"I believe in annoyed at first sight."

Chapter Three

Kiba led them down the streets of Konohagakure towards the Ichiraku Ramen Shop – one of the few businesses that were back up and running, most likely thanks to Naruto's obsession. Nanami walked along with him silently, wondering how she could salvage her dignity and go back to being the silent and stoic woman he had first met. That woman seemed to have a leg up and pissed Kiba off as a bonus.

Nanami could hear her father's voice in her head right now, scolding her. You're the pride of the Nekoyama clan. Do not embarrass us in front of the Hidden Leaf when you know how much better you are than them. It'll be your duty to lead when you take over as Mizukage and it's essential you leave a positive impression. I trust you won't let your flighty and unpredictable personality get in the way of your duties.

But Nanami was coming up short. She had the appearance of a strong and mysterious ninja, but inside she knew she was far from it. Nanami often found it difficult to pretend to be something she wasn't and this hound ninja wasn't making it any easier for her. Every time he spoke to Nanami, her natural instincts took over.

"So," Nanami said, breaking the silence, "how did you find me?"

"I memorized your scent the second that we met."

Nanami was actually pretty impressed by this.

"Oh? And what do I smell like?"

Kiba felt heat rise to his cheeks and shifted his head slightly to hide his face. He wouldn't admit she smelled like an odd but intoxicating mix of lily and ocean water.

"Like a filthy cat who licks herself and calls it a bath," he lied.

"Says the flea-ridden mutt," she shot back, embarrassed.

Kiba stopped and turned around, pointing his finger in her face. "Look, lady, you're the one who came to our village and you're not exactly getting off on the right foot! Ever thought that maybe you should attempt to make a good impression?"

"You're the one who started insulting me the moment we meant, baka!" Nanami could feel her anger rising and getting the best of her. What was it with this guy? Even though she knew her father would be shaking his head if he were to witness this exchange, she couldn't stop herself from indulging Kiba's ridiculous reactions.

Kiba rolled his eyes and continued towards the ramen shop. Nanami followed after him.

"Besides," she continued, "you guys are the ones who need my help. If it were up to me, I would've never come to this village in the first place."

Kiba scoffed. "Yeah, Blood Mist Village. I bet that's homey."

That was all it took to shut Nanami up. Heat rose to her face and she mustered every ounce of her willpower to avoid knocking his front teeth out.

Kiba sensed he had crossed a line that he wished hadn't, but his pride got in the way of him apologizing. When they reached the ramen shop, he held the door open for her. Nanami stopped, confused and waiting for him to walk in the shop and slam the door in her face.

"Well, are you going in or what? Or would you prefer to eat on the street?"

Nanami watched him for a moment like she was trying to figure out what the trick was.

"Wait for me out here, Aozora," she finally said.

"You too, buddy," Kiba told Akamaru.

Nanami walked through the door and Kiba followed behind her.

This was the first time Kiba saw the back side of her and his eyes immediately caught the sapphire clip pinning her two small braids back. Mesmerized and on some instinct that he couldn't quite pinpoint, he reached out to touch it. Nanami whirled around and snatched his wrist in the air before he had the chance.

"Don't," she hissed.

Kiba got caught in those silver eyes again, unable to move or see anything else. They were intense. Deadly. He thought for a moment that those eyes alone could swallow his entire being and his wrist felt white hot beneath her touch. After a few moments, Nanami's gaze softened and she let go of his wrist.

"You guys are weird," they heard a male voice say next to them.

Nanami and Kiba looked over to see Naruto and Sakura staring at them, chopsticks hovering over their bowls of ramen. Wordlessly, Nanami sat next to Naruto and Kiba sat on her other side.

"Ah, a newcomer!" The ramen shop owner exclaimed. He eyed her forehead protector for a moment. "You're not from around here are you?"

"No sir," Nanami said. "I came here from the Land of Water."

"Nanami came here to aid our village," Sakura said politely.

More like terrorize, Kiba thought.

"Well then! My name is Teuchi. Please order whatever you like from our menu! There's a discount for first-time customers."

"Arigato," Nanami said gratefully.

Kiba and Nanami placed their orders and Teuchi turned to begin preparing them. Silence rang for a moment between the group. The events from earlier when Nanami had her claws digging into Naruto's neck still hung in the air, making the atmosphere tense.

"So," Naruto said, being the first to break the silence, "tell me about your ninja cat! It was crazy how she transformed from that small cat to the same size as Akamaru in an instant!"

That's so like Naruto, Kiba thought. He can be fighting with a person one moment and then become their friend the next.

"Oh," Nanami said, a bit surprised at his friendliness. "It's just a unique ability that Aozora has. There's a special bloodline of cats within the Nekoyama clan that can transform like that. Those cats are given to a select few children in the clan at birth to be raised together."

"Hey, that's a little similar to you and Akamaru, right Kiba? You two have been inseparable since we were all children," Sakura said.

Teuchi sat Nanami and Kiba's bowls of ramen in front of them. They broke their chopsticks, thanked him for the food, and dived into their respective meals.

"I'd love to battle with you sometime!" Naruto said. "I've never heard of the Nekoyama clan before. But if you're anything like Kiba, I doubt you can take me."

"I COULD PUMMEL YOU INTO THE GROUND ANY TIME, ANY DAY!" Kiba yelled at Naruto, leaning around Nanami to point his chopsticks at him.

"Oh yeah?" Naruto said, smiling mischievously. "You're talking to the hero of the village! And if you think you can take me, then how come you couldn't beat me in the Chunin exams. Huhhhhhh?"

"That was years ago! Besides, you're the only one among us who's still a Genin!"

This instantly shut Naruto up and he grew gloomy.

"Actually," Sakura said, "I'd love to see you battle against Kiba, Nanami. It'd be interesting to see a ninja cat user fight a ninja hound user."

"I'm afraid it wouldn't be much of a battle," Nanami said impulsively.

"You're right. You'd be down in seconds," Kiba retorted.

Nanami scoffed. "I'd have you running back to your clan with your tail tucked between your legs."

"Yeah, I'd love to see that! Kiba needs to be taken down a peg or two." Naruto laughed. "I say that we meet at the training grounds tomorrow for a match between you two!"

"You're on," Kiba glowered. "I'll prove to you that Leaf Ninja are superior!"

"Don't cry to me when you're eating those words," Nanami replied.

Kiba smiled at her then, "Want to make a bet out of it?"

"What'd you have in mind?"

"If you can't beat me, then you have to tell me all your clans secrets."

"You and I both know that's out of the question," Nanami said rolling her eyes.

"Fine," Kiba said, tapping his chin with his chopsticks causing a bit of ramen juice to dribble there. "Then you have to tell us what your deal is with Zabuza."

Nanami could practically feel Sakura and Naruto holding their breath as if waiting for her to choke Kiba the same way she had with Naruto.

"No."

"Scared you'll lose?"

Nanami knew he was testing her, but she also knew she wouldn't lose. She couldn't lose, not to this guy. To lose to Kiba would be to shame her clan, embarrass her father, and prove that she didn't have what it took to become the next Mizukage as her father expected of her. She wouldn't let him down again.

"Fine," Nanami finally said. "If I win, you have to spend a day tending to my every need. You'll have to do whatever I say."

"Ooooooohhhhh," Naruto snickered.

"Just like a cat," Kiba scoffed. "Okay, deal. I had a feeling that you couldn't get enough of me." He winked at her.

"Oh, please," she replied, but for some reason she couldn't explain, she felt a small blush rise to her cheeks. "Don't cry to me when your family finds out that you lost to the Nekoyama clan."

Kiba grew still at the thought of that. He could picture his mother, Tsume, beating him within an inch of his life for losing to someone from the Nekoyama clan. He'd never hear the end of it. This wouldn't simply be a battle between ninja. It would be a battle for the pride of their clans.

When the group exited the ramen shop, Akamaru and Aozora were sitting on opposite sides of the building, eyeing each other warily.