Shadows of the Moon

by Melissiaew

It been twelve years since I had last seen him and honestly I never thought I would, but somehow he still found a way to drop out of the sky and knock me on my ass again. He still managed to make my heart skip a beat and my eyes still wondered to places that they had no business going. But at least this time I wasn't alone and blessing or curse, I prayed that I would see him again.

I shivered in the cold night air as I waited and watched. Sensei said that the team from the Leaf was suppose to be coming from this direction. I was to wait and make sure that no one was following them.

Of course, that was if they ever made it here. They seemed to be taking their sweet time getting here. I had heard that they were one of the best teams that the Leaf had. I knew that second hand information was never a hundred percent correct, but it had come from a reliable source.

Maybe they had been held up by some enemy nin, it would be best if I returned to my team and regrouped. It was pointless for me to wait in the cold any longer. It had already been the better part of the day. It was pretty apparent that they weren't going to be here today.

I froze as I heard a twig snap, granted it could be nothing. But I wasn't going to take any chances. I hadn't survived this long only to die now. No, I was going to make it home so that I could thumb my nose at those stuck-up, self-centered assholes that made up the council.

I scanned the trees, looking for the slightest amount of movement. If this was an enemy, they would be sticking to the shadows of the trees. An ally would most likely take the more direct path.

Just as I began to relax and chalk it up to an animal, I saw him.

His hair was like starlight. The only other thing I could see about him was that his eyes were the color of night. The rest of his face was covered by a mask.

My eyes were drawn back to his head by the glint of metal, he really should dull the metal on his forehead protector. It was good and all to be proud of one's village, but that small amount of light could get you killed.

I shook my head, this kid had to be a genin. He was so young and inexperienced. Honestly I was surprised that he had made it this far without getting hurt.

Oh, maybe he wasn't as unscathed as I thought. He seemed to be pretty unsteady. I narrowed my eyes, if he wasn't careful he was going to fall from the branch he was perched on. Just as the thought crossed my mind, he fell.

I jumped from my hiding spot, hoping that I would be in time to catch him or at the very least break his fall.

My breath left me as his body collided with mine. He had been bigger than I had originally thought and he was a wee bit heavy. I could tell with a quick glance that most of the weight had to be muscle.

I could almost hear Sensei telling me to get my mind off his possible abs and back on the mission. Not to mention just a few minutes ago I was thinking about how young he was. I guess I had been spending way too much time with the my teammates as of late.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I had to remember that I was a Jounin and I need to start acting like it. Granted I hadn't been one all that long but I still was one.

A quick glance told me that he didn't have any external injuries but he could still have some internal injuries.

I grimace when I realized that we were far too exposed for me to check for anything, and my sensor abilities were limited during the day. I was going to have to take him back to camp.

I knew that he was from the Leaf by his hiate, mostly likely part of the team I was waiting for. So, if he was alone, than that meant that his team had meant with some trouble.

I would have to talk to Sensei about it when I got back to camp. He would have to send out one or both of the boys to investigate.

"Up we go." I mumbled as I lifted the boy on to my back.

We had been traveling about an hour or so when I felt the moon rise. It was part if my family's kekkei genkai. Each of us was linked to the sun or the moon. Hell, I heard that way back when before the elders came up with Shadow law, some of us even had to ability to feel the stars. If that old wives tell was true we had long since lost that power.

I stopped for a moment to take in the moonlight letting it calm me like always when I felt the darkest, most terrifying chakra that I had ever felt before. I stood petrified before my instincts kicked in. I knew that whatever it was, I had no hope of winning against it, and I refused to lead whoever it was back to my team. I had to find a place to hide. I wasn't going to let this thing kill me and my new-found companion.

Standing there, I took a couple deep breaths. I knew that I didn't have much time. I could feel it coming closer to us. Using the bonds of chakra that linked me to the moon and in turn what the moon held sway over. I found a small lake, almost a pond that I could hide us in. Water was my element as much as it was the moons, after all in my village I was often considered one in the same. With a destination now in sight and somewhat thought out plan in mind I took off.

If I could make it to the water before whatever was following us, and it was now a given that it was following us, I could use the water to hide us. I could use a jutsu to bend the water and moonlight around us hiding us in a illusion of sorts. It wouldn't be a true genjutsu, nore was it a true ninjutsu, it was a little of both. I would be using the water to reflect and bend the moonlight to show a calm clear little pond. I just hoped that I would make it in time. It was gaining one us and I didn't know if I would have enough to time to work my skills.

I shook my head even if I couldn't hide both of us I could at least hide my little charge, and the water would give me a bit of an edge. It may not help much but I would need very bit that I could get.

After a few more minutes the pond came into view and felt my hope soar, only to have it dashed a moment later when I felt something at my back.

I turned just in time to dodge the hand that had been reaching for my charge.

Damn it. Having to hold on to the boy kept me from being able to use my hands. Which meant no jutsu or weapons. I jumped back a few more feet bring me closer to the pond. Not that it was going to be of much use if I couldn't use my hands. Just having it at my back gave me a sense of security.

Our little game of cat and mouse continued, I didn't understand how this man kept appearing behind me. It was frustrating and terrifying but I wasn't going to let him take the boy from me. The only thing that was keeping him from taking him was that my sensor skills were much better at night. There were few outside of Uchiha that could match me when it came to them. Only drawback was that they were only strong when the moon was out.

After he had appeared behind for the tenth or so time, I manage to land a kick to his side. It was then that I noticed his village emblem, well that made sense now. I thought it was weird that he never tried to attack just grab the kid. Granted I had thought that it was because he wanted a captive.

I used his side as a spring broad and finally landed next to the pond. He came down just outside the forest edge. I could see the cold look in his blue eyes. If he hadn't been from the village that he was I would have felt nothing but terror. I may be a jounin of my village but I wasn't stupid. I knew when I was out match, and this blonde would have taken my life a long-time ago if it wasn't for the boy I carried.

"So, you must be his Sensei. If you would just stand down I'll sit him down and we can talk about this. I'm really sorry about running from you. I didn't realize that you were from the leaf. My name is Yugao Seiten, I'm from Taiyogakure," at that I motion down toward my hitai-ate that was tied around my waist, "I believe that we're supposed to be working on a mission together with you and another team from your village. Your friend here collapsed at the meeting point. I was trying to bring him back to my team so I could check for any injuries."

His face changed so quickly I actually took a step back in shock, almost falling into the pond. I probably would have if he had manage to appear behind me again. It was damn annoying how fast he moved.

"Sorry about that, but you were right about him being my student. I thought you were trying to kidnap him or something like that. Never can tell what an enemy nin could or would do."

I gave him a half-hearted smile. I was still worried about that charka I had left earlier and about the boy. Even after all that he still hasn't woke once, but now that I wasn't alone I could safely look him over.

I absently nodded my head at the man, I wasn't really listening anymore. My attention had whiched to my charge as I put him down next to the pond. I pulled off my gloves so I would be better able to read the flow of his chakra.

I was pretty sure he had just used too much chakra. I couldn't really sense anything but a few deep bruises. He had a few cuts here and there now that I could really look him over but nothing life-threatening. At least I thought so.

That chakra was getting closer, but the blonde didn't seem to worried about it. He seemed to almost relax the closer it got, direct contrast to me who was getting more tense the closer it got. I could feel my muscles stiffen up. It was like my body was going into combat mode without me telling it too. I had never had that happen before.

Finally I could feel whatever it was come into the clearing. My muscles were so tight with tension it felt like I was going to snap at any moment. The chakra went no farther than the edge of the clearing.

I could hear voices, four females and two unfamiliar male ones. They seemed to be talking to the blonde, who at some point could have told me his name but I really hadn't been listening. It was something that Sensei yelled at me all the time for.

Kami above, I was internally babbling, I was so scared. Me, the next great Keeper of the Moon, the one who was supposed to inspire fear into all who heard my name, at least that's what the elders tell me, was so scared that I couldn't even move. And I thought that I would be able to fight whatever that was, Kami how arrogant was I.

I swear I jumped a foot when I felt a hand on my shoulder. My hand went to my kunai, before I heard his voice.

"You okay, Yue?"

I closed my eyes it was Miki-sensei. He was here and that meant I was safe.

"You can't feel that Miki-sensei. Its choking me just being near it. I can feel so much hatred, like it wishes for the destruction of all. It's terrifying Sensei."

I could feel the concern radiating off him, I knew that he couldn't feel it. Even now it seemed to disappear bit by bit, but I knew that I would never forget that feeling. The worst part was that no one else seemed to feel it. I knew that Sensei trusted that I had sensed something, he never doubted me, no matter what I said.

"I'm here, Little Moon. You're going to be okay."

I leaned into his side as he slipped his arm around my shoulders. I didn't stay in his half hug for long, I had a job to do after all.

Before long that darkness seemed to just fade away like it had never been, so I turned all my focus back on the boy.

I had been right, he didn't have any broken bones or ruptured organs, he had just used up too much chakra to quickly. A simply case of chakra exhaustion. He would be find after a few days rest. Which is what I told his Sensei and the rest of the nin from the leaf.

My own Sensei had left to retrieve my team, the older shinobi had decide to make camp here. It had shelter and water, was fairly hidden.

Personally, I think Sensei wanted to stay here because of the water. He knew that I was strongest with water around. He acted like I was still a child in need of babysitting sometimes.

I was mumbling under my breath about him when I felt a tag on my bun. I leveled a glare at the offending person who thought it was okay to touch, and was met with a huge toothy grin in response.

She had long red hair pulled back into a high ponytail. Her eyes were a deep blue almost purple. They were kind. I found it pretty hard to believe that I had been terrified of this woman just moments before.

"Not one to be touched? You have that in common with Kakashi."

I must have had a blank look on my face because she laughed and pointed at the boy that I had been tending too.

"Ah, so that's his name. I don't think it fits him much." I smiled as I pushed his hair off his face, unknowing of the sharp eyes that followed the move.

"So, Seiten-chan how old are you? Sorry if that's to personally. I figured we're going to be spending a lot of time together in the next few weeks, we had better get to know each other."

I think she was just being nosey but I didn't see any harm in telling her.

"I turned sixteen last week, and I'm the youngest in my team."

Her eyes seem to light up at that. I guess little things seemed to make her happy. I didn't mind sharing that much.

"So, your teammates, are they nice? Do they work well with others? Should I be worried about my girls? Should I be worried about my boys?"

The questions came so quickly, I just stared. I'm sure there were more but I kinda zoned out. I didn't do questions well. I was the one asked the questions and forced out the answer if necessary.

"Umm, I guess they're nice. I mean we don't fight. Uh, we work fine as a team and have very few problems and I'm not to sure about how they are with others. We've been together since we were six. And you don't have to worry about your girls or boys, both of my teammates have families waiting for them back home. They married fairly young and last I knew both their wives were expecting. I personally can't wait to be an aunt. I'm pretty sure that Ryuu has never been more terrified and he had to tell Yuki's dad that she was pregnant. Haru is praying for a girl, he wants her to be like her mother. If they do have a girl, I hope she has her mother's kindness but her father's confidence. Usagi is far too shy for her own good. But on the other hand a boy with his mother shyness would be adorable."

I knew the look that passed over my face. I loved children, and I couldn't wait for the boys' little hellions to come screaming into this world. And one thing I was sure of was that there would be a lot of screaming. I loved my team like family and that's why I refused to believe that any children they had wouldn't be hell on wheels.

Kushina laughed and told me about her team. About how her Uchiha was in love with one of her girls but refused to admit it after he found out that she had a crush on Kakashi. Who I found out was in fact part of the blonde's team. His name was Minato and was Kushina's fiance. She told me about Hina, Suitopi and Shisui. They were her team and I got the feeling she treated them like her own children.

As she described each of them I began to feel like I knew them. She told me how Suitopi had hated working with an Uchiha when they were children but she had learned to love Shisui like a brother. She also told that she hoped that someday they would move past that. Hina, may or may not have a thing with the Uchiha heir. It frustrated Kushina to no end that she could get nothing out of the blind girl.

Before long she moved onto Minato's team. She raved about how skilled Kakashi was. How he had made Jounin at such a young age. I had to admit that it was pretty impressive.

When I told her that I thought he had been a genin given the state that I had found him in she laughed.

"I can see how you made that mistake, seeing as young as he is. He acts like he's forty, but he's only fourteen."

I smiled, "It wasn't his age that made me think he was a genin. Well not just his age, it was how loud he moved and his hitai-ate. In my village we dull the metal of our hitai-ates. If the sun happens to hit them just right they can reflect it back and expose us to the enemy. It's generally one of the first things that a jounin-sensei teaches. But then maybe that something that's unique to our village." I motioned toward her own unbelmsed metal.

Kushina reached up and touched her hitai-ate. She had a thoughtful look on her face.

"I never really thought about it, but your right the metal can be dangerous. I'll have to talk to Minato about it and maybe Lord Third when we go home."

The way she was so sure that we would make it home was comforting. I knew how easily a mission could go wrong. Case and point, Little Kakashi. He could have died if I hadn't been there or if our villages had been enemies.

"You worried about the mission? Don't worry little one. We're going to make sure all you genin make it home."

"Umm, I'm a Jounin. Actually everyone on my team is. We started our shinobi careers when we were six, so it's not all that surprising if you think about it. I'm sure that your team will soon be promoted themselves. From what you've told me about them, I wouldn't be surprised if the pass their Chunin Exams on the first try."

I jumped up and turned toward the forest, missing Kushina's response and some of the looks for her students. I didn't really care about the conversation right now. I could feel my teams chakra getting closer and Ryuu's seemed to be in distress. I wasn't sure if he was hurt, but something was wrong.

"Kushina, Minato" I called out softly.

I didn't want to alarm the others. What I was feeling could be nothing but we were at war and it would be stupid not to expect the worse.

"I can feel my team returning, but something's wrong with Ryuu. I'm not sure what's going on. They're still too far out for me to get a clear reading on them. All I can feel is that Ryuu's distressed. I don't know what's causing it and it's beyond frustrating. I think we should be prepared for the worst just in cause."

I took a deep breath and thought out some sort of plan. I was miles away from them even if took off now it would take me twenty to thirty minutes before I even made it to them. A lot can happen in that time. I needed to think of a way that I could help now. That's it, I could use moon's eye, but it would leave me pretty vulnerable.

I sighed, I didn't really have much of a choice, and I was lucky enough to have a full moon tonight. It would make this a lot easier, more light to bend and manipulate.

"You're going to want to wake up Sleep Beauty. We're going to need his help if worst comes to worst. Have him pop a few soldier pills and make sure he doesn't use any big or flashy jutus."

I walked across the pond until I was in the middle of the moon's reflection, "Oh, and if you could please refrain from using any water jutsu that will pull from the pond, I would really appreciate that."

I throw out that last bit out as a bit of an afterthought. I could still do what I needed to if they did but it would make this a lot easier if I didn't have to worry about it. I ran through the hand signs as quick I could.

"Moon's Eye," I called out as I released the chakra that had built up.

A small dome of water built up around me. Until I was float in a sphere of water that resembled the moon in shape. An eye took shape in front of me as my hair came undone and brushed the sphere. Everytime it brushed against the sphere I would get a glimpse of the boys. I was right Ryuu had been hurt. He was holding his right side, I could make out blood leaking out between his fingers.

I pushed past them to see what they were running from. I could see Sand-nin jumping from tree to tree. Splashes of red here and there that told me that Ryuu had given as good as he got.

"We have a squad of Sand-nin following behind my team, one of them is badly injured. I also believe that they are part of the enemy that we were sent here to take out."

I took a deep breath as I released the jutus, even knowing what the aftershock felt like never made it any better to take. The weakness and exhaustion that came after using Moon's eye always sucked, but I had come a long way. I could still remember when I would collapse after using it. Now all I had to do was pop a soldier pill and I would be good to go.

Knowing that, I reached into my pack and pulled out a pill before going through the motions to summon Ginja.

"Summon!" I called out after I slammed my hand on the water's surface. A plume of smoke and mist appeared.

Ginja, stepped out of the smoke and mist in his tiger form. His fur was white, and his eyes were an electric blue that seemed to glow in the moonlight.

"Always a pleasure to see you, Little Flower, but I would really love it if you would summon outside of battle too." I watched as he disappeared in a flash of light only to have a muscular young man with snow white hair and black highlights take his place.

Ginja's human form was dressed in the Land of Sky's more traditional clothing. He liked to wear clothes with a lot of gold and silver in them. He wore a harem pants that were white with a silver trim. Around his waist was his sword belt. It was gold with black swirled throughout it. The only thing different about him was his sword. It was the sword that I had given him when we formed our contract years earlier. I was still surprised that he had kept it, at the time he didn't know the first thing about sword play but now he could give me a run for my money when we spared.

"I don't have time for your games, kitty. I need you to go to Sensei and the others."

I held out my hand for him to take. I watched as his eyes shifted around and narrowed before he reached out and grabbed me. He pulled me into his chest and kissed me.

When I finally managed to pull away, before me stood my mirror image. She had the same long strawberry blonde hair as mine. Her eyes where the same shade of silver too. Hell, she even had my black belly shirt and black pants.

"I do so love your form, Yugao. It's so much softer than my own." I heard him say as I watch him run his hand down my side.

He turned back toward the shore, "Don't you boys agree?" he asked them as he bent toward them and pushed my breasts up.

Of coarse the two Leaf teams never got a chance to answer him before my foot landed on his/my backside. The kick sent him flying toward the forest, "I summoned you for a reason and it wasn't to flirt with my body."

He laughed before taking to the trees. He never was one to take things very serious, but Sensei said that's why we worked so well together. Ginja would say the things that I kept to myself.

I turned back toward my allies, it took a lot to keep from laughing when I seen the looks on the younger boys faces. They were about as red as Kushina's hair and I noticed that Kakashi was awake now.

I smiled as I made my way over to him, "I'm Yugao. How are you feeling? Do you need anymore soldier pills?" I asked with my hand out.

His face went even redder and he looked away before mumbling no that he didn't need anything from me.

I pulled my hand back and felt my face tighten up. I sighed, I had gotten use to the easy going attitude of Kushina and Minato.

"Well, let me know if you start to feel weak or dizzy. I'm the med-nin on this mission. Also, please remember to refrain from using anything that consumes too much chakra. I don't want you to pass out again. We need every able-body shinobi."

I took to the trees after that. I needed to get to my team, one simi-attractive, seemingly hard-headed leaf-nin was going to have to suck it up. If he went and got himself hurt or killed, well that wasn't my problem.

We made it a few miles before we heard the fighting. I could just make out Haru's cocky laugh. I'm guessing he must have landed a hit or something. Kami only knows with him. He liked to show off and he was usually the first of us into the fray. I tended to stay at the back of our formation. It was a good place for me, I was more of a long range fighter.

I motioned Minato forward when I stopped to summon my bow from one of my scrolls. It had been my uncle's bow before he gave it to me for passing my jounin exams. He told me that it had belonged to my grandfather and that it had served many a Keeper in it's day.

I wanted to get a good spot, I would have only one chance for a surprise shot before they knew where I was at, and every team had a leader. I planned to take him out with that shot.

I picked a spot high in the trees, just in the shadows of the branches. It was far enough away that I wouldn't get caught in a stray jutsu but still close enough for me to be in range.

Now came the hard part, waiting. I hated it but I needed to hit the right target and that required patience and timing. So I forced to watch from the sidelines as the leaf-nin joined the fray. Kushina instructed her team to surround Ryuu and to keep him from harm. It seemed that Little Hina knew some medical jutsu. I could see the slight green glow from here.

I heard my tinkling laugh and turned to see Ginja cut open some ninja's arm, he must have hit an artery because blood sprayed across Ginja's/my face. It was unsettling to see my face with such a twisted smile, but if rumor was to be believed I had warn that look myself more than once. Fighting was in my blood, my clan had been on the frontlines of many a war and we would continue to be so until we were no more.

My eye was drawn to a women with dull reddish hair. She seemed to be avoiding most of the combat, that either made her a med-nin like myself or their leader. It was a the height of idiocy to send in your leader if you didn't have a clear chain of command and most Sand-nin were too proud to appoint a second. In their eyes that showed weakness. It told those that served under them that they didn't think they were strong enough to survive.

I personally thought they were idiots. The tide of battle could turn at any time. War was one dance that no one person had complete control over and if they tried to tell you otherwise they were lying or fools.

I keep an eagle eye on that women, if I seen a hint of green chakra or battle order given she would be eating an arrow. Even if she wasn't their leader taking down their med-nin would be just as bad a hit for them. Suna didn't have many medical ninja, their skills were highly valued. Killing one would be a blow to the Sand-nins mission.

I smiled as I saw the green chakra cover her hands. She was too focused on Kakashi, who wasn't paying her attention, the sound of battle masked the slight whistle that my arrow made as it flew from my bow. I made a quick hand sign that activated the seal that was at the base of arrowhead. It would release the poison in the seal when it hit her body.

I didn't stay to see if my arrow hit its mark, I was already up and moving to the next shadow and readied my bow for the next shot.

I turned and fired at the man screaming about covering the trees. I smiled as they used a wind jutsu to knock the arrow away. I knew that the one you see is a lot less deadly than the ones that hide in the shadows. My smile turned into a full blown grin when I heard the sweet music of their screams as my rain of arrows hit its mark. It was a similar to the leaf's, Shadow Shuriken Clone jutsu. It made solid very deadly clones of my arrows that waited until after the original arrow flies to follow. It was only a second or two delay but it normally took my enemies by surprise.

I looked back over the battlefield and smiled when I saw that there was only a handful of enemy-nin left.

I quickly resealed my bow and jumped down to where Ryuu was leaning against a tree. Ginja was kneeling at his side looking at his wound. His hand was glowing green as he tried to heal his wound the best he could. His copy jutsu wasn't perfect, he could look like his target and even copy most of their abilities but it was basic copy at best and at worst a very poor one.

"Ryuu, what happened?" I asked as I pushed Ginja away.

I didn't trust his skills for this. I know how easy it was to miss a bit of dirt or even a drop of poison, and that could be fatal for the my friend. I promised his wife that I would do everything within my power to bring Ryuu home.

I used my chakra to clean and seal his wound. I couldn't feel any poison within the wound. I pushed out, into his bloodstreams to feel for anything. His white blood cells where a little high but that was to be expected. I couldn't see any foreign bodies so I began to work to close his gash.

"One of those bastard came out of nowhere and opened me up with his blasted kunai." he grimaced out but he still managed a smile, "Not that he got to live long enough to see his handy work. I took his head in exchange."

I shook my head, we were three of a kind. Ryuu, Haru and I all lived for the fight. It was something we found out shortly after becoming a team. The Council liked to say that our Moon Prince saw the same darkness in us and so he decided to put us on the same team.

Of course those old fools liked to forget that our village was mostly made up of shinobi that specialize in assassinations. Meaning that most of us liked the high that came with battle. It was a drug in its own right. I could see why some ninja went insane with bloodlust.

"There," I patted his side "almost as good as new. Now don't go ruining my handy work." I said with my sassy grin.

I knew that it would draw a laugh from my surrogate brother, and my faith was rewarded with just that. I smiled softly as I listen to it. I loved hearing my second family laugh and tease each other. As much as I loved my clan back home we weren't what one would call a close group.

I look over to where the leaf-nin were at, "Sensei, I think it would be best if we moved toward the caves on the coast. We'll have more cover and not many know the cave system outside of our village."

Miki looked up from his task when I spoke and seemed to think it over. He looked toward our allied and then back to Ryuu who was still weak from blood loss. I could speed up the healing but I couldn't give him back the blood that he lost. He needed somewhere safe to rest and recover. I was also worried about Kakashi, he looked a little pale. I wasn't sure if he was leaning against the tree because he thought that he looked cool or because he was too dizzy to stay up but didn't want anyone to know. I was leaning more toward the latter. The kid had been running around with his hand encased in lighting for most of the short battle.

I shook my head if he wanted to permanently damage his chakra coils and network that was his problem not mine. I told him to be careful and not use anything to flashy, and I would say a fist full of lighting was pretty flashy. Actually I'm pretty sure that be the definition of flashy.

"You're doing it again." I heard Haru whisper.

I turned toward him with a smile, "What exactly am I doing again?"

Ginja answered him with my voice, "Well, I'm guessing either that you're silently judging one of them, or my personal favorite, you're undressing them in your mind's eye." He wiggled his eyebrows at me.

I could feel the blood rushing to my head as my temper snapped, "You, pervert! Who the hell do you think I'm undressing! Minato's engaged, Ryuu and Haru are like my brothers. And the rest of the leaf team are either women or way to young for anyone to be thinking about like that! I swear by all that is holy, I'm going to kill you!"

Ginja kept backing up until he hit the same tree that Kakashi was leaning against. Naturally he took advantage of that fact and hide behind him.

"You know, I think that this is my cue to leave. As much as I love to parade around in your body and mess with people. I think I can hear my family calling." He put his hand up to his ear as he let his jutsu drop, "Yup definitely hear them calling," be pulled a quick bow, "Until next time my lovely little flower. I'll count the hours until I can hear your lovely voice." and with a poof of smoke he was gone.

I hadn't been paying attention to what I was doing in my haste to get my hands around Ginja's throat and had pretty much ended up in Kakashi's lap.

"Oh, sorry about that Kakashi-san." I back up and took in his red face.

Ah he must not like me using his given name, "Um, again I apologize. You haven't given me permission to use your given name, it was rather forward of me" I retreated back to my team.

I just wanted this mission to be over with. Kakashi Hatake was adorable when he was asleep not so much when he was awake. I think I liked him better knocked out.

I could feel a headache coming on. I wouldn't be surprised if it was the first of many. Just before I made it to my team I felt a tag on my hair. Turned back with glare to meet the unseeing eyes of Hina Suishoku.

"Don't take it to heart, Miss Seitan. Kakashi's a bit of a jerk. He likes to think that he is better than most because of his Jonin rank. Even if he just got that rank and he was the idiot that ran ahead of the group and almost got himself killed."

I got the feeling that Suishoku didn't much care for Hatake, but I could be wrong I had heard her make just as cutting if not worse remarks about her own teammates.

"You don't have to take my word for it, just ask his teammates. I'm pretty sure that Obito wants to kill him most of the time." she stopped for a moment, "Don't ask Rin. She's half in love with him already."

With that she turned and returned to her team. I blinked as I stared after her. She was a strange one. I wasn't really sure why she felt the need to comfort me. Maybe she was trying to stop unnecessary fighting between our teams. That was a smart move on her part, she must be the brains of her team. At least that was what I was beginning to think until she trip over nothing. She would have face planted if her two teammates hadn't reached their arms out to catch her. They didn't even look up from what they were doing. It must be a fairly common thing for her to do, I mused.

As I stared at them I wonder if me and the boys were the same. We had been together so long, I'm sure we had our own little habits that had become second nature to us. I couldn't think of anything right off hand but if I did it all the time it wasn't going to jump out at me.

I felt Haru's hand on my shoulder, snapping me out of my thoughts. His hand slide down my arm before grabbing my hand and pulling me back to my team. Haru didn't much like strangers. He would have preferred if we did this mission on our own but he knew the laws and traditions that went with the temple that we needed to take back. He didn't like that I would be forced to go into the Temple of the Moon with just them as backup.

It was against some by-law stating that only those that bore the Seitan name and bloodline were to enter the hallowed grounds of the temple proper. When we took the temple back in the name of the Sun King, we were to make sure there were no survivors to tell of what they saw. I feared that the Council would put a hit on the Leaf nin after the mission was over. If I had to I would use my authority as a Keeper of the Moon to overrule any order the Council gave. I refused to let them kill allies from the leaf over a few scrolls.

Haru believed that keeping me away from them would make it easier if that order ever came down, but I had already formed a bond with them. I had a feeling that if we survived this I would be seeing them again.

---

We made our way to the caves that dotted the cliffs on the coastline of Sky. We may still be in the Land of Sky but this far north our climate it was similar to the that of the Land of Wind. It was hotter than hell during the day but the twilight hours and into the night was chilly like the deserts of Suna. I was starting to miss the warmth of Taiyo.

My choice of dress wasn't the best for the cold nights that were going to follow this one, at least I had the foresight to pack a cloak. My father had been kind enough to seal in it some of his fire chakra. It helped keep me warm and it felt like I was in his arms.

I knew that it would be close to midnight before we finally made camp. I was starting to feel the last few days with so little sleep. I was lucky if I got more than an hour or two of sleep a night. It was a given that I would be the one on guard duty at night.

I sighed softly when the cliffs came into view. The caves were extremely hard to get into if you didn't know the proper paths that lead down to them. They acted as safe houses for our shinobi when need be. Today they would be our base camp. I really hoped that it didn't last the weeks that Kushina seemed to think that it would. Hopefully those fools would assume that they were safe because of the location of the Temple.

Honestly we wouldn't even known they were there if the temples weren't linked by seals. The minute they stepped foot in there our temple back home lite up like a flare in the night.

At long last we made it to the cliffs. Sensei took the lead, heading down the path that were slick and crumbling from the sea beating against the cliffs day in and day out. I motioned for the leaf team go ahead of me. I paused when I remember Hina Suishoku.

Even if someone tried to talk her step by step it would be extremely dangerous for her to try and make the trip down. She would have to be carried or teleported down. I refused to let her try to climb down on her own. I wasn't trying to be cruel or belye her skills as a kunoichi but she was young yet. I knew that the Suishoku clan had a kekkei genkai that helped them see in some form but I wasn't going to risk her life. I was about to say something when one of her teammates picked her up.

I was worrying too much. My father liked to point out that I would encase all of Sky in a bubble if I thought it would keep us safe. My uncle said that it was a good trait to have in a Keeper. After all it was our job to protect the future of the people.

I made my way down the path that was barely there. Keeping a close eye on our allies. One misstep and they would fall to their deaths. There were many traps and deliberate weak points. All meant to send those who dared to venture here without permission to their death.

I heard a girl gasp, I think her name was Rin. I turned back to see what was wrong and watched as Obito stepped into a weak spot. He grabbed on to Kakashi to try and stop his fall. Unfortunately Kakashi was still weak and unable to keep them both from falling.

Miki-sensei jumped after them, but he only managed to grab onto Kakashi and Obito was getting closer to the water. Just as I was sure that he was going to hit the water he seemed to disappear. Then he reappeared in front of me. In the same spot that Minato had been standing only moments before. I blinked not really sure what had just happened. He had moved so fast, I hadn't even seen him move. It was like he had just teleported. I guess that explained how he had kept appearing behind me earlier in the day.

I sighed this was too much excitement for one day. I really wanted to go to sleep but I knew that I would be on first watch tonight. I looked back down to see if Sensei needed any help with his burden. Only to see that Kushina was already down there helping him with Kakashi. Once she took Kakashi, Sensei was able to flip and land on the cliff and walk up with her as she carried Kakashi. I could hear Kakashi telling her that he could walk up the cliff by himself. I guess he was ok after all.

It was one thing after another with this leaf nin. Honestly I was surprised that they had made it this long. It had been a very long day but thankfully we were close enough to the cave that it would be over before long.

I could hear both Kakashi and Obito complaining about being handle by Minato and Kushina.

I smiled as the entrance to the caves came into view.

The caves themselves were set up like a safe house. The large main room was used as a meeting hall. From there they branched off into seperate sleeping chambers. I knew from the maps that we had been forced to memorize in school that it had a medical bay of sorts and that if one looked hard enough they would find a hidden path that would lead to the top of the cliff.

The opening was sealed on the outside. It had to be opened from the inside. So that meant at least one of us was going to have to stay behind to let the others in after they left to scout.

Haru used a simply fire jutsu to light a few of the torches that lined the walls. I knew how dark it would get once Sensei sealed the door behind us. It would seal us in and keep the water out as the tide came in.

We would be safe and sound for the rest of the night. I may even get out of having to take night watch, and that would be heavenly. I haven't had a full night's sleep since I left the village.

I turned toward one the sleeping chambers and claimed one of the beds. I placed my packs on the shelfs next to the bed. The only two things I kept on me was my kunai pouch and the scroll that housed my bow. If I was put on watch duty I wouldn't need much.

As I made my way back to the main hall I could hear Miki-sensei and the two senseis from the Leaf talking.

"Are you serious? Only members of the clan are legally allowed in the temples. So, how exactly do you plan on doing this? We shouldn't be allowed either after all. It maybe be true that almost all of us are from well-known clans. We aren't from Taiyo and I'm fairly sure that doesn't stop the law from applying to us." I heard Kushina say.

I smiled softly, ah the wonders of clan politics, "Actually the fact that you aren't from our village and are our allies means that you can enter the temple as long as you have permission from a member of the main family."

Minato looked up from the map, "That sounds nice, only problem is that a member of the main branch of the .."

I cut him off "Seitan clan, yes? Well I happen to be the only daughter of the current head of the Seitan clan. I'm fairly sure that I told you my full name, Namikaze-san." I bowed.

"I formally give you my permission to enter into the Temple of the Moon. I just request that you forgo looking at any of the important scrolls that are sealed within. I'm pretty sure that they haven't broken any of the important seals yet." I moved the map over and pointed at the temple, "Unfortunately there are no maps showing the layout of the temple, but I do know that all the important scrolls and documents are sealed in a chamber in the center of the temple. You have to pass through multiply seals and there are traps. If you don't undo a seal right it will trigger a chain-reaction that activates traps and other seals that release all sorts of poisons or in some cases you may end of summoning something nasty."

I told them the few details that I knew about the temple. I wasn't old enough to have been there myself yet. When I hit eighteen my uncle would take me there. I wasn't really sure all of what we would see.

After I finished briefing them about the mission and what I knew about the layout of the temple, Miki-sensei sent me off to bed. He told me not to worry about guard duty. That I was going to need all the rest I could get for tonight. I needed to be at my best.

I made myself cortable on my chosen bed and was out before Miki-sensei and the others finished talking.

I groaned softly as I woke hours later. I heard my bones pop as I moved. It made me feel years older than what I was.

I closed my eyes and tried to focus on my link to the moon. I could barely feel it which told me that the sun was still up.

I would be weaker for a few more hours. That was the drawback of my Kekkei Genkai, the night was when I was at my peak and the day was when my brother was at his.

I walked back into the meeting hall to see that Minato and Sensei were still going over the temple and it's traps. Maybe I hadn't been sleeping as long as I had thought.

"Well, well, I see that sleeping beauty finally woke up and without true love kiss. You could at least have given the illusion of a proper princess." Or not I thought.

I turned and looked at he Uchiha who had spoken and laughed. He was the one from Minato's team. He seemed like a goofball. I'm pretty sure that If Haru gave him a chance that he would like him.

"Oh, and just who was going to play the part of my prince and one true love? I'm pretty sure that Haru and Ryuu would sooner rip off their lips than kiss me. And Miki-sensei practically raised me, so he's out. That just leaves you and Kakashi. Neither one of you strike me as the princely type."

His face turned red and he did a pretty good impression of a fish after that. I laughed and ruffled his hair as I walked passed. The kid had a lot to learn about women if he thought those cheesy pick-up lines were going to work on any self-respecting woman.

He reminded me of my brother. I missed him greatly. I couldn't wait for this mission to be over. The sooner the better in my book. I missed my home and my family.

"Good your awake." He said without looking up. "We'll be leaving for the temple before long. I'm hoping that it won't take you all night to clear them out. We won't be able to see the temple once the sunrises and I don't like the thought of you being trap inside until it sets again tomorrow." he looked at me then, "Please be careful, Little Moon. I don't want to bring your body home to your father."

I smiled and tapped his arm. "Never pegged you as someone who feared my old man, sensei."

He smiled and ruffled my hair, "Only a fool wouldn't fear your father."

I giggled at that and nodded I knew a few people who learned that the hard way. It was always fun to watch people's faces when my dad's mask come off. He was a truly frightening man at times.

---

If you happened to just be passing by you would never know what was hidden right in front of you. It looked like a simple clearing, an usually large on, but just a clearing.

That was until the sun went down and the seals that hide the temple were released with the moonlight.

The temple was made of white marble with silver swirls throughout it. The outer walls rose away the tree line to a white gold dome that she knew was open in the center to let the light from the sun or the moon in. The door of the temple depicted the moon in it's different phases.

I knew that the inside had different murals of the night sky painted on the walls. If I remembered correctly from my uncle's lectures there would also be paintings of past keepers. Also deep inside he had said that there was a picture of the moon demon. I guess she was what our clan had been created to stop or something. It was an old myth.

I sighed softly, I wasn't really looking forward to this. The Leaf-nin seemed nice enough but I wasn't sure about working with them.

I turned toward my team as Minato, Kushina and Miki-sensei spoke. I knew that the boys weren't happy about me going in there without them, but there really wasn't much that I could do about it. It's not like they could come in with me. I was much as I wished they could.

"Ryuu?" I called out.

I was beginning to worry about him. He had been quiet and passive as of late and that wasn't like him at all. Haru tended to the shy one around new people not him. I had also noticed him holding his side were he had been wounded. I had done my best to heal him but there was still a small wound there.

He looked up and gave me a stranded smile. I could tell he was in distress now.

"Ryuu, what's wrong? Is it your wound? Left your shirt and let me see. We still have some time before I have to go."

I was already reaching for him before I had finished speaking. The wound hadn't looked all that bad when I had treated him yesterday but a lot could happen in a day, and it's not like we've really had time for him to rest and relax.

I froze when I saw the purple hue that his skin had taken. My mind was going a mile a minute. How? I had checked the wound for poisons and infection with my chakra. I hadn't felt anything.

But the purple told me that I was wrong. It was my job to make sure that my team was healthy and fighting fit. I was the medic. How could I have overlooked that.

"We have to tell Sensei. You've been poisoned and I missed it."

Ryuu grabbed my arm as I went to stand.

"No." he spoke softly, I wasn't sure if it was because he was weak or because he didn't want to be overheard.

"Sensei will want to take me back to the village as soon as possible. We don't know if we're going to get another chance like this." I'm sure he could see that I wasn't convinced, "Yue, I don't want our enemies to be able to use your clan's powers against us. I know that not all of your clan jutsu are because of your bloodline. Yue," He squeezed my hand, "I promise I'm going to be fine. If you take longer than one night I'll let Sensei know."

I still wasn't hundred percent okay with it but he was right. I wasn't going to let my team get punished for my failure. I would do everything I could to get thru the battle ahead as quickly as possible.

Speaking of that Minato-san had just given us the all clear to move out. I looked over at the leaf-nin and nodded before pulling Ryuu into a hug.

"You have to tell Miki-sensei if I'm in there to long. I don't want to lose you Ryuu."

He smiled sadly and ruffled my hair when I pulled back. He nodded to me but I'm sure it was just to put me at ease. Not that it worked.

"Seitan-san," I felt a hand on my shoulder, "we need to head out. You'll see your boyfriend when we get back." I could hear the scorn his voice.

When I looked up I could see Hatake-san looking down at me. I couldn't see much of his face with his mask on but I wouldn't have been surprised if it was twisted up to match his voice.

"Ryuu isn't my boyfriend. He's like a brother to me. We've know each other since we were kids. I'm sorry for the delay." I pulled me shoulder from his hand and stood.

Honestly I couldn't stand that kid. He acted like such a know it all. I just wanted this mission to be over.

I sighed and made my way over to the Minato and Kushina, nodding as I passed Miki-sensei and Haru. I'm not going to lie to myself, I was scared. I was about to go into battle with unfamiliar allies and fighting an enemy of unknown strength. Not to mention I had no idea what those enemies may have unleashed within the temple.

I wasn't invincible I knew my limits and I was worried that this was beyond them.

Sensei brushed his hand against my arm and whispered, "It's going to be okay. We'll be right here waiting."

I know he was trying to reassure but I wonder if all of them would be, as I glanced at Ryuu who was leaning against a tree. Would I come out victorious only to find that I had lost more than I could bear?

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. No, I had to believe Ryuu was going to be okay I couldn't go into battle with my head in two different places. It would only lead to disaster. With that I jumped down after Minato-san and them.

I grimaced as I took in the scene that greeted us. They must have had a hard time getting in. I could see dried blood on the floor and up one the columns. They cleaned up their dead but not the mess they had made in death.

I closed my hand into a fist. I would come back and clean the temple with Uncle after the war was over. We would make sure that there wasn't a trace of what happened here left. I wouldn't let those heathens leave a lasting mark on our legacy.

"Yugao-san do you know which way we should go from here?"

I turned and smiled, "It doesn't really matter both ways will lead to the heart of the temple. It's a giant circle, like the full moon." I pointed down on the halls, "Granted there are rooms and small shrines that dot the corridors but if you walk long enough you'll find the door that leads to the heart."

Kushina gave me a bemused expression. It took me a minute but I got what had confused her.

"We call the central chamber the heart. My uncle and I like to say that it holds all the important memories of our clan so its the heart of the Seitan clan. I like to think that it's like the heart of the moon who watches over us. A silent imposing guardian but one who wants what's best for us. Silly I know but it's something that's always stayed with me."

Minato smiled, "Since it doesn't matter which way anyways why don't we split into two teams. Yuago-san do you care which team your on?"

I shrugged it didn't really matter to me. Both teams had a medic and both would have a seal master with them. I think I would be best suited to helping Minato's if they needed someone with long range jutsu but I wasn't really sure, but I was sure the same could be said for Kushina's team.

"Doesn't really matter to me. You both have medic and fuinjutsu users. The only other thing I have in my corner is that I'm a long-range fighter."

Minato nodded and told me to come with them. Kushina was the med to long ranger fighter on her team, and he didn't really have anyone besides himself and he knew a limited amount of jutsu for that.

Kushina and her team started opposite hall. I wasn't really sure I was okay with us splitting up but I understood that we could cover more ground and take out more enemies that way.

There was nothing I could do to change it. My sensei was in charge on this mission and he had told me to follow Minato's orders.

"I'm not sure what we're going to run into here. If they screwed up any more seals we could have all sorts of nasty things wondering around. Most will listen to me, but we've sealed up some pretty nasty monsters over the years and those we'll be out for blood. Are you sure that it's safe for us to split up?"

Minato laughed at that, "Kushina is well versed in dealing with monsters. So are her team. As you knew one of them is a Hokkaido, some would call them monsters. Not that I do. I love little Sui. That girl is a little sweetheart once you get past her thorns." he chuckled at that.

I hadn't gotten to know any of the leaf-nin yet but they seemed to be fairly nice people, but as a shinobi I knew that a smile could hide a lot of evil behind it.

I stopped what I was about to say when I heard the plopping sound of something hitting the ground, and I didn't really like it. It hadn't raining in days and wasn't any good reason for me to be hearing it. So that meant there was a bad reason, and this temple had a lot of bad reasons sealed inside of it.

I eyes grow wide at the sight.

"Shit" I breathed.

This wasn't good, and it explained why we hadn't seen any sand-nin. They had released a hellhound. They use to be the bloodhounds of some long dead shinobi clan of old. They were near feral, very loyal and had a love for blood that made them very good killers. Normally all that would be very good things if the only clan they listened to wasn't dead. Now they were nothing more than mindless killing machines. My clan had sealed them a few generations ago when it became apparent that they could never be controlled.

If I had to hazard a guess, I would say that the sand-nin hadn't been able to stand against them. I wasn't sure how many they had let out or if this was the only one.

The sound I heard was the blood dripping from its mouth, not a pleasant sight or smell. I kinda envied Hakate his mask now, but the smell must still be getting through if the look on his face was anything to go by.

"So, Yuago-san is that one of the things that will listen to you or are we in for a fight."

I didn't bother replying to Minato seeing as it had pounced shortly after he started talking.

I ran through the seals that would summon Ginja. I didn't want to get pinned down by this thing. I jumped back away from it as I bit my thumb before slamming my hand against the wall.

"Summon!"

For once Ginja didn't have a wisecrack, he just pounced and knocked the hellhound away from us landing just in front of Minato.

"Yue, I think it would be a great idea to see if you can find a summoning seal. I'm tough but I'm not sure how long I'm going to last against one of these blasted demon dogs."

Dammit did he think that I didn't know that, but I couldn't see any seals in this area and I was a little worried about what was waiting around the corner.

"So if you guys have any summons now would be a good time to use them. That thing that Ginja's playing with-", Ginja broke in with, "I'm not playing with it. It's a dog for god's sake!", I chose to ignore him, "is called a hellhound. They use to be the nin-dogs for a long dead clan of Taiyogakure. They're very loyal dogs, but the only people they're loyal too is their clan which unfortunately is no longer here. They also have a type of bacteria in the saliva that can be very deadly, and I don't have the materials with me to counter it."

Ginja yelped, "What the fuck! Get off you mangy mutt." He slapped the hound away with his paw, "That little bit of info would have been nice to know before I jumped into a fight with this thing." he jumped back and shot me a glare.

"Oh poor little kitty." I tsked at him, "It's not like I can't send you back when this is all over. I know for a fact that you have the herbs needed to treat it back home, Ginja. You're the one that gave them to me to plant in the first pace."

The hound must have had his full of playing with Ginja because when it came to its' feet it charged at us. I grabbed Rin's arm and pulled her out of the way. The poor girl was terrified, not that I blamed her. I'm pretty sure that the hound had been white before its run in with the sand-nin, but now it was red with blood. I wasn't sure if the blood was its or our enemies but I was leaning more on the latter of the two, simple because of how well this thing was moving.

"Rin, do you know what a summoning seal looks like?" I asked her after I sent a small water jutsu toward the hound.

She shook her head yes; her eyes wide as she watched Minato and Kakashi summon a toad and a pack of dogs.

I snapped my fingers at her, "Rin, I need you to focus on me and not the boys for a second." I turned to Obito, "You too, Obito. I need you guys to find some summoning seals. There should be a lot of them around. When you find one all you have to do is push some chakra into it. The more chakra you use the bigger the summon well be. Do you understand?"

They both nodded, their eyes going from me to the battle that was happening behind us.

"Now when the summon pops out, it well do one of two things. One, it will attack, if that happens you need to tell them that you're allies of the Seitan clan. Here on a mission from the Moon prince and his heir the Moon princess." I stopped and took a breath and raise my hand to stop Rin's question, "Kiyoshi is the reigning Moon Prince and I'm his heir, some of them will ask. The second thing is a Seitan clan saying, "The Sun to protect the day and the Moon to protect the night." They will give you that part you need-," I ran through the signs for another quick low level jutsu. It sent a small fireball at the hound knocking it toward Ginja and the other summons, "you need to reply with "Each powerful in their own right but powerless without the other." Do you guys understand?" I asked, their eyes were huge. I guess they weren't that use to being in combat yet.

They looked at each other and smiled before nodding. I shook my head before turning back at the task at hand. I really wanted to make sure we got this thing before it hurt one of us.

Which was easier said than done. We didn't really have a lot of room to move. I couldn't really use my bow without taking a chance of hitting an ally. Not to mention I wouldn't be able to put much power behind an arrow in close quarters like this. I could try and summon another tiger but that would give me less chakra to work with if anyone got hurt.

I pulled out a scroll and biting my thumb again as I unrolled it. After a ran my thumb down it, my staff was released in a puff of smoke. I really loved it. It had a blade on both ends and if I twisted the middle the staff would break into two parts.

I wasn't as skilled with it as I was my bow or my daggers but I didn't want the hound to get to close. I really hope that I hadn't just sent those two to their deaths. I didn't really know what was waiting around the corner but we didn't have much of a choice.

I yelped as Minato grabbed me from behind. I wasn't going to be getting use to him being able to appear behind me like that anytime soon.

"I really wish you wouldn't do that. I may not be as fast as you, but I could end up hurting you."

Minato just laughed and ruffled my hair. I guess the thought of me hurting him was laughable, but I was a Jonin. Meaning I was on the same level as him. Well I guess, not the exact same level. He did just turn the hall into a river, I couldn't do that. But we were the same rank he just a bit more Jonin than I was.

Just as I was about to make some smartass comment, fear tended to do that to me, I noticed what looked like a shark's fin. No, what I was pretty sure that was a dolphin summon. The kids must have found one. Or two I thought a second later when a giant ass crab snapped off one of the hound's legs.

I think we were going to be okay. I was sure of that after the dolphin pulled the hound under the water and it didn't resurface, but that still left us with a freaking river in the temple and I wasn't sure if it would be a good idea to drain it yet.

I stepped onto the water's surface and walked toward Kakashi. He was holding his arm and I was worried that he had gotten bit. I wasn't really sure what I would be able to do if he did but I would try.

"Are you ok, Hatake-san? Did it bite you?" I asked softly. We hadn't gotten along all that well and I wasn't sure how welcome my help would be to him.

As I waited for him to respond, I wished that I was better at reading people. It had never really been my strong suit. I wasn't completely horrible at it but I could only really pick up on anger and scorn. I had to deal with that alot. I may be a princess but the council of elders didn't think much of the second born child, but that was a different story and it wasn't going to help me now.

"I'm not fine, but I didn't get bit. I think I broke my arm. That stupid dog bounced me off a wall. Did it think I was a ball or something?" he growled.

I laughed, as I took his arm in my hands. I had already activated my healing jutsu. I couldn't heal broken bones, well I could but it was painful and it would do more harm than good. I was going to start the healing process and stop of the pain. After I did that I reached into one of the many little pockets I had and pulled out a scroll. I kept most of my medical equipment sealed so that they wouldn't get damaged or lost in battle. It saved room in my pack and it made it harder for people to guess that I was the medic. If I didn't carry around a big bulky bad with the cross on it, I wouldn't be targeted as quickly.

I pushed some chakra into the scroll and pulled out a splint and some bandages. It wouldn't be pretty but it would get the job done. I'm sure he would be feel the pain in a few hours after the adrenaline and my chakra were out of his system. I had some pills that he could take for the pain but it would be better to wait and see where we were by then.

"You're right, it is broken. I sped up the healing rate but it's still going to need to heal on its own. You're still pretty young and it's better for your body to heal on its own. To much forced healing can do more harm than good."

I turned back to Minato and stopped him before he could deactivate the jutsu, "Let me send the dolphin home first. I'm not really sure if he or she can be on dry land. I'd much rather they be safe first."

Minato nodded and stepped back so that I could find what I was looking for. I crouch down to look into the water hoping to see them. It was getting pretty murky. I was being to worry about that. It looked like blood and I was hoping it was the hounds not one of my clan's summons.

A small patch of fur worked its way up as I touched the water, I wasn't so proud that I couldn't admit that I almost jumped when it broke the surface of the water. I was pretty tense and my nerves were getting the best of me. It was the training that my Sensei had drilled into me that keep me from jumping really.

I heard a soft snicker from behind me. It figured that they had seen me jump.

"Since when did you become so jumpy, Yue?" I heard Ginja asked.

I growled and smacked his leg, "When a rabid hound attacks me with only a smartass cat and a group of strangers to have my back. I can't believe you laughed at me you ungrateful feline." I growled at him.

I may not be too proud to admit when I was scared but I'd sure as hell wasn't going to let Ginja make fun of me for it.

Ginja just grinned and licked the blood off his paw, "Can't say that I'm grateful that you summoned me to fight a hellhound. I hate fighting."

I shook my head. He was a warrior that would rather flirt than fight, not to say that he didn't enjoy the fight.

Ginja butted his head against my side, "Don't worry they already went home. You wouldn't have been able to see them back anyway. Any summon that permitted their seal to be placed here can only leave under their own will. It's a safety measure that we had worked into the seals."

I rubbed his ears and smiled. I stood and stretched before walking over to Minato and letting him know that it was okay to release his jutsu.

The water rushed out as quickly as it had appeared with a few hand signs. The hall was trashed, claws marks on the walls and more pillars had been broken in the fight. When the water was gone I could see what was left of the hound and I felt a bad for the poor thing. It hadn't stood a chance against those summons.

I wasn't happy with the state of the temple but it would have to wait. It hurt to see it looking like this. This place was part of my heritage and one of the last remnants of my clan.

I took a deep breath and sighed, nothing could be done until the war was over than I could come back with my uncle it clean and fix it.

"We need to move on and meet up with Kushina's team. Hopefully we won't encounter anymore enemies. The moon won't be up forever and we need to get out of here before it sets or we're stuck here until tomorrow night. I don't know about you but I don't want to spend the night or the day here. Well, at least not in its current state. I had hoped to come here when I came of age with my uncle." I smiled when as I thought of the long planned trip but that was going to need a few revisions to the plan I thought as I looked around.

Minato smiled at me and nodded as he looked around. He didn't look anymore athouse about the idea than I was.

"You're right, I want to find the rest of our team and get out of here as soon as we finish this mission. If we're lucky our canine friend there," he nodded his head at the hellhound, "will have taken care of this mission for us, but I'm hardly ever that lucky." he smiled and scratched the back of his head.

We continued on looking for Rin and Obito along the way. It didn't take us long we just had to follow the sound of fighting.

It sounded like they had run into trouble, at least this time it sounded like the human variety. I smiled as I heard Sui verballing abusing some poor man or at least a thought it was a man. Couldn't really be sure she kept switching out her pronouns.

"Ah, Suitopi gotta love her, she can be pretty creative with her insults." Minato laughed.

"Creative? I wouldn't say that, but I wouldn't be surprised if her grannies were better at fighting than a bunch of sand monkeys trying to play jungle adventure." I replied.

Minato snorted before he reached up and ruffled my hair. It took everything I had not to jerk back. I wasn't use to the easy affection that the leaf-nin showed, besides my clan no one but my team really touched me. Sure I was beloved by my people but I was put up on some pedestal because I was their princess and one day I could be their Queen, a fate I prayed would never happen.

I wasn't going to lie and say that I didn't like it and was going to miss them when they returned home. I hoped that our paths crossed again. Enough thinking about that I need to get my head back in the game and get this mission done so that I could get back to my team and my family. My sensei was the one that I wanted to ruffle my hair.

I could hear the good natured teasing that Kushina's team were doing and it made me miss my boys. I couldn't wait to see Haru's smiling face and hear Ryuu tell me that I took forever, that I was just like ever over woman. Sensei would smile and nod, his way of telling me that I did a good job without speaking. If I closed my eyes I could almost see them smiling at me. I let out a sigh. I hadn't even be away from them that long and I felt like we had been apart for ages.

"Kushina, I see that you guys took care of our friends from The Sand. I hope it wasn't too much trouble. We had a little problem of our own to take of, I'm pretty sure that our friends were running from it." Minato said.

Kushina laughed, "Must have been have been some doggie the way these guys were screaming when we got here. For a second I thought that a Hokkaido had gotten here somehow."

Sui shot her a glare, I wasn't sure if it was the doggie comment or the Hokkaido one.

"Did you leave any of them alive?" I asked

I had actually seen the Suna-nin yet or heard them. I was too busy looking over Kushina's team, so I wasn't really paying attention. I shook my head I really was getting too comfortable with them.

If I had been playing more attention I may have noticed the looks I was getting sooner, but my attention had been focused on Hina who had a gash on her arm.

"Umm, yes, a few of them didn't make it but that was because Sui lost it for a minute or two after Hina was hurt, and neither Shisui or Hina could get ahold of her."

I looked over and blinked blankly at them for a second, "So, she accidentally killed our enemies. Um, I think that we have very different ideas of how a successful battle should go. So how many people made?" I asked.

I really hoped that they got them all. I didn't want to think about what would happen if one of them got free or if one of them had escaped notice. I really didn't want to have to worry about watching my back on the way home.

"Five." a soft voice to my right said.

I looked over and realized that it had been Hina that had spoken. I wasn't going to lie that girl was a little creepy. She just had a way of looking at you. It was like she could see into you. Cr-ee-p-y, and it was something I would never admit aloud.

Okay I thought. So we had five people we needed to get information out of and that also meant that we had five people who would gladly slit our throats if they were given the chance.

Five people I was going to have to get rid of when this was over. No one was to know about the Temple of the Moon. I was going to have to pull some strings with my father just to keep the Konoha-nin safe. I know that the council was going to push for accidents to happen to them on their next mission.

But five people who killed and ravage my people and country, that would be easy. I wasn't going to tell anyone about the Leaf's show of mercy. I wasn't going to let the council have any mud to throw at them.

When I looked back at Hina she had a soft sad smile. I wonder if she knew or understood. If I remembered right her whole team was comprised of clan children she very well may understand. I'm sure that her clan had secrets that they would kill to protect.

"After we get the info that we need, who I be wrong in believing that they those men are going to need to die? I'm sure that if most of us weren't clan children or very important to Konoha in general we would have to disappear," she add little air quotes around that, "I understand that the Seitan wouldn't want any of this getting out."

I closed my eyes and looked away. I wasn't proud of what my village council would want to do. I hated that I wasn't sure if was going to be able to keep them safe. I was going to have to use every available bit of power that my position offered. I hated how they had made give permission only for them to still be punished if I failed.

"Yes, after they talk I'm going to have to kill them. The Temple is to remain a secret. I-," I squeezed my eyes shut. These people had been kind to us and had helped me save my friends and possibly my family, I couldn't, no I wouldn't lie to them, "I'm not going to lie to you. I may have given you permission as a member of the Seitan clan but my council may try to say that it isn't enough. I want to warn you to watch your backs and I can promise that if they do send out that order I will find someway to contact you. I promise that I will fight to keep you all safe." I whispered softly.

I was too ashamed to look at any of them. It was horrible to know what my once proud clan had been reduce too. We now took orders from weak old men that had never took a step on the battlefield.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and another on my cheek. When I looked up, was looking into Minato's face.

"I understand," he looked back at Kushina and she nodded at him, "we understand. We have people on our council back home that would have us throw you to the wolves. I don't blame you. I won't blame you if I later find a kunai in my back and you standing behind me. We understand how village politics work."

I smiled and hoped and prayed that someday that we would see each other again under much better circumstances.

---

This took me forever, but I have really high hopes for it. It was up to 10 pages before I was half way through getting the first chapter of the plot done, so I took a step back and tried to see if I could cut or move anything around to split it up. Then I realized that it wouldn't flow as well split so I kept writing and before long it was a 24 pages long, which as some of you may know is a lot for me. I really hope you guys like it and please review. As always Naruto and his friends do not belong to me. Yuago and her clan and country do belong to me.