~With Squad 10~

One cloudy autumn morning, I was coming back to the Village Hidden in the Leaves from a particularly boring mission. What a drag, I thought, We had to bring a stupid cat back to some old lady six hours walk from here. Why do old people have to be so troublesome?

That's when I noticed a tiny plume of smoke from a campfire coming up. Of course, Choji, my best friend and teammate, noticed the smell of food too.

"Hey Shikamaru, can we stop for a snack, I'm starving?" He asked, eyes wide.

Ino, being the troublesome woman she is, shrieked at the top of her lungs "We only have thirty minutes until we get home. Can't you wait?"

Well, we should do some reconnaissance and see who could be out here only half an hour away from the village at this late at night, I pondered. "Okay, let's see who owns that campfire, and then we will make our way home so we can report to Asuma-sensei."

So we made our way into the trees as quietly as we could.

~With stranger~

I'm glad I stopped before it started to rain. At least I can get a good meal in before trying to find that damn village. I thought as I started unpacking for the night. I can sense that this is going to be a long one. The lightning is getting closer. And so are three people. Seems like they want to see what I am doing here. As long as they don't bug me, I won't have to tell them off. So I waited a few minutes while setting up the tent and got a tiny fire going. That's when I heard a stomach rumble from behind a copse of trees.

"You three can come out now; I promise I don't bite much." I yelled in the direction of the people were.

Out came girl of average height with long, blonde hair in a ponytail, with a wisp of it covering her eye. Behind her was a short, chubby kid who was obviously the one who's stomach and growled by the way he was holding it. Then came the one who was definitely the leader: a boy with a ponytail, earrings, and a very bored look on his face. All three were soaked to the bone and had Leaf Village headbands.

Again, the poor chubby kid's tummy made an awful sound, which made me feel a little sorry for him. And pity was an emotion I rarely felt for anyone except when they were hungry. So I did something I had not done in a while. "Hey, if you two boys get some firewood, and girly there helps me out, I'll make you some dinner."

By the way Tubby's eyes lit up and how Mr. Boring just sighed, I knew my offer was going to be taken.

"How much firewood will you need Miss?" asked Tubby.

"Enough to keep the fire going for an hour or two." As the boys walked off, I heard one mumble an almost incoherent 'what a drag.'

Blondie came up behind asked and asked what I needed her for. "Get out a kunai and start cutting these almonds into thin slivers," was all I said. While she did that, I pulled a pot out of my pack and put some water in it, then put it over the fire. As it began to boil, the boys came running back with firewood aplenty. Well, the chubby one ran while the other one kind of moped. Everyone sat around the fire in silence.

I added some rice to the water and as it cooked, I pulled out some cinnamon, sugar, bowls, and plates. "Pass me the almonds Blondie." I smiled in satisfaction as a vein in her forehead started pulsing. Hehe, she is way too easily annoyed. Then I took out a nice big spoon and a jar of golden honey. I added all the honey, most of the almonds, a pinch of cinnamon, and sugar to the rice and mixed it with the spoon. All it needed done after that was to be put on some plates. "Bonapetite!" I exclaimed, passing it out.

Tubby dug into it without even a thank-you. Blondie had more manners than him and even waited until everyone was served. But Bored just sat there looking at the food like it was poisoned. So I leaned over with my trusty chopsticks, grabbed a bite from his bowl and popped it in my mouth.

"Is that enough proof that I didn't try to poison your food Mr. Bored?"

"My name is Nara Shikamaru of the Hidden Leaf Village shinobi," he retorted as he began eating.

Remembering their manners, Blondie introduced herself as Yamanaka Ino, and Tubby ended up telling me over a mouthful of food that he was Akimichi Choji. "My name is Arashi Lorraine, of the Hidden Storm Village. I am also a shinobi," I replied.

As all of us finished, I said bluntly, "Well, now that I fed you guys, I want some answers. One: how far am I away from the leaf village? Two: since you guys made me use up all my honey, does the Leaf have a bee farm? Three: how did you guys like my special sticky-sweet rice? And four: why were you guys spying on me?"

Shikamaru was sort of tripped up by the way I ordered the questions so Ino said, "Well, we are about thirty minutes away from the village gates. And we do have a bee farm, but you can just shop in the market stalls."

I let out an all-merciful shriek. As everyone jumped up with kunais at hand, I punched the ground and fumed "Ugh! I set up camp in the pouring rain and I am only a couple minutes from the freaking Leaf Village that I have been traveling for weeks to get to! Damn it all!" Everyone calmed down after my sudden outburst, with Shikamaru mumbling 'troublesome woman'.

When he said that, I got an inch from his face, put on a very scary smile with a kunai in hand and said ominously "Oh, you think this is troublesome? You haven't even seen half of how troublesome I can be." Just to make sure the message was clear, I licked the blade of the kunai and threw it into the ground between his fingers.

Shikamaru was obviously a little freaked out by the sudden schizophrenic change in personality. But that was when he noticed the ground I'd punched was actually a rock. I didn't see her use any chakra manipulation at all, but her fist is still imprinted in the ground, and she doesn't seem affected at all by it. Her knuckles aren't even red or scratched. No matter how friendly Lorraine may be, she is still a dangerous and unknown element.

Of course, I didn't even notice the fist shaped imprint in the ground when Choji began praising my cooking. "Oh, it was absolutely delicious. The right balance of sweetness, but still a filling meal. You should open a restaurant, Lorraine-san!"

I switched from angry to flattered and replied "You're too kind, Choji! And you may call me Lorraine. There is no need for honorifics." Then you went back to serious, "Now, why were you spying on me?"

Shikamaru had finally recovered enough to say, "We saw a campfire a little while away from our village, and wanted to know why someone set up camp there when they could be in a sheltered inn." That was a good answer. It didn't tell me too much, but enough to keep me satisfied. I wonder if that was their real reason.

"Okay then, tell me which direction the village is please, so in the morning I can find my way there." And so they did, and with bowed thanks from Ino, they walked out of the clearing.

I wonder why she is here. A shinobi of that power could easily be here to scope out the village. But if she was, then why did she keep us alive? And why would a Storm ninja come out here, at least a three weeks journey, all by herself? That woman is trouble. I can sense it. Shikamaru contemplated as he made his way back home.

And he doesn't even know the half of it.