Chapter Eleven: Get Dressed

                                    

                                          


                          
          When we finally awoke the next morning the sun was already up. The storm clouds had finally rained themselves dry; Tobi and I had gotten our wish. After packing we made our way through the hot sunshine of a muggy morning, following a large river which ran in the direction of our destination. Tobi knew the location of the secret base that we were meeting Konan and Zetsu but we decided to follow a river instead of tread through the forests, this way our cloaks could finish drying as we walked.
                          
         The rest of our journey was quite uneventful. We made a stop once to catch a few fish so we could cook some lunch and then walked a little more while digesting. After an hour of taking it slow, we decided it was time to pick up the pace and up into the trees at full speed we went.
                          
         Deciding that we didn't need as much rest tonight thanks to a late start we kept travelling well after the sun had disappeared and the stars had come out. What was left of the waning crescent moon lit up the branches in front of us and it wasn't until sometime around midnight to the early morning that we decided to find a spot and release the tent. We ate our rations and then said our goodnights, falling asleep soon after.
                          
         Then it was now the dawn of the next morning. After we had put away the tent and ate our morning rations, Tobi pointed on the map where we were meeting Konan and Zetsu. They weren't much farther away from our positions so if we used the dim morning to run we would be able to walk the rest of the way once the sun was up, making our arrival with plenty of time to spare. This sounded ideal to the both of us because it meant the mission was almost over and we could return to base and get a decent nights worth of sleep. We made sure everything was tied and strapped to ourselves properly and then took off at a sprint.
                          
         It was just past noon when we finally arrived at the Land of Rivers Akatsuki base. I followed Tobi around for a little while as he led the way to this hideouts entrance. After showing me the hand signs to open this bases hidden door we then made our way inside where we stopped for a moment as I looked around intrigued.
                          
         This base was much different than the one we were staying in right now; while ours were stone walls lit by torches and had confusing maze-like corridors this base had claustrophobic dirt and clay walls with lanterns hanging from the low ceiling but only in the halls meant to be travelled. A few of the rooms we passed had electrical lighting but the appliances in the kitchen were very limited, only the fridge used the same electric power which was hooked to a small generator.
                          
         After making our way through the dirt halls and backtracking when Tobi forgot which way was which, leading us foolishly into the darker halls, we finally arrived in what appeared to be the meeting room. This too seemed small compared to the one at the base we were all staying in at the moment. I figured that a little base like this wasn't meant to hold members for long but rather be used as a pit stop when passing through.
                          
         Finally, we had stopped walking. Tobi collapsed immediately into one of the chairs and sighed heavily, sticking his feet up onto the table. I was debating on doing the same when Konan and Zetsu suddenly walked in. "See Konan, we told you they were here already." Zetsu's voice came from behind us.
                          
         "Thank you, Zetsu," Konan replied as she made her way around the small meeting table and glared at Tobi. "Feet, down." She demanded. Tobi complied almost instantly, feet down and sitting upright. I pondered how long this meeting would take and if I too should take a seat, but before I could make up my mind Konan spoke again. "You're two days early. Did you acquire the Scroll?"
                          
         "Yes, we did. Tobi?" I looked at Tobi who nodded and pulled out the Scroll containing our packs. He released the pack containing the Scroll that Konan had been waiting for and dug it out.