Two loud stomach growls could be heard echoing in the forest. Naru jumped and gripped Shiro's vest tightly.

"What was that Shiro-Sensei?" She asked. He sighed looking at the two preteens who were blushing deeply.

"That would your brother and Saku's stomachs."

Tsunami giggled looking at Saku and Naoto.

"Perhaps we should stop and eat some food." She suggested. They all nodded and set up an area where they could eat.

Naru, Shiro and Tsunami stared Naoto and Saku who were stuffing food in their mouths. They both then stopped at saw Tsunami giggling. They both blushed and began eating normally. Naru shook her head as she bit into a rice ball. She sighed deeply and swapped bugs away from her.

"I don't like eating out here like this there's so many bugs." Naru complained.

"I agree." Tsunami smiled.

"Are the bugs bothering you Tsunami-Hime you won't be to beat up?" Saku asked looking around.

"You can't beat up bugs, baka you have to kill them!" Naoto yelled at him and smiled looking Tsunami who had a sweat drop coming down the side of her head. "He's such a youngin."

"HEY! I'm OLDER than you!!" Saku yelled at him.

"Only by a couple of months!!" Naoto yelled back.

"Would you two shut it?!" Saku yelled at them. They both became silent and started eating. Tsunami began giggling.

After they all finished eating they started back on their journey. Naru looked around her area. She couldn't put her foot on it but something was making her scared. She hasn't left Shiro's side since they began their journey. Shiro looked at her and smiled as he placed his hand on her head.

"Don't worry Naru-Chan, have fun while you're on this journey. It's not everyday you get a mission with good traveling."

"Right." She forced a smile on her face even though she didn't feel any better.

Shiro then pushed Naru into Naoto who caught her and used a kunai to deflect four shuriken attacks. He then looked around to see where that came from.

"Everyone stand alert we're not alone." He told them looking around. Naoto and Saku stood in front of Tsunami. Naru slowly stood in front of Tsunami and looked around. She felt her heart speeding. She didn't what this feeling was but it was making her very scared. "NARU stop it!" Shiro yelled at her. She looked at him. "You're a ninja now act like it don't show fear." He told her. She nodded her head and stood her ground trying to control her fear. Shiro looked at her before looking back around. This is bad something got Naru very freaked knowing her since she was born Naru rarely ever showed fear.

Laughing could be heard in the trees.

"She's a little girl. She's allowed to be fearful. After all she's going to die today." A woman's voice was heard. Naru's right leg began shaking. She held her kunai tightly and cleared her throat but she couldn't stop shaking. Shiro looked at her again before looking back at the area.

"Show yourself!" He demanded.

"Shall we boys?" The woman asked and three figures jumped out the trees landing in front of the group. They chuckled staring at the young ninjas.

"Aww you all are very cute maybe if you hand us the princess we won't kill you." The woman smiled placing her hand on her hip.

"Sorry but that's not our mission." Shiro smiled looking at them. He then stood in front of the group.

"Hmm you're a cocky little bastard aren't you?" The biggest man of the group said. Shiro only smirked. He growled and placed his hand on his sword. The other man placed his hand on his partner's hand.

"Cool it Bato they're only children there's no need for all of us to fight."

"Fine, then let me do it I wanna snake this cocky bastard." He said stepping forward causing the younger group to take a step back.

"I don't mind watching a show it's been a while right Baji?" The woman smiled looking at him. He nodded his head.

"Sure has Sizu, let's sit." They both sat down under a tree to watch the show. Shiro held his hand out in front of the younger group staring at the giant man.

"You three protect the princess and keep your eyes open and whatever you do don't leave her side. Understand?" He demanded looking at them with a stare he never gave them before. They nodded and backed up some to give him his space.

Bato and Shiro stood in fighting stances staring each other down.

"One thing I hate more then kids is cocky bastards and you're one cocky bastard." He growled. Shiro smirked much like his father.

"I maybe a cocky bastard but one thing's for sure I'm no kid old man." With that Shiro glided toward him and they were in battle. Throwing punches at each other. Shiro kicked Bato in the chest sending him flying back. Bato jumped on a tree branch and hung upside down. He smiled staring at Shiro.

"That guy is standing upside down on that branch." Naoto gasped. Saku shook his head he couldn't believe it. Naru began trembling, she never felt so scared in her life. Naoto looked at her and placed his hand on her shoulder. She looked at him. He smiled at her.

"Relax nothing's gonna happen to you, Saku, Shiro and me will protect you and Tsunami. Believe it." He smiled. Naru stared at him and saw just how much he looked like their father. Seeing him smile made her think about their father. She then smiled widely losing her fear.

"Believe it."

Shiro did hand signs and took a deep breath.

"KATON: GOKAKYU NO JUTSU!!!!" He shouted and shot a huge fireball at Bato. He grabbed his huge sword and sliced through the jutsu.

"You're gonna have to do better then that." He laughed and looked in shocked when Shiro was taking another deep breath.

"KATON: HOSENKA NO JUTSU!!" He shouted and began shooting multiple fireballs at Bato who dodged them all. Bato laughed.

"Sorry you're fireballs aren't quite effective as you thought." He laughed harder he then stopped laughing when he felt something grab him. He turned around and saw Shiro holding him tightly. He then looked forward and saw Shiro standing in front of him. "What the hell is this, your clones are real?" He began moving trying to move the clone off of him. He then looked confused when saw a cord connecting to both Shiro's. He saw they both had each end in their mouths and smirked. Bato's eyes widened in shock.

"RYUKA NO JUTSU!!" He smirked and blew fire along the cord the fire hit Bato and Shiro's clone disappeared.

Baji and Sizu both stood up.

"He needs help this kid is apparently stronger than we took him for." Sizu said and began doing hands signs. She stopped and jumped back. She looked down and saw a kunai in her old spot where she was standing. She growled at the person who threw it.

"This is a one on one fight. You're not allowed to interfere with my brother." Saku said holding another kunai in his hand. She growled feeling her blood boil.

"Why you little brat."

Bato groaned and slowly lifted his head up only to get kneed in the face by Shiro. He then did hands signs and three more of him appeared giving Bato the beating of his life.

Baji sighed deeply and formed hand signs. He then took a deep breath and blew out a strong wind knocking Shiro and Saku away from them. Sizu picked Bato up.

"This isn't the last of us." Sizu said and they all disappeared. Shiro crossed his arms and growled. He then looked at his little brother who was rubbing the back of his head.

"Are you alright?" He asked Saku. Saku stood up and smiled.

"Yeah."

"Onii-San!!!" Naru ran to him and hugged his waist. She then began crying. He smiled and knelt down as he began rubbing her head.

"Great job Naru-Chan." He told her. She looked at him and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"But I didn't do anything." She cried feeling ashamed.

"No, that's not true at all Naru you protected the princess. She's safe thanks to you." He then wiped the rest of her tears for her. "Your parents would be proud of you."

"Shiro-Onii-San." She cried some more and hugged him around his neck. He then picked her up as she buried her face on his neck and looked Naoto and Saku.

"Good job guys. Are you alright Tsunami-Hime?" He asked the young princess. She slowly nodded her head looking shock herself. "Alright, let's be off."

"Don't you need to rest Shiro? You used a lot of charka." Naoto said. Shiro began laughing.

"If I needed a rest after that little battle then I don't think I should be an elite jonin don't you think?" He smiled. Naoto and Saku looked at each other and smiled.

"You're so cool Onii-San!" They both shouted. He began laughing looking at the two boys. Tsunami began to giggle softly. He reminded her of her big brother in many ways. She looked up to the sky. She really missed him.

"THAT BASTARD I'LL FUCKING KILL HIM!!!" Bato screamed out in fury.

"STAY STILL BATO!!!" Sizu yelled as she performed a healing jutsu on him. He sighed.

"Apparently that kid is a jonin I didn't pay any attention to his vest." Baji said looking up at the sky.

"He's so young, he's already a jonin?" Bato asked as Sizu finished. He began stretching his muscles.

"I'm afraid so. The ninjas in Konoha Village are greatly advancing if we don't put a stop to that village they may become the strongest village around and if that happens they may wanna conquer other places and no one will be able to stop them. Konoha must fall even if it's the last thing we do. We can't let those four return home." Baji said as Sizu and Bato nodded their heads. "Now let's rest up we'll attack them when they get to the village after all we need to let the master train his kids." They all smirked evilly.

Shiro sighed looking at Naru who was fast asleep laying her head on his lap. He then looked over at the young princess who was also asleep. He glanced at Naoto and Saku who were moving around in their sleeping bags. He knew they weren't sleeping.

"Stop fooling around you two and get to sleep. We have a long journey and with those three after the princess we need all the strength we can get." Shiro told them. Naoto then looked at him.

"Why did Naru freak out the way she did? I've never seen her like that before. She was scared." Naoto said as Saku nodded. Shiro sighed and looked down at the sleeping girl.

"Well you have to consider two things one, she's young she's only nine and she's never been in a battle before. You two are much older and have in your mindset to fight no matter what. Naru hasn't fully grasped that yet. And two, those weren't regular ninjas. They were elite assassins." He said causing the two boys to freeze. Saku sat up.

"What happens if all three of them attack you?" Shiro looked up and sighed.

"I would probably have a hard time fighting them if I was a regular ninja but since I'm not I believe I can hold my ground. But that is why I'll have to train you guys as we travel. When they do attack again it will much more fierce than before." Naoto and Saku looked at each other as they started to feel the fear that Naru was feeling. Shiro saw their fear and smiled. "Don't worry boys. You are my students and my family. I won't let anything happen to you four. I'll protect you with my life." He smiled. "Now let's get some sleep."

"Right." Both the boys laid down and shortly fell asleep. Shiro looked down at Naru pulled the cover over her body further. She sighed getting comfortable.

Naru, you got to be stronger. He thought before falling asleep.