Title: Fighter
Author: B.l.k.tyger
E-mail: PG
Warnings: Poor Iruka!
Disclaimer: I am a thief…I do not own any characters to the anime series Naruto, by Masashi Kishimoto etc.
Author's Note: Anyhow, she got a little request-ish from someone who reviewed Furry Friend that told her she should write a sequel. Soo...Furry Friend was originally going to be something longer with more chapters, but Tyger has decided to just write a bunch of little snapshots of Ruka and Kashi's and even maybe Minato's lives. The all most definitely can be read alone!

Konoha's Pet Clinic was a quaint animal hospital. It wasn't exactly large, but it wasn't exactly small either. It was decorated in the front with a large mural that contained just about every kind of pet animals you could think of from dogs to cats to snakes to chinchillas.

The place had been opened and was owned by its own primary veterinarian, Tsunade. It was said that she was a medical genius in any field; apparently, she'd been in the human medical field for some time before she decided to switch to animals.

Something about a tragedy that involves her deceased younger brother and fiancée.

Needless to say, Konoha's large population of pet owners rejoiced, because now they didn't have to travel to the next town over to get their pets checked on. And well know that Konoha's pet owners are very protective of their pets.

In fact, the largest and most popular event in the town is the Konoha Pet Show, in which pets from all over the place come to compete.

But that is for some other story we won't get in to.

The clinic had several exam rooms that were situated along a hall to the right of the receptionist desk. The kennels were pets stayed over night were on the left.

The waiting room was large by normal standards. It was covered in pictures and drawings of pets and loved ones.Large spacious windows, framed by paw printed drapery, let in the dying sunlight. Fluorescent lights flickering on to give the room a rather unusual ethereal glow.

Shizune covered the short yawn that had erupted from her mouth with a discrete motion of her hand. She'd just returned from her coffee break. Since the clinic was open nearly twenty-four hours and she pretty much lived there with her aunt Tsunade, she was usually the only one there in the late evenings. These were usually exceptionally slow times, leaving Shizune to spend most of her time studying or reading.

So it was a surprise to say the least when she walked through the door to find a blonde young man holding a baby and his wolfhound lying by his feet.

"Do you need anything Sir?" Shizune smiled politely.

"Oh, no…ah, Tsunade baa-san is already helping." The blonde gave her a weak smile and a concerned glance towards the examination rooms.

"Iruka no gone!" came a garbled cry from his arms. The blonde looked down sheepishly at the one year old clinging to his chest.

"I'm sorry, he's just worried…" the young man hesitated slightly, "We're all worried." He murmured.

As Shizune returned to her seat behind the receptionist desk, she couldn't help but note that both the blond young man and the lazy wolfhound lying at his feet had a tense air about them despite their calm demeanors. The wolfhound had a scar running down its left eye, but it wasn't bleeding so Shizune was sure the canine wasn't in need of any help.

They were unnervingly silent though.

Only the child in the man's arms was wailing and sniffling, showing outward signs of distress for whatever had happened.

Her curious mind turned over the fact that he'd called Tsunade-sama, 'Tsunade baa-san.' It was obvious that he knew her quite well. Shizune pondered over whether she had met the young blonde haired man before, shaking her head lightly as nothing came to mind.

The wolfhound picked his head up as the door opened again, and scrambled quickly to his feet, giving out a rough dry bark. The blonde man also got up onto his feet just as quickly arms full as he shifted the baby and the leash.

"Is Iruka all right Tsunade? I couldn't see how bad it was from all the blood... but surely he's not going to be... I don't have too..." the blonde asked quickly, voice thick with an emotion he couldn't quite control.

Like he was trying to stop himself from tearing up.

"No…Oh no! He's not going to be put down Minato! He's just going to have a nasty scar. Seems your dogs have a habit of getting those. You will need to make sure he doesn't scratch at it with his paws though. He could tear it some more and that wouldn't be good at all. But other than that he should be just fine, brat." A large chested woman with long dirty blonde hair came out of the examine room.

She was Tsunade, the veterinarian of Konoha Pet Clinic. The blonde, Minato, fell back into the chair with a loud sigh of relief, followed with a sharp laugh. Then looked at the grey wolfhound beside him.

Shizune could just feel the tension draining from the room and realized that she herself had been holding her breath. She released it quickly, leaning forward to better hear them.

"Looks like we haven't shaken him off just yet Kakashi... good fighter hey?" Minato grinned down at the canine beside him. Something about his eyes made Shizune wonder if this blonde and his dog weren't new to losing other dogs to a fight or fights before.

"Just make sure you don't go leaving Iruka out all alone any time soon, Minato! He still needs time to heal a bit more. But he's made of tougher stuff then you think. You had better visit more often though! Naruto is so cute, I would like to see my godson more often you know!" Tsunade chuckled. The blonde nodded several times.

The wolfhound, Kakashi was still standing and straining against the leash as far as it would let him.

"Oh! Right, looks like Kakashi wants to make sure he's alright too."

Tsunade disappeared into the room again and came out with a dark chocolate lab. There was a ragged, not bleeding, but still fresh scar across the muzzle.

"Here we go Iruka, back home for lots of rest. You come back and visit Konohamaru any time...but minus the scars all right? That stuck up kitten seems to have taken a liking to you." She clucked at the dog.

Said dog wasn't paying attention. In fact, he was trying rather stubbornly and anxiously to get over to the blonde young man and the grey wolfhound.

Minato stood up and walked over to collect Iruka, also allowing Kakashi to get closer, as the leash was tied to his belt. Kakashi seemed rather panicked about Iruka. He was intently and thoroughly looking over the slightly smaller dog.

His nose sniffed all over the lab, checking for himself that Iruka was all right, especially as he peered at the scar over the chocolate lab's nose. Shizune smiled warmly at the scene in front of her.

Once everything seemed to be in order, he finally settled a little bit. Kakashi gave the customary doggy grin before giving Iruka a relieved slobber lathered lick. Iruka gave a light growl before wagging his tail slightly and nipping playfully at one of Kakashi's ears.

"Ahhh! Thank goodness! I was worried about you Iruka!" Minato cried out as he dropped to his knees to look more closely at the dog's face. Even little Naruto was reaching out impatiently towards the lab "He seems alright... I had really thought we were going to lose him Tsunade. I swear! That mutt of Baki's is a menace! I bet that bastard is the same dog that attacked Rin and Obito! I should call the police next time it's out! Bloody dog...lucky Iruka managed to give as good as he got even being tied to the pole like that. I'm going to have to put a fence up you know. I never thought another dog would come attack him." the two blondes pet the lab softly, the elder settling a hand over the wolfhound momentarily.

"Oh? So some other dog attacked him? Do you know what the dog's name is? Because I will turn it around at the door! If it attacked Iruka for no reason it might try to take a bite out of the rest of my animals here! And that I can't condone." Tsunade huffed with a sly smile.

"Yeah... me and Kakashi just got back from a trip out to town to pick up a few things when we heard the dog, Mizuki, yelp, then growl again. When I got there I saw the mutt getting a good grab at the back of Iruka's neck. Kakashi tore his leash right out of my hand as he went to attack the mutt. He barreled straight into the side of that damn dog! A shame the other dog's pretty quick, he ran off before Kakashi could get a good bite in. That would have solved the problem for good. As the mutt ran though, I noticed a nice gash on his left hindquarter. Iruka must have gotten in a lucky bite." Minato lips lifted into a smirk as he informed her.

Kakashi looked up as Minato was talking, giving a low rumbling growl as he spoke of the dog getting away before Kakashi had been able to get him. Shizune decided right then and there that she'd rather not make an enemy or get on the bad side of the wolfhound either as the dog pulled his lips back showing off a set of nice, sharp teeth.

Minato and Tsunade exchanged parting light kisses on each other's cheek. Tsunade cooing at baby Naruto before the young man left with the two dogs.

The wolfhound was glued to the side of the chocolate lab. Matching step for step as they walked out the door.