So sorry about the wait guys...but life sucks when you have to grow up. This was kind of a spur of the moment thing so I hope it's okay. Who knows, I might branch off and do some more like this...times when Kakashi almost dies but lives and the pack are waiting anxiously for him to wake up. I don't know... well without further ado here it is...

A Loss in the Family... A Life That was Saved

Kakashi knew that using that jutsu would result in his death, but that information had to make its way to the Hokage and the others. With that thought in mind he willingly gave his life for his friends, his country, and his precious people. His eye and Obito's sharingan closed one final time, as he slumped forwards.

They all felt it. That emptiness. That hole that was once filled. It was filled with love, compassion, warmth. Now it was gone. There could only be one reason for that and none of them wanted to dwell on it. It took just a moment for them to get over that cold empty feeling before they leaped into action. Despite not being personally summoned that appeared. What the found was rubble, destruction, and a bloody unmoving master, buried up to his shoulders in the carnage of a epic battle. They moved closer to their master, but didn't touch him, save for Pakkun; who jumped up and sniffed him.

He put his paws on Kakashi; one on his shoulder and one on his head, "Kakashi! Kakashi! Wake up Baka! Kashi?" Pakkun's gruff voice shook dangerously. His eyes seemed misty to the others. When Kakashi failed to answer, or make any acknowledgment that he heard Pakkun, the pug buried himself against his best friends chest, right under his chin. Bull was the next to approach. He came up and lay behind Kakashi's head, as though it was one of those long and lazy days where Kakashi would use him as a pillow. With a whine Biscuit and Garuko, wandered to the master. They lay on his right side close to bull, each licking any exposed skin they could. Akino was next, he came up and sniffed his master, and nuzzled him, "Kashi..." he ground out. his rarely used voice sounded even rougher than usual. Uhei, Shiba, and Urushi followed closely behind. Each were whining as they took their place in the mourning dog pile, surrounding their master, their friend, their Kakashi.

They didn't know how much time had lapsed since they got that empty feeling, they were barely aware of their surroundings, they didn't notice Choza laying a ways away from Kakashi; unmoving as well. They were lost to their grief. It may have been minutes, or it could have been hours, until they were brought out of the haze they were in by a green glow getting brighter. They distantly recalled that that light was from healing chakra, but it was to late for that. Kakashi was dead and nothing was going to bring him back. He was lost to them forever. So once more they fell back into the pool of grief that was drowning them.

All save Akino, who was focused on Choza, or rather where Choza used to be laying. Now there was a giant slug in the way. The chakra was coming from it. "Pakkun!" he called with no answer, "Pakkun, look! Look at Choza! He was dead! But now...now he's breathing! He's alive!" That got his attention. Pakkun looked up sharply, his eyes misty as he stared on in disbelief. Choza was getting to his feet and the slug, one of Tsunade's summons no doubt was moving towards them. No, not towards them, to Kakashi! The slug was going to save Kakashi! He ordered the others out of the way so the slug could get in closer. They all crowded around not daring to move any further away from their Kakashi.

They paid no heed to the reunion going on between Choza and his son, that didn't concern them. Kakashi did. Before the slug could heal Kakashi Choza made his way over and dig him out of the rubble and laid him on the ground before moving away once more. The slug moved in. Green chakra surrounded Kakashi and the dogs waited with baited breath. It was minutes before the green light died down and the slug moved away, but still Kakashi would not wake.

"Why isn't he up?" Pakkun demanded.

"Give him some time and he will wake," the slug answered. A few seconds passed then Kakashi bolted upright, his eye open wide and the sharingan tightly closed. He stayed like that for a minute or two before his breath finally started to even out. When it did, it resulted in another dog pile. Not one of mourning as they earlier one was but one of relief. Pakkun was the closest to Kakashi's face, so he licked him and said, "Don't you ever dare to do that again! You're not allowed to die! Not without us!" Then he licked him again. The others; Bull, Urushi, Shiba, Akino, Biscuit, Garuko, and Uhei, howled in delight. Their Kakashi was still here and for the time being, he wasn't going anywhere. He was theirs and they were his. They were family.