"We've been doing team building stuff, so maybe won't be long before we can manage a proper intra-team murder attempt."

"Try not to get the blood anywhere important. It's a pain to clean up."

She smiles to hide how shaky the joke makes her feel. Blood still terrifies her, even as it grates on her that she can't do much healing and is stuck as a teacher and coordinator.

"We'll be careful. Promise."

"I'll believe it when I see it." She ruffles his hair. "Be good, squirt."

"Definitely."

She smiles, and leaves them to it.

Emi comes to find them an hour later.

"Hey squirts!" she calls out.

"Hey Emi-sensei!" Karin calls back. "You missed Tsunade-sama a bit ago. She came to visit Nawaki."

"Good she's back. Though we've got a mission."

"Oh, what kind?" She grins a bit wider.

"C-rank, outside the village. We're playing couriers."

"Will we see somewhere new?"

"Yes. We're actually doing a pretty wide loop. We'll be gone for a while, so I'm giving you guys a day to get ready."

"What types of supplies do we need?"

She describes the local terrain and climate of where they'll be going, and makes recommendations for supplies.

Karin takes notes! "When do we leave?" she asks, bouncing a bit.

"Tomorrow morning, bright and early."

After waiting for acknowledgements, she dismisses them to get ready.

They're all there, right on time.

"Alright team. Time to head out," their jounin-sensei says, leading them out of the village.

Karin falls into a habit of periodically scanning their surroundings. It's good practice, even when they're in safer areas.

And, usually, there's nothing, especially not close to them - she'll sense movement in the distance, groups passing them by, of course.

Then there's something blocking their route up ahead. Eight people, who mostly feel like barely trained genin except for one darker, more powerful signature.

Well that's concerning.

She alerts her team.

She sighs.

"Can you get a pinpoint on the more powerful signature? Chakra nature, clan, techniques, training level..."

She can't get most of that too accurately, but she relays what she knows - doesn't recognize the clan, fire nature chakra, fairly good chakra control...

"I'll handle that one to start. You guys will need to take his friends, at least briefly."