Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!

This chapter took forever to write, got writer's block a hundred words in!

Sorry about the delay. Enjoy!

Chapter Four

A little while after the meeting with the Chūnin, one of the Genin, the blonde boy Naruto, started throwing kunai into the bushes at every little noise. Eventually a small white rabbit fled from the bushes when it was nearly impaled by a stray kunai.

"Naruto!" One of his teammates yelled, the pink-haired girl.

"S-sorry, Sakura," Naruto said sheepishly. I rolled my eyes from my perch above the group. We had just reached a place where the road traveled alongside a river, and my team would be forced to travel with the main group.

Suddenly, I felt a presence, and I saw Kakashi stiffen slightly as well. He unfroze and yelled, "Everyone, get down!" Tazuna and the Genin dropped to the ground like Kakashi had, and not a moment too soon as a massive sword flew through the air above their heads, burying itself into a tree. A figure appeared on the handle, and my eyes widened.

Zabuza Momochi. The Demon of the Hidden Mist, I thought. I heard a low, fluting whistle moments later, a warning from Tora to Hebi, who was behind us.

"Well, if it isn't Zabuza Momochi," Kakashi said. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Copy Ninja Kakashi, or Kakashi of the Sharingan." Zabuza seemed to smirk before Body Flickering to the surface of the river.

"Hidden Mist Concealment!" A thick, heavy mist started to cover the area, hiding the rogue ninja.

This is bad, I thought. Hebi and Tora aren't suited to fighting in conditions like this!
Being skilled as a sensor, I had the best skills of all of us for fighting without sight. My partners, however, had a powerful Jutsu that we had developed for situations like this. Tora had already given the signal.

"Four Point Arc: Sensory Elemental Summons!" I felt the sudden drop in Chakra as Hebi, Tora, Kakashi, and I performed our Jutsu in unison, each of us creating a solid elemental chakra-based summoning animal: Kakashi's a lightning-based dog, Hebi's a fire-based snake, Tora's an earth-based tiger, and my own being a wind-based eagle.

Each animal, thanks to my part of the Jutsu, was a sensory type, perfect for this type of situation.

I added a Jutsu of my own to the finished one, allowing me to control and see through the eyes of my eagle. I guided it through the heavy fog, and watched as Kakashi traded blows with the Mist ninja before becoming trapped in a Water Prison Jutsu. His version of our Jutsu dissipated, and I stifled a groan: Our only group Jutsu for conditions like this had already been unbalanced, just seconds after being initiated.

'Kakashi's immobilized! Hebi, Tora, partial Manji formation to protect the Genin and client. I'll take Zabuza,' I ordered via birdcalls.

'You sure?' Tora asked.

'Yes. Go!' I shifted my vision to the area directly around me in time to see Hebi and Tora spring out of the trees to stand on either side of the Genin. I dispelled my Elemental Summons created by our team Jutsu, and slipped into the mist to confront Zabuza.
As I went, I formed the seals for one of my team's favorite Jutsu: "Revealing Jutsu!" At the small burst of Chakra that followed, the mist that surrounded the area began to fade rapidly.

I stopped behind Zabuza's Water Clone, which I had sensed him forming while I dispersed the mist. The clone suddenly fell with a splash, as I had dug a Kunai into it.
Glancing over at the Genin squad, I saw Naruto and the black-haired boy looking as though they were going to attack. I met Naruto's eyes, and nodded subtly before Body Flickering back into the trees. From there, I watched what the two Genin were doing.

Naruto tossed a Fuuma Shuriken to his partner, who spun around, sending it flying. As it flew towards Zabuza, he caught it in his free hand, only to have a second one come swing in out of its shadow. This time he jumped over it. When the Shuriken was a good distance away, it 'poofed', revealing a grinning Naruto, who flung a Kunai at Zabuza's hand, forcing him to jump back, releasing the Water Prison that had trapped Kakashi.

In a flash, Kakashi was on top of the water, mirroring Zabuza's hand seals. Two massive Water Dragons reared out of the river, and collided violently before canceling each other out. Both figures started flashing through seals again, but this time Kakashi finished first, sending a massive funnel of water at Zabuza, driving the Missing-nin off the river and crashing into a tree. Before Zabuza could be finished off, however, a Hunter-nin from the Mist appeared above him, piercing his neck with senbon before vanishing with the body.

Kakashi checked that everyone was alright, then he collapsed from overuse of his Sharingan and Chakra exhaustion.

After Kakashi had collapsed, we all headed to Tazuna's home to recover and regroup. Once there, I stationed Hebi and Tora outside the house to keep watch in shifts, while I checked on Kakashi. He woke up about an hour later, much to everyone's relief.

A little after he had woken up, Kakashi asked to talk to me.

"What is it, Kakashi?" I asked, kneeling near his bed.

"I think you already know. Zabuza?"

My eyes widened behind my mask, and I nodded slowly. "He's alive. If that had really been a Hunter-nin, then the body would have been destroyed on site. Also, the Hunter-nin used senbon through the neck to incapacitate Zabuza. There are no vital areas in the neck that senbon could use to kill, only places that could cause someone to enter a temporary death state."

"I know. It's still worrisome, though."

"What would you have us do, then?" I asked.

"Keep an eye on things while I train the Genin," Kakashi replied. "They need to go through the tree-walking exercise."

I shook my head. "Not until I give you the all clear. I need to check you over."

"Very well, Doctor Taka."

"Not the time, Hatake," I said, activating a diagnostic Jutsu. I ran it over my ex-captain, and sighed.

"Looks like you won't be walking for about a week," I said. "You somehow tore some major tendons in your left leg. And no, crutches are not acceptable," I added before Kakashi could protest.

"What will the Genin do, then?"

"My squad will help them."

"And about securing the house?"

"Shadow Clones, one of which will dispel and alert us if the house is under attack."

"You sound like you have everything planned out."

"I have to be able to, being Team Captain and all," I said exasperatedly.

"Very well, Taka, you win."

"Good, 'cause if I find that you've tried anything, I will personally burn your entire Icha Icha collection in front of you when we get back."

"Blackmail."

"I wouldn't hesitate."

"I know. That's called blackmail."

"I'm going to inform the others of what transpired."

"Taka, what is it with you and big words?"

"Blame the higher-ups. They use big words, then I learn the big words and start using them."

"Get out of here!" Kakashi ordered, eye-smiling. I could tell he was laughing in his strange way.

"Okay, let me get this straight," Sakura said. "Zabuza is still alive, Kakashi won't be walking for at least a week, and you three ANBU are going to train us at Kakashi Sensei's request?"

"Correct," I said. "Hunter-nin are supposed to destroy the bodies of Missing-nin on-site, which didn't happen. About Kakashi, he tore tendons in his leg, which will make walking nearly impossible. He wanted to teach you guys the tree-walking exercise, but he can't if he's bedridden, thus, my squad and I will do it instated."

"Oh...kay..." Sakura said.

I gestured to Hebi and Tora, who took up positions next to two different trees. "Two of you go with my partners," I said. "One of you will work with me."

I watched with amusement as the three Genin raced off, only for the blonde boy, Naruto, to come trooping back.

"Ready kid?" I asked. He nodded. "I guess."

"Good. Get ready for some serious training."

Ex-teammates in the ANBU can be very evil. Particularly when certain Icha Icha-reading Jōnin are the victims.

Please let me know what you thought! Thanks.

Hawk Sirius, signing off.