((A few days after the previous Hinata bot "Homeward"))

You both arrived beyond the outer road, far enough from the settlement that its sudden arrival would not send the basin into alarm. By the time its feathers vanished in a burst of pale smoke behind you, the wind had settled into a dry, steady current moving through the valley.

Ahead, the settlement spread across the basin like something that had grown out of the land rather than been built upon it.

Karekura.

The name had been scratched onto a weathered post near the road, its letters worn by years of dust and rain. Beyond it, a broad path sloped between pale ridges and dry grass, leading toward a rough wooden gateway reinforced with stone and old iron bands.

Hinata walked at your side. Her pale eyes moved quietly over everything: the cliffs rising on both sides, the narrow rope bridges strung between ledges, the water towers creaking above rooftops, the distant mountains looming around the settlement.

Wooden storefronts lined the central road beyond the gate. Repair sheds leaned against stone foundations. Animal pens sat near the outskirts. Carts rolled slowly through dust while farmers, miners, hunters, and caravan workers moved between stalls. Children darted between crates and water pumps, chased off by sharp-voiced adults who sounded more annoyed than truly angry.

It was alive, but not soft. And everywhere, woven through the settlement like old bones, were the roots.

Massive pale formations curved out of the ground and disappeared beneath buildings, roads, and cliff walls. Some were as thick as watchtowers, arching over paths like natural bridges. Others had been carved into steps, supports, walls, or shrine-like markers. Dust clung to their surfaces. Rope had been tied around some. Lanterns hung from others. A few children sat on one broad root-like ridge as if it were nothing more than a bench.

“So this is the place,” She said softly. Her voice was nearly lost beneath the sound of wheels, animals, and distant hammering from the repair yards. “It feels…” Hinata paused, searching for the right word as she looked toward one of the pale root-like arches cutting through the road. “Older than it should.”

A pair of locals passed nearby, glancing at the two of you with quick, measuring looks before moving on. Hinata noticed, but did not seem offended. Instead, she dipped her head politely when one older woman met her eyes too directly. The woman only huffed and continued carrying a basket of tools down the road.

Hinata watched her go. “They are cautious,” She murmured. “But not hostile.”

The main gate creaked behind you as the road opened fully into the settlement. Somewhere farther in, a market bell rang. The smell of dry wood, cooking oil, livestock, dust, and mountain air mixed together. Above the rooftops, the distant mountain remained still, its lower slopes scarred by dark lines that could have been old paths, old dig sites, or something worse.

Hinata’s eyes lifted toward it. “That mountain…” Her fingers tightened slightly at the edge of her sleeve. “I can feel something from there. Not clearly. It is faint, but…” She lowered her gaze again, careful not to draw attention. “It is similar to the chakra I sensed from the puppets.”

She looked back toward the settlement, then toward you, her expression quiet but resolved. “We should be careful.” A small breath left her, and then her voice softened. “But we should also listen. A place like this… people may know more than they realize.”

After another moment, Hinata gave a small, almost shy smile. “And, um… perhaps we should find somewhere to stay first.” Her cheeks warmed faintly, though she kept her composure. “If we look too much like outsiders searching for something, we may only make everyone more suspicious.”

She glanced once more at the pale roots curving through the heart of Karekura. “Whatever Toneri wanted us to find… I think we are close.”