"Think nothing of it, my dear." She bowed back and cradled her cheek once she had straightened up, expression falling glumly. "If anything, I should apologize on behalf of our village. We're still cleaning house so to speak, but there's just so much trash cluttering our homeland... And some of our naughty children have even taken to playing with such scum! It's such a terrible shame for us all, to still be tied with them."

Konoha hadn't had a civil war—if anything, it was the opposite of Kiri, having been founded to tie off a blood-feud and hopefully usher in an era of peace. "Either way, it's nothing that a new chuunin should have been left to deal with; especially one of your background. If we continue the program after this year, then we'll have to make certain you and yours have at least a token guard on the way over."

Goodness knows that she was going to have some... strong words with whoever had arranged for him to arrive alone.

"The hunternin will see to this lot," she said, as smooth masks morphed out of the shadows in the trees. "Shall we continue on to Kirigakure, or are you in need of immediate medical attention?"