"Wow, we actually caught up on time. We should be getting there the day after tomorrow now...well...if they don't mind keeping the pace we had today that is." I lounged back on the tree branch. "That pace we had the first day was ridiculous. If we take too long I'll never hear the end of it from mom. She was angry enough for how long we left the last time. She'll kill dad if he keeps doing this. But I like it."
Kumo gave me a halfhearted nod before giving me a pointed look through his mask. "Your mother will kill ME if you come back in this state, and your mother angry is scary as all hell. Go to sleep." Came the blunt order.
I snorted in laughter, rolling my eyes but followed the order anyway. Dropping out of the tree, I landed near to where my tent was already setup. Exhausted from chakra depletion and 48 hours without sleep I fell unconscious as soon as my head hit the pillow.
"Breakfast is served!" I called as a wake up call toward the silent tents. A mussed head of black hair stuck out of a tent as Emi gazed at me through dazed eyes. I watched as recognition triggered in her eyes and her head disappeared back into her tent. I grabbed myself a rice ball before jumping into the tree where Kumo sat.
"I got it for now, you go eat." I settled on the branch next to his as he nodded at me and jumped down. I stretched my arms up and settled back into the tree, using my ears to listen to the surroundings instead of my eyes. The branch beside me wavered and I reopened my eyes to find the eldest of the Uchihas standing on it.
"Uchiha-sama." I nodded a respectful greeting to him and reclosed my eyes.
"I'm bored with traveling, let's get to the village quickly." the voice was completely comprised of pride and arrogance.
I bit my tongue to keep from calling him a bastard, but he seemed to sense it as he began to chuckle. I let my eyes flicker open to gaze at him. I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Well then, lets keep the same pace we finished with today. We can even go faster if you'd like. You are the boss at the moment. We are only your escorts." I told him in a bored voice.
"So you must do everything I tell you I guess." his tone held a creepy threat that promised pain and humiliation.
"Thats the meaning of hiring a leaf ninja." I answered cooly in my ANBU business voice.
"You have alot more self control than the dobe did..." he said absentmindedly, it was almost a snort. If my ears hadn't been on high alert I wouldn't have heard it.
I smirked at the idea, 'Yeah, me have more self control than dad... I have no self control so dad's lack of self control as a gennin must have been extraordinary'
"Well, then let's get moving." he said in a louder voice as he jumped down.
Something far ahead of us suddenly caught my eye and I pulled to a dead stop in the treetops. The rest of the group halted behind me. Kumo appeared at my side, but I paid him no mind as I attempted to focus on something that was on the edge of my seeing range. Now that all I was focusing on was my eyes the group of strangers suddenly came into focus , and I felt my body relax.
"Uchiha-sama. Would you mind if we joined up with another group and traveled with them?" I turned to look at our client.
"Who?" he asked in a short voice.
"The kazekage and his escort are ahead of us. The leaf is strongly allied with the sand and like you he is going to meet the Hokage, but his meeting is about the upcoming chuunin exams. However we will need to increase our pace to catch up to them." Sasuke nodded his approval and I grinned happily. I heard Kumo's satisfied snort of amusement as I took off at a fast pace to catch up with the quick moving group ahead of us. With some concentration I expanded my eye range to examine the area around us while keeping an eye on where the sand group was. When we had begun to catch up I flared my chakra as a notice to them and watched as they stopped. Jumping, I swung up and propelled myself off a branch and into the clearing they were in, successfully landing on the Kazekage. My jump nearly tackled him but his sand rushed to aid his balance and keep him from falling.
The Kazekage gazed up at me in a bored way.
"Well well, its the little kitsune." a small smirk built on Gaara's lips.
"Uncle Gaara!" I grinned happily behind my mask.
"Hn." I could hear the smirk in his voice.
"Say" Gaara sent a pointed glare at his son which stopped him mid sentence. "Kitsune" the younger redhead corrected himself.
"Hello Tamotsu!" I released Gaara to transfer my hanging to him. Perching piggyback style on his back.
"Hello Kitsune. Ah, and I see Mujina isn't far behind." came a bored tone behind Gaara.
I stretched from my place, not releasing Tamotsu "Hey Hanako!" I grinned at Kankuro's only daughter from behind my mask.
"Uchiha." came the slightly startled and very defensive voice of Gaara.
"We're on escort duty for Uchiha-sama." Kumo supplied as the deadly silence slipped into the group.
"Uchiha." Gaara gave a curt, hesitant nod. Gaara was closely examining the elder Uchiha with a glare.
"Gaara." Sasuke nodded in a similar manner, but without the threat Gaara's held, while Emi, Kano, and Katsu gazed back and forth wearily between the red head and raven haired pair of village leaders.
"You've lost it." was all Gaara said before falling behind an indifferent mask. I watched as a satisfied smirk passed over Sasuke's face as he gave a slight nod.
"Any idea?" came Tamotsu's whisper to me.
"None... But apparently Uchiha-sama was a member of the leaf village back when our dad's were Genin." I whispered back. Thats when I noticed the sharp glare that was currently being directed in Tamotsu's and my way. I tipped my head at an angle to gaze questioningly at Kano, only to have him pointedly look away.
Sasuke was in a state of shock, even if his outer appearance didn't show it. Not only had the Kitsune girl called the infamously murderous sand leader uncle, she had nearly tackled him without being crushed to death by a wall of sand. The stoic man only gave her a small smile for what would have been a heinous crime by anyone else. Now she was currently wrapped around a boy that was obviously the stoic leaders son. He had the same look Gaara used to have only much softer.
"Hey, uncle Gaara, do you mind if we travel with you guys?" the voice of Kitsune was pitched in an innocent beg. Sasuke swore that without the mask she would be giving puppy dog eyes.
He was suddenly reminded of anytime Naruto was begging. With amusement Sasuke watched as Gaara was easily wrapped around the small girl's thumb.
"Hn." Gaara answered. There was only the slightest hesitation, just enough to let her know that he still had some dignity before relenting.
"ALRIGHT!" Kitsune pumped her fist in the air, being careful not to smash her elbow into the younger redheads head.
A smirk played across Tamotsu's face as he boosted her higher onto his back. "Oh yeah! You obviously know Uchiha-sama. But this is Uchiha Kano, Uchiha Emiko, and.... Katsu." she obviously stumbled over the fact that she didn't know his family name. Sasuke had to force himself not to snort. "Sound ninja, this is Sabuka no Gaara, Kazekage of the sand, Tamotsu and Hanako."
"Hey, not that this isn't nice and all but we need to get a decent distance today or it'll be troublesome." I turned to see Mujina lounging leaned up against a tree next to Hanako. They stood so their shoulders rested comfortably against each other.
Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the odd couple. Before his eye was caught by his son giving the darkest glare Sasuke had ever seen from him directed at Kitsune and Tamotsu.
It took everything within him not to burst out laughing. In his attempt not to laugh he caught Gaara's eye and he shared an amused look at the expense of their children.
"Fine fine, his royal laziness wants to get moving, so we should comply." Kitsune leapt gracefully from the redhead's back and went to stand next to her partner. "If your leaderships don't mind of course." she bowed easily toward us and sasuke caught an unfamiliar flicker of amusement in Gaara's eyes.
The Kazekage flicked a hand for her to lead on.
Well, short and sweet but theres an update. It would have been posted sooner but we have a butt load of choir concerts this week. I don't own Naruto of course! Please press the pretty green button for more!