The Seedy Merchants Pier: Part One

Tenten, Azula and Naruto walked out of the forest, and they were quickly greeted by Suki, who rushed towards them with a worried look. She had her pair of fans ready just in case they were suddenly ambushed. Behind her were Temujin and Yulah; they finally caught up to Suki with knives in hands.

"Are you guys okay?" Suki asked. "I heard rumblings, and I thought something had happened to you guys."

Suki folded her fans and tucked them back onto her waist. She walked up to Naruto and wiped the dried blood across his cheek. Naruto felt a tad embarrassed by Suki's sudden gesture, but he gave her his signature grin with a raised thumb. Azula grabbed Suki's hand and pushed it away from him.

"We are perfectly fine, thank you very much," Azula said with a frown.

Suki's showcase of care and affection for Naruto had irked her greatly. Suki was becoming dangerously close to Naruto much to Azula's displeasure. However, Azula understood Naruto's effect on other people just like he had on her. As much as she hated it, she knew this was bound to happen with Tenten and Suki. Afterall, Azula had watched their interaction closely from afar. She saw how much they had bonded since their journey, and she felt jealous. Naruto belong to her only.

"I can't express my worry to Naruto, princess?" Suki's brows furrowed as she glanced back at Azula. Azula's possessiveness over Naruto had started to piss her off.

"I would like it if you keep your dirty hands to yourself."

Temujin and Yulah looked at each other with knowing eyes as they looked back-and-forth between Suki and Azula. Seem like there would be a fight between them. Suki and Azula stared daggers at each other with crossed arms. Naruto scooted away from the both of them. He didn't want to be apart of whatever was about to happen.

"Woah there! How about we all calm down?" Tenten stood between them. She raised both her arms out, stopping them from doing anything stupid. "I rather we get out of here before those bandits start hunting us down."

Azula simply snorted and turned her head away. Tenten sighed with relief as Suki and Azula backed away from each other.

"Perhaps. Useless bickering would get us nowhere," Azula backed away before giving Suki one last glare. She walked away from them to find Naruto.

"Wait. Y'all were attacked by bandits?" Temujin suddenly asked.

"Yeah. They call themselves Northern Wolf Horde or something," Tenten replied.

Temujin groaned and scratched his head. He heard about the infamous Northern Wolf Horde that roamed the Earth Kingdom. They were the bottom of the barrel of society, and they often raid villages across the lands since the invasion of the Fire Nation.

"Ay, that's quite the pickle we're in," Temujin said. "Nasty bunch, I tell ya. They're all ova tha land like roaches pillagin n' lootin."

Yulah nodded her head. She had ran to them in the past during her travels. Luckily, she hired mercenaries to defend her goods from being looted by them.

"Then it's best if we get going," Yulah said.

*****

Dimly lit torches illuminated the shaded interior of a large leather tent. Barrels of liquor lined the edges of the tent next to the rack of weapons that seen their fair share of battle. Echoes of chatter and laughter muffled outside of the tent contrast to the stark silence inside. The masked man, assuming a commanding posture, gazed down at four men. It was unknown what emotions the masked man had felt.

Singh, Genji, Jochi and Bobo knelt before him, their eyes stuck to the ground to avoid his terrifying gaze. Their faces bruised and stained with dried blood from their recent defeat. Bobo was riddled with shame; his scarred face was a reminder of the humiliation he had suffered from Azula. The masked man walked forward, stopping just before the four men.

"Chief, please excuse our incompetence!" Bobo kowtowed before him.

The rest of them kowtowed quickly after him. Their heads banged onto the floor to show their complete subservience. Bobo's body shivered with fear as the masked man glanced his way as if a predator was eyeing its prey. The masked man remained silent, glancing back and forth between the four bandits.

"Enough. You all seem to understand your wrongdoings," The masked man spoke. "We will have to find another location to hide out."

Everyone let out a sigh of relief. They thought for sure they would all receive punishment for their incompetence. They quickly sat back up in a formal seiza position.

"Thank you for your forgiveness, chief," Bobo said.

The masked man turned around with his back facing them. He walked towards a small drawer and pulled out a kunai. He traced the edges of the kunai before turning around to face the bandits. Twirling the kunai in hand, the masked man walked towards them again.

"Bobo, rise," The masked man commanded.

"Of course!" Bobo quickly stood up.

"Is your family in good health?"

"M-my wife is three months pregnant, chief," Bobo responded.

"That's quite the good news," The masked man nodded. "You seem to be happy to become a father."

"I-I am, chief!"

"Unfortunately for you," The masked man suddenly threw the kunai.

Bobo's eyes widen with shock. He clutched his throat and felt the lodged kunai; his hands now covered with seeping blood as he stumbled backwards. Bobo tried to speak, but his words scrambled into incoherent nonsense. His jumbled words now turned to gurgling screams as he suddenly felt the sharp pain. Singh, Genji and Jochi looked at their comrade with fearful eyes as he fell to the ground. Blood spilled across the floor as Bobo laid their motionless, and his eyes now void of life.

"You won't be there to witness that," The masked man lowered his hand.

The rest of the bandits cried out in shock at their fallen brother. They looked at their chief again and felt his menacing gaze at them. In fear, they quickly kowtowed again in an attempt to avoid death. The masked man walked towards Singh and patted his shoulders.

"Singh," He said.

"Y-yes, chief!" Singh raised his head.

"You will take care of the encampment in my absence."

Singh's eyes widened with disbelief; he didn't understand why the chief was leaving. Genji and Jochi glanced up; their bewildered looks were ignored by the masked man.

"Is there a reason for you to leave?" Singh asked.

The masked man stood up again and walked towards the exit and pulled the covers away. The bright rays quickly pierced into the tent. Singh looked back, but he couldn't see the chief clearly due to the intensity of the light.

"There's some business I must take care of," The masked man replied. "I expect you to not fail me while I'm gone."

"Wait!" Singh stood up. "How will we contact you, chief?"

"Do not worry about that. Just worry about yourself, Singh," Saying his final words, the masked man left them behind. One by one, each bandits bowed to the masked man as he walked by them. He simply ignored them as he pulled out something from his pocket.

A red cloud.