The Seed of Hate

Rin stared at him, trying to process the words through her panic. "What do you mean there was an attack? The Sound attacked the Sand? How? Why?"

Kankuro rose from his crouch. "There's no time to explain. We need to rush back to the village. Everyone is waiting for your direction, Gaara."

Her eyes went to the man, who spent the night wrapped around her, who just caressed her face like she was precious to him, and saw something she hadn't since she arrived- someone who wasn't her friend, but the Kazekage, through and through.

A hardness took his face, his posture sharp and rigid. "I'm going first. Take care of her."

He left them standing there alone.

Rin tried to keep up, but his blinding speed was something out of legend.

Gaara moved faster than she thought any normal person could, his sand sending him flying over the dunes, like they were nothing.

It made sense he wouldn't wait for her; his village was more important than her needs, but his transformation worried her.

The cold fire in his eyes sent chills up and down her spine.

Something terrible was going on and she knew she was only getting a fraction of the information.

Rin looked to Kankuro, whom she knew was slowing down for her, even though he was anxious to get back. "Please, tell me what's happened."

He didn't turn around. "There was an explosion late last night, damaging the south wall. We think this is a retaliation for capturing the spy we found sniffing around yesterday."

"What spy? Who is it?"

There weren't many people in her village.

Ever since the Sound came together to be legitimized, their numbers were barely enough to be considered for the transition. If this person was actually from her home, she'd know them, no question about it.

"We haven't retrieved his name yet."

Rin's eyebrows drew together. "Then how do you know he's from the Sound?"

Kankuro stayed quiet for a moment. "His headband."

"Anyone could have gotten their hands on a headband. What if it's a setup to make it look like the Sound is involved? Why would we spy on the Sand? We have nothing to gain from it."

He didn't answer any more of her questions, which irked her.

Rin tried to understand why all of this was happening, when a realization dawned on her. If they caught this spy yesterday, there was no way Gaara didn't know about it.

Her voice came out quiet, but loud enough for the captain to hear. "He brought me to the Oasis, not for our session, but to keep me away, didn't he?"

His silence was all the confirmation she needed. Her heart felt like it would sink down into her stomach.

~~~

When they reached the village, Gaara already made his way inside, the gates automatically opening for him.

Rin felt like her legs would collapse from the run, she hadn't moved at top speed in a while. She slowed to a walk and started to make her way inside, when the same gates slammed shut.

"What?"

Her eyes turned to the guards, who were manning the Keep. "Excuse me! I need passage inside, please."

The shorter of the two men, glared at her. "We've been ordered to stop the flow of traffic for anyone outside of our village."

"This is ridiculous. I'm a guest of the Sand. I was just with the Kazekage himself."

They looked at each other, but maintained their stance. "If you were with him, why didn't he escort you in?"

Rin opened her mouth to protest, when Kankuro brought up her rear and waved off the guards. "This one is with me. Open the gates."

"But sir... she's from the Sound."

Kankuro's mouth turned into a sneer. "I know damn well where she's from and I'm ordering you to open the gates. Now!"

They saluted and fumbled over themselves to do as he commanded.

Kankuro's hand found her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze, as they made their way inside.

Rin found faces waiting for her and the look in their eyes, made her freeze in her tracks.

When she first arrived, the faces of the villagers were a compilation of curiosity, slight mistrust from some and apathy from the rest. She was an unusual sight, but nothing to interrupt their day or even warrant a second look.

Now, all eyes were on her and there was no mistake about what they saw.

The captain moved her along with him, trying his best to act casual.

She took a few steps, but her keen hearing caught the storm of angry whispers murmuring in the crowd.

"She's from the Sound."

"What's she still doing here?"

"She probably let them in."

"Spy."

"Snake."

Her breathing quickened under their suspicion; the familiar anxiety she felt upon her arrival, flowing through her veins, with each swift heartbeat.

A roaring noise filled her mind, their whispers and vengeful faces flooding her vision.

Stay calm. Stay calm. Breathe. You haven't done anything wrong. Breathe.

"It's going to be okay. Just keep walking." Kankuro's words anchored her out of her rising panic attack.

"Captain!"

A voice grabbed their attention.

The pair looked to a young woman, no more than sixteen, with flaming red hair. She blocked their path, her stance proud and angry.

Kankuro stopped walking and regarded her. "Yes? Can I help you?"

She snarled. "What do you think you're doing?!"

He looked from her, to the crowd of people surrounding them. "Walking. Do I need anyone's permission to do that?"

The young woman snapped her pointed finger at Rin, who waited at his side. "Our southern wall has been breached and you have a member of the attacking village just waltzing through, like nothing happened?"

Rin glanced around, trying to get her sense of direction from the sun. Her eyes turned to the south side of the village and the smoke still rising, from what she assumed, was the damaged wall.

The sight made her stomach twist.

Kankuro pushed her behind him. "Ms. Ito had nothing to do with the attack this morning. She is a guest of the Kazekage and will be regarded as such. Is any part of that unclear?"

The murmuring grew louder, their unrest and suspicion filling the air like a toxic cloud.

The accusing girl crossed her arms. "If she's a guest of the Kazekage, why isn't he the one escorting her? In fact, where was Lord Gaara when our wall fell?"

"Yeah! Where was the Kazekage when we needed him?"

"What were they doing away from the village?"

Kankuro growled, his voice projecting over the rising mob. "The Kazekage had a mission to complete and measures in place for his absence. There was no way of knowing an attack would come and the reinforcements he positioned, kept any further damage from occurring. Your safety is Lord Gaara's number one priority and you have our word, that won't change."

While this answer satisfied some, it enraged others and their questions echoed off the walls around them.

"We heard the Sound was involved!"

"Why hasn't she been thrown out?"

"If the Kazekage cared about our safety, he'd have all members of THAT village under arrest."

Rin's face turned red, her rage bubbling to the surface.

She came out from Kankuro's protection and addressed the crowd. "I've done nothing wrong! I was brought here as a guest of the Kazekage. I've done nothing to compromise that invitation."

"Why were you invited in the first place?"

"Yes, what did Lord Gaara need from you?"

She wanted to answer.

Every part of Rin begged to spill the information that because of her, their Kazekage found the peace they ripped away from him, the day he was born.

She was far more friend to him than the leaders of that village, but her voice stilled in her throat.

Even though the action would validate her and save the looks of anger and suspicion of her cause, she wouldn't betray Gaara.

Instead, her hand came to Kankuro's shirt, clutching it. He looked down at her clenched, shaking fist and back at her face.

"Get me out of here."

"You got it."

His arms swooped under her legs and he lifted her up, sprinting through the villagers, who began to crowd them.

Their shouting followed like a swarm of angry bees, each accusation a sting against her soul.

This was what her nightmares consisted of. Every time she thought about turning back on her journey to the Sand, it was for this very situation.

She told herself her fears were unfounded, she was just being silly and paranoid.

But it happened.

There was a witch hunt forming and Rin couldn't help feeling like she'd be the one on the stake.