The shinobi pair was up with the sun and on the move only minutes later, after destroying all evidence of their camp.
Judging by the breakneck speed that Kakashi had set for them, he wasn't planning on having a conversation that elaborated on last nights awkward exchange.
That was just fine with Sakura, although she couldn't help but wonder what he thought about all of it. Between his mask and his ability to keep his emotions hidden, it was impossible to guess his opinions on the issue or speculate what he intended to do about it.
She was curious alright, but not quite curious enough to ask him about it, so she stayed silent and followed him closely through the thick forest, trying to ignore that despite ample stretching last night, her sore muscles were already protesting.
One hour became two, and then four, and then six, and just when Sakura didn't think she could go anymore, Kakashi called for a break.
Even during their short meal Kakashi didn't try to strike up a conversation, mission related or otherwise and she wondered if perhaps what she had told him last night had upset him or made him angry, although she didn't think she had told him anything he hadn't already expected.
She didn't care to ask either because she was too busy trying to get some food into her system as well as use minimal chakra to try and drain the soreness from her muscles without depleting her reserves.
As soon as they had eaten, they were back on the road again.
They continued on like this for several more hours, the silence between them stretching from comfortable into slightly awkward, at least from Sakura's perspective and she finally couldn't take it anymore.
Even though she wasn't particularly looking forward to her training, she knew it was something she needed to do, for showing up to the club unprepared would be even worse than discussing perverse things with her teacher.
"Hey Kakashi-senpai," she said, lengthening the distance of her next bound so she was side by side with him. "When are you going to train me? You've hardly said a word to me all day."
Kakashi give her a quizzical glance and Sakura thought she saw his lips form a smile beneath his mask.
"Why, are you eager for a lesson?" he asked, his voice clearly holding a teasing tone.
Sakura rolled her eyes and bounded from another branch.
"No, but I mean, it's your job isn't it? I don't want to show up to Fuzen Machi clueless."
Kakashi chuckled softly.
"Well, like you said, running at top speed through the trees makes it a little difficult to train right? We're making excellent time and if we keep it up, we should make it to a small town at Fire Country's border soon. We won't have to sleep outside and I can train you then. Deal?"
"Deal," she said, both excited at the prospect of sleeping in a bed and nervous about being shut in a private room with Kakashi where he could make her do whatever he deemed necessary as part of her training.
"Good, in the meantime, think over what I told you yesterday. The part about confidence and being in control of the situation will come in to play."
Sakura nodded before letting herself drop back behind him and even though she was moving quickly, Kakashi could see she was nervous. If she was hoping for more talk, she was going to be disappointed because there was only so much he could say before she would have to put his theories to the test and actually apply them.
Making her do just that was one more thing he mentally added to the long list of things he really didn't want to do on this mission, but dwelling on it would solve nothing, and so he cleared his mind and focused on traveling in the direction that would bring him to their next destination: Fire Country's border.
XXXXX
Kakashi hadn't been kidding when he said the town was small. It only had one main road that wasn't even paved.
There was one general store and a handful of homes and nobody seemed to be out and about, but perhaps that was because the sun had set several hours ago and it was starting to get late.
Sakura was surprised they had an inn at all considering few visitors ever passed through this place.
She wasn't about to complain though because the fare was cheap and as they were led to their room, she noted the establishment seemed to be clean and above all, they had a shower, something you couldn't always count on at the mangy fleabag inns she had often stayed at.
Upon entering, she noticed that the room was small with a single bed, but that was fine; she had had to share beds with the men on her team before, although Naruto usually hogged all the covers and Sasuke slept at the very edge as if he were trying to sleep as far away from her as possible.
She had even shared a bed with Kakashi on a few occasions but they were all very uneventful.
He had remained perfectly still in his sleep and had kept his hands to himself, unlike Naruto who had made the mistake of spooning up against her once in the middle of a dream.
The fact that he had no idea what he was doing was no excuse in Sakura's book and the poor blond had found himself sporting a nasty bump on his head where her fist had connected with his skull and a sore butt from being tossed onto the floor, his pillow and a spare blanket following after him.
Sakura plopped on the bed and pulled off her sandals, wiggling her toes and trying to ease her tired feet.
"You can take a shower first," Kakashi said as he stripped off his pack and set it on the lone chair in the room. "I'll go get us something to eat before everything is closed."
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