Rat-tat-tat, rat-tat-tat. The rain beat a gentle tune against the leaves of the tree. Underneath the tree, four figures lurked, forced into cover by the sudden rainstorm. Two of the smaller figures leaned against the trunk of the old tree, heads rested against the rough bark. The two others, one smaller and one tall stood by the outskirts of the cover.
"Sensei? When will we be able to train?" The voice came from a slender girl, silver blonde hair caught in a perky ponytail at the side of her head. The other person sighed, and tucked damp, inky black hair behind her ear.
"Not for awhile, Renna." The tall lady tapped her finger against her lip, then turned around and walked back to the other two youngsters. After a moment of hesitation, Renna trailed after her, and crouched on the dirt near her two peers. The black-haired lady grinned crookedly. "Well, it doesn't look like the rain is going to stop soon." She tilted her head to one side. "So, I figured we should have a lesson of a different variety." Her bright green eyes twinkled mischievously, as the three students groaned.
"Sensei, we already had a lesson today! Remember? You taught us about chakra control!" The protest came from a sturdy, gold-haired girl, who crossed her shoulder and narrowed her dark brown eyes, willing her teacher to remember. The teacher laughed, and shook her head. "Too true, Syrin. But what did I tell you about lessons?" Renna opened her mouth, then closed it, her pale eyebrows knit. The answer instead came from the other student, a boy with dark brown hair and gray eyes.
"There's never too much to learn," he said, staring pensively out at the sheets of rain outside the protection of the leaves. His answer earned a warm smile from his teacher.
"Right, Jainn." She said approvingly. She tilted her head to one side, and frowned thoughtfully. "We-ell…" She said, gathering her hair up and tying it into a ponytail at the nape of her neck. "I could tell you a story…" She said, hiding a smile at her student's reactions. Renna looked up, light blue eyes bright, and Syrin raised a golden eyebrow lazily. Even Jainn turned his distant gaze on his tall teacher.
"What kind of story?" Syrin asked suspiciously, twirling strands of her gold hair around her index finger. "Not some baby story, I hope." The gold-haired girl was thirteen, a teenager, and no longer a child.
"No, not a baby story… I'll let you decide." She grinned again, and her bright eyes sparkled. The student's faces turned thoughtful. Finally, Renna spoke up.
"Tell us… Tell us a story about the Black Cat of Konoha!" She said in a rush, her blue eyes bright. Syrin blinked at the other girl, and then looked at their teacher. The lady closed her eyes, then opened them and smiled.
"Ah. The ever-elusive Black Cat of Konoha… You've heard of her, but never heard of her, I presume? Very well. However there are many stories about the Black Cat… What kind would you like to hear?" The teacher eyed her students, and was only slightly surprised when Jainn, ever-indifferent Jainn, spoke up.
"I want to hear about the beginning. How she became who she is, and… Well, what happened to her before she became a member of the Anbu." Renna blinked at Jainn, surprised. Her mother had fleetingly mentioned the Black Cat, but she hadn't known the legendary lady had been in the Anbu. It made sense, though.
"Very well. You will hear the story of young Miss Saoru Anni," The lady lifted a dark eyebrow when Renna drew in a sharp intake of breath," Hush, Renna. I will tell the story, but you may no interrupt. If the rain stops before I finish, then we will continue at another time. Now find a comfortable position and quiet down… For I am ready to begin."