Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. So if you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing.

Takes part sometime before Shippuuden.

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Chapter 2

The next day the gift exchange ceremony took place. For all of the fanfare, it was fairly simple. The representatives from both countries gave a little speech about cooperation and peace, and then handed over their presents.

"So far, so good. Right, Hinata?" Kiba grinned as he nudged her through her sleeping bag that evening.

"Hai, Kiba-kun."

"I meant to tell you this yesterday, but that was really great work. You detected the enemy and managed to evade him. You even purposefully drew his attention away from the caravan so that no one would get hurt."

"You did really well, too, Kiba-kun. Your Gatsuuga was perfectly timed."

"Yeah, we make a good team, don't we?" He smiled.

"Hai!"

"I should write all this down. Shino's gonna want a full report," Kiba joked. A moment later he admitted in a more serious tone, "Though, honestly, he is going to want a full report. He's gonna feel left out, like when he missed the battle against Orochimaru's guys."

"Shino-kun felt left out?" Hinata asked in surprise.

"Yeah. He did. I mean, he didn't come out and say it, but he never comes out and says things. That's not his way. But I could tell."

Hinata frowned. "I don't want to make Shino-kun sad…"

Kiba looked over at her unhappy face and laughed. "Hinata!" he scolded affectionately, reaching over to ruffle her hair, "Stop worrying! He'll be fine. We just have to give a really good report. Besides, it's not like we've forgotten about him or anything, because we keep talking about him."

"That's true," Hinata relaxed into a smile as she snuggled into her bedding. "We should add the part where you were flirting with- MMPH!"

"No!" Kiba whacked her again with his pillow.

"Hee, hee, hee…" Hinata giggled under the onslaught of feathers.

OOOOO

"The way back through the Land of Grass is pretty windy. We have a very unusual landscape and with our load we actually have to travel around the area and back up to the village. Takigakure is a very small shinobi village and our family home is several miles from it, but we'll be heading first to Takigakure to deliver the gift," explained Grandpa Takihata as the tiny caravan wound its way along the path.

Hinata gasped.

"What? What is it?" Kiba asked, straining to sense if there was an enemy present.

"Those fish!" she squeaked.

"Hinata! You really worried me there! I thought something was wrong!"

"Those fish are leaping upstream!" she cried.

Grandma and Grandpa Takihata chuckled. "That's right. Those are the rainbow salmon. They are a well known phenomenon in the Land of Waterfall. This is their migration season. Every year the adults swim upstream to spawn. They travel many, many miles, and even jump up the waterfalls."

Hinata drew in an amazed breath as one fish leaped out of the water, exposing its rainbow-colored, glistening scales. "They're so beautiful…and so strong…"

"Hinata," Kiba chuckled, gently taking her arm, "we've got to get moving."

"Gomen, Kiba-kun," Hinata apologized absentmindedly, although her eyes continued to drift toward the fish as they journeyed along the riverbank.

They set up camp not far from a large waterfall. When Hinata and Kiba were sure that everything was safe, everyone went into their tents to sleep.

A muffled sound alerted Kiba from his drowsing state. "Hinata? What's up?"

"Gomen, Kiba-kun. I'm just going to train for a little while."

Kiba let loose a wide yawn, shifting Akamaru on his chest. "Alright. Just don't overdo it, okay?"

"I won't. Goodnight, Kiba-kun."

"Night, Hinata."

OOOOO

There were many switchbacks on the path to Takigakure. The caravan paused for lunch near a raised embankment of the river. Hinata took her lunch and sat quietly watching the leaping fish as she remembered a conversation between Shino and herself:

"I'm glad I've managed to change myself a little," Hinata smiled as the two walked home from an evening training session.

Shino stopped in the middle of the path and turned to face her, causing her to stop and turn as well.

"Shino-kun?"

"Hinata. You have become a very strong person. Do not forget this."


"I know, Shino-kun," Hinata smiled. "Thank you. But I'm still the same in some ways. Just like Neji-niisan said…"

"Did I not tell you to disregard everything he said to you during the Chunin Exam?" Shino questioned.

"Hai, Shino-kun. But I am still the same in some ways. I still seek harmony…"

"Hinata. The search for harmony is not a weakness. Do not let his words belittle you. It is simply another one of your strengths that you might develop. Just as you found your own style through harsh training, you will find your own way to turn harmony into strength."

Hinata looked up at her teammate's serious face. He seemed especially concerned. That was so kind of him. "Arigatoo, Shino-kun. I'll remember."

OOOOO

Several days later, the caravan reached the main stretch of river that led to The Hidden Village of Waterfall.

"We should be there within a day or so. After we deliver the gift, we'll head to the main village."

"Main village?" Kiba repeated.

"The Ninja village is very small. Most of the inhabitants of the Land of the Waterfall live in Kawabemura, the Village Beside the River. That's where our family is from," explained Grandma Takihata.

"Shibuki-sama has really revolutionized Takigakure by inviting more ninja candidates to go and train there," added Grandpa Takihata.

"Of course, Takamaru-niisan was already a ninja when Shibuki came to power," Takaro jumped in.

"Mm-hmm," Grandma nodded. "He was already a Chunin by then."

"How old is your brother, Takaro?" asked Kiba.

"Takamaru-niisan is 17 years old. He's gonna be a Jounin real soon," Takaro declared proudly. "That's what Mei-san says."

"Mei-san?" Kiba prodded. "Who's that?"

"She's a friend of Takamaru-niisan."

"Is she a kunoichi?"

"Nah. Mei-san's just a girl, though she was chosen to be the Waterfall princess this year."

"Waterfall princess?" asked Kiba with a confused frown. "How can you be chosen to be a princess? Aren't you born that way?"

"The title of Waterfall princess is a special honor," Grandma Takihata explained. "Every year the Waterfall princess performs a special dance that commemorates the beginning of the Festival."

"Wow," Kiba whistled. "So she's a princess? Just like that?"

"Not yet," Grandma corrected. "Technically, the princess is whichever girl dances the crystal to the top of the falls and lays it in the holy place. Only then does she truly become the princess. Usually the princess keeps her title and does the dance every year until she gets married. Then a new princess is chosen."

"The princess has to have good stamina, too," said Grandpa. "The Waterfall Dance begins in Kawabemura and ends at the top of the Great Waterfall at Takigakure. So, not only does the girl have to dance the many miles between Kawabemura and Takigakure, but she also has to dance her way up the waterfall."

"Wow…" Hinata whispered in awe.

"People from the village—and from all over—follow along. Some walk and others ride in carriages or on wagons. It's usually a big fun procession. The dance itself can take as many as three days since the princess usually needs to rest along the way."

"We're hoping Mei-san can do it. Not all of the girl's are able to complete the dance. Some of them collapse from exhaustion along the way. In those cases, the procession simply drives the girl the rest of the way in the cart. But if a princess completes the Waterfall Dance within three days, the Land of Waterfall will have an entire year of good luck."

Hinata sat contemplating this tradition for the rest of the trip. To have an entire village looking to you, hoping you would do your best, not just a clan that secretly believed you would fail—that would truly be an honor.

OOOOO

"I'm pleased to welcome you, shinobi of Konoha," greeted Shibuki with a polite bow as he greeted them after the gift delivery ceremony.

Hinata and Kiba bowed before the young leader of Takigakure.

"We are pleased to offer our services, Shibuki-sama," Hinata returned.

"Eh, heh heh. No, no. You really don't have to call me Shibuki-sama."

"But you're practically the kage of Waterfall, so it's only right that we call you Shibuki-sama," Kiba replied.

"Well, I can't force you to, but you really don't have to be that formal with me," he chuckled. "I trust the journey went well?"

Kiba and Hinata filled him in on the trouble in the Land of Grass. "…but otherwise the journey went smoothly," Hinata finished. "The Takihatas are such wonderful people."

"Yes, they are. Especially those two. They play a big role in organizing the Waterfall Festival every year. It's too bad that their son and grandson are away on missions and won't return until after the Festival."

"Man, that's too bad for them."

Shibuki nodded. "But they're very dedicated shinobi and put their heart into their missions, just as Grandpa and Grandma Takihata put their heart into governing Kawabemura."

"Govern?!" cried Kiba. Hinata's eyes were wide with surprise.

"Yes. Didn't you know? They're the elders of Kawabemura."

"No, they didn't mention that. They're so…laid back."

"That's true," Shibuki laughed. "They're very unassuming people, though they do wield a lot of power back in Kawabemura."

"Whew," Kiba whistled.

"Do you have any assignments for us?" asked Hinata.

"You'll be accompanying the Takihata's back to Kawabemura and then reporting to Mizuku-san. He is a Jounin that is permanently stationed in Kawabemura. Honestly, though, the Takihatas will be the ones directing you until the Waterfall Festival is over. They pretty much run that show."

"Understood."