Lee's Island, Part 10

(The beginning of the madness can be found here.)

Here is Part 10, in which winter is coming and TenTen is the boss.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 TenTen was working out some rough edges on the supperware very carefully when a freezing wind blew across. She shivered.

"That's right, winter's coming up fast." Then the idea struck her.

"Hey, everyone! Back to camp on the double!" she yelled, hoping everyone would hear her. Soon, the others had assembled before her.

"What is it, TenTen?"

"Well, guys, you know, winter's coming. And fast."

"Mmm-hmm."

"So, since we probably won't be able to get much in the winter, I want us to start collecting as much food, water, and firewood as possible. We okay with that?"

"Yeah. How about I get water, you catch fish, Lee catches animals, and Naruto gets firewood?"

"Sounds good to me. Everyone okay with that?" Three heads bobbed up and down.

"Then that's what we'll do. Okay, Sakura, you'll need something like a bucket to collect the water in."

"I can make one, TenTen."

"Okay, Lee. Make Sakura a bucket, but wait just a second. Okay, so Sakura should be covered there. Oh, Lee did show you where the stream is, right?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Naruto, you have enough kunai to cut down branches, and they shouldn't be too heavy for you to carry. Everything taken care of for you?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Okay, Lee, you'll need the spear," she threw it at Lee, who caught it, and continued, "and you don't have any kunai, do you? Do you think the spear will be enough?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Okay, good. I have enough kunai to catch fish. I might have to wade in a little further, but I'll be fine. All right, everyone, get to your jobs!" The ninja dispersed.

"I have to hurry. I should not keep Sakura waiting!" Lee sped up his carving. He was almost finished, but major chunks of the wood still had to be cut out.

"There, done!" He sped over to Sakura.

"You finished already? Great! Thanks for your help, Lee." Sakura took the bucket and walked into the forest. She shivered. TenTen was right. Winter was definitely coming on fast. Sakura sped up and later arrived at the stream, which had a frosty covering. It didn't take long to dispel it and gather a bucketful of water. She walked back to camp, slowed by the extra weight. By the time she arrived, the sun was high in the sky. She walked up to TenTen.

"Where should I dump it?"

"Oh, gosh, I didn't think about that." TenTen sighed. "I guess we'll have to get Lee to make more. But then that would interfere with his food gathering..."

"Well, I could probably make some buckets myself."

"Okay, if you're up to it. Here's a kunai for you. Go ask Naruto if he can spare some of the wood he's gotten." Sakura walked through the forest and found Naruto walking to the cabin with an armful of vine-covered branches in tow.

"Hey, Naruto!" She ran towards him.

"Yeah?"

"Can I use some wood?"

"Um, sure." Naruto attempted to remove a single thick branch, but all of the wood tumbled down. He groaned.

"Oh, I'll help take it to camp. Here, give me some." Sakura held her arms out.

"Mmm-kay." Naruto stacked some of the wood in her arms, then picked the rest up. "Let's go."

Sakura and Naruto arrived at the cabin short after and dumped the branches on the ground.

"Whew. Well, the worst is over. Now we just have to peel off the vines."

"Okay, go ahead. I'll..." he paused, "help with your bucket."

"Oh, no, don't think you'll get away with that! You do your job, and I'll do mine. Got it?"

"Okay, okay, fine." Sakura heard Naruto grumble something before she picked a branch and walked away. She saw Lee arrive from the forest with a gargantuan pile of rabbits, birds, and other animals stacked up on his outstretched arms.

"Hello, Sakura," he said, storing the animals. "Oh, did you need more buckets? You can always ask me to make one."

"No, but then you couldn't do your hunting as much. It's best that we all stick to our own jobs."

"No, really Sakura. It does not take long for me to make a bucket, so it would not interfere very much. Here, give me the wood." He held an arm out.

"Okay, go ahead." Lee took the branch and started carving.

"I guess I'll have to go farther in." TenTen waded farther into the ocean. Still no fish. She sighed. It's past time for lunch, and she'd hardly caught anything. Oh, well. Let's head back and get some food ready. TenTen walked over to the pile of snow and stored the four fish that she had caught. She looked over the pile and withdrew a large rabbit. TenTen hated preparing these guys, hated it. But someone had to do it. She gutted it and skinned it and put it on a skewer. Soon the fire was set up and the rabbit was roasting. Luckily, everyone was already at camp, so she didn't have to call them for lunch.

"All right, guys, it's ready!" They gathered around the fire and ate their food. Suddenly, they heard a groaning.

"What the heck was that?"

"I don't know. What do you think?"

"Probably another person."

"I will go see." Lee darted off in the direction of the moaning. It took a while, but he finally found the source: Sasuke Uchiha. Without hesitation, Lee rushed him to the others.