[attr="class","giritext"]Darkness grew across the curvature of the earth. Overhead, the sun’s volatile oranges permeated the flooded battlefield and atop the old, faded blood mixed with yesterday’s rainfall. It all ran like dirty veins between the pockmarked earth.

The skirmish had been several days ago and the bodies were already moved. Genin weren’t going to fight, of course; the reason the two girls meandered through the field was because a valuable plant was known to live early and die late in the aftermath.

Bloodroot, not to be confused with blood grass.

“Does the smell bother you, Aburame-san?”

Sagiri knelt over a mound, fingers tracking between the reeds for the scarlet tubers.

“I have things you could put under your nose so you won’t notice. Just let me know.”

Kaede Aburame