A ten-year-old Naruto leaped from one large tree root to another, his blue eyes scanning the forest floor intently. The air under the canopy of trees was cool and smelled of damp earth and decaying leaves. Sunlight pierced through the gaps in the foliage, creating pillars of light that danced among the shadows.
"See anything?" he shouted, his energetic voice breaking the forest's silence.
"I see a whole lot of trees," a lazy voice replied from behind him. "And moss. And some very troublesome-looking insects. Can we go home now?"
Naruto turned and grinned at Shikamaru, who was shuffling along with his hands in his pockets as usual. Beside him, Choji walked with more enthusiasm, his kind eyes also scanning the undergrowth.
"Come on, Shikamaru! This is the important part!" Naruto said. "What if there's a little fox with its leg caught in a trap? Or a rabbit being attacked by an eagle?"
"If there's a fox with its leg caught, it'll probably bite you if you get close," Shikamaru mumbled. "And if a rabbit is being attacked by an eagle, that's called the food chain. It's a drag, but that's how the world works."
Ahead of them, Yuji, who was leading their small expedition, stopped and looked back, pressing a finger to his lips. "Shhh. You're too loud," he whispered. "You'll scare off anything that might be here."
They had been doing this almost every week for the past year. It had started as Yuji's idea. One day, he had simply said, "We're going to the forest." And when Naruto had asked why, Yuji had just replied, "For training." Naruto had thought they would be practicing taijutsu or throwing kunai, but the training turned out to be much stranger than that. They looked for injured animals.
At first, Naruto didn't get it. But now, it had become a routine he looked forward to. More accurately, it was Yuji, yes, who always initiated this, but sometimes they all came along. This was the part where Yuji would try his "healing."
Yuji was a weird guy. Naruto had decided that a long time ago. He was quiet, complained a lot, and sometimes said things Naruto didn't understand at all. But Naruto's life had completely changed since he came along. And he really, really liked that.
Before, every day felt like a performance. He had to be the loudest, the noisiest, the most mischievous, just so people would look at him. Even if their gazes were full of anger, it was better than not being seen at all. Attention was the only thing he had.
But now... now it was different. He looked at his friends. Yuji walking ahead with quiet focus. Shikamaru complaining behind him. Choji kindly offering chips to a passing squirrel. This was his group. His weird little group.
He used to want to be seen by lots of people, but now, a small group like this was enough. The empty feeling that used to always be in his stomach, a feeling that not even the biggest bowl of ramen could fill, now felt... calmer. He didn't feel alone anymore. And that was all because of Yuji.
"OVER HERE!"
Choji's sudden shout made them all jump. The three of them immediately ran towards the sound, finding Choji crouching near the base of a mossy tree.
"What is it, Choji?" Naruto asked, squatting beside him.
Choji pointed with a trembling finger. There, lying on a bed of dry leaves, was a small bird. Its dull brown feathers were ruffled. One of its wings was bent at a strange, unnatural angle, and there was a dark red stain of dried blood on the feathers around it. The bird was still breathing, its tiny chest rising and falling in rapid, panicked movements.
"Oh, the poor thing," Naruto whispered, his heart aching at the sight of the small, helpless creature.
Yuji crouched on the other side without a word. His usually flat face was now filled with sharp concentration. He set down his small bag and reached into it. He didn't pull anything out. Instead, he produced a small scroll.
Naruto watched with bated breath. He had seen this many times, but he never got tired of it.
Yuji unrolled the scroll on the ground. Then there was a small, silent puff of white smoke, and a clean white box the size of a lunchbox appeared on top of the scroll.
"Still cool," Naruto muttered.
Yuji opened the box. Inside, neatly arranged, were various medical supplies: small tweezers, bottles of clear liquid, bandages, and cotton swabs. Yuji took out a pair of thin gloves and put them on. His movements were efficient and without hesitation, as if he had done this a thousand times.
"Shikamaru, get some clean water from your canteen," Yuji ordered in a quiet voice. "Choji, tear a small piece of cloth from your handkerchief. The softest part."
They both moved without question, already used to their roles in these small rescue operations.
With extreme care, Yuji lifted the trembling bird. He placed it on a soft pile of moss to make it more comfortable. "Easy, easy," he whispered to the bird, his voice incredibly gentle, a tone Naruto rarely heard.
He began to work. With a cotton swab dampened with water, he gently cleaned the dried blood from around the wound. He used the tweezers to remove a tiny piece of dirt that was stuck. Then, he examined the broken wing with an incredibly light touch, feeling for the bone.
"It's a clean break," Yuji mumbled, more to himself. "That's good."
He carefully straightened the wing, a small, pained chirp escaping the bird's beak. Then, he wrapped it with the piece of Choji's cloth, creating a tiny, makeshift splint. He had administered first aid.
And now, the amazing part.
Yuji took off his gloves. He placed both his hands gently over the small bird's body, his palms hovering just a few millimeters above its feathers. He closed his eyes.
Naruto leaned in closer, his eyes glued to the scene.
Slowly, a soft, warm green light began to emanate from Yuji's palms. The light pulsed gently, enveloping the bird in a calming aura. Naruto was still amazed at how it happened. It was magic. Real magic.
Yuji had gotten good at this after a year of practice. His green light no longer wavered or flickered as it used to. It was now steady and strong. Naruto could feel a gentle warmth radiating from it even from where he sat.
They waited in complete silence. The only sounds were their own breathing and the rustle of the wind in the trees. Yuji remained still as a statue, his face beaded with sweat from concentration. The green light continued to shine for nearly a full minute.
Then, just as slowly as it had appeared, the light faded.
Yuji pulled his hands back and let out a long breath, looking slightly tired.
The bird, which had been trembling violently, now seemed calm. Its breathing had become deeper and more regular. Its small black eyes looked at them with curiosity, no longer with fear.
Very carefully, Yuji removed the makeshift bandage from the bird's wing. The wound had closed. There was no more blood. The wing no longer drooped at an odd angle.
"Try it," Yuji whispered to the bird.
The bird hesitated. It moved its injured wing a little, then more. It flapped it once, twice. Then, with a sudden push, it leaped into the air.
It flew a little unsteadily at first, then with growing confidence. It circled once above their heads, letting out a small chirp that sounded like a thank you, before finally flying high and disappearing among the leaves.
"IT WORKED!" Naruto yelled, jumping to his feet and punching the air. "You did it again, Yuji! You're the best, dattebayo!"
Choji clapped his hands happily. Even Shikamaru had a faint smile. "Not bad," he mumbled. "For something so troublesome."
Yuji just offered a small, tired but satisfied smile. He began to pack up his equipment, putting it back into the white box before sealing it back into the scroll.
"What... what does it feel like to do that?" Naruto asked, sitting back down next to Yuji. "When your hands glow."
Yuji thought for a moment while wiping his hands. "It's hard to explain," he said. "It feels like... trying to thread a needle with a very, very small eye. You need complete concentration. You have to flow your chakra very gently and very precisely. Too much, and you could make the wound worse. Too little, and nothing happens."
"That sounds complicated," Naruto said. "I'd rather just punch something."
"That's why you'll never be a medical-nin," Yuji said flatly.
"But it's amazing," Naruto said sincerely. "You saved its life."
Yuji shrugged, a little awkward with the praise. "It's just practice. And it was just a bird."
"But it's important," Choji said softly. "Every life is important."
They sat in a comfortable silence for a moment, thinking about what had just happened.
"Alright!" Naruto said finally, breaking the silence. "Rescue mission successful! Now who wants ramen?!"
Shikamaru groaned. Choji looked interested. And Yuji just shook his head, his rare smile still lingering on his face. It was a good day.
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