Clash of the Clans: Shinobi 7 Companion Book #1 Read online

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  Our team spent the whole day traveling from our clan in Tiger Country to the Black-Sho Clan in Viper Country. It was a long fourteen hours but we finally crossed the border from Crane Country and entered into Viper. The time was 8:30 at night. Tomorrow was a Saturday and the day of the official Battle Month.

  Personally, I'm still miffed about this whole thing. I'm not sure if I understand all of this correctly, and apparently Akira isn't interested in cluing any of us. I didn't get the chance to talk to my teammates during our travel, we were all too focused on trying to keep up with our teacher. Once we made camp for the night, I decided it was a good time to try and get more information.

  Our small group camped at the edge of a forest line. There were two tents, one for Kuroi, Hanran, and Yami, the second one for me, Cassie, and Luna. As for Akira, none of us knew where she went for the night.

  “I'll see the six of you at 5:00 in the morning, sharp. Be dressed and ready to depart,” was Akira's last instruction to us. Then she disappeared behind the forest line, making herself scarce to see between the pine trees.

  It was after our sector split up when I decided to ask questions. Specifically, ask Cassie questions. I would ask Luna, but as soon as her head hit the sleeping bag she was out like a light. Luckily, Cassie was still awake, and she quietly sat on her side of the tent with a brush in her hand. Her long and silky hair was usually tied in a side ponytail, but at night she took out her band and let her brunette locks waterfall down her shoulders.

  “So,” I said to get her attention. Her blue eyes flickered to me. “What do you think will happen tomorrow?” I asked.

  Cassie shrugged. “I'm not sure. Hopefully everyone will have a good time.” She offered me a small smile but I was too tired to return it.

  “All thirteen clans will be there,” I said with a shake of my head. “That hasn't quite set in for me, yet. If I understand right, we're going to be competing against students from those twelve other shinobi clans, Cassie-Chan!”

  Her eyes widened. “We're competing?”

  “That's what Nigaru-San said.”

  “Yes, but I thought it would be Nigaru-San and Kaze-San who would compete. I thought I would merely watch from the sidelines and cheer them on...” Cassie's voice got increasingly high-pitched as she spoke. All of a sudden, her calm and peaceful demeanor was replaced by an anxious one.

  Oops. I did that to her, didn't I?

  “Hey now, we don't know what we'll be doing,” I said quickly. “I mean, Sensei Akira has barely said one word to us! I'm sure if we were going to compete against the other clans, she would give us a heads up first.”

  Unfortunately, I didn't believe the words that were coming out of my own mouth. Let's face it, Akira will probably tell us that we're going to compete five minutes before we're supposed to go up. She's not like Sensei Zuko and she's certainly not like Sensei Shinichi.

  Akira is a lot more... hardened than those two. It's almost funny to think, since Akira is the only woman teacher in the whole school. But really, there's nothing funny when I think about the Kitsune woman. Not a single thing.

  Cassie didn't believe my words, either. “Oh spirits, I really don't want to compete,” she mumbled quietly. Her eyes were down in her lap and avoiding eye contact. “I'm not good with crowds, you know? I can barely handle our own teachers watching me. I can't even imagine teachers from other clans watching me. Anyone, really!”

  If she lets herself get too worked up, she won't get a wink of sleep tonight. “Hey, it's okay,” I told her, “I know because you have great open hand kata, Cassie-Chan. I've seen you practice behind our sector house in private before. I think you'll do better than you think!”

  The older girl wasn't convinced. It was like the worry seeped inside of her like a tea bag.

  Good job, Tabby, my mind lectured.

  With a defeated sigh, I leaned across the tent and blew out the candle. It was now dark. “Please try not to think about it and get some rest,” I said. The guilt was really starting to set in.

  “O-Okay,” was the shaky reply.