Chapter Fourteen: Forest of Death

All of the ninja's were standing in front of Training Grounds 44.  To those who live in the leaf village, they knew it as the Forest of Death.  A timer went off as Anko looked to see that all of 60 participating ninja were accounted for.  Anko nodded head as some of the school kids from the ninja academy began to hand out forms to the groups.  

"What you are currently being handed out is wavers stating that the leaf village is not responsible for any injuries or even deaths should you chose to continue on with the chunin exams." stated Anko.  "Welcome everyone to Training Grounds 44 or for those of us who live here come to know it as the Forest of Death.  This part of the exam will be a survival of the fittest as your task will be to gather scrolls and to make it to the center tower within five days time.  If anyone of your teams dies, then you will be disqualified.  And you can not open up the scrolls until you reach the tower.  Each time will be given either a Heaven scroll or an Earth scroll.  Your team will have to obtain the other scroll by any way possible in order to pass." stated Anko.  A tent was set up this way the teams had no idea what scroll other teams had received.

After the teams had filled out the wavers they were to turn them into the tent and receive their scroll.  Team Seven got an Earth scroll as they were told to go to Gate 15.

"Naruto......  I want for you to take point as I know that you know this forest pretty well." stated Sasuke.  Naruto nodded his head that he understood.  "If we get separated for any reason, you both know the password."  Team Seven had come up with a password before the chunin exams because there could be ninja whom could disguise themselves as members of their team.  It was a word that no one besides their members of their team would know.  The guards unlocked the gates before them.

"At the sound of the buzzer the gates will open and you will have five days to obtain the scroll that you need and to reach the center tower in order to pass.  Good luck to all of you." Anko stated over a speaker system.  The buzzer went off as all the gates flew open as all the participating ninja ran in heading for the forest.  

Naruto lead the way for his team as he knew several places that would be good to ambush other teams as he also knew where the tower laid from the times when he used to come to this forest to hide from the villagers.  Once they were far enough in, they could hear screams echo out into the forest.  Either other teams found them or they encountered the rather insects that live within the forest.  Team Seven stopped as Sasuke pulled out wireless communication devices handing them to his team.  They were preprogrammed for when they did missions.  Team Seven slipped the devices on doing a quick radio check.  Sasuke knew that if he flew up to the tree tops, that the other teams will know their location.  So Sasuke silently called out to the birds in the area asking them for their help and to become his eyes.  The birds answered Sasuke's call giving him a view of the area through their eyes. 

"There are a couple of teams close by.  We should attack them and hopefully they will have the scroll that we need." Sasuke stated in a low voice.  Naruto and Sakura nodded their heads that they understood as they followed Sasuke where the closest team was at.  When they got close enough, Naruto held up  his hand stopping his team from advancing.  "What is it Naruto?" asked Sasuke.

"Their scent is all over the place.  They may have set up some traps." replied Naruto.  Naruto could see a small fox coming out of its home.

*I think that we may have a way to set off those traps.  Naruto......  Give me control for a minute so I can ask the fox for its help.* Kurama told Naruto.  

Naruto did as the nine tails asked as soft grunts, growls, yips, and barks came out of the Kitsune's mouth.  The fox nodded its head as it snuck its way into the area.  Kurama gave Naruto back control as Team Seven watched the fox as it crept into the area.  Suddenly a kunai came whipping out startling the young fox as it sprung several traps.  A group of three ninja pounced on the fox as they wore headbands from the cloud village.  They caught the fox preventing it from setting off more traps.

"Damn stupid fox." growled one of the males.

"Well its your fault for throwing the kunai at it and startling it!" snapped the female.

"Let's reset the traps before a team shows up catching us off guard." replied the other male.

That is when Team Seven pounced as they dashed into the area quickly striking before the other team could respond.  Quickly either knocking out their opponents or Sasuke using his Sharingan to knock them out.  Team Seven searched their belongings to find the scroll that they were looking for which they seemed to be in luck as the cloud team seemed to have a Heaven scroll.  Naruto helped the fox by treating its wounds as Kurama thanked the fox for its help.  Once Team Seven had secured the scroll they needed, Naruto lead them to the tower carefully avoiding any other teams that would attack them.  When they got to the center tower, a riddle waited for them to solve which required them to use the scrolls.  Opening both scrolls at the same time caused a person to be summoned telling the group that they had passed as they were the second fastest team to complete mission.

"Who was the first team?" Sakura asked Iruka.

"Gaara's team from the sand." replied the teacher.  He was so proud that two omega's had made it this far in the chunin exams.  Little did anyone realize that a threat would attack their village striking at the Jinchuriki.