I tried to stick to the forest but I realized early on that even though I know in theory how to survive in a forest I really suck at the practical part. So I had no choice but to use the roads that were filled with hunters, mercenaries, sketchy looking people and soldiers. I kept my head down but I still drew attention because no one travelled alone these days and because I was a lot shorter then everyone else. I was just thankful no one recognised me as a little girl. A of couple man started following me and so I started walking faster but so did they. I knew I could fight them off if I had to but that would leave a lot of witnesses.

"There you are! What have I told you about separating from the group?" An old man led me to a mist carriage and I let him drag me away from the grumbling men.

"What do you have there Tazuna?" The man asked who was obviously the father as his wife and son looked at me as well.

"Well I saw the poor boy almost getting snatched so I intervened." The old man left me and sat down on the cart with his grandson.

"Who might you be dear?" The woman bent down to see me so I took of my hood and they gasped.

"A pretty girl? Why are you on the road by yourself?" The father asked me.

"I got separated from my…uncles and now I have to go home to cloud to find them and make sure they are alright." So I twisted the truth a little.

"Well we are going to mist so how about you come with us and then we will find you a boat straight there so the snatchers won't get you?" I smiled.

"Thank you but what's a snatcher?" They exchanged looks.

"Your uncles have obviously kept away from the world, no that I blame them with these times. A pretty girl like you would go for a high price anywhere." Slavery? I thought that was just in Suna.

"Slavery? Won't the soldiers stop them?" I asked them.

"The soldiers are too busy fighting the rogue nin and slavery is every where now, its just legalized in Suna. My name is Kaiza, my wife's name is tsunami, the grumpy old man is Tazuna and my son's name is Inari." I bow in greeting.

"My name is Hinata, thank you for helping me." They smiled and the father picked me up and deposited beside his son.

"So you wanna play a game?" I looked the boy who didn't seem that much younger then me and nodded my agreement but I told him I didn't know any games.

We spent the rest of the trip playing and him teaching me how to. When we reached mist he took me to the park and I ended up playing with all the other kids.

I felt a shiver run down my back and I stopped to see three men with cloaks watching us. These were the snatchers they were telling me about. I saw them walk out of the tree line swords drawn and the parents went for the kids and screamed for us to run.

I grabbed inari and we started to run but when I heard a scream I stopped to see that they had gotten a girl my age.

"Go home Inari, I have to help her. Now!" I pushed him forward and he only looked back once. I jumped on the back of the snatcher who held the girl and he dropped her in surprise. I pumped chakra into his head and he went down spilling blood from his mouth, ears and eyes. I rolled off horrified I had just killed a man. Another man went to snatch me but I rolled to the side and kicked his knee. He hit the ground and my body moved on reflex as I snapped his neck.

"What the fuck are you?" The last man growled as he swung his sword at me but I bent backwards and flipped to the left where I grabbed the girls hand and started running away.

"Where are we going?" the girl with a deep voice asked.

"No idea!" I ran us into the bustling streets and hid us in alleyway as the last snatcher ran past us. I then fled to the outside gates and into a meadow where I promptly collapsed as my adrenalin wore off.

"You're a kunoichi, I good one for your age." The girl was looking down at me and that's when I notice her adams apple.

"You're a boy. A pretty boy at that." He blushed and looked away.

"I don't suppose you're willing to keep this a secret?" I asked hopefully.

"A little too late for that." Another male voice boomed from the side and my reflexes kicked in as I dodged the sword that could have cut me in two.

"The money I could get from your looks alone would have been great but your kunoichi abilities triple your worth. You sweet heart, are a gold mine." I narrowed my eyes at the snatcher as I kept on dodging his attacks.

"You need me alive for that." I told him. He smirked and dropped his sword and attacked me hand to hand to combat. I was faster then him so I easily shut down is chakra till he could barely move.

"What the hell did you do to me?" He dropped to his knees and I struggled between my nin instinct to kill him and my moral instinct to let him live.

"I'm not going to kill you. I don't want to be that kind of nin." I turned around to talk to the boy but he was gone.

"Then you have a lot to learn to become a true nin." I whipped around quickly to see a nin cut the head off the snatcher.

"He didn't have to die." I glared at the mist nin with the large sword and the boy I saved beside him.

"He was a snatcher and would have sold you in an instant. Your mercy is foolish. He might not have gotten to you but he would continue to snatch other children away." I looked down at the ground knowing he was right. I didn't think about the danger to others just that I didn't want to damage my moral compass.

"You saved Haku, for that I owe you. Name your price." I look up into cold eyes.

"I wish to learn the sword; I would like to be your student." I bowed deeply.

"I didn't fucking see that coming. Look kid your not bad for a kunoichi but-" I looked him in the eyes and he stopped his sentence.

"You have the eyes of a nin though. Fine lets go." I caught up to him as Haku and I trailed after him.

"Welcome to the bloody mist." Haku told me with a kind smile. I smiled back and kept silent. They took me to their hideout and told me I would be rooming with Haku but first was practice.

The nins name was Zabuza and he lived here with Haku and two other demon brothers. I had learned that they were apart of the seven swords man which even I knew about from Mitsu. Mitsu had worked solely on my byakugan so my other skills lacked and if I wanted to keep my eyes hidden I needed another way to protect myself.

I was there about a week when two nins approached us. They bowed to Zabuza and looked me up and down. They both were tall and had white hair and had swords like Zabuza.

"Hinata this is Mangetsu the newest swordsman and his younger brother Suigetsu Hozuki. They will be staying here for now on." I bowed my greeting when the younger brother whistled at me.

"Well I'm not going to complain about a pretty thing staying in the same house as me." He winked and I looked uncertain what to do. I watched his brother hit him on the head.

"Don't be an idiot." I was watching the scene but I still managed to dodge Haku's sebons and Zabuza's kunai and send some of my own back.

"Oh a kunoichi, you don't see those very often." Suigetsu smirked. I attacked Zabuza with my two short swords and managed to nick his cheek before I was pushed back.

"How does it feel to get owned by a little girl Zabuza?" I smirked and attacked the younger brother who barely moved in time. He was stronger but I was faster and I dodged all of his attacked till he was tired out and I was able to pin him and use an ice jutsu to pin him to the ground.

"I do believe this is what it feels like to get owned by a girl." I smirk at him before I get off him and head inside.

"She so has the hots for me." I laughed as I heard his comment. I headed inside to make dinner where Haku came to help me. We were laughing and dancing around the kitchen when the two Hozuki brothers came and watched us like we were crazy. I rolled my eyes and pulled the oldest brother into a dance.

"Oh bro come on you know I called dibbs on her!" I laughed and Mangetsu smirked at his brother before he twirled and dipped me. Soon we were all dancing and having fun but we all froze when Zabuza came in.

"want to join?" I asked and everyone stared at me like I grew another head. Zabuza rolled his eyes and left not saying a word. So I continued to dance while making dinner.

"How are not scared of that demon guy?" Suigetsu asked in awe.

"I know what a true demon is like." My thoughts drifted to Mitsu and I glared at the sauce in my anger.

"Well he must have done a number on you then." His brother smacked him again.

"Do you ever think before you speak?" Mangestu asked him. I laughed instead of getting angry.

"You have no idea but lets not go there. Tonight is a celebration to welcome you to Zabuza's palace of fun." Haku and I laughed at my joke but the others didn't get it.

We had dinner and we laughed and teased Suigetsu mercilessly all night. Even the demon brothers warmed up to the two new members even though they still hated me and Zabuza actually only threatened to kill us once. After dinner I went out and sat on the roof to stare at the north star like every night.

"Haku said you were a star gazer." Mangetsu sat down beside me.

"You could say that." I smiled at him and he even though his mouth didn't smile his eyes did it for him.

"So what's so special about them anyway?" He laid back with me and his hair tickled my cheek.

"I read when I was a kid that the north star could be used to find your way home. So when I look at it I think of my home." I blush embarrassed at my confession.

"Where is home? And why are here instead. You don't seem like you belong here." I frown and turn to him.

"Why can't I belong here?" I could see him understand he just said the wrong thing.

"this place is the home of the Seven bloody swords man and their apprentices. You are far from bloody and dark like this place. I meant it as a compliment." I blush and I jump a little as he turns my face toward him. I was about to ask what he was doing but then I was kissed for the second time of my life.

"You look like a tomato." I try to hide my face but he kisses me again. Together we watch the stars, well I watch the stars and he watches me.


came home from work and wrote a chappy for you guys...

I decided hinata need some sword training...surprise! Don't worry, the pairing for the story isn't mangetsu x hinata.

I'm thinking the brothers come back next chapter or maybe the one after that but it will be soon.

Review=motivation to hurry my ass up and post.

White shadow