CHAPTER I THE MEETING

If I am being honest with myself, I don't really know where I am. I am sure I am traveling in the right direction though.

Carefully pacing herself within the fire country, Kura knew she was out of place. Her surroundings were lush green expanses, sensing life all around her. With not a clue what she is to find, she knows she will run into it at some given point.

I don't even know what I am looking for.

Kura's gaze followed downward, staring at the toes of her boots; worn and dirty. That's how Kura feels. Her body is simply a tool she has taken back for herself, but her destiny is still not her own. Kura shook her red bangs around so they cleared of her face and picked up a fast pace.

If I hurry, I might be able to find what I am looking for by nightfall.

Hours passed of this relentless pace, Kura did not want to stop and rest, these several months of traveling has worn her thin. She is still recovering from a shoulder injury obtained from trespassing in lands in the Wind country. She played the scenario out in her head like it had happened yesterday.

Warm, itchy air stung her lungs as she awoke from the short nap she had taken among a dry barren tree. Sand was in her eyes and her vision impaired slightly.

Genjutsu? How do they know I am a shinobi while in this form?

Kura shook her head to tail and stroked her warm russet fur with her tongue. Opening her mouth slightly she could taste several different chakras, but this one in the sand was over bearing.

"Come out and fight me, like a real shinobi. I thought I knew ninja of the sand to be more ambitious. "

A kunai came straight at her from the sand storm but Kura sensed the movement a moment too quick and threw herself down from the branch. Kura released the transformation and quickly formed two hand seals.

"Wind Reflux!"

Her hands came down hard on the cracked Earth and sent a dizzying blast of wind in all directions. Sand blasted from her field of vision and she could at last see her pursuers. Three shinobi, two male and one female.

I hope these three will be easy. If I can I will stay on the defensive and run, there is no reason for me to shed blood.

"I am not here to invade or spy, I am simply passing by. I am trying to get to the Fire Country."

That part she knew. Other than going to the fire country she still did not know her purpose for going there. The shinobi didn't budge, and held their ground. Kura understood that she appeared suspicious, not anyone has heard of the Inokuma, and anyone who has is old as dirt or long gone. Kura tried to smile at the ninja but before she could the tallest male came at her in an instant, fist making contact with her face.

He's fast, but he won't expect this.

Her hands locked firmly on his forearm as his fist hit Kura's face, carefully shifting her weight to her back left leg, her body loosened and gave out.

"Wha-?"

A loud crash echoed in all directions of the desert. Sand and dust pulsing from all directions of her defense. She had managed to use his weight to swing around behind the shinobi, concentrate the chakra in her left foot and deliver a painful defensive kick in the back. The force had been enough to press his body into the ground. Kura hadn't planned to hit so hard, but she underestimates herself. Carefully listening to the shinobi behind her, she realized they were on the move, coming towards her. She knew the second she made a move this would cause the Sand shinobi to be on the offensive. It didn't take much time for her to dismantle the other male shinobi, it was only for a second she was caught off guard and a spear found its way through her right shoulder.

Kura turned and looked at the kunoichi. Barely a chunnin, she'd guessed.

How did I manage not to dodge that?

Kura pondered this question as she drew the spear out of her shoulder not taking her eyes of the girl. In her right hand she held the spear and instantly let it flow with her chakra.

"I had thought, that I wasn't going to kill anyone today," Kura disappeared from the kunoichi's vision instantaneously and reappeared behind the girl, the chakra infused spear sharper than any samurai sword piercing through her enemy, "I had thought wrong." She whispered into the sand shinobi's ear as she gargled and coughed blood.

Kura let go of the spear and it's chakra cloak faded. The ninja grabbed onto the spear that made its way through her midsection and fell to the ground, lifeless. While the other two ninja were unconscious she made her get away. Kura ran in the direction she sensed was right, but the sand went on for miles. Kura finally stopped to take a rest and asses her wounds. Dire, but not fatal. She wrapped shoulder after cleaning it well, hoping the healing properties of her saliva would be enough for it to heal.

Kura came back to the present and slowed her pace a little. Nevertheless, she was grateful to be in the lush forest in the Fire Country. Closer to her destination. Kura paused her movement to listen to her surroundings. She could hear a village, this one several times bigger than previous ones she has traveled through. This was still a good distance from her though.

I didn't want to stop to rest, but I supposed I should.

Kura started in the direction of the village but was cut short when a kunai struck the soft dirt in front of her, if she had taken her next step, the kunai would have lodged itself in her right foot, she was sure of it.

"You're very fast, if I didn't sense you at the last second, you might have gotten me."

Kura carefully pin pointed the chakra of this pursuer but in another instant it was gone.

Impossible.

A tall ninja appeared in front of her eyes, however, she did not feel threatened. Her blue eyes stared into this mystery mans. She took a deep breath and realized his chakra was over powering. This man was not a shinobi she had wanted to fight. Kura fought hard to stand her ground and not take an offensive procedure, but it wasn't long before he spoke.

"Who are you, and where are you from? You don't have a headband or any kind of symbol stating your allegiance."

This stranger took the cover from his head and bright yellow blond hair strewn in all different directions fell into place. Kura too this time to survey his face.

He is young, maybe the same age as me. Those whisker like markings, those are much like the ones on my face? His eyes, such a brilliant blue. If this is the man, I am not far from where I am supposed to be.

His eyes still held his question, as I had not answered right away.

"I am Kura Inokuma, I am not from any land. Not that I can remember anyways, but I know I am supposed to be where you are from. I have a destiny somewhere and I believe it is where you are from."

Kura almost forgot to ask, "Who are you?"

"Kura. Hmm." He did not say anything right away, but Kura supposed she didn't either. He surveyed her as she did. His eyes tracing over her every detail.

After a moment that felt like it lasted a life time he finally spoke.

"Come with me, I need intelligence to find out just who you are, and why you're here. I can't just let anyone come and go as they please, you could be a threat to Konoha."

Konoha?

Kura was thinking about this word very hard. I seemed so familiar, but she could not figure out why. The man came around behind her and began leading her.

"Wait! You never told me who you are?"

The shinobi chuckled and warmly spoke, "I am Naruto Uzumaki, the sixth Hokage."