I do not own the characters of Naruto

Light The Darkness

Chapter 4

Time seemed to stand still. For a moment it felt as though I were witnessing one of my distant memories, one from my childhood. My heart warmed as nostalgia swept through me.

"-so you see he could really use your help."

I chuckled and gazed around my surroundings. My cottage was nestled perfectly in a small clearing, part of a larger forest full of lush large oaks that kept unwanted visitors at bay. A small garden of herbs and vegetables sat to the right of the cottage, being lightly shaded from the blistering sun. I was currently sitting at the picnic table with Katsu and an old ally of sorts.

"I'm sorry but we just got back from a mission, and though it was mediocre at best, we haven't been home in a while. Does he really need us right now?" declared Katsu as he noticed Moriko's longing look around their home.

"I'm afraid I cant very well leave here with out you two, he was adamant about getting your help and opinion."

Sighing, I took one last glance at my home, my dream home really. It was away from the hustle and bustle of the villages, but close enough that I could get there in post haste if necessary. It was peaceful, and until you've experienced true peace and quiet, you know not the value. It had no price.

"Look here pup we just got back, we want to rest, you know, take a break, put our feet up" Katsu sneered out. "Tell your master that we don't come running when called like amorous dogs."

"Hey! I'll have you know that I'm at least twice your age fluff puff!"

Growling erupted between the two as they glared at one another. It wasn't hate between the two, it was almost like a twisted form of camaraderie. They always growled at each other but as soon as there was trouble they easily had each others back.

"Don't worry Pakkun, we'll be there. What do we have, like a half a days travel, if that?"

"Yeah in Konoa, just an hours walk, maybe less." Katsu grumbled out.

"Oh by the way he needs you there in about," Pakkun looked down at his imaginary watch and hummed dramatically, "oh about an hour, probably about a half an hour now adding in the wasted half hour of chit chat."

Stunned, both looked at each other and then turned to a smiling Pakkun. He was serious.

"Damn it Pakkun why didn't you say something before?"

"Stupid dog," grumbled Katsu.

Well, there's nothing we can do about it now.

"Katsu, as much as I despise this course of action, we're going to split up a bit," I almost laughed as his jaw dropped. "We wont be that far apart, don't worry so much." Throwing him a reassuring smile I continued, "I'm going to go on ahead while you pack up few necessities for our stay in Konoha. When your done packing I want you to seal up the house and head to the village, I have few doubts that you'll know were I'll be from there."

I ruffled his fur affectionately and took off. Pakkun was just like his owner in this regard, always late getting to the point, but I'll be damned if I'm late because of it. Was I excited to be getting back to Konoha? Hell yes I was, I hadn't been there in a good five years, well to stay anyway. When my informant told me about what happened to Sarutobi at the hands of Orochimaru, I was livid, and for a time I was going to track the bastard down and take care of him. It would have been so easy, I would have flew in and taken him out the assassins way. Unfortunately, Katsu didn't want me to go after him, and in doing so talked me out of it, for now anyway. I may not be the one to strike the bastard down, but I know that I have a hand in his death.

I smirked at the memory. It would seem that the fox had inside information that I didn't, and he was being sneaky about it and not sharing. What ever it was I'd know about it eventually.

Looking towards the sky I continued on. Give or take I'd be there in a few minutes.

"So I take it that you haven't told her about Orochimaru yet have you?" asked Pakkun.

"Nope. The elders said that things would pan out the way that they were supposed to. If I had went along with Moriko that day after Orochimaru, she would have killed him, there's no doubt in my mind that she would have succeeded. Hey you wanna' throw her clothes in that bag for me?" Rummaging around, Katsu threw her herb pack into the larger duffle bag that Pakkun was folding cloths into.

"Wouldn't things have been better if she'd killed that masochistic snake?"

"No, the elders said that he'd meet his end, but for now he still had a purpose. For what, I have no idea."

"Sounds like a bunch of crap to me," Pakkun muttered as he finished folding and placing the clothes in the bag.

"Yeah, but whatever the reason, he's a live for it," Katsu sighed, throwing a few extra shuriken and kunai into the bags before continuing. "Moriko was friends with Sarutobi, looked up to him as a grandfather, like most of the people in the village. It was only natural for her to want to strike the snake down, but she also knows now that its not her destiny to do so."

"But if she ever got the chance-?"

"No, I don't think that she'd instantly take it. She's intelligent enough to understand that it isn't her place. It's been three years now, she's gotten over it for the most part, as she puts it 'karma's a bitch,"' they chuckled lightly together before throwing a few more needed items into the bags.

Katsu concentrated for a second, holding the image in his brain and then placed his hands together, transforming into a more suitable form to carry the two bags. A pair of strong human hands reached out and grabbed the two bags, flinging them over a vested shoulder.

"Humans have it easy, opposable thumbs, longer limbs, the ability to walk on two feet~" Katsu stretched his new body with a chuckle and threw Pakkun on his shoulder for good measure before bolting steadily out the door and into the tree line, following in the same direction that Moriko had traveled in minutes before.

Now were is that damn knuckle head…?