He doesn't sigh, but does straighten from his half crouch, half turning to check on Naruto. Not very injured...

"Elieyha and I came to an agreement," he says, firmly.

...He's not sure what she wants to announce and has done the words thing a lot today.

"Temari, Kankurou: we won't pursue if you leave. There's nothing worth defending between you and the edge of what Konoha controls, if you leave along your one o' clock. Right now, you're unlikely to hit trouble."

...He'll offer to heal Elieyha after her team leaves or chooses to stay. He has some sense of not showing all his cards to potential enemies.

"Not her?"

"I'm staying."

Kankurou looks surprised.

     "What!" exclaims Temari. "But- why- what did he do-"

"This is my choice."

"She's not a prisoner," he says. "I'm invoking my right as Uchiha clan head to declare her part of the Uchiha, and the Uchiha are part of Konoha."

This raises some eyebrows among the Konoha contingent.

     "Can he do that?" asks Temari.

"It seems so. I guess we'll find out," Kankurou says. "This is what you want?"

"I am done with Suna."

"Well. Good luck." He smiles, slightly strained.

    "Will- will we be able to visit?" Temari asks plaintively.

" - That depends on Suna and Konoha. And if she wants to see you."

"...Maybe later."

"Then... I suppose this is goodbye for now."

     "I'll miss you, little sister."

This is awkward.

"You should leave soon," is all he says.

"Yeah. Someone's going to have to put Suna back together."

With little further ado, the two Sand ninja depart.

He doesn't slouch even though he kind of really wants to. Today has been long.

"Any injuries?" he calls out to his group, and then including Elieyha: "I have enough chakra for some medical techniques. I can take care of anything urgent - and that arm." Well, spells, but close enough.

He's going to be basically useless after this but as long as he's conscious enough to argue with anyone hostile to Elieyha...

There are some relatively minor injuries among the others, but Elieyha is by far worst injured.

He'll get the arm almost entirely healed (assuming he gets Elieyha's permission), and get the worst of the minor injuries, before his headache spikes and he has to stop.

"Pakkun, can you check with Kakashi-sensei to make sure it's safe to return? Or if we have further orders. Naruto, send a clone with him, for communication back."

Since Temari and Kankurou are leaving and Elieyha defected, Sugira is of the opinion they did, in fact, 'keep the Suna genin from returning,' but he's not going to try walking into Konoha with Elieyha until he has the all-clear - and he doesn't want to bring his team back into a war zone, besides.

The word from Konoha is that the fighting's over. If Sasuke's team is fit to travel, he should return.

They will, then.

(Sugira is actually the least fit to travel by now, and he's still capable of walking, so.)

They start heading back.

"Okay, if no one else is going to say it, then I will," Shikamaru says about halfway through. "Do we have a story here or are you just going to do all the talking?"

"I plan to do the talking." Even though that sounds horrible. "If anyone else is questioned, I'm not asking you to lie. I let Kankurou and Temari go because they were no longer threats, and continuing the fight would have been risky. I was able to ambush our pursuers, and stay out of their reach, since they were sloppy and overconfident, and I healed the few injuries I received." Technically, 'broken ribs' and 'disembowelment' are only two injuries. "I entered Elieyha's seal using my sharingan, and helped her push back against Shukaku's influence. We talked, then, and came to an agreement."

A pause. "Though if no one brings up Naruto's red chakra unprompted, that would be appreciated."

"Right, sure. This 'agreement', though." He makes air quotes. "How confident are you about it? Because, no offense, she did almost kill Lee like three hours ago."

"I was not entirely myself."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"