Ok, it took some tinkering, but it got there. Sorry for any mistakes i haven't corrected; my proof-reader's on an excavation in Caerleon (T.T) i wanna hug! *sniffs* Ah well, i'll have to make do. Anyway, so here i sit, lollipop in hand, and i wonder . . . just what the heck do i call this sodding chapter anyway? Anyway, with regards to comments and concerns;

Jasper: i know you probably aren't gonna read this note, because that was the gist of your message and i'd have to be a complete moron not to see the gist of your message. I like to think i'm not a complete moron but what the hell maybe i am because i'm typing this up just in case :D Anywho, i thank you for your honesty, even if i'm a little disappointed that you didn't like it because of that one little detail, but you can't please everyone and thank you for at least giving my story a try. I just can't equate Naruto with anything but a fox. Whenever i write a story like this one i always turn him into a fox without thinking about it. He's just so . . . foxy-like :D Maybe you should try the story Lunar Blood instead, you might enjoy it better. At any rate, thank you for saying that the general idea is sound, i appreciate it.

I can't remember if there were any others now . . . oh well i'll get round to them if there are (XD). And this is where i start to keep a promise too, though it's only small for now.

Enough of my rambling, enjoy!

Edited: 5th July 2015

Chapter Five: And So It Begins . . .

Jiraiya watched as two young women, barely out of their teens in appearance, entered his office and closed the door behind them. One, a blonde with sky-blue eyes, was biting her lip nervously and playing with the long lock of hair that fell over her eye. The other, paler of skin and with hair of deep indigo and eyes of pale lavender, looked serene unless you looked closer and saw the worry in her eyes.

"You called for us?" Ino asked quietly.

The girls were Vampires, the first of their kind to set foot inside the 'Shifter capital of Iwa willingly and as guests. They had been there now for several weeks, resting and recovering from an attack made on them by a monster of unknown origin and seeking sanctuary. And while some of the 'Shifter Caste had accepted them with varying degrees of ease, others had been less than welcoming.

It was unfortunate that the latter were in the majority.

"I understand that the apartment I gave to you both was broken into last week." he began, watching them both carefully. He tactfully omitted the again.

"Was it Naruto, or Asuma that told you?" Ino replied, frowning. The girls had asked their friends, the few that they had here, to keep quiet about the incident.

"Actually, it was Anko." he had introduced them to the violet-haired, violent and slightly somewhat crazy snake 'Shifter a few days after they had arrived. Anko had taken to both of them immediately and fussed over them like a mother hen, if such a thing were possible for a serpent. "I had to stop her hunting them down and bringing them to her version of justice."

Ino stifled a giggle, very much capable of imagining Anko's particular brand of 'justice', but Hinata, still not speaking a word, remained neutral. This worried Jiraiya, as the darker-haired girl had not reacted well to some of the things that were being said not-so-quietly behind her back. Ino had explained that, despite being trained as a fighter and, for lack of a better word, a killer for their Caste, Hinata was very soft-hearted and easily hurt. So was Ino, but that was beside the point right now; Ino gave grief straight back to those that dealt it to her. Often at least times five.

"I have dealt with the matter myself." Jiraiya continued, still watching Hinata. "But it's not the only thing I need to talk with you about." He stood and walked around the desk, leaning back against it as he studied the two girls carefully. "I received a request for a meeting, from Tsunade, the Witch Princess."

Both Ino and Hinata jerked slightly at the name, and their mouths opened slightly, eyes wide.

"She has requested that I meet and talk with her. I now know the place is to be a forest outside of the Witches' capital, Konoha. But she has sent me a further request." he paused and gave each girl a long, hard look. "She has asked that the both of you be present."

"Wh-what? B-but how?"

"How does she know we're here?!"

He waited until Ino's ranting died down, listening absently as she spouted off several expletives intermingled with demands as to how exactly the most powerful of Witches knew who they were and where they were. He had to chuckle; Ino Yamanaka had quite the vocabulary. Through it all, he watched Hinata standing quietly. She hadn't moved a muscle and he could see the fear in her eyes as well as worry and, of all things, curiosity.

Finally, Ino was silent, pausing for breath, and he stole his chance to speak again. "I sent an immediate response that the only way you two would be present at all would be if you consented. If you don't want to go, I'll leave you in the care of people I know I can trust to keep you both safe. If you want to go, then those same people will come with me." he paused, and this time his chuckle was almost a laugh. "She said that it was fair enough, though one member of her party would be incredibly disappointed."

"Who else is going with you?" Ino asked, blue eyes ablaze.

"Naruto and Asuma, Anko. All three wish to be your bodyguards. Kakashi is coming with me, as well as Gai and Lee and another young wolf that I want you to meet first." he gestured to the door, "You can come in now."

The door opened, and in walked the aforementioned 'Shifters plus one more; a female. Her eyes were a fierce dark brown the same chocolate shade as her hair, which she had swept up into twin buns one either side of her head.

"Ino, Hinata, this is Tenten, one of our best female warriors."

The two Vampires bowed to the newcomer politely, and Tenten was taken aback by this. Naruto gave her a bright smile before greeting both girls with hugs, and Asuma returned their bow; Anko grabbed them both into a bone-crushing grip.

"It's nice to meet you, Tenten." Hinata said, turning from Naruto and giving the young she-wolf a warm, shy smile.

"Nice to meet you too." was the absent reply. The brown eyes were surprised; Tenten hadn't expected the two Vampires to be so nice despite what the others – even Kakashi – had already told her.

"Tenten has been on several missions, back-to-back, for the past several weeks, starting a few days after your arrival. The latest one was to scout out the area designated as the meeting point. Tenten." he inclined his head to her.

"What?" still bemused, it took Tenten several seconds for her mind to catch up. "Oh, right, yes sir." She stood straighter and to attention. "The Witches haven't entered the forest since the location was sent to you, except for a few. It's always the same group, and Tsunade is among them. So far as I can tell there're no traps being set up around the perimeter, and the spells they were placing upon the forest seemed to have more to do with protection than anything else. But I'm not an expert on ha-"

Jiraiya cleared his throat loudly and gave her a stern look. Tenten stopped talking, had the decency to look mildly ashamed of herself, and continued, correcting her wording.

"I'm no expert on Witches and their spells, so I couldn't tell you whether I'm right or not. All in all, it seems like standard preparation for something like this."

Jiraiya nodded his thanks, giving her one more stern look before turning his attention back to his city's infamous guests. "There you have it. The situation as it stands. And your decisions will be?"

Ino looked at Hinata and the two seemed to confer silently. There was no sound in the office for several minutes before Jiraiya, feeling strangely nervous, cleared his throat. "If you decide to stay, then Anko, Asuma and Naruto will stay with you and keep an eye on you until I return. The last thing I need is for any more mischief right now."

The 'Shifters all shifted slightly, each nervous in their own way.

"Lord Jiraiya," all eyes turned to Hinata. "Why did Tsunade request this meeting?"

The white toad sage rubbed his side slightly. "She is Marked, like you and Ino are."

He wasn't sure whether to be scared or merely uncomfortable when the eyes of both girls locked onto his unconscious gesture, and he lowered the hand immediately. There was another long silence, and then Hinata sighed and lowered her eyes in defeat.

"We'll go." Ino announced, her blue eyes triumphant.

Jiraiya grinned and clapped his hands together. "Well, in that case," he turned to the small slug that had been perched on the back of his chair, drawing the attention of the others to it for the first time. "Katsuya, if you would kindly take my response to your mistress?"

The small blue slug bowed her head and disappeared in a puff of pale blue smoke.

"She was in here the whole time?"

"You sound uneasy, Kakashi." Jiraiya noted, still looking insanely cheerful despite the silver wolf's mild panic.

The silver-haired wolf swallowed a little. "Jiraiya, you do know what you're doing, right?"

Naruto laughed. "You know that beyond his so-called research, Pervy Sage makes things up as he goes along."

Jiraiya growled. "Naruto . . ."

"Kakashi, you were wrong about Ino and Hinata, even you admit it now. You need to relax when it comes to the other Castes some." Asuma scolded his friend.

Grumbling, Kakashi pointed out the obvious. "Maybe, but there's still over half of each Caste that would like my tail and yours as a trophy."

As funny as the comment was, it was also a very sobering thought. Ino, Hinata and Tenten all bit their lips, while everyone else shuffled around a little. Ino muttered something under her breath.

"What was that?" Kakashi was sure that he had heard his name in there somewhere.

Stubbornly, the blue eyes met his. "I said we really need to introduce you to a friend of ours. You'd like her." she smiled an evil little smile. "Kaida would soon whip you into shape. In fact I'm sure she'd love nothing better than fitting you for a muzzle and leash." She finished sweetly.

Everyone laughed again, this time at the undignified expression on the silver wolf's face.

o.O.o

Tsunade was speaking with Ibiki when Katsuya appeared on her shoulder and whispered in her ear. The blonde's expression went from surprise, to thoughtfulness and then to triumph and anticipation in the space of a few seconds.

"Really? That's excellent news. Thank you, Katsuya, you can go rest now."

When the blue slug – Ibiki had been a bit confused to see her at such a small size when she usually towered over most of the buildings in Konoha – disappeared in a grateful puff of smoke, he raised an eyebrow. "Good news I take it?" he asked his Princess.

She beamed at him. "Wonderful news." she said, her light brown eyes sparkling happily. "My plan is coming together nicely." she clapped her hands together and turned to Shizune, who was standing off to one side. "Go and find all our lovely little volunteers and inform them to get ready to roll out."

The dark-haired woman nodded obligingly and left to fulfil the request.

"You seem much too pleased, Tsunade." Ibiki's voice was carefully devoid of most emotions, but he couldn't hide his wariness.

Her response as she led him out of her office and outside was to turn and smile mischievously. In his eyes that expression did not bode well. It usually meant that she was about to drive him insane. Or try to, anyway. Not for the first time in his life, Ibiki shook his head in silent sympathy for Shizune and wondered how the woman could put up with their Princess and her antics on a daily basis.

Apparently, Tsunade's little volunteers hadn't been too far away, for they were all there when Ibiki and the Witch Princess exited the main doors of the building. He skimmed his eyes over the group, recognising faces. The three Humans were there too, which caused him to raise an eyebrow.

Clapping her hands to draw their attention, Tsuande grinned. "Now then, I have just received the response from Jiraiya and the answer is yes, to all counts." her golden brown eyes met Shikamaru's and he nodded, keeping his face as neutral as possible. "The meeting is tonight, a couple of hours away in fact, at sunset."

"A bit melodramatic." sighed Shikamaru. "Man, what a drag . . ."

She frowned at him, but otherwise didn't comment. "Anyway, we'll be setting out immediately. I hope you guys didn't make any plans for tonight." she purposely ignored Shizune's raised hand and glowering expression; Tsunade knew full well that her assistant and general keeper had been planning a trip to a hot spring tonight.

"Nobody? Good, now then," she barely resisted grinning at Shizune's expression. "We'll set off now and get there half an hour or so before our friends do."

With that she started walking. The others all looked at each other in a bemused sort of way, and when Tsunade shouted over her shoulder for them to get a move on they ran to catch up. Once they were clear of Konoha, they gathered in a tight circle and allowed Tsunade to slip-stream them all to a nearer location.

It took them an hour to reach the forest in question, then another half hour was spent waiting before Temari and Gaara would allow them inside while they checked the area out. Finally they settled into groups, milling about the clearing in which the meeting, an event that would go down in history as the beginning of the end of the war, would be taking place.

Finally Temari came running back from her post watching for their visitors. The 'Shifters had been instructed to approach from a certain way, and she murmured quickly into Tsunade's ear before joining the rest behind her princess. Quickly, they hustled into a rough line behind Tsunade with the three humans being kept in the middle. Ibiki and Shizune stood either side of Tsunade.

A few minutes later, a silver wolf and a brown wolf entered the clearing. Both were incredibly big animals; Shikamaru guessed that they reached between his elbow and shoulder. They scented the air before coming any further, then swept their gazes around the assembled group. Witches and Humans stood firm and didn't flinch. Finally the silver wolf turned back and walked casually back into the gloom while the brown one remained behind, now sitting and watching them.

The group watched the wolf back, and this continued for a few minutes longer. Then a whole array of shapes began to materialise out of the twilight gloom of the forest. First and foremost was a large white toad with unusually smooth skin and red markings on his face, closely followed by a large golden-orange fox, the silver wolf, a very big, very eerie dark purple snake slipping across the ground with nary a sound as she slithered between the two. Two tortoises, one bigger than the other, lumbered into the clearing with surprising grace. Another, smaller brown wolf with fur a shade or two warmer and lighter than the big male followed behind them.

The line of over-sized animals observed their surroundings and the people in front of them quietly. The snake coiled up so that she resembled a large shiny purple coil of rope and tested the air with her dark tongue, the gleaming eyes bright and intelligent. She turned her large scaly head to the toad and nodded slowly, as though her head were heavy and she didn't want to lose her balance, the movements languid. The toad crawled forward another step, looked at Tsunade, then took another pace forward and another.

The Witch Princess swallowed heavily at the sight of him.

Walking to meet him, Tsunade stopped until the two were maybe five feet apart. There was silence in the clearing while the two sized each other up. Both sides were tense.

Shikamaru scanned the menagerie and the surrounding area; no sign of the two Vampires that Tsunade had requested be there. Had they decided not to come after all? Or were they hiding? His tattoo tingled and he glanced at his arm in mild confusion. If he didn't know any better, he could have sworn that for a moment it had pulsed with a light grey-blue light.

"Thank you for answering our request, Lord Jiraiya." Tsunade's voice cut across Shikamaru's thoughts and he dragged his attention away from the curious feeling in his forearm. She made no mention of the Vampires.

The toad was still and quiet for a minute more before a silver haze ran across his form. The body lengthened and shifted until the glow died down, and the man standing before them with long white hair, quick dark eyes and red markings on his face was in its place.

"A delicate phrasing, Princess Tsunade." the voice that issued from his mouth sounded amused. "And here I thought that witches were arrogant and aloof."

The Witches standing behind Tsunade moved slightly and their expressions hardened. The faces of Shikamaru, Ayame and Haku remained impassive. The movement drew Jiraiya's attention, and he scanned the faces curiously but casually. The casualness disappeared when his eyes found Shikamaru's arm.

"We have found that some things are outdated." Tsunade drew his attention back to her. Her hand rested on the right side of her waist.

Jiraiya felt a similar sensation of tingling on his tattoo, like a mild case of pins and needles dancing across the pattern. Strange, though, that it only seemed to be on the coloured skin. "It seems you have been busy." he gestured with his hand towards the three Humans safely nestled within the group of Witches.

A smile spread across her lips slowly, with all the cunning of a fox or a cat. Jiraiya had to wonder what she would be had the woman been born a 'Shifter. "So have you. You seem to be missing two members of your party though. Did they fall behind?"

Dark eyes found Shikamaru's arm once more. "Hiding until I give the word. We gave our word that they would be safe and it's a promise I intend to keep." the dark eyes met Shikamaru's now, and curiosity burned deep within them. Shikamaru met his gaze steadily, matching him stare for stare.

Chuckling, the white toad sage turned and nodded to the brown she-wolf, who turned and bounded back into the forest a little ways with the fox. "I didn't know that there was a pairing within the ranks of the Marked." He added conversationally as he turned back to Tsunade.

The other 'Shifters now looked at the Human too. The snake edged forward slightly, her body language suggesting she was intrigued as she slid over grass and leaves towards him. Shikamaru took a step forward even as the others tried to stop him, knelt and held out his arm to her.

Her next hiss sounded suspiciously like a dry, rasping chuckle. The forked tongue flickered out as she raised her head and a foot of her body from the ground, dancing across his marked skin with a feather's caress. It tickled, and his lips quirked in response. When he next looked up from his arm he was staring straight into dark eyes that glittered enticingly. Suddenly he understood why mice and birds were so enthralled by their predators. There was intelligence burning behind those dark eyes, curiosity and amusement, but above all respect and a warning.

Standing, he watched with abject fascination as she glided in a circle around him, observing him from all angles. When she reached the front again she rose until her face was level with his once more, the bottom section of tail coiled beneath her like a cushion. Or a spring.

Behind him, the atmosphere was tense, waiting. If the snake wanted to kill him she had the perfect chance, and they wouldn't get there in time to stop her. But she looked over at them in amusement before turning her flat head back to her lord with a hiss and a sigh. He chuckled at whatever she was saying. Silver shimmered along her scaly shape, and suddenly he was looking into the eyes of a woman with short violet hair and eyes more than a little amused and a fair bit mad.

"The kid's got guts, Jiraiya. I like him." her grin was insane. Her voice rasped slightly, like the snake's scales across the ground, and the S-sound was drawn out only very little in her words. "What's your name, kid?"

"Shikamaru Nara." he replied at a small nod of assent from Tsunade. "And I'm not a kid." he added, a little irritated.

She grinned again. "You are to me Shika-boy. I'm way older than you."

Beyond her he saw the fox and she-wolf re-enter the clearing. Alone. "Man, what a drag, an insane snake's taken a liking to me."

Blinking, the snake 'Shifter looked at him for a full thirty seconds before she burst out laughing, then ruffled his hair. "You'll do just fine in this world, kid. Anko Miterashi." she added by way of greeting, then she stepped aside and looked at her leader. "I really like this one. 'Kashi's not allowed to go near him, m'kay?"

The other 'Shifters let out varying forms of chuckles. Tsunade was smiling at him warmly, pleased. "Shikamaru came to us a few weeks ago. He was being attacked and two of my retrieval team rescued him from a thing." she fluttered her fingers vaguely at the word thing. "Which brings me onto a point I feel I really need to tell you about." her golden-coloured eyes became serious. "Did you know that the Marked of all the Castes are being tailed?"

"By you?" Jiraiya seemed amused.

"No, by something that wants to kill them." Tsunade replied with a grave edge. "All three of the Humans were attacked openly, and one of our number was as well. There was no intent to capture, only to destroy. And every time it was by some gods-damned monster that was a mockery of nature."

Moving restlessly, the 'Shifters all looked at each other. Anko's face was no longer amused, nor was Jiraiya's. They both looked shocked, sombre, even worried. Anko's eyes flickered to a tree and back to Jiraiya, who nodded.

"Our two Vampires were attacked as well." he admitted after a heavy pause. "We had thought it coincidence at the time. Odd, but a fluke." he paused again. "But scouts have reported another creature in our area."

Nodding, Tsunade gave Shikamaru a measuring glance. By this time the remaining 'Shifters had changed back to their human forms. The blond that had been the fox spoke up now.

"P- . . . Jiraiya, what does this mean?"

Jiraiya cast a glance back at him, but returned his gaze thoughtfully to the tree canopy.

Temari stepped forward to murmur in Tsunade's ear, and when the woman nodded she returned to her place beside her brother. The teal eyes shifted until they met a pair of chocolate eyes belonging to the she-wolf, and the two stared each other down until the Witch smirked, causing the other to start slightly.

"I'm afraid it means what I believe each of us has always known." Tsunade replied to the young 'Shifter, her eyes weary and sad. "We are outcasts among even our own kinds, though we're still welcomed by many. Now it seems that somebody wishes us ill. If this continues or gets worse, we will become outcasts for sure."

Grave silence met her statement, but they all knew it to be true. The three Humans simultaneously touched their arms; they had been poked, prodded and sampled by the scientists of their Caste, and it wasn't nice to feel like a science experiment.

"We've made ourselves outcasts anyway," pointed out the she-wolf in an irritated huff. "By helping first Ino and Hinata, and now agreeing to meet with you, most of the 'Shifter Caste is against us. Some mutter that we're traitors, other just sniff, but it all amounts to the same doesn't it."

Regarding her carefully, Tsunade smiled. "We're fortunate, the Witches' Caste grumbles less than the others, though those that do might cause more harm." she added under her breath. Then she looked at the brunette again. "What's your name?"

"Tenten." she replied firmly.

Shizune tapped Tsunade on the shoulder to whisper in her ear. The Witch Princess sighed and looked at the sky before gesturing to several small circles of stones nearby, each one containing a small pile of twigs and kindling. With a snap of her fingers, the fires leapt into being. "Cold and darkness aren't known to kindle friendship." she smiled tiredly, gesturing to the fires.

The Witches moved first, picking which out of the three to settle at. The 'Shifters were a little slower, but they joined them. Tsunade and Jiraiya talked at a fire of their own, leaving the rest to mill about as they chose.

"Did you tell them it was alright?" Anko asked the fox 'Shifter irritably.

He nodded. "I think they're taking care of something before they make their entrance." He made a gesture with his eyes and Anko nodded her head, understanding.

"They're staying within the forest though, right?"

They looked around at the voice, seeing one of the Witches looking at them with concern in her jade eyes. Her pink hair looked redder in the firelight.

"We told them to." Naruto replied slowly. "But Ino's a bit of a free spirit." he held out his hand to her. "Naruto Uzumaki."

She took it. "Sakura Haruno."

"It suits." he grinned at her.

Grinning back, Sakura replied, "Everybody says that." she gave him a measured look then. "You're the fox right?"

Naruto nodded. "Yep, that's me. Believe it." he added with a wink. It earned him a chuckle from Sakura.

But it earned an eye-roll from Anko. "Not that I'm one to talk, but didn't we beg you to leave the catchphrase at home?"

The bickering that ensued caused raised eyebrows from the other Witches at that fire, namely Sakura and Shizune, and from Shikamaru.

"They do that a lot." It was Tenten. "You'll get used to it. Gai and Kakashi argue too, though Gai's more likely to do the talking." she was gesturing to the specified pair as she spoke, sitting at the next fire. Gai's eyes – the one that they could see anyway – flickered briefly towards them at the mention, and Kakashi fully turned his head to meet their gazes one by one.

"I think Tsunade was expecting more of a problem getting us to socialise." Sakura admitted finally. Naruto and Anko paused in their bickering to listen. "I have to admit, I'm finding it amazing that you're all willing to sit at the fireside with us."

Quiet for a minute or two as many minds mulled this over.

"When you took the Humans in, what did you feel?" the question came from Kakashi.

Shizune and Sakura looked at each other for a moment, considering. "Kinship." The younger girl said at last.

"That's how we felt at first with Ino and Hinata." Gai continued. "Now it's gone from simple kinship to complex friendship, with . . . other possibilities." the eyes of the 'Shifters listening turned to Naruto, who blushed and muttered something incoherent. Gai smiled at him, but didn't comment. "Kinship is what we feel now. It seems that the Marks you bear draw you together, and those that aren't Marked feel a desire to help those friends that are. Kakashi wanted to hate the girls, but he couldn't. It was impossible for him."

Anko looked at him with new respect, and Tenten looked stunned as she said, "You know, I don't think he mentioned youth once in that whole speech."

"Just like the stories." Shikamaru muttered. He was about to elaborate at the others' varying confused looks, but clamped his mouth shut when something fell into his lap. Or rather, someone. A very blonde someone with curious big blue eyes.

"I-Ino!" the voice, though quiet, was stern and scolding. "You shouldn't do that to p-people!"

"Hina!" Anko sang, "Hurry up over here, the kit is pouting again!"

The comment caused another round of bickering between the snake and the fox.

Not that Shikamaru could hear a word they were saying. His world was suddenly only big enough to contain a big pair of blue eyes and the sudden, intense tingling running up and down the marks on his forearm.

She seemed to be having the same problem.

"Ino, g-get off the poor boy!" her friend was now trying to get the blonde's attention. She actually began to pick her up and then deposited her back onto the forest floor.

"A Human."

All bickering ceased at those two words and Shikamaru suddenly found himself the centre of attention to a mesmerising blue gaze that left him feeling a trifle uneasy and excited all at once. It reminded him of the snake's gaze, and he wasn't all that certain how it made him feel.

"You look familiar, Human." she tilted her head at him. "Have I attacked you before?"

The stuttering and spluttering her friend was doing assured him that this was a very odd mood for the blonde to be in. "Not me." he said at last. "Maybe my father."

Her blue eyes continued to observe him for a while. "Yes, yes that must be it." she sighed and then a wicked gleam entered her eyes. The 'Shifters all stiffened for some reason; they looked like they were bracing themselves for something.

Then his world was once again filled with blue eyes and blonde hair as she launched at him and took him completely off balance.

"Shika!"

"I-Ino!" Hinata sounded like she didn't know whether to be scandalised or not.

"What? I'm just saying hello."

"Then say hello like a normal person." Tenten sighed. "He's a Human, you could crush him."

"Pft." she snorted. "He's more versatile than that, aren't you Shika." she rubbed her cheek against his.

"I-Ino, you're scaring him!"

"No I'm not! I'm not, am I Shikamaru? You're not scared of me right?"

Some small part of his mind wanted to nod enthusiastically at this whole scene to say yes I'm terrified! But he didn't. Instead another part shook his head, since he still couldn't speak properly and could only just breathe she was holding him so tightly. She happily went back to nuzzling his cheek.

While usually Shikamaru would waste no time shoving this girl off his lap, for some reason he just couldn't bear to do it to her. Bemusedly he patted her blonde hair, wondering what on earth was wrong with him.

In doing so he caught Hinata's eye. The darker-haired girl inclined her head to him in greeting, then smiled as though she knew what he was thinking. Her pale eyes drifted to the ground between herself and Naruto, where he saw the blond boy had her pale hand caught in his own tanned grip. Sudden understanding flashed through Shikamaru and he smiled at Hinata easily and relaxed. Ino remained in his lap and the rest were amused, but said nothing.

At their own fire, Tsunade and Jiraiya watched the exchange with interest.

"He brings out the light in her." Jiraiya noted with amusement.

"So she's not normally that friendly?" the blonde witch asked quietly.

"From what I can gather, not unless she knows you. Oh, she'll let you know what she thinks of you, but she's only ever tackled Naruto, Hinata, Asuma, Anko and Kakashi like that before. She only does it to Kakashi because it annoys him. The rest just think it's cute."

They chuckled together for a few minutes, observing the growing ease with which the two groups were mingling. Sakura had moved the two fires closer together now and they sat around the twin flames in a large group instead of two separate ones.

"Tenten is right, however." he added after a minute's silent contemplation. "He is Human, she could crush him easily without a thought."

"I don't think it will be so easy."

Looking up, he saw a smirk on Tsunade's lips.

"I think nature thought of that problem a long time ago. We ran tests on them soon after they arrived in Konoha. You see, all three of them, Ayame, Haku and Shikamaru, have far more endurance and strength than most Humans, and so far as I know none of them were trained to improve those areas of skill." she looked at Jiraiya, grinning. "It's almost enough to place them on a par with my own Caste's levels. Makes you wonder who they'll be paired with."

"You think that's why?" when she nodded he sighed. "It would make sense. We noticed that Naruto developed stronger feelings for Hinata than friendship almost from the word Go. And from what we've seen she has stronger feelings too, though she doesn't show them so openly. And Ino's behaviour towards the boy." his eyes watched the two pairs, now sitting together, as they laughed and talked like the oldest of friends. "You said there were more pairings?"

She nodded, retrieving a folder from a pack he hadn't noticed before. "And now that I know who the white toad is, I know there are actually three sitting in this clearing." she grinned as she handed it over.

He smirked. "Now why don't I feel comforted by that statement?"