The Mission Brief
Green eyes were locked onto teal as the one with the bluish-green eyes languidly stretched nearly purring in self-satisfaction. The green eyed one smirked as she saw that her agent was ready for the briefing.
"Okay, I've talked to Kade and she says that although you're still young she feels that you're ready enough. Look, your father and mother are just too nice for this kind of job and your grandfather is enjoying a well earned retirement so it looks like you're the one to take over the family business as it were."
The teal eyes scrunched closed a bit as if they'd heard this all before, "...the family has always done this job ever since Hi no Kuni has had a hidden village...", "...you're your grandfather's legacy you know, he's taught you all you know. That said remember this young one, he didn't teach you all he knows..." Yes, she's heard it all before and really it doesn't matter, grandfather is grandfather and she's herself.
Her leader is once more talking, "Now, I know you've been trained by the best. The Inuzuka can't stop bragging about how well you can handle their pups in training, that you'll be helping to make some of the best combat trackers in the nation and the Yamanaka say that your skill in comforting the hurt is out of this world."
"But, you still have a very important job to do in training the new genin. One that your family has done for generations so I think that we need to cover the mission rules okay?"
The subtle squint of eyes and look of alertness in the face told the speaker all she needed to know, "Now, at six in the morning you'll escape from you captors and head into the village this time. We want you to blend in as best as you can and see if these kids can find you in a crowd. Kade says that you are to meet a group that will play resistance members trying to get you out of town and hidden from your hunters. They'll have until sundown so the longer you're free the bigger your payoff. Any questions?"
Teal eyes just stared back and the speaker sounded a little embarrassed this time, "No, you may not injure them like your ojii-san used to. Times are different and the parents don't like to see their children scratched up like that. Having said that, you may do all you can to prevent capture and protect yourself should the kids get too rough. I know this is your first time that's why Kade is giving you some help, she'll continue to do so until you're able to work on your own and have built up a reputation so are we good? Now, let me look at you."
The agent allowed herself to be looked over by her master, "Hair is glossy, you've been eating good then. The choker collar is a nice touch and I see that you've got your grandmother's bow. Yes, yes, you look so much like her, she'd be proud. She's a hero to the village you know. It was her alertness and aggressiveness that stopped those terrorists before they could get that bomb into the academy, I miss her everyday. You know, she was a good friend and one of the best agents Kade and I ever had."
"Payoff is the same as always, the longer you stay free the bigger the tuna steak you get, now get ready for tomorrow. And Tora-chan, good luck," Sakura said as she gave the large cat a few loving strokes before the newest cat from hell started her first mission.
Feeling loving hands encircle her waist Sakura Uzumaki, wife of the Hokage and the villages cat wrangler leaned into her husband's warmth.
"First mission jitters?" he asked as he kissed her hair from behind.
"For her no, for me? Like a leaf," she giggled, "When Kurama had me sign the cat's contract as a favor I never thought that I would be giving that little one this kind of brief but Kade says that she's ready and willing."
"I see, well she has a lot to live up to. It's not everyday a cat get's on the memorial stone but her grandmother deserved more," the sometimes loud blond quietly said.
"I know, but she's going to be just fine and make her family proud. Speaking of proud," Sakura began as she turned to kiss her mate, "let's see what Shinachiku and his team are going to do when they find out that they have the Tora Retrieval mission in the morning."
A/N; This came out of nowhere. I was watching our newest kitten fighting with my youngest grandson and thought of the long line of Tora's that have lived in the Land of Fire. Sakura is from the Tip Of The Spear Universe and if you've read that recently you'd know Kade is her familiar from the cat summons world and Kade is actually the head cat of the village. She is the one that sends out the best cat for the job and reports to Sakura. Kade also is a partner to the Inuzaka dogs for certain training missions. Kade has also adopted Akamaru and spends as much time with the pup as she can.
Tora-chan is the newest of a long line of cats from hell. While her mother and father are gentle tabby cats, little Tora follows her grandparents in looks and personality. Her grandmother is a hero and her story may or may not be told in Tip Of The Spear or a stand alone, having discovered and delayed a terrorist plot to bomb the academy while it was in session causing the criminals to lose their lives when their bomb went off outside the school's gates. Sadly Tora-Obaachan lost her life that day but Naruto ordered her name placed on the memorial stone. Tora-ojiisan was retired a few days later as he refused to go on any more missions. Tora-chan has a lot to live up to and Sakura worries over the cat all the time.
Her first mission as you can see is to train Shinachiku and his team to be Konoha ninja.
For the record, I love cats more than dogs and in my life I've had a few cats that were truly mine. Two lived very long lives, the first Four-Oh (Navy Speak for perfect or in her case purrrfect) lived to the ripe old age of 15. Marty, the other long lived cat was nearly twenty when he passed. All in all I prefer cats that are a little on the loving side but as long as they let me spend time with them I'm fine. Cats, I've found, are more honest in their actions with you. A cat spends time with you because it want's to. A dog however, spends time with you because sooner or later you wind up feeding it as a reward for the attention. A self respecting cat either loves you or not, they're very hard to be bought, if you're lucky they'll look at you when you're speaking to them.
In the story Sakura was very lucky.
