Kakashi stared at the flames of the fire for a long time. Often dazing off and going into a slight doze.
His legs stretched out and crossed, arms crossed over his chest and his eye almost closed, leaning against a nearby trunk of a tree.
He was recapping the day's events. 'What could have gone wrong?', 'What did I miss?', and 'And if she is really here, who brought her back?' was all that was running through his throbbing brain. He had to pry open his memory and recapture that horrible day, replaying it over and over and over in his mind until it hurt.
Several questions remained in his mind, 'Could it be Okami? Nah... Or maybe it was just she wasn't dead after all, no I checked her vital signs...'
He sighed and closed his eye, resting his chin on his chest, deep in thought.
He opened his eye half way again, knitting his eyebrows together in confusion. 'But, it can't be him... It can't be Sankaku... She's past the age where-' Kakashi shook his head. 'Stop thinking about that, it hasn't happened and it's in the past.' He sighed. '... Then how did she come back? It's still possible...'
Rai, on the other hand, was always a light sleeper. She lay down when the others did, though they tried to scoot away from her as far as possible due to the encounter they had earlier, and fell asleep along with them.
She still had some mental and physical healing to do on her own, though she looked alright, she still needed it.
She lay there with her front paws crossed and her giant head on top of them, her back paws crouched and kept to the side, ready to stand up at any minute if trouble arose, and her fluffy long tail brought elegantly around her side.
After the fire was going for several minutes, she opened her brown eyes slowly.
She stared through the flames at Kakashi, he was either staring at her, or at the flames themselves. She couldn't tell which. She then saw him draw in a breath and sigh. She didn't know if he knew she was up, she didn't think he did. She then felt slightly tense. Therefore, she rolled over on her left side and stretched. Her legs going to their fullest height, and claws coming out of her paws, her tail, as well, stretched itself too.
Once done, she laid them on the ground and sighed heavily.
Suddenly, he saw movement through the flames and the heavy sigh that followed, distracted him from his deep though and conversation with himself. He glanced up through the flames, it was Rai, she was up! He saw her roll over on her side, stretch and sigh. Kakashi made a slight smile behind his masked face. 'Just like Rai.' He thought. He then made a faint clicking noise with his tongue.
Rai's ears flicked toward the sound. She lifted her giant head to look in the direction of the sound, she saw Hatake looking at her.
He clicked again.
Rai rolled her relaxed and stretched out body on to her stomach; her back legs twisted under her and out to her right, while her front paws faced downward towards the ground.
He made the noise again.
Rai pushed up with her front paws, slid her back paws to where they should be and stood up. She quietly paced over to her master, around the fire, and making sure not to step on any of the genin. Once Rai was at Kakashi's side, she sat down and walked her front paws forward so she could lay down, and placed her head on Kakashi's outstretched legs. She closed her eyes and sighed, after finding a comfortable position.
Kakashi began to stroke the dog's scruff down to the middle of her back.
Her breath began to fall rhythmically as she began to fall asleep.
'Like old times.' Hatake thought. He laid his head against the tree and gazed up at the stars through the canopy of the trees. He slowly found himself closing his eye and fell into a light sleep.
In the morning, the three genin began to stir. They grunted, groaned, and yawned, trying to rid their bodies of the horrible disease called 'sleep'.
Sakura was the first one out of her bag. She stood up and stretched, reaching towards the sky.
"Good morning, everyone." Sakura stated as she finished stretching and began to roll up her bag for the trip.
Naruto sat up, looking as if he was still asleep.
Sasuke just grunted. He climbed out of his bag next.
Naruto tried to wiggle his way out of his bag, still sitting, but fell down on his back. He then turned over on his front and did the 'caterpillar' to worm his way out of his captive sleeping bag.
Sakura had just rolled up her sleeping bag and glanced towards the fire pit.
The embers were still glowing in the pit, yet no fire, just smoke.
Sasuke shook his head to rid himself of sleep and to put his hair back in its proper place. He then looked around. "Hey," he stated, "where's Kakashi?"
Sakura looked around the camp as well.
He was right, their sensei had gone missing, yet his stuff was here, all packed up and ready to go.
"He's probably off somewhere." Sakura shrugged as she resumed packing her belongings.
Naruto grunted and sat up, still looking as if he was sleeping. He mumbled something then fell over, asleep. He soon found himself rudely awaken by a shoe being thrown at him. "Okay! Okay! Okay! I'm up! I'm up! I'm up!" Naruto quickly said, sitting bolt upright.
"Get packed idiot..." Sasuke stated.
Naruto pouted and threw Sakura's shoe back to her, catching it in her hand and putting it back on her foot. Naruto sluggishly got packed and slowly getting rid of his grogginess.
Kakashi finally decided to come back; the genin had everything packed up and were sitting there bored out of their minds.
"Good morning everyone!" Kakashi said, as he appeared out of the forest, waving his right hand in one sweeping motion, a friendly gesture. He then placed his hand back in his pocket. He seemed unaffected by yesterday's previous events that occurred.
Everyone looked at him strangely.
Kakashi opened his eye, and was shocked at the sight he saw.
His genin grouchy and glaring at him as if he did something that could have destroyed the world, or in other words, they gave him a look that they usually give Naruto when he does something stupid.
"What?" He asked. He scanned from genin to genin, trying to figure out what he did wrong.
Sakura shook her head and smacked her palm against her forehead.
"And, you were where?" Naruto drawled, agitated. He was sitting on the ground, legs folded and arms crossed, and his face squinted in annoyance.
Rai came out from behind Kakashi, slightly oblivious to what just happened. She stopped and quickly snapped her head from genin to genin, confused.
"Taking a walk." He stated with a slight shrug and then he looked down at Rai who looked at him and cocked her head slightly.
The genin mumbled and grumbled words like, 'Sure you were' or 'Yeah sure', making sure to drawl them out slightly.
"What's got you guys in a bad mood?" Kakashi asked, pulling on his backpack.
The three genin did the same, groaning in unison. They began to walk again.
As they came over a hill, they could see the village. The genin abruptly stopped and looked at one another in confusion, with question marks floating over their heads.
Kakashi felt their presence slowly linger behind him and he stopped and turned around to see what was keeping them. "Is something wrong?"
Rai had kept going and stopped several meters from Kakashi, she turned and looked back as well.
"Sensei..." Sakura spoke for the group. "Why are we heading back to the village?"
"Yeah!" Naruto said, jumping forward and waving his arms. "Don't we have to find your friend?"
"Nope." Kakashi stated simply. He turned and began to walk again, catching up to Rai.
The genin still stood there.
"But..." Sakura interrupted. "You were kind of worried about your friend, and we haven't even completed our mission yet!" Sakura's voice grew steadily louder as Kakashi proceeded to walk further away.
"We already have!" Kakashi yelled back, waving his left hand in the air.
The three genin almost fell over in shock and confusion. They had already found his friend?
"We... did?" Sakura asked, confused.
"Yep!" Kakashi called back, still walking.
Naruto stood back up and questioned, "And where would your friend be?"
"Here!" Kakashi called as he caught up to Rai.
"Where's here!" The genin yelled at him.
"Right here." Kakashi placed his left hand on Rai's head, stopping then they both started to walk away again.
"Wha?" The three genin were dumbfounded.
Naruto recovered first. He shook his head, and pointed a finger at Kakashi and Rai. "I thought we were looking for a human being! Not a flea bitten mutt!"
Both of them stopped abruptly.
Kakashi quickly turned around and stated angrily at Naruto, in a warning tone that they haven't heard in a while. "You shouldn't have done that!"
A shadow cast over Rai's eyes. Rai's fur began to bristle; a low rumble began emanated from her throat.
"Rai?" Kakashi stated in a warning tone.
Rai suddenly turned and bolted to Naruto at full speed.
"Shit!" Kakashi muttered, he wouldn't be able to catch Rai at that speed.
Rai lunged at him and knocked him over on his back. She stood atop him triumphantly, head low and tail held high. Her muzzle was so close to Naruto's face. She snarled viciously.
Naruto was about to wet his pants he was so scared. He was stunned, as he looked into the eyes of the wolf that pinned him by the shoulders with its massive paws and its claws digging into his flesh.
Rai had bared her teeth to the fullest, showing healthy pink gums and shining, white, razor sharp teeth. Her tongue was curled back, so she wouldn't bite it if she has to bite something.
Sasuke and Sakura were both astonished at the speed and power that the 69.18 kg wolf had generated. Since, Naruto was in between them they both looked to the middle and back. Naruto had been flung a good couple meters. They stood there shuddering and immobile; they were so scared.
Naruto heard a barely audible voice, "What did you just call me?" It was barely audible, he didn't pay any attention to it, he just wanted to focus on staying alive.
The wolf's eyes penetrated Naruto's.
Suddenly, a voice rang out over everything.
"RAI!" It was Kakashi's voice.
Rai stiffened slightly and closed her mouth. She turned her head to Kakashi.
He was glaring at her.
Rai's ears went flat against her skull and her tail went as far between her legs as possible. She whimpered, crawled off Naruto and half-crawled half-crouched over to Kakashi's side, trying to keep as low as possible.
He glared at her the whole way; she tried to avoid his eyes. "Heel..." He pointed to his right side.
Rai did as she was told; she stood by him, trying to avoid his eyes.
Naruto sat up and stared wide eyed at the wolf that had just tried to eat him, and is now acting like an obedient dog!
Sakura and Sasuke helped Naruto up.
"Are you alright?" Sakura asked Naruto as they hauled him to his feet.
"Yeah, kind of stunned." He was still slightly out of it, and still stunned, not fully recovered from the incident.
The genin made sure to keep their distance as they kept approaching the village.
Kakashi had made sure Rai stayed in front of him the whole walk home.
Mean while...
Kurenai and her squad were in the training field. They were working on their hand-to-hand combat.
Akamaru was lying down at the base of a tree watching his owner practice. Suddenly, something caught his nose. He stood up and barked several times before taking off.
"Akamaru?" Kiba asked, before going off after his companion.
"Kiba?" Hinata asked before going off after him.
"Kiba! Hinata!" Kurenai yelled after them, her and Shino took off after them.
Back with Squad 7
Rai had been walking in front for a while. As the village grew steadily closer, she suddenly stopped. Rai's nose quivered very slightly, taking in scents of approaching living things. Her ears were also forward, scanning, searching, listening.
The genin and Kakashi stopped and looked questioningly at Rai.
Rai began to growl, head low and tail held high.
The group looked up ahead, in the path, was Akamaru, followed by Kiba and his squad and Sensei.
"Oh no." Naruto muttered.
"Akamaru stop!" Sakura yelled.
Kakashi cursed under his breath again running to Rai. He knew her next move. When he almost grabbed her konoha she bolted off to Akamaru.
"Not again." He muttered. "Akamaru! Kiba! Get out of here! Run!" He yelled to them as loud and as quickly as he could. But, it was too late.
They saw a grey blur come racing towards them; the humans skidded to a stop.
"Wha-...what is that?" Kiba asked Kurenai.
"It looks like a-..." When Kurenai realized what it was her crimson eyes went wide. "Kiba! Call Akamaru back, quickly!"
"Akamaru! Here boy!" Kiba called, but it was too late.
The two canines were about to collide.
Hinata and Sakura closed their eyes and looked away.
When Akamaru finally realized what he was up against, he skidded to a stop and was right in the range of the wolf. He yelped out a cry.
"Akamaru!" Kiba yelled.
Rai lunged at Akamaru, jaws open and claws attracted.
A gloved hand reached out and grabbed the lunging wolf by the back of her konoha. This surprised the wolf and she let out a yelp in surprise as she was jerked back.
Akamaru turned tail and ran back to Kiba, jumping into Kiba's jacket and hiding.
"Akamaru? What's wrong boy?" Kiba asked, talking into his jacket.
Rai got real agitated and forced against the person's hold on her konoha. She was standing up on her hind legs and lunging forward, or at least trying to.
It was Kakashi, who had a hold of Rai. He had his heels dug into the ground, and yet, this wolf was still pulling him, ever so slightly.
Akamaru responded to Kiba with a chorus of yips and whines.
Kiba's eyes went wide slightly, "Are you sure?" He asked as he looked at the wolf.
Akamaru yipped.
"Kakashi... is that who I think it is?" Kurenai had to ask.
"Well..." Kakashi grunted, "if it's who your thinking what I'm thinking," he grunted again, "Then, yes..." Kakashi tried to walk backwards, he only got several steps before being pulled back to where he started. "Could, you please..." Kakashi grunted. "Get Akamaru out of here?" Kakashi had to tighten his grip on Rai's konoha because his hand felt like it was slipping.
Kurenai slightly nodded, "Let's go." She told her group, and she took off in a blur, as did her squad.
Rai continued to growl.
Kakashi finally let her go. He stumbled slightly backwards and Rai went forwards slightly. When Kakashi regained his balanced, he glared at Rai.
Rai flattened her ears and whimpered. She then turned to her left, and Kakashi turned to his right. Rai's ears perked up, like satellite dishes, scanning for the faintest sounds.
"Hmm?" Kakashi asked as he strained to hear it, it was very quiet, but he could hear it.
Rai looked at Kakashi and Kakashi at Rai, her eyes pleading.
Kakashi nodded in the direction that they were looking before, as a 'go ahead'.
Rai's ears went back and she whimpered a bit.
Kakashi shook his head in the direction again this time as if he was saying 'it's okay'.
He then looked in the direction of the sound.
Rai slowly turned and walked into the woods, then bolted off, disappearing in a rustle of leaves and wind.
The genin were finally brave enough to approach Kakashi, cautiously.
"What was that about?" Naruto asked as he scratched the back of his head.
Kakashi kept staring at where Rai had disappeared into the woods. "Just wait and you'll see."
The three genin looked from Kakashi to each other than to the woods.
Several seconds later they heard a beautiful cry.
"Awe!" The genin's jaws dropped in amazement at the pure tone.
Kakashi closed his eye and raised his head slightly, as if concentrating only on the sound.
The song was beautiful. It was a wolf's cry. It was pure, soft and wonderful. It soon died down. However, the wind still carried it.
"Wow..." Sakura sighed in amazement.
"Who was that?" Naruto asked, in a whisper like tone.
Then another song emanated from among the wind, but this one was slightly lower than the first. Then another joined in, and another, and another, until it was a full chorus of wolves singing together; their beautiful tones blending in harmony. The song echoed off the mountains, played on the ripples of the lake, and danced with the wind, as it carried it miles from the source from which it originated. Once at its limit, it died down. Once the song was over, remnants of it was still carried among the wind, to the people still listening in amazement.
"Woah..." The three genin exclaimed.
"That…was..." Naruto said.
"Unbelievable..." Sakura finished for Naruto.
The genin all looked at Kakashi.
Kakashi lowered his head and opened his eye. He turned and smiled at them...
