It's a Jungle Out there! (Discovering Tiger Country-- Peninsula south of Konoha) (Reward Dice)

Asura and Ravana had traveled far. Further than Asura had ever seen before as he looked past all the rich greenery of the forests of the land of FIre. He had always dreamed of going there. As they walked, Ravana explained things to him. The land of the tigers. "Supposidly the jungle is south of here" he said, as they now walked out of the trees to a wide open tall grass lands. A few lone villages dotted the landscape here and there as they walked. "They don't take kindly to strangers, so there is a trial to get their trust and contract. "

Asura turned to Ravana, confused. "What kind of test?" he asked.

Ravana only chuckled, almost hiding a malevolent intent. "Oh, you'll find out in due time. It's hard to miss," he said, causing Asura to sigh. He was always giving scary cryptic crap like that all the time.

They were passing by small villages and as they slowly got closer and closer, they could see something in the distance. A mass of jungle south of them, far to the south.

"We just follow this road and we should get there by mid-day," Ravana said. "But this is as far as I go!"

"Wait?! What?!" Asura shouted, furious by his mentor's words.

He grinned at Asura. "Hey, this is YOUR test, not mine. Don't worry, just don't get yourself killed" he boasted, shrugging Asura off. "After all I got a date with a jug of sake and a hot blooded women or two at the nearby hotsprings if you catch my drift. Good luck and see you there!"

At that moment, Ravana vanished in a blur of wind and speed, leaving Asura alone.

"HEY! COme back ya stupid bastard!!" Asura screamed at Ravana angrily. "Ya better hope I die or I'll kick your ass when I'm done with this!!" he grumbled.

After getting over the fact that his master had ditched him to go on his own, Asura gave in and followed the path, heading towards the nearby small town that resided right before the jungle. Perhaps there he could learn more about what the terrain up ahead was like.

Warpping back to the country of blood and tears, Tsukiyomi held up the scroll he had used but noticed it was empty as the words that were written on it had vanished. Sighing to this glancing behind on his shoulder he had the pup named Haku hanging around him.

"I guess we move on with this...but first things first." Tsukiyomi whispered over to Haku.

Pulling his cloak over his face Tsukiyomi kept a good view only soon to softly place on his Tengu Mask from which he smiled under it feeling memories flood him once more. Haku was picked up and placed within with the ANBU armor that Tsukiyomi was wearing under the hooded cloak. Rushing off towards the southern part of the fire country he felt he needed to escape from the place allowing him to bring back the memories. Several hours had passed only for Tsukiyomi to notice a small road that was running along a different path way. This left him to believe a village could be near by which was good for along them to rest.

"Bark" Haku loudly yelled.

"Good point, I have to agree we have not eaten in a while so let's head down and follow this dirt path." Tsukiyomi kept looking forward speaking with Haku.

As he landed on the path he continued running towards the end of it hoping to find a village at least.

Asura continued with his bag over his shoulder as he made his way into the village. it was a simple place. Old rickety shacks, farmers, probably only one good place to get a drink and such. But Asura was focused on his goal. He found an old man nearby, plowing his field with an old hoe. Slowly, Asura approached him. "Excuse me, sir?" Asura called out.

The middle aged man looked to Asura, regonizing him as a traveling shinobi. "Oh, hello there young man! Can I help you?" he asked, stopping his work.

"I'm looking for some information on the jungle just south of here," Asura told him. "Do you know it?"

The man blinked with surprise. "Um... yes, I do know of it... but why in god's green earth are you asking?" he asked. The look on his face troubled Asura. The mention of the jungle it seemed caused it.

"Well... I am going there," he replied simply. "I am looking for some people and I was told to find them there."

The man seemed troubled. Almost horrified. "Listen to me, young man. Take my advice and stay as far as you can from that jungle!" he said firmly. Asura was not scared but he listened. "I don't know the nature of what venture you're on, but you would be best to stay far from it! That jungle... people go in, but they never come out!"

Asura looked at him, and then around, wondering if anyone else was listening. "Is it that dangerous?" he asked.

Coming to see within the distances a village, though it seemed small to him Tsukiyomi did not mind the whole idea of it what so ever. Nearing it the village seemed to be quiet but continue to look around through his mask he wanted to keep as much of himself concealed just in case anything of him was around which could cause an uproar. Seeing within the mist of the farmers and shacks, a place where it seemed food and drinks could be seen allowed Tsukiyomi to sneak pass as he came up to the waiter.

"Oh...umm, what can I get for you sir?" The waiter asked Tsukiyomi whom was quiet for a bit.

"Can we have some rice and green tea please." Tsukiyomi asked the waiter.

That moment the waiter was looking around trying to figure out whom was "we" that the man was talking about. "Of course..." Running off lightly to get the meal.

Tsukiyomi was starting to hear a conversation within the roads it seemed talking about a jungle that the person could not travel to. This was not something he wanted to bring Haku to see or even wanting to know about but the pup continued to move around inside the armor. Sighing Tsukiyomi held Haku saying.

"Stop moving...if you continue we'll have a bigger issue if anything."

The dog stopped just as the waiter returned with the rice and green tea. After leaving again Tsukiyomi pulled the rice into his cloak allowing Haku to eat while he started to drink the green tea.

'Odd...i wonder what jungle could be dangerous that its even got a few people scared out of their mind's...no matter this is interesting on its own and plus it be a good idea to even try "it" out in a place like that. Smiling Tsukiyomi had finished his tea with Haku finishing the bowl both would then leave walking only to bump into the young man who was carrying their bag. Suddenly stopping to stare at the person Tsukiyomi bowed to the person to keep his mask hidden.

"Please forgive me I did not mean to bump into you like that it was completely my fault."

Asura was interrupted as a strange shinobi bumped into him. He didn't mind but the appearance of the guy was interesting. His mask was a dead give away what he COULD be. A type of Tracking Ninja, who worn masks to keep their idenity hidden. Still, Asura just nodded at him and continued to question the old farmer.

"Um, sir? Why is it so dangerous?" Asura asked.

The man pointed down the road where the jungle was. "It's the home of demons, I tell you!" he shouted. "Aside the fact there are deadly beasts, poisonous plants, dangerous terrain alone you can be lost for weeks... but demons prowl the jungle! " He glared at Asura with a horrifying look as if he was trying to scare children at a campfire. "I kid you not, boy. There is a sign that warns outsiders from entering. Still people enter the jungle... and later all that is found of them by day break... is their heads! Those demons leave their victims heads outside, warning everyone to stay away!"

Asura gulped, not in fright but disgust. Someone or something was killing those that went inside and deliberately left the severed heads as warnings it seemed. NO wonder the locals were scared of the jungle.

But the goal was for Asura to reach the home of the tigers inside the jungle. Perhaps the tigers were responsible or beyond it. Either way, Asura had to proceed.

"I see," Asura said, nodding to the old man. "Well, sir I thank you for your advice and wisdom. I'll leave you to your work." he said and turned to leave. he gave a nod to the masked shinobi and left for the jungle.

The old man looked in shock as Asura still made his way for the jungle. "W-What! Didn't you hear what I just said! That place is a death trap!" he wailed, but Asura kept going, his back to the man. "No one alive has ever returned! Please, i beg you! DOn't go!!"

But Asura was driven and determined. He knew Ravana had gone there and survived, despite him being freakishly strong. If he could do it, so could he. Asura made his way for the jungle entrance, sure to see the clear signs.

Still, the masked Ninja was also something to consider if he chose to follow. Or even try to stop Asura.

After which speaking with the young male and farmer for a bit to asking forgiveness as he ran into him Tsukiyomi was then hidden behind the shadows to listen in more on the entire conversation easier as it got the point that it was horrific entering the area. Tsukiyomi was gripping his neck trying to keep his own head on at the time but sighed it off just a little bit as he turned back to see the and continue watching. As the male finished gathering the information he needed from the farmer it left Tsukiyomi puzzled.

Shrugging it off Haku was moving around in the vest that he was stuffed in for a bit as Tsukiyomi was holding him still trying to keep him calm and from moving around so much. But it did not seem to work out as well as the dog continued to move around.

Quietly whispering, "Shh, stop moving Haku if you continue I cannot say if we get a good deal of finding a place to crash at."

Suddenly the dog stopped moving with Tsukiyomi sighing lightly as he turned to listen more about the jungle death trap it didn't seem to bother him much really as everything was death trap to him to begin with.

Asura had continued forward down the path, leaving the village behind him. He was not aware of the ninja behind him hiding, at least not yet as he didn't seem in danger... for the time being. The cries of the farmer were behind him, but he was not afraid. He was one of the strongest shinobi in Iwa, if he could boast of his abilities thus far.

After about an hour walk, Asura approached the path that led into the jungle... Stranglethorne Vale (Or other name when i think of something better) The thick dense jungle was dark where the canopy barely let any sunlight in. Trees grew as tall as buildings inside, the thick vegitation both wonderous and daunting to behold. Just standing their the humidity from the jungle was very warm and hard to be comfortable in. Multi-colored plans grew on the side of the road as soon it led into a small path into the jungle, unable to see beyond a certain point.

Between the vines, wild bird noises and the smells, it was a beautiful jungle... except one thing.

Blood. There were stains of blood on the dried soil path before him and on the grass nearby. As if someone was mauled and torn apart there. On the sides of the roads he could see it. Skulls, some in tact, some broken. A few were on pikes, like the farmer said. One of which decorated a sign that was on a nearby tree covered in vines.

Asura approached the sigh and pulled some of the vines free, revealing the warning. "Do not enter. Maneaters!" in big red letters.

Asura looked and gulped, not out of fear but in revoltion. He didn't understand what intelligent person would find it pleasurable to cut off people's heads and desplay them here for sport. It seemed disturbing to the shinobi.

It was a chilling development as he looked over the surrounding jungle-- probably not aware if a certain masked ninja crept up behind him and surprised him with no more than a simple 'greeting'.

After seeing the male suddenly leave the village Tsukiyomi shrugged his shoulders not really caring about ordeal of having to go through a jungle full death if anything. Turning around Haku started to wimper about something. Staring at Haku Tsukiyomi sighed heavily.

"You're worried about the person right?" Tsukiyomi said calmly as the dog would let out a small but quiet bark. Shaking his head to this Tsukiyomi would place himself on the path of wanting to rest or following the order of his best friend in a way. Later on that hour passed of leading up to the jungle just before seeing the scene turning to poke a skull with the sheath of his blade slightly saying to himself.

"Awesome..." Tsukyomi then turned to look at the person waving.

"Yo...thinking of going in their alone are ya?" Smiling at this under his mask Tsukiyomi kept a nice chill about himself and let his aura relax not seeming to be threatening at all.

The voice behind him gave Asura a sudden chill. "YAAAAAAAAAA!!!!" he screamed in fright and turned around, his shout causing a few birds to take off.

Seeing the masked ninja, and his chilled voice being so pleasant before the sight of the dismembered skulls, it almost made Asura think HE was the psycho beheading people. Acting quickly he drew his Shinkou short sword-- which glowed as he used chakra into it. "WHat the hell?! You sneaking up on people in front of a horror show!" he said, clearly aggitated. He didn't know if he was an enemy or not, but it was more important to be on guard than not. "Who the hell are you anyway?" Asura grunted.

He glared at him, clearly concerned. He was clearly some hidden ninja for his mask but what he had behind it was suspicious enough. It was times like this he wished Ravana had stuck around. Knowing him, he was probably drinking a bar dry and having some woman on his lap getting comfy as he groped her.

Stupid jerk of a sensei he was...

"I saw you before at the village. Are you just a traveler or are you perhaps the one responsible for this massacre?" he asked, perhaps the rumors of the people dying in the jungle was HIS doing?

The yelling echoed within Tsukiyomi's right ear for a bit as he shook it off staring back at the person still through the tengu mask. Haku stayed quiet for a bit longer even after the yelling went off into his ear as well. Tsukiyomi heard the boy say what the hell only to answer back.

"What the heaven? you doing yelling in another person's ear for that matter." Tsukiyomi was known to have a childish attitude when it came down to meeting new people but otherwise he stayed in tune with his inner thoughts causing him to seem like he was depressed when really he was just quiet to begin with.

"Well, first you should introduce yourself before asking whom another is, its rather rude you know." Tsukiyomi was still fond of manners even during the time of danger but he still knew a few things or two about surviving in life threatening situations before him. Lifting his finger slowly only to aim it at the young man Tsukiyomi lightly said.

"Yep, you did see me at the village and im just traveling though I believe he can answer the other question, behind you is a guy with a giant zanbatou aiming at your neck..." Tsukiyomi waited to see the reaction only cause he wanted to scare the person once more.