Panther

Chapter 1

I glared hard at him, "No."

A pair of pretty blue eyes looked pleasingly at me, "Please?"

I shook my head firmly. He was starting to get on my nerves.

He looked sadly at me, "And why not?"

I groaned and put a paw to my head. Naruto was unbelievingly stubborn when he wanted to be. I would have bought him ramen, but I have no money. Or opposable thumbs.

I am a Black Panther. I've been around for such a length of time, that I have forgotten how old I am. Currently, I was acting as this boy's, Naruto's, familiar. This is the third one in all my years. I'm very picky.

Naruto suddenly whined slightly, interrupting my thoughts. I glanced at him, and blanched slightly. He had on that, 'I'm-so-cute-you-have-to-do-what-I-say' look. I hate that look. One of the reasons I'm fox boys familiar. He called to me one day in the forest with his newly discovered ability to talk to wild animals. I answered, along with a handful of others, and was chosen to be his familiar.

But, I digress.

"Please? I don't see any reasons not to."

I looked at him pointedly, "I do, however."

"And what would those be? I know you can, and you could help me train better," Naruto argued.

I growled at him, fed up with his begging, "I am not going to turn into a human! Period! If you don't have a good reason-" I stopped myself, realizing that someone just appeared.

Kakashi.

I narrowed my amber eyes at the intruder. He was okay, for a human. Even if he was a perverted, tardy, ninja. The only way I'd turn into my human form is to fight. And Kakashi's a strong opponent.

However, I was uncomfortable as well. I felt... ill at ease with him around, and if I didn't have such dark fur, Naruto would see me blush when Kakashi was around! I haven't blushed in over 200 years!

"-ten! Raeten!" Naruto shouted. I turned my head lazily towards him, and yawned, showing my sharp teeth. I tilted my head questioningly. Naruto sighed.

"You weren't listening, were you?" He asked me quietly.

I shook my head, not wanting to talk with Kaka there. He didn't know about me. Only Iruka did.

"Well, Kakashi-sensei and I just finished discussing something, and I was wondering, if you'd back me up," Naruto said.

I looked at him through half lidded eyes. What?

Kakashi turned his head to me, "He said you could talk. I, however, want you to prove it. That is, if a common panther can understand what I'm saying." At this, his remaining face showed the signs of a smile.

I growled at him and turned my head sharply to look at Naruto, "Are you stupid? The only way he wouldn't hear growls is if I turn into my human form!"

Naruto smirked evilly at me, "I know. And in order for your current master to not look like an idiot, you need to. Don't worry, he gave me his word that if I'm telling the truth, he won't tell. I trust him that much, at least."

I snarled and sprung back, "Alright, but you owe me for this, Kit!"

I leapt into the air, and after a bright burst of light, I ended in a crouch, one hand above me for balance. I stood up, smoothing my long black skirt, and dark green spaghetti strap tank top, and glanced at Kakashi, who's eye was uncharacteristically wide, then walked toward Naruto, who looked smug.

I narrowed my eyes and snarled an animalistic snarl at him, "Kit, don't you ever tell someone about me unless you tell me first! And, I have to approve."

Naruto sighed and glanced at Kakashi. I did the same, only to not see him there anymore. Damn. I closed my eyes and listened.

A leaf fell.

I stepped to the right, allowing Kakashi's kunai to pass me by. I opened my eyes to see a serious Kashi looking at me, probably wondering what I was.

Naruto stepped towards Kakashi, hoping to stop him, I gather, but I put out my hand. Naruto stopped, his head falling forward.

"You two better not kill each other," Naruto said in a dead serious voice. I would've shivered, had I not been practiced at emotional withdrawal. Cheery kits shouldn't sound so serious. Damn.

"No one's going to die if I get my answers," Kaka said.

You know, I just realized I like calling him Kaka or Kashi. Hmmm...

"Now what do you want to know, Kashi?" I said, smirking playfully. If I still had my tale, I'd be switching like crazy.

He raised his one visible eyebrow questioningly, probably at my nickname for him, "Who are you?"

I grinned, my fangs glistened, "Me? I'm just your ordinary shapshifting panther demi-goddess," I bowed, "My name is Raetenalem Marciolay Tateron. Better known as Raeten." My eyes glittered in amusement, "and it's shorter."

Kakashi's eye narrowed, and suddenly his face became blank, "And why are you associating with Naruto?"

I raised my eyebrow and my grin became serious, "You mean he didn't tell you? Naruto," I turned towards him instead, "You wanted to show me to him, but he doesn't know of your ability?"

"What ability?" Kakashi interrupted.

I sighed and glanced at Kashi out of the corner of my eye, "His ability to talk and summon animals. I'm an animal demi-goddess, so I was summoned. The animals decided I should be his familiar, and I accepted. Naruto has such untapped potential."

Kakashi relaxed, though still a little tense. Most ninjas were around unknown adversaries.

I sighed. My subconscious seems to want him to trust me. Damn, "What can I do to make you trust me?"

Kakashi's face gained a thoughtful look, and he gazed at the canopy of the trees. After a moment, he turned his gaze back at me. His eye closed, and I believe a smile overtook his face under the mask.

"How about a date?" He asked cheerfully.

Naruto, who had been quiet till then, exploded in a protective rage, "What! You can't do that, Kakashi-sensei! She's my familiar!"

I rolled my amber eyes, flicked my waste length black braid away from my face, and put a pale white hand to my hip. "Why should I?"

He opened his eye and gazed into mine, probing. "I want to get to know you. Best way to to that is a date," Kashi said seriously.

Naruto looked at him blankly, "You only say that because you're a pervert. You want to get into her pants or something."

Kakashi sweatdropped at this, probably because it was true, and quickly reassured Naruto that that isn't true.

I could tell he was blushing slightly by the red glow right above his mask.

How cute.

Come to think of it, he'd look so cute as a fairy, too...

"Fairy!" I exclaimed randomly, pointing at Kashi.

Naruto and Kakashi stopped their heated debate on whether or not Kaka was a pervert. They turned to me, and while Kakashi simply raised an eyebrow, Naruto seemingly processed the double meaning and started to crack up laughing.

I had the decency to blush and mumble an apology for my outburst. I'm not usually like that, honest.

"That's not what I meant..." I mumbled to them.

Kashi looked at me in amusement, "That's right; after all, I'm only half fairy."

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Oi..." Swiftly, I ran to Kakashi. Taking hold of both of his wrists with one hand, using the other I knocked on Kakashi's head a few times. "Is anybody in there?"

Kashi suddenly -poofed- into a log, and I heard a voice behind me.

"Ya know, you're very sexy when you're annoyed," he whispered in my ear.

I shivered, and suddenly felt nervous. He ran a hand along my bare arm. "You have such soft skin." He said breathily.

I felt heat pool at my abdomen, before it dissipated in one fell swoosh.

"Raeten? Kakashi? Will one of you train with me? Please?" Naruto asked innocently.

I took a step away from Kakashi silently, and spoke to him, not turning around. "I'm going off for awhile. Ask Kashi for it," I gave a vague wave and bounded off, disappearing.

If I turned around, I would have seen a sad and slightly disappointed Kakashi Hatake.

A.N.- End of chapter one. If you want more, please review.

Oh, and Raeten acts that way because that's the way I created her. She doesn't have split personalities, she just tends to have mood-swings at times. .; Especially when nervous.

Laters.