, even days on end. With that firm belief in his head, Yakate was sitting silently upon a rooftop, just waiting for something to happen. What exactly would happen, he did not know, but that was what added to the suspense.
This was his daily routine that had began many months ago. The village was far less active than it used to be then; in fact, it was so dull now, seeing the annoying sight of two children throwing snowballs at each other felt grand. The village had lost all it's interest; nothing was worth there to be seen. And yet, that great boredom only bore promises of something huge in the future. Something that would change his life forever.
Yes, he could change his life by staring at streets from a rooftop. He shuffled uncomfortable, resting his arms on his upright knees. His eye followed each and every minute movement with great focus, observing the looks at actions of every person in the streets. What was pathetic about the place was that not one person had even seen him staring down from the low roof of a house. Maybe today that would change. Someone as skilled as him might either join him with his spying, or perhaps challenge him as an adversary. Or maybe just annoy him like a buzzing fly. But either way, it was much better than waiting for another week on the rooftop, waiting for... nothing in particular.