The sound of the dogs sleeping next to him was soothing to Naruto, it always had been. Ocationaly one or both would get up and pad outside to go to the bathroom with the soft ticing of claws on hard-wood before returning shortly and laying back down with a soft 'whuff'. Naruto loved his girls and the sound always made him smile. He closed the book he had been reading and sighed. He let his head fall back against the pillows. What was he going to do about this girl? Honestly he didn't know. She wasn't like his other strays, she was a person. People weren't strays, not really. They had a place, a home to go to, didn't they? But what if she didn't? How do you find a home for a person? He couldn't keep her, not really. He didn't know how to take care of a person. And besides, wasn't it up to her if she even wanted to be kept? The house sure would bee a lot less lonely with another person in it. Not that he didn't love his dogs ofcourse, but it would be nice to have someone who could talk back to him once in a while.

Alice perked up and stood, ears forward. She taped quickly out of the room, heading downstairs towards the exit followed in close succesion by Domino. Naruto payed them little mind, she probably heard a mouse somewhere in the house and was going to chase it off, or the help had arrived early today. It was almost three after all, and the first person to arive was usually his cook and maid at around four. The woman was plump and had a kind face and was everything a cook should be to Naruto's mind. She treated him more like a son than an employer sometimes, and she would scold him so bad if she found out he was still up. He put the book aside and cut his light somewhat guiltily.

It was the barking that first allerted him that something was wrong. It wasn't the normal, happy barking that Alice and Domino launched into when they saw someone they knew, it was deep, angry, and Naruto jumped immediatly up. He tore down the stairs and was met by a strange scene. There was a man standing on his counter staring the dogs down, a large duffle held in one hand. The man glared at Naruto as he slid into veiw. "Call them off!" He snarled. Naruto was about to refuse, but something struck him as odd. The man looked familiar in fact... Naruto's eyes widened. he had the same eyes as the girl naruto had taken in! Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Why should I?"

"You dolt! I'm here for Hinata!"

Hinata? That must be the girl's name. He had never gotten it. He just had figgured she would tell him when she was ready, like his other strays. "What do you want with her?"

"I'm her cousin! Now would you please call these animals off so we can talk?"

'Alice! Domino!" Naruto barked at the dogs, "Go to bed!" They gave Naruto an uncertain look but went upstairs. The man hopped off the counter. "Now," Naruto growled. "What do you want?"