No one would be able to blame Naori Uchiha for being pessimistic about her situation. As she slung her cousin Naka over her shoulder, her one lone functioning eye wandered over to the group of Kusa ninjas who were looking at the two tired Uchiha with something akin to disdain in their eyes. The dead members of the 2nd Uchiha Platoon had made the ground turn as deep red as the hair of a Uzumaki. Near the border between the Land of Earth and the Land of Grass, the 2nd Uchiha Platoon had completed their objective. Naori cursed the heavens for its divine irony. They had won, but discord had been sown over their forbidden technique and soon the entire platoon was at each other's throats. Of the 40-strong platoon, only Naori and Naka remained. Naka was barely conscious, his brown hair thin and his eyes nearly turning upward in a tell-tale sign of coming unconsciousness. Naori was in a better condition, but she could not fight off an enemy platoon. As her legs trembled with the task of carrying Naka and herself, Naori closed her eye and scrounged up the last remnant of Chakra inside of her and opened her eye again as the pinwheel of the Sharingan flared to life before morphing into a three-petal pattern. Her pinwheel eye and fluttering purple hair made for an intimidating figure, even in her fatigued situation. The platoon leader of the Kusa ninja stepped forward, conspicuously not meeting her eye. He had recognized the Sharingan. "Konoha Ninja. You are violating the neutrality of the Land of Grass and Kusagakure. Come peacefully."
Naori set her jaw so hard that it sent a jolt of pain throughout her skull. Her only functioning eye swerved to her cousin slung across her shoulder before focusing on the hostile platoon in front of her. Though the body language of the Kusa nin was non-threatening. All of them were watching her carefully, perfectly willing to cave her skull in with one precise attack if she tried anything. The dull green flak jackets twinkled in the afternoon sun, belying the danger that hid beneath them. Their faces were completely blank. Naori cursed mentally. It was just her luck that it was an elite Kusa platoon that had caught up to her. Truthfully speaking, the idea of surrendering was tempting. The Land of Fire and Land of Grass were nominally at peace. Unless the Land of Grass wished to admit that they were flouting their neutrality by taking sides with Iwa and the Land of Earth, then they would be treaty obliged to return her and Naka to Konoha. But as her eyes focused on the platoon leader, she steeled herself for a fight. 'They won't return me and Naka. We will be 'lost' on the way and suddenly find ourselves in an Iwa torture chamber.'
"Platoon Leader. I acknowledge the authority of Kusa nin on Grass territory." Naori began as her eyes darted toward the silver-white hair of the opposing platoon leader. Naori once again cursed her luck. The silver-white hair of Kusa featured in nightmares throughout the Elemental Nations. The Hana Clan of Kusa, or as they were more commonly known, the Grass Flower Group had earned a reputation for being ferocious defenders of Kusa for a reason. Ignoring the fear bubbling up in her gut, Naori pushed her hair's bangs aside and continued. "However, you are impeding an official Konoha mission and inquiry. As such I cannot in good conscience hand myself and my comrade over."
"Then Jonin Uchiha, we are at an impasse." Came the smooth reply of the platoon leader. The circular pattern of his eyes looked down upon Naori with perfect neutrality. Naori tried to find a weakness in his guard. But just as she was ready to leap forward for a surprise attack the platoon leader let out his chakra to saturate the air. Naori choked and fell to her knees. She just barely managed to catch Naka from face-planting to the ground. The sinister and hot chakra that the Hana clan was known for saturated the air. It felt like being burned alive. Yet there wasn't even a small ember attacking her. The sheer heat of the platoon leader's hostile chakra only added to the growing fear in Naori's gut. "Trying to attack me, Jonin Uchiha is not only a bad idea, but it also reinforces the opinion that whatever your mission was, it went against the laws of the Land of Grass."