Sunrise Sunset [Kumataka]

[Kogitsune]

Thick foliage and dense underbrush usually would have slowed Kogitsune in his tracks, but, to his surprise, there was none to be found in the rather comfortable atmosphere of the forest. He trudged through, unaware of his current location, and meandered through the wood as he batted off mosquitoes and insects that pestered him as he walked. "I think I'm lost again," he muttered softly to himself as he glanced through the branches of the trees toward the orange sky overhead that seemed to change color with the filtering light.

Thankfully, as the trees began to thin out and he made his way through the tall grass, he reminded himself to keep an eye on the nonexistent road before him, and he stopped just in time to see the tiny orange ball in the sky carrying a tapestry of color behind it splashed with purples and pinks of many hues. He was grateful for the view from the now-cleared trees, and he sat on the edge of the cliff overlooking a sea of treetops beneath him that belonged to another meaningless part of Konoha's forest.

An unsettling tingle of guilt ran down Kogitsune's spine, and he tore his chocolate eyes away from the scene. He didn't want to have to watch a lonely sunset. He wanted someone beside him... someone like... Kumataka...

What was he thinking? That the medic would show up whenever he willed for him to? He was alone, and that was that. He was almost positive that there was no one else crazy enough to venture as far into the wilderness as he did without a guide, a map, and a decent sense of direction (Kogitsune had none).

The man gave an exasperated sigh, and he closed his eyes to listen to the awakening crickets and other nocturnal animals begin their nighttime symphony.

[Kumataka]

;;The Gentile Surgeon

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It had been far too long since he had been able to wander around without a liaison, and frankly Kuma was just glad to get a moment to himself. The last month had been…rather horrible to say the least, and it had been the first time that he had been allowed around without some sort of guard assigned by the Hokage. Incarceration hadn’t treated him well, not at all, and the feeling of the wind on his skin, the bite of freshness that came with the onset of night…it was so lovely. The medic had missed being able to wander, he had missed it horribly, and the chance to move freely was a treat.

His medical kit was still lacking, and thus he had made the journey out to find herbs to replace those that he had used up before the whole incident. After a round of questioning some of the local apothecaries and merchants, he had been pointed out towards the infamous ‘forest of death’, told that some of the more potent antidotes and poultice ingredients. Of course the area was known to be a rather dangerous place, but he was a shinobi…sort of, so he hoped that he wouldn’t run into too much trouble.

He had been wandering for the better part of an hour, and certainly he had managed to pick up some rather useful items, but there were still things that he needed. The trees had begun to thin, so Kuma supposed that he was nearing an open area, which was just perfect. The high grass held an abundance of plant life, and hopefully within were some of the ingredients that he was still missing. Pushing his way through the ocean of green, he knelt close to the ground, searching the dirt in the dying light. No. No. No. No. Ah! There, right there! He scuttled forward on all fours, scoping out the small plant with a critical eye. It would be rude to harvest the entire thing, but he needed as much as he could carry, and so he set about trying to dig the thing up so as not to destroy it completely.

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[Kogitsune]

Kogitsune glanced back upwards and continued to watch the orange sphere sink lower and lower, feeling his heart following the same depressing motion. He took another long, deep breath and released just as he heard a shuffling noise behind him. It was probably one of the creatures of the Eternal Forest scavenging for its breakfast - which was odd to Kogitsune, considering the time of day. He supposed the first meal they had after waking was breakfast, though it could have just as easily been dinner, lunch, then supper... He didn't need to confuse himself with that now, though.

Kogitsune turned to peer behind him. A... blue animal? No, that couldn't have been right. They were no where near a tropical rainforest, so there shouldn't have been any drastic color differences beteween the coats of animals....

Wait.

Kogitsune's eyes grew wide as a warm sensation swept over his being. "Kumataka-san...?" he whispered, bewildered that his thoughts may have been read by some godly force. He swallowed roughly and blinked a few times, trying to clear up anything that could have been making him hallucinate.