Marsh of Forgotten Trees

Chiyako rested against a tree with her arm's cross over her silver dress and her eyes being close as she listen towards the swamp water's float by where she stood. She had slip from her house that day without telling her parents or brother of where she was headed to because she didn't want them to insist on going with her.

'Their going be mad but I don't really care. I need some time to myself without someone worrying about me falling to my death.' She thought in her mind as she kneel towards the ground with her eyes still being close as she pick up a handful of dirt, letting it fall out of her hand as a small smile came towards her face. It was a good day to be by the swamp she felt since they have not seen any attacks on the swamp village from the nasty sand people's since the day her village won the war.

Ryo, from his place in the tree caught the feel of chakra. Someone was close by, not close enough to be considered a threat, but he could feel them. He moved with all his stealth through the upper trees until he was in a tree next to where a small girl was resting. He crouched over a branch. She looked tired and very pale as she lay against a tree. A swamp head band hung from her neck. He had nothing to I identify him with any village so she shouldn't get mad at him for being an enemy right away.

He noticed something...movement in the flooded water to the girls left, like something was moving beneath the surface...something big. His eyes grew wide as a huge alligator, bigger then he'd ever seen or even imagined erupted from the water with it's mouth open looking to swallow the girl. They was little to be done in this situation but Ryo was often a fool, he surged down from his tree and drew his sword from his back and brought it down into the top of the creatures mouth forcing the blade all the way down, closing the beasts mouth and pushing the sword through the lower half.

It didn't kill the creature but sure did piss it off, Ryo held with all his strength knowing it was fruitless, he turned his head to the girl and yelled 'RUUUUNNN!" This massive creature was easily 20 to 25 feet long and Ryo was basically waiting to get thrown away.

Slowly opening her eyes she heard a yell in the distance as she turns to the right seeing a young man standing beside her. Protection again? When will she ever get to actually battle something by herself, it was pissing herself off a bit. But yet she stare at the creature that came from the swamp. "You do realized that it won't actually eat me because I'm the one who usually feeds it." She say towards him as she yawns. The guy had made a wrong move and that tense her up because of her mind wondering why he was without a headband.

That made her move back a bit more back from the guy who suddenly appear beside her. "Say who are you anyways and why are you here at the Marsh." She toughen her voice up as she move her hand over towards her shoulder as a piece of bone was beginning to show itself as she brought it out thorough her shoulder.

The big creature stopped thrashing and he removed his sword and it backed into the murky waters. Ryo stared after it until it had completely gone. He changed his sense to make sure nothing came up behind him without his notice. He changed his posture as he stood up straight and turned to look at the girl, his blue eyes looking her over as he calculated possible actions.

"Well excuse me, not everyday someone sees a huge alligator jumping out of the water at a young girl." He cleaned off his sword with a dark blue cloth from his items pouch and holstered the blade in his sheath, while returning the cloth to the poach. He noticed her body had grown tense and a bone was beginning to come from over her back. Interesting.

"Well in any case i'm sorry fro sneaking up on you, my name Is Ryo. I'm a traveler. I've never been to this area so I figured I'd give it a look. Are you planning on attacking someone who put themselves out there to possibly save you?" He said the last part motioning his right hand up at her shoulder.

He kept his face warm and polite but also questioning, he didn't drop his guard in case she attacked him but he also posed a friendly non aggressive stance.

Carefully moving her hand away from the bone after his introduction she carefully choose her words and say towards him. "No, I won't attack you since you seem to not be like those Sand shinobi's and since you have no traces of being from sand." Yes she observe his clothing carefully as her bone went back down thorough her shoulder. Chiyako wonder why he was just looking around, she suppose being a traveler never hurt even thorough she has never been further outside of the village than the marsh and swamps area.

Ah yes it would do her good to give a introduction of herself towards him Chiyako just remember as she stood there quietly observing the boy with her eyes never moving. "I am Kaguya Chiyako, one of Swamp's strongest shinobi's even if I am so young. I am sorry for my behavior I am usually not like this." There that ought be good enough for the moment she thought as she look towards the swamp as she smile watching the alligator swim away.

She moved away from the bone coming from her back, which by itself was odd to Ryo. She had mentioned the sand nin and he wondered what the deal was with that. As she introduced herself he heard a strange name, Kaguya....he had never heard that before. The Swamp was already shaping up to be full of mysteries.

His eyes grew big and cheerful as did a smile on his face as she told him she was one of the strongest shinobi in the swamp. Not one of mocking, but of happiness. Did he believe her...he thought she believed it, or wanted it to be so, and that was enough to make him take her seriously if only to appease her.

He gave a small bow to her, "Well miss Chiyako, it is an honor to meet you and no I am not of the Sand village. Never been actually. I had heard tales of the swamp which brought me here."

He motioned to the area around them, finally looking back at her in what seemed like a kind expression, but one that was also observing. He still needed to be sure of her claim to be peaceful.

"So you being a powerful Swamp shinobi", he said motioning his had towards her neck, where her headband hung, "Wouldn't mind helping a traveler find the place for a bit to eat would you? For your kindness, and to make up for my interrupting your day, I'll buy for you as well. What do ya say?"

Still having the light small smile on her face as she hear's he never been to the sand village as her mind grows curious with thoughts. 'Could I have been wrong. Maybe I can trust this young fellow.' She thought in her mind as her eyes picks up a sign of him pointing around towards the area that they were in as he ask's her something.

"Oh you are hungry? I guess I could lead you towards a place as such, just keep close to me, I will be your protector in Swamp village until the end of your visit here." She told him in her best manner voice before closing her eyes and beginning to walk off in the direction towards the swamp village as he hopefully follows her.

As he spoke to her he noticed she seemed to be thinking and not paying much attention. Then she snapped out of it and spoke to him. Instructing him to stay close to her and follow her in the village. That wouldn't be a problem at all. She spoke of being his protector and he wanted to smile but didn't want to offend her so he with held it.

She moved past him, her eyes closed and he followed behind her through the rugged terrain, a path barely visible in the thick foliage and landscape. 'So, he had a guide through the marshes to the Hidden Swamp and around it. This was going very well so far. He wondered what else would happen on this exciting journey of his,' he thought to himself as he followed the young white haired girl.