It had been a couple of days since Madara had last been to the river, it had admittedly felt even longer since he had last seen Hashirama. It wasn't that a lot had particularly happened in his life to distract him, to stop him from venturing down to the clear and calming water. But things had happened. Tajima had tried and failed to find Osamu, the old Uchiha was determined that was for sure, this determination even lent its hand to how well he had disguised his tracks and hidden any traces of himself from the surroundings which Madara's father was venturing through.

It was logic, just basic ways in which to work; Osamu was seemingly on a mission to find the Senju, or at least some, whether he truly knew where their main camp was, Madara didn't know, he just knew the man was clearly not going to return until he had acted out some form of revenge, or vengeance, whichever one his actions were being dressed up as. As it was, because her grandfather was still missing in action, or dead, no one knew, Tomoko had been hanging around for some unknown reason to Madara. It wasn't like their last interaction was fantastic, she had called him rude, and she presumed he was calling her grandfather selfish. Maybe he was a little...

But because of Osamu being who knew where, some small bands of people had been sent out to look for him too, he was quite prominent in the clan, so it would be awful for him to wind up dead somewhere; or caught. Everyone had a limit, torture wasn't unknown in this war of theirs, all it took was a particular sadistic person to really put stress on the older man and no matter how hard he was, Madara and everyone else knew he'd eventually break. Everyone had a limit; it was just the case of finding it.

But Madara and Izuna had been sent out with some others to try and find Osamu, no success, not that it surprised anyone. Even Izuna seemed put out, when it was nighttime and they were both in bed, he had turned and looked at his older brother and simply stated: "I wish he'd just reappear on his own, or we find his body, because this just seems a waste of our time when there's other things we could be doing." It was crude, and Madara had frowned at his younger brother, but he also couldn't find himself disagreeing. Izuna was right, the sooner the old Uchiha was found the better. Only because there was a lull in fights, didn't mean they had to waste their time trying to find someone who evidently wanted to stay hidden.

Admittedly Madara felt Osamu would show up eventually, it was just the matter of when and where, and if he was in one piece or not. It was a thought that had him rolling his eyes with a scoff as he pushed at a low hanging branch as it was in the way, it was a spindly twig more than a thick tree limb, but it cleared his way once it was moved. Inhaling slowly, Madara enjoyed the smell and scent of the crisp air and woody smells around him, it was comforting, and peaceful. The turmoil and tension back home was too much; from Tajima being in a bad mood, probably thanks to Osamu or some other matter he hadn't talked to Madara about, to Izuna being bored and wanting to train or to just be bothersome to his older brother by just constantly seemingly being under Madara's feet in some way.

The only way to get Izuna to back off was to give into his request or snap, unfortunately Madara had snapped at his brother a few times which had Izuna frowning and skulking off with a discouraged expression. Madara felt bad, but he himself was in much the same boat. Just to top any day off if Izuna hadn't always seemingly just been there then Tomoko had been. The girl had seemingly taken a new heightened interest in what Madara was doing, and more annoyingly; why. Madara just presumed she was fishing for information regarding her grandfather, if Madara, his brother or father had found anything out. It wasn't like Tomoko and her mother; Moriko wasn't trying to find their relative either.

On the tangent of fishing, the last thing Madara expected to see when he finally reached the bank was to see Saruyama sitting there, rod in hand and her focus on the water. Madara raised a dark eyebrow and looked each way, his sandals made the stones below his feet rattle and roll together, the noise breaking the silence and having her dark red eyes snap up to him. The noise had her tensing before she relaxed and returned to watching the water. In truth, Madara couldn't remember if he had ever seen a fish here...he should probably break that to her, she's wasting her time.

Easily walking on the water to reach the other bank, Madara walked over to her, he stuck his hands on his hips as the hakama trousers swayed loosely about his legs with the breeze of the day. It had ended up being a warm day, dark blue bottoms and a dark vest were perhaps not the best when the heat of the sun was beating down on them, but most of Madara's clothes were dark in colour, so either way he wouldn't repel the sun too well even if he opted for something else.

"Where's your brother?" Madara asked, frowning slightly and looking around again. He couldn't imagine Hashirama not being here too. The thought just didn't sit well, Hashirama, though he hadn't spoken of Saruyama or their siblings that much, but Madara got the sense that being the only sister, Saruyama had a special spot in his heart. To see her out here without him had Madara presuming he was in hiding somewhere, because no way would Hashirama let her come here alone. Also, Madara distinctly remembered Hashirama saying Saruyama usually went fishing with their other brother, this had Madara tensing slightly...he wasn't out here somewhere, was he?

Saruyama pouted and shot him a look as she shifted in her cross-legged position on the pebbles. Madara just winced ever so slightly, that look was too Hashirama like for his liking. "Morning to you too, Madara."

"Morning, Saruyama." He managed to reply, though he sounded awkward. He had just come out rather bluntly with a question without greeting her.

With a sigh, Saruyama straightened up and tilted her head, it seemed much like him she had opted for clothing to match the hot weather. Though admittedly the pale blue vest seemed a little baggy about her shoulders as she had to keep pulling the strap up, and likewise the pale coloured hakama with similarly coloured thick blue stripes on them seemed to be practically wrapped around her middle to keep them up. "Hashirama is out looking for supplies. He got carried away thinking I was going to catch a bountiful harvest here."

"I've never seen fish in this river." Madara eventually sat down and stretched his legs out, the sandals on his feet just nudged at the pebbles and stones nearby.

Saruyama chuckled, Madara looked her way as he leaned back against his hands. There was something a bit sceptical about the noise that came from her, it had him frowning a little. But then again, he supposed much like himself, what was there to joyously laugh over? "I said the same thing! But...he wanted to come here, and he promised our brother that he would be around more, that he'd also spend more time with us..." Saruyama admitted, she did look shyly his way. Madara got the hint, one of their brothers were peeved that Hashirama was clearly spending time here, with him, and not at home, with them. She shook her head suddenly, Madara just watched as an easy smile appeared on her face, "I think it's maybe more me, than all of us."

"What happened?" Madara asked, he was curious. Something must've happened with her to make their brother to try and get Hashirama to be around more.

She opened her mouth and shut it again, her lips pressing into a thin line and staring ahead at the water. The sun reflecting off it was making it shimmer like jewels, the light radiating off of it and the rays from the sun itself just made her skin seem paler, opaque, the white side of her hair brighter and the darker side almost black looking. She looked tired. The last time he saw her she seemed so full of energy, but here she seemed distant, like something was hanging over her.

"You don't have to tell me. Just thought it'd be something you'd be interested in," Madara shrugged nonchalantly as she looked confusedly at him. Shutting his eyes and sighing, he sensed her looking his way and squinted open an eye, "I'm impartial." He realised he was literally doing what Hashirama did to him previously.

Unlike himself though, Madara may have thrown this out randomly, but he was suddenly sitting wide eyed when Saruyama threw her rod to one side, turned and kneeled beside him and slapped her hands on the stones between them. He watched each move she did and blinked quickly from the smacking sound her palms made on the ground below, if it hurt, she didn't seem to show it. "I had a panic attack, which caused my second oldest brother to look after me and scold Hashirama, and my twin to just...he didn't know what to do! And Hashirama I think feels guilt that he wasn't there when it all happened, he probably felt powerless that he couldn't aid and left my brothers to deal with me. I don't blame him, even if my brother does...but all it's done now is make my brothers go into super protective mode, and I love them for it, but it is stifling!"

Madara just sat there listening, wide eyed, stunned by how open she was being considering he was relatively a stranger, from another clan. But then again, it wasn't like Hashirama wasn't the same, he was incredibly open and friendly, no matter what. "Are you okay now?" Madara found himself asking before his brain realised, he had even spoken.

Saruyama smiled, "Not really. But we have to be, don't we?"

"Have you told Hashirama that?" Madara pushed away from his hands and turned and sat similar to her, now facing her he could clearly see her expression fall, she looked ashamedly at the stones between them and shook her head. "You don't want to worry him further, right? You know keeping it all bottled up will make it worse, especially if you have another moment. You should tell him."

"Spoken like a big brother," Saruyama smiled and looked at him with a gentle expression. She covered her mouth to try and hide her grin and keep her laughter in when Madara just seemingly blanched at her words and frowned her way. She leaned forwards and winked at him, "I shall keep your little concerned moment to myself. Can't ruin this broody image you have, especially to my brother."

"Hey!" Madara exclaimed at her as she just continued to grin and laugh. So much for trying to keep her reactions sealed inside, she was just being blatantly obvious now. He shifted so his feet were below himself, he couldn't just feint an attack like he would with her brother, or even his. What he could do though was basically what he did the first time, he could chase her. It was clear the fishing was useless, so might as well do something else to kill time.

Saruyama rolled backwards and onto her feet before grinning at him before leaping off to the side and running off. Her trailing laughter just irked Madara and he kicked off of the ground and ran after her. Of course, he was quicker than her, and she knew that, but it didn't stop him humouring her just like he'd humour Izuna. He just wasn't expecting her to skid to a stop, stand stock still and her head tilted to the side, her eyes staring off to some spot in the distance. Madara almost crashed into her, only managing to stop that by grasping onto her shoulders and halting himself before his body collided into her back.

He was going to ask what was wrong, but he felt it. Not felt, but sensed it was probably more the word. Saruyama was clearly more sensitive with sensing, but Madara knew this aura, this energy that was looming to the side. He inhaled sharply before turning and looking to the side, pulling at Saruyama's shoulders she got the hint and followed after him as they practically dived into the woodland to the side of them.

Madara hadn't ever been in this woodland, this was new territory, the unknown to him yet the known to Saruyama as she looked behind them to see if she could see who she had sensed so suddenly. Madara was looking about for somewhere to haul up, hide temporarily and hope that he wasn't actually spotted or else this could end disastrously for him. The last thing he needed was Osamu returning home and saying he had spied Madara on that shore seemingly chasing an unknown figure, he doubted very much the older Uchiha would be able to see that Saruyama was a girl, not from the distance he was sensed from; after all he was still a little ways off from where they were.

The issue being is that though they had darted off, the feeling of being followed was coming too. Madara spotted a large tree, it looked like it had been struck by lightning or rotted away because a hollow had been carved out, vines and greenery were still vividly growing around and on it, but that dark yet small crevasse was standing out to him. Madara grasped onto the top of Saruyama's arm and pulled her to the side, she seemed intent on going elsewhere and he couldn't help but think she was trying to go home, he looked at her with just this look. He couldn't follow her, regardless of knowing it was Osamu following him and her, he still couldn't be seen by the man, that would rise so many questions. Questions which Madara didn't want to reply to.

Madara all but pushed the smaller girl into the hollow and he followed suit, her lighter clothes stood out, so she was best being as far in the hole as possible. Madara stood all but trying to hide the opening before looking up and reaching up to tug at the vines and tree limbs that were nearby. He could only do so much, but it meant he could stand inside, and look out hesitantly to spot the man that nearly everyone in his clan had been looking out for. Madara just cursed his luck. The one time he had pushed the man from his thoughts, and his day, here he came anyway.

Madara was just going to go out on a whim and presume Osamu guessed they were the Senju he was so wishing to hunt out. He glanced at Saruyama who stood with her hands clenched by her sides and looking up with wide eyes, Madara watched as a shudder ran through her, he held up a hand and looked up too. The trees around them were groaning and creaking more than usual, it wasn't a windy day so he could only guess that the Uchiha was up there.

Madara looked through the small greenery opening as much as he dared, his eyebrows pulled together firmly, and his dark eyes stared ahead when he spotted an all too familiar figure hiding between fallen trees and a small rocky outcrop. It seemed the pair had found Hashirama, and he flicked his eyes up and then back down, Madara just nodded slowly. He could say that Hashirama at least was well hidden, he must've felt the same as the pair and taken to hiding, if he could feel his sister was with Madara, he could only presume that Hashirama trusted him enough to get her to safety, which was huge, monumental even.

Seeing the look on Hashirama's face had Madara turning as silently as possible to Saruyama who wrapped her arms around herself and looked pained. Hashirama had had good intentions with coming out with her today, why was it that this had to happen? It had taken some persuading to get her out, more Hashirama persuading Tobirama that they were going to go for a stroll, Hashirama was going to do some training while she tried to fish in the nearby river. Tobirama hadn't been too happy, yet considering their sister was standing ready with her rod, he couldn't help but sigh. The usual warning was spoken and Tobirama had watched them run off excitedly. All Hashirama was doing out here was foraging, mushrooms were usually plentiful around here, not that he thought that would go well with whatever fish Saruyama would catch...but it was the thought that counted!

Hashirama could only watch and hope the unknown figure would go away soon and hadn't managed to sense them, the Senju compound was nearby, and he couldn't help but frown deeply. The sense of so many nearby was actually probably a decent cover for them three, but Hashirama didn't know, the figure wasn't moving, and he was hidden enough in the shadows of the trees around him that Hashirama also couldn't see him. Looking at the face of his sister, Hashirama could tell this was the worst situation for her to be in, and he couldn't reassure her, not without giving them all away.

He just watched as Madara seemed to sense that, he placed his hands on her shoulders and got her to focus on him, Hashirama could see Madara's mouth move, whispering something barely audible to the pair because of the figure nearby. Yet Saruyama clearly heard him because the tension in her seemed to instantly go, Hashirama could see it and he was confused. What was spoken he didn't know, but the pair just across the small woody patch from him seemed also so far away; but he had never known his sister to be calmed so readily by someone who wasn't one of her siblings, Hashirama felt something he couldn't pin down.

Setting his brown eyes to the boughs above, Hashirama caught the tail end of the shadow jumping and flitting away, back the way it had come. The greenery that barely covered the hollow was moved aside and Madara stuck his head out first, narrowing his eyes upwards as he kept Saruyama inside just in case it wasn't safe. She patted his arm out the way which had him frowning her way and relenting, whoever it was, was gone, she could only just sense them, and they weren't nearby anymore.

Hashirama pulled himself from his hiding place and it was clear that in this moment, Saruyama had somehow blanked him being there, but spotting him straightening up and brushing leaves from himself had her running full pelt at him. Hashirama had just straightened out his clothes before Saruyama had all but flung her arms around him. He patted her hair gently and smiled, though he looked seriously over his sister's head and at Madara before both looked the way to the shore.

Hashirama easily instructed Saruyama to go home, and she pointed back to the shore, her rod was still there, forgotten and abandoned. Hashirama ruffled her hair, trying to lighten the moment, she groaned and waved his hand away. "Never fear, Madara and I shall retrieve it." He grinned and carefully nudged her back towards the compound.

"But-"

"Saruyama, go." Hashirama's light tone turned, Madara walked over to the pair and had to admit it was a first to hear him sound so serious. It was such a contrast from the kind and soft tones he usually spoke in, or the speedily spoken excited ways which happened often. She looked like she was going to contradict but eventually nodded, she bowed at Madara and turned and ran onwards. Hashirama nodded to the side, Madara and himself made their way back to the river. "Thank you for looking out for her."

Madara found himself frowning as he looked up at the fluffy white clouds, it seemed like the weather had picked up on this whole moment; the sun was starting to hide behind the clouds and even those were starting to turn grey, the breeze which was warm had slowly started to have a chill to it. He wouldn't be surprised if it ended up raining. "I wasn't going to leave her behind."

"You could've though." Hashirama stated, Madara understood what he was trying to get at. Madara just shook his head, their siblings were their whole world; Saruyama was clearly especially close to Hashirama, to leave her behind least of all at the whims of Osamu, Madara couldn't think of anything worse, that man would absolutely destroy her, regardless of her being a child, he would kill her without any remorse. "Did you manage to see who it was?"

"Plan to go on a manhunt, do you?" Madara found himself saying, his tone low and sounding a little more annoyed than he should be. He may not like Osamu, and he may find his granddaughter a little annoying, but he still wouldn't want the older man being hunted relentlessly even if he triggered something. Even though Madara still thought he would bring some disaster to himself, this was clear.

Hashirama paused, he put a hand on Madara's shoulder, Hashirama's expression was disappointed that Madara thought he'd do that. Madara's expression softened, ever so slightly, but not by much. Osamu was still a part of his clan, regardless of his thoughts and feelings, he still didn't want to see the man get hunted like a dog. "Do you think that lowly of me that I would do that, purely because he chased my sister and you? I only wished to know if you saw who it was, if you could see what clan the person came from. I don't need to state the obvious, Madara, but my family are near, as I'm sure yours are too. If it is an enemy of my family, I need to be wary coming here from now on, especially if Saruyama is with me. I promised to spend time with her, to look out for her more, and I can't put her in danger like that."

"Even though she is in danger whenever she is in a fight?" Madara turned and started to walk towards her rod, it still laid thrown to the side. He picked it up and held it out to Hashirama, "It pains me to say this, but we cannot always be there for our siblings; we know this already, Hashirama. To prevent the inevitable is...impossible. If you feel it is not safe to return, then this is goodbye, and I hope to never see you on the battlefield."

Hashirama took the rod from him and fidgeted with it, he looked pained by hearing Madara's words, more for the sake that he was right. "I'd rather this wasn't a goodbye."

Madara shrugged and put his hands behind his head as he walked towards the shoreline. "I'll still come here, it's a good respite." Which it was; it was his peaceful place. He looked over his shoulder and smirked at Hashirama when the brunette seemed to catch the hint, Hashirama smiled in return and nodded. Regardless of what Hashirama did, if he came here again or didn't, Madara would still be coming here for some peace and quiet.

"What did you say to Saruyama to calm her down?" Hashirama stepped forwards and watched as Madara paused mid-step on the river and lowered his arms, his dark eyes looked below his feet and he couldn't help but scoff as a fish went swimming past. With a shake of his head, Madara just continued walking again, Hashirama did call out to him and ended up sighing when it was clear his friend wasn't going to reply.

Madara walked towards the woodland which would eventually lead to his home, he felt like Hashirama didn't need to know what Madara said, for many reasons, actually. Madara didn't know what else to do to calm the girl down, so he did what he'd do if Izuna was worrying and fretting. He had put his hands on her shoulders, looked at her surely and seriously but also trying to reassure as he had just barely whispered to her; "I won't let anybody hurt you." The tone was different, he wasn't talking to his brother, he was talking to Saruyama, and unlike his brother her reaction was much different. Yes, there was comfort taken from what he said, but the way in which she looked at him was so much different.

It caused Madara to rub a hand hard against his chest as he slowly came upon the Uchiha compound, he glanced around but wasn't surprised to see that Osamu still hadn't appeared. It hadn't caused Madara's guard to be lowered, he was expected to be ratted out, yet as he slid the door open to his house and he heeled off his sandals, Madara watched as Izuna rounded the corner grinning at him, clearly waiting for him to reappear. Placing a hand to his bouncing brother's head to keep him grounded, Madara was readying the onslaught of questions, which he'd happily answer and distract himself with, it was preferable to thinking and dwelling on the wide eyed, distant expression of Saruyama's as she listened to the words he had spoken.