Thanks for reading :) Sorry for the late update... and sorry if it's short and badly written, feel like my writings really gone to s>.

Kida left the hospital via the window to chase a mysterious brown creature that was travelling away from the village at a high speed. Kakashi caught up to Naruto in the hallway of the hospital on his way back to Kida's room, which they soon found to be empty. Kakashi was about to begin his persuit with the assistance of the Ninja Hound(s).

The shoes on my feet flopped around slightly as I ran between the trees before jumping skyward into the canopy above me. I continued to leap over the thick branches at a quick pace to catch up to the mysterious brown creature that was still scrambling through the forest ahead.

It's fast, but I'm faster. I need to know what it is!

I continued to leap soundlessly through the canopy, my katana bumping against my hip comfortably as I went, and my sights completely set on the creature I was closing in on.

As I dodged low hanging branches, the jagged movements of the creature ahead of me became more defined as it scrambled hurriedly through the undergrowth below.

I'm closing in on it.

Over my deep, even breathing the sound of the creatures movements reached my ears. Sounds like clacking pieces of... wood? l questioned as I pushed myself to run faster.

I'm almost above of it. My dark eyes narrowed at the creature below me before widening slightly in shocked realisation. Oh, I see...

Eight spidery wooden legs about the length of my forearm, with multiple joints along their lengths scurried effortlessly over the forest floor. Together they held up the rounded wooden body of the creature that seems to have been stained darker over some areas to form more intricate designs on the surface, and possibly add to its camouflaged exterior.

Suspicion and uncertainty swarmed my mind as I tried to decide what to do. I'm still not entirely sure what it is. Is it from this village? Where's it from? Where's it going? What was it doing here? I was too far out to get someone else's opinion on the matter, and if I went back I might not find it again.

There's a chance it's an enemies product, it could have done something in the village, it could have taken something.

It could be from the village and someone's sending it out here as a test or to deliver a message, if that's the case I could be causing problems for Kakashi if I mess with it... but if it is an enemy creation... better not risk it.

A small clearing up ahead catches my attention, the creature was making no adjustments to its course, suggesting it's intention to continue straight through the clearing. This is my chance.

I unsheathed my katana and grasped the leather handle tightly in my hands as I sliced the blade out horizontally in front of my torso, pushing my legs to go faster to close the final distance between me and my target. The soft whistle of metal slicing through the air rung through the vibrant forest surrounding me as I raised the unblemished blade above my head in an attack position, before making the final leap through the trees and into the bright, sun lit clearing.

Weightless, I fell through the air. And ignoring the overturned feeling in my stomach as I plummeted, I kept my blade steadily raised and my serious eyes fixed on the target that had, as estimated, continued travelling through the clearing and was scurrying over the patch of clear grass beneath me.

The air was silent as I came down apon my target. Forcing the blade down swiftly as I came down on top of the brown, spidery creature. The metal of my blade piercing through the wood as though it were paper and causing it to crack and splinter under the force of the blow. The tip of the blade continued through the creature and plunged into the earth beneath causing it to stop abruptly and shudder violently before collapsing to the ground, with the blade still inbedded through its body and me perched in a crouching position on its polished wooden back.

I smirked beneath my mask as I stepped off the creature, nudging it slightly to confirm that it was down for the count. Sighing, I grasped by hand around the black leather handle, prepared to pull my sword from he creature before continuing my examination. The suns rays reflected brilliantly off the small amount of blade beneath the hilt that was still visibly out of the creature. But the same light brought something else to my attention. Thin shimmers in the grass in front of the creature, barely there, but enough to be something.

Letting go of the handle, I knelt on the ground. I could feel the cushiness of the grass through my black pants as I leaned closer and reached out towards the reflecting substance threaded through the blades of grass. Catching one delicately between my fingers, I lifted it closer to my eyes. A fine, almost invisible thread connected to to creature, no, The Puppet. The thin thread glided between my finger, light as a feathers touch and emitting a small invissible aura of energy, chakra, as it continued into the trees ahead. There were several more on the ground leading in the same direction, to The Puppeteer.

If The Puppets Master is guiding the creature out of the village, then it's safe to assume they're not of this village and don't have permission to be on this land. The Puppet was probably doing something that will have a negative affect on this village. The Puppeteer will now be aware of the Puppets incapacitation and is likely on their way here.... And with my medication starting to wear of, and significant stamina loss from running... I'm not in a favourable position to be in a fight, and win...

... well s>.<... better do this quickly and as quietly as possible.

Jumping back in a standing, upright position, ignoring the small protest that my muscles were beginning to give me, I quickly clasped my hand on my swords hilt again and pulled forcefully causing the blade to emerge again from the wooden 'flesh' of the puppet.

Unfortunately, the metal rod of my katana was also the only thing keeping the broken Puppet together.

A series of loud cracks of wood and snapping of spring coils could be heard from the apparently hollow body of the Puppet. I stared wide eyed at the excessively loud occurrence of the Puppet breaking down from the inside out. The creaking noises seemed to echo through the air and amplify through the trees. I shifted my eyes around the surrounding forest, if The Puppeteer is close by, they're gonna hear THAT and really come running. This was supposed to be a SILENT operation. I jumped back startled when the internal battle of The Puppet suddenly became an external massacre of any kind of silence that may have helped my situation.

The legs rattled violently before ungracefully falling over each other. The wooden base crumbled and fell apart completely with a series of creaks, crashes and thuds. I narrowly dodged loose springs that projectiled from the carcass of the puppet and embedded themselves deeply in the trunks of the surrounding trees. The whole thing audiably creaked and shuddered, it's final plea for help before going completely still.

Silence followed as I stared, wide eyed and unbreathing at the splintered pile of rubble in front of me. The soundlessness of my surroundings was errily unsettling as I shifted my shocked eyes around again in anticipation and dread for the arrival of the owner of this now not so magestic creature.

I was NOT the cause of this.

Still completely alone, I sighed in relief before stepping forward tiredly. Only to jump back once more when the piece of damnation crumbled further on the ground with a final shuddering creak into the silent forest.

I looked towards the blue, unblemished sky that watched over this dramatic scene of hurt, betrayal and cruelty. Why? Just why?

Ok, now better hurry. I thought to myself, pulling my mind back to focus on the task at hand as I resheathed my katana.

"What was your purpose?" I whispered absently to the mangled wooden creature before me as I stepped towards it.

In the distance, two figures in black, red clouded robes and straw hats waited in the shadows.

"You know, for someone who doesn't like to be kept waiting, your own creation is taking its sweet time don't you think? Sasori, my man." The taller, blonde man spoke casually, despite the dangerous aura his seemingly hunched over companion was emitting.

"Hmmm, Dedidera, I hope you're not criticising my work, especially when you're the one who creates such vulgur pieces." The other replied in a deep, rasping voice that drifted eerily through the air between them.

Suddenly there was unusual jerk in and shuddering in the strings connecting the seemingly shorter intruder to his artwork, making said puppeteer suspicious of the delay.

"However, hmm, perhaps we should go see what's taking so long..." He suggested as he began to travel slowly towards where his strings were snagged. His smirking companion following shortly after, trying to hold in the audible chuckle that threatened to escape his mouth.

I knelt in the grass beside the wooden carcass, sifting delicately but quickly through the pieces. I strategically made my way into the belly of the beast, tossing smaller pieces of wood to the side. I stopped moving when my hand felt something softer, thinner, before reaching through the splinters of wood and grasping at what I had felt. I pulled it out gently, shaking bits of dust and splinters off as brought it into the light. A scroll.

It was kinda small compared to some of the scrolls I've seen people carry on their backs, but I guess this could be considered about average size. I checked the wax seal on the edge, a leaf.

So, we're they trying to steal this then? I reached my hand in again and sifted around, less delicately than before. I'm running out of time. My muscles were starting to seize up and become sore again.

I pulled out two more scrolls similar to the first one. And after another minute of sifting my hand through the wooden pieces, I confirmed that those were the only material that weren't apart of the puppet. I stuffed the scrolls into my waistband and was about to stand up and bolt back to the village when I spotted something else.

During my disembowelment of the beast, I had looked past the intricate designs of the light and dark brown wood that had decorated the body of the beast, while pretty and unfortunately, now destroyed. But I caught sight of a smudge of red on a piece of what I'm guessing was apart of the underbelly. I leant down further and peered closer. A red scorpion was painted on the surface of the wood. The Puppet was clearly designed in the image of a spider, so why a scorpion?

It's a signature. Was my final conclusion before I felt it. Eyes were on me. I slowly raised my head in the direction I could feel them, in the same direction that the strings had lead off to. I stared intensely into the thick forestry ahead of me, ready to move when needed, but otherwise waiting patiently for them to reveal themselves.