A note or two: My second chapter! Thanks for all of my two reviews! So I ask you again, please read and review so I can get some feedback! This chapter is very short. Enjoy it. Unfortunately it might be out of character as it is my first story and I have no experience of writing in character. Anyways, read on!

Chapter 2: Resolutions

"-RUTO-KUN! LET THE POOR THING REST!" screeched a shrill voice. The wolf closed eyelids that were about to flutter open. No one could be that loud in her dreams. Which meant she was alive and awake. That was... unexpected. Finally she opened her eyes. The harsh light stung them and she blinked to adapt.

The brightness dulled a little when a shadow was cast over her, belonging to a...bright orange fuzzball? Naruto. There was a brief moment of silence before, "SAKURA-CHAN! WOLF-SAN IS AWAKE!" With a small lurch, the wolf sat up and looked around. Team 7 had seemingly made up camp.

A small fire burned. Around it sat the team. Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura were all about and unhurt. The bridge builder lay snoring in the grass. Kakashi was another matter. He was completely passed out. She could barely sense his chakra. He had over-exerted himself. It was just one more

thing not going her way. She tried to stand when she remembered her shoulder. With a bump she sat back again. Luckily it didn't hurt much. She gave it an once-over. The offending limb was clean and bandaged and smelt of disinfectant. The wound wasn't as deep as she had originally thought. A boy interrupted her thoughts. "Sakura bandaged you right up, didn't you Sakura?" Naruto said.

"Naruto, it's a wolf, albeit a highly intelligent one. It doesn't care who bandaged it up and it most certainly doesn't care about anything you say," Sasuke broke in.

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH SASUKE! SHE'S WATCHING ME! LOOK!" Naruto screamed back. It wasn't the wolf's fault she was examining Kakashi. "Awww. Too bad, Naruto. Looks like she likes an unconscious guy with porn in his bag more than she likes you." The wolf pricked her ears at that. Porn?

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH SASUKE!" Naruto screamed. The wolf inwardly cringed. All the boy ever did was shout. She could swear she was going deaf. It had been three days since the fight and Kakashi was still in a stupor. The bridge builder was still lazing around. Sasuke was still being an ass.

Sakura was still in love with him. The wolf's deadline was still pressing her. She padded to Naruto. As he stooped to pat her she reached past him and snatched some food from his bowl. Ignoring the shouts of outrage behind her, she left the camp and headed into the bush.

Once she was out of hearing of the camp, she stopped. Focusing, the wolf released the transformation jutsu. Back in her natural form, the woman focused her chakra to her hand. She pressed her hand against her shoulder. Muscles slowly repaired themselves under her expert touch.

When the ache had dimmed from a 5 on the pain scale to a 3, she stopped. The woman massaged her shoulder before giving it a stretch. It was nice to know she could use it in a pinch. Summoning her chakra again, she formed the sign for transformation jutsu.

As she changed back into a wolf,she gave a start. For a second, something familiar pulled at her senses. Something great and something hostile mixed. In another second, it was gone, whipped away by the wind. Shrugging it off, the wolf loped back to camp. Her shoulder was usable.

Great. The wolf probed the air. A new chakra was present in camp, or rather, an old one. Kakashi was nearly awake. The wolf increased her pace slightly. His recovery was important. Therefore his behaviour upon waking from a 4 day coma was also important. She trotted into the clearing.

The first thing she noticed was that team 7 was clustered around something. Peering past the ninjas, the wolf made out a moving shape, a gray-haired, one-eyed shape.

"Sensei, even though the sharingan is useful, if it has such a huge impact on your body, you shouldn't use it so much," the wolf could hear Sakura's scolding. "You were out of it for 4 days. Generally missions have a time limit. You can't over-exert yourself during every battle."

The wolf flicked a fly off her ear. "Sorry," Kakashi's voice was low and flat. Sakura seemed to soften slightly. The copy ninja surveyed his accommodation. "Nice," he commented. The wolf walked nearer. This was the important moment. Kakashi saw her and his pupil contracted slightly.

"So this is that wolf, huh?" he asked. Naruto jumped to answer, " Ye-."

"Got any food in your bag? She seemed to be pretty interested in it,"Sasuke interrupted, ignoring Naruto. Kakashi thought for a moment, "Only standard rations. There isn't anything that smells better than the stuff in your packs." The wolf finally stepped within touching range, hoping for a look in the mysterious bag.

Naruto reached out to pat her and she flinched away. She wasn't ready to get that personal. "Naruto, it's a wolf, not a dog. Don't try to pet it unless it comes to you first," Kakashi reprimanded. Naruto sulked, crossing his arms and puffing out his cheeks.

"Now to the mission," Kakashi paused, meeting his students' eyes. "You have to get back to Konoha, right now."

"WHAT?" Naruto yelled at his sensei. "We finally get a decent mission and you tell us we have to go back! No way!" The wolf sat down and watched. Kakashi gave Naruto a long look.

"Zabuza is only the beginning. Soon Gato will send others after the bridge builder, maybe even stronger ones. I'm not going to be able to fight for a while, a couple of days probably. By that time Gato will have found a new assassin and we will never make it to the bridge. If you head back now, you can get reinforcements and Tazuna might live to finish his bridge."

"It makes sense," Sasuke consented. Sakura nodded but her eyes were clouded by her crush.

"Come on Sasuke! You're just a scaredy-cat! We can take them, BELIEVE IT!" Naruto shouted. The sensei sighed. "Naruto, you can either go willingly or someone will just tie you up, probably with your own rope. Wouldn't you prefer not being the laughing stock of Konoha?" he half-pleaded.

The genin glared, blue eyes locked on gray ones. "FINE! But if we have to fight, you better not try to stop me sensei," Naruto puffed. The wolf let out a small yip-yap of amusement. The boy really was as clueless as a ninja could be. "Uh Naruto, I can't move properly. I can't come with you," the sensei said.

Naruto stared at him in disbelief. The Uchiha locked his fingers together and rested his chin on them. His eyes were slightly vacant for a moment before snapping into focus. "So who's leading the team?" he asked. Kakashi turned to him.

"Sakura," he answered, his voice steady despite his choice. The wolf, which had been waiting quietly, leapt to her paws and sprang away from the ninja, expecting Naruto's tones to explode. "BUT-," began the blonde ninja. He stopped and looked at Sakura. She was smiling. "I mean, nice Sakura. Great," he corrected quickly.

The wolf pricked her ears. Naruto had just been quiet. It could only mean one thing. Naruto had a crush on Sakura! She sighed. Fun times. Now Naruto wouldn't challenge Sakura and Sakura would do whatever Sasuke did. With a start she realized that was why Kakashi had done it.

He had put Sasuke in charge without Sasuke being in charge. Smart. Kakashi spoke again, "You need to go as soon as possible."

"You're assuming the assassins will concentrate on us. What if they come for you as well?" Sasuke questioned. "I doubt they will, and, even if they do, I have the wolf here," he replied. Sasuke nodded.

"There's water in the canteen over there," Sasuke pointed. "It should be enough to last you a couple of days. You have enough food. I suppose we should go then," he paused, "if that's okay with you, Sakura." The kunoichi bobbed her head. The genin grabbed their packs and shrugged them on.

Naruto woke up the bridge builder. He arose with a yawn and a groan. "We're going. Come on Tazuna," Sakura said. "Good luck Kakashi-sensei." With that, team 7 and their charge walked into the forest, their shadows melting into the gloom.

You might of noticed the wolf is pretty cold. I hope you liked it. :)