I stretched when they finally decided to cut our restraints. I popped my neck and I glared hatefully at Mamoru, Atsuo, and Daisuke's backs as the boy who looked as if he were about my age tapped his finger on my shoulder. I looked over at him, "Yes?" He pointed to the rock walls surrounding the river and then at himself. I tilted my head to the side in puzzlement before I deciphered what he was trying to say. "Your name is Cliff?" He nodded and then pointed at me as if to ask me what my name was. "Kanon," I said, "My name is Kanon." Cliff smiled and only then did I notice the gap in his mouth. The empty spot where his tongue should be. I almost gasped aloud. "You're mute?" He nodded. Hitori snikered and I snapped my head around in her direction, "What's so funny?" "Oh, nothing," She lied. "I just thought about something that happened to me last month." "Uh- huh, yeah. Okay, Hitori." There was only the sound of the rushing river after that. A limb regrowth jutsu that I had been taught just last week. I looked back over at Cliff as I thought about the possiblities of the jutsu actually working. Even in the dark of the hours before dawn, I could easily tell that his skin was an extremely pale, almost marble color that contrasted with his deep auburn hair and bright blue, nearly turquoise eyes. He was thin and tall, with the muscules of a blacksmith. He was obviously the son of a man of such a profession. His auburn hair was cropped short and spiked up everywhere. I realized that I had lost my train of thought and I scolded myself. What the hell is wrong with me? "Cliff," I said. "I could help you out. I know a limb regrowth jutsu, but I'm not really a medical ninja. It might work, and get you your tongue back, but I'm not sure." He nodded as if to say, 'go ahead.' "It might hurt... Alot. But it won't take long." I made the hand seals and I muttered the name of the jutsu under my breath. He let out a soundless cry as I touched his jaw. When his mouth was open, I could see the tongue growing back. It took about ten minutes and over fourteen times of all of them yelling at me to stop killing him, Cliff smiled. "Thank you, Kanon." I nodded, a little shocked. His voice was smooth and musical, as if he had never lost his tongue. "There is no way that I'll ever be able to repay you." "That's fine. How long were you mute?" "A week and a half. It was a punishment for 'Treason'." He spat into the water. "Like if I would ever even..." He shook his head. "Anyways, aren't you the Kazekage's kid?" I winced. He had said it as if I were younger than him by atleast a year. "Doesn't make me younger than you. So, don't call me a kid," I spat. He put his hands up defensively, "Alright, alright." I leaned back and I yawned, "Just don't make me regret this." "I won't," he promised. "But I will be your much needed ally, here." I made a noise that would have been labeled as a snort if a less attractive girl had made it and then smiled playfully, "Only time will tell, man. Only time will tell." I gave him a thumbs up before passing out. I was exhausted from my battle with Maname, and I was also still alittle numb from the little bit of toxin still left in my veins. I hadn't really slept that well for days. I kept having nightmares with my father, the Kazekage of the sand, looking alot younger than he was now, fighting with a blonde haired man with mouths on his hands and an akatsuki robe. It always felt like I was there, riding the giant clay bird when the man attacked my father, when father atacked him. Watching my chaos below as the sand village watched the battle in the skys above, and then it'd suddenly cut to Naruto Uzimaki, the Hokage of the hidden leaf village, standing beside my father's lifeless corpse. A few of the people that were also in my dreams were now dead. Lady Chiyo, whom of which I had only seen in pictures and read of in records in the Sand's library, was only one of the many. I didn't have any dreams. It was dark, and felt like death. Or... What I assumed that death felt like. I felt lost and alone, here among the Akatsuki. I would escape at my first chance... Or attempt to.