Windfall | Naruto

[01]

This is NOT my artwork! Credit goes to hrlshnv

---

A light breeze rustled through the towering trees of the forest, carrying the sounds of birds chirping and leaves rustling in the wind.

Mei's dark eyes were closed and her mind was at peace as she sat in a grassy clearing, practicing her meditation.

The sun's golden light warmed her skin, and she could feel a slight chill in the air, an indication that winter was approaching.

She took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly, focusing on the sound of her own breathing and the rustling of the leaves.

After what felt like hours, she felt the wind caressing her hair and skin, lifting her curls gently around her face.

The sound of the wind was like music to her ears, and she let herself sink into the peace and tranquility that meditation always brought her.

The sounds and sensations were so comforting and familiar that she almost forgot that she was meditating for a training session she would soon have with her cousin, Ryuu.

Her grandmother carried high hopes for Mei, seeing that Ryuu had just gotten his markings at his young age. Everyone in her clan believed that Ryuu's markings were a symbol of greatness, and the pressure to live up to his example weighed heavily on her shoulders.

This led to her parents and grandparents wondering when she would be as great as Ryuu, which wasn't the best thought to linger in Mei's mind but it was there.

But today, in this moment, she felt at peace; and that was enough for her.

Mei had been lost in thought, her mind drifting through the vast expanse of her imagination. She had been so focused on mindfulness and her meditation practice that she almost missed the footsteps approaching her.

When she did see the figure standing over her, she was immediately pulled back into the present. It was her grandmother.

Mei shifted nervously, fidgeting with the grass between her fingers. She opened her mouth to respond but her grandmother quickly cut her off.

"You're not even meditating anymore," her grandmother stated bluntly, tapping her cane against the ground.

She continued, "Maybe I should just cancel your training session with Ryuu since you're clearly not ready."

Mei's hand tightened around the grass, but she managed to keep her cool. "No, Grandma, I'm doing alright. You don't need to cancel the training session."

She paused, looking up at her grandmother's displeased face. "I'll do better. I promise."

Her grandmother gave her a stern look as if to say, "I'll be the judge of that." Mei swallowed her nerves and tried to focus once more on the task at hand.

She knew that her grandmother's criticism came from a place of love and concern, but she couldn't help feeling like she was falling short of her expectations.

Still, she was determined to prove herself and prove that she was capable of achieving her goals, even if it meant working harder than she ever had before.

Mei opened her mouth to reply to her grandmother once more but suddenly found her words interrupted.

"You promise, but can you prove it? Besides," Her grandma's voice was sharp, almost piercing. Mei felt her stomach sink at the tone in her grandmother's words.

"you have new teammates that you'll be meeting tomorrow, you need all the rest you can get so you can at least represent the clan."

But her grandmother was right, and Mei felt a pang of disappointment. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day, and she needed as much rest as she could get.