Authors Note: I noticed something yesterday from helping my brother with his english homework. - "Hello everyone," Kit said. - Commas have to go there every time when said is there or replied and so on...Apparently. So from now on I will carry on with that new knowledge in mine. If I slip into old habits, sorry! No one ever said anything so I guess it's not a big deal? Just checkin.

Sasuke was now leading a small group into the forest. They were headed after his niece that had ran off by herself. He'd gotten word from Tsunade that the girl had gone on alone but that wasn't all he'd found out. The hormonal level around the place was going to hit a new height sooner or later. For now everything seemed to be going fine so he didn't have to add that to his plate of growing problems. He awaited the day when he could retire, much earlier than expected. Running around all the time was quite stressing especially when it wasn't for your own benefit but someone elses.

They arrived at the border of their territory, sniffing around for the girl and instead finding another scent. A foreign smell with hints of yucky substance leading it. The group followed the trail, caution and curiosity in every step till they came upon the sickly enemy. Their Alpha made the first approach attempt, observing over the white canine.

"Check our surroundings," he ordered them on the side, nose down to the fox. As the group bustled about, he remained near the creatures side. It's rising and following chest giving away that it was clearly still fighting whatever was wrong with it. He didn't understand why they did this to each other and themselves. Their warfare made no sense. You should be trying to reserve your numbers, not deplete them. He sighed and waited for the fox to give out, wondering why it was here in the first place. Perhaps...

If it lived through whatever it was going through, then he could get some answers later.

"We're taking him with us," the pack leader said to the three.

"Why?! He's not going make it back to camp!" the speaker poked his out from amongst the bushes.

"I say we kill em'." Another came out of a bush on the opposite side.

"I say we kill em' then take him back to camp," the third chimed in from around a tree.

Sasuke simply shrugged, for he didn't mind either of those options but he had to think logically. "If he lives, then we'll get some information out of him. After that, well, we'll see what happens."

The small group shared mixed nods for the circumstances made. They obeyed their leader and helped carry the enemy back to the den area where they left him in the med-wolf's section. The warm welcome was there for them afterwards but not for what they had brought in. Sasuke didn't get a chance to explain right away about what they had in mind for the creature since everyone was shouting again. The Tsuyoi were the worst of the angry mob, screaming and growling amuck. They had every right to be crude and disgruntled. If he hadn't made friends with Tobi then the white fox might have been mauled to death.

The orange swirled wolf helped the raven calm everyone down enough for him to clarify what was going on.

"He's only staying here for us to question him. It's likely that he might die before hand anyway."

The rowdy pack stirred a little at the news.

"What about after you're done with your investigation?" someone asked from the group.

"Can we have him?!" Another wolf inquired in with malicious intentions behind his words. He was a canine from the Tsuyoi crowd that greatly agreed with him. They all wanted payback for their home being taken.

"I and your pack leader have agreed to that, yes. You all may have him to do as you wish afterwards." Sasuke glanced at Tobi next to him whom dipped his head in correspondence.

All the wolve's out for vengeance were now calming down and accepting the terms. They then carried on with their business, leaving their alphas to carry on with their duties. The ravens mate came over soon after, their kids unattended beside him.

"I see the welcome for my kind is still the same," Naruto joked to lighten the mood. His wolf just sighed and shook his head.

"It's a mess really...I guess I hate that I actually agree with them." He chuckled offhandedly.

"Tobi understands packs rage but also see's our downfall in such anger."

"Wow, Tobi. I'm actually proud I made you my commander." Senbei weaseled his way into the conversation and up to his old friend that wavered a bit. He hadn't had time to congratulate the wolf more formally for taking his position and he didn't want it back either. Now he could leave and do as he wished without feeling obliged to something.

"Tobi can give position back if you want-"

"Nah, I'm good. Watching Sasuke run around like a shaved rabbit with a hundred kids is more than enough. Makes me happy I don't do that anymore." he sneered, earning a growl from the one teased.

"So being a complete smooch is way more rewarding than being a leader?" the fox poked back at the rugged gray wolf. Smirking at the scowl he got out of the other canine.

Sasuke chuckled at the feud between the two still. "Relax, both of you."

"I'm relaxed! It's your mate that can't keep his muzzle shut!"

Naruto snapped his jaws at Senbei in a playful manner, taunting him. He stopped when he recieved a look from the raven next to him that was curious about the whereabouts of their children.

"Where are the boys?"

"With your brother. Oh, that reminds me! He wanted me to tell you that Ibuki came back. She's at the den with everyone else."

Sasuke sighed in relief and nodded. "That's good."

"Tobi's curious to why she-wolf ran away. Me thinks it's odd that this fox shows up right after."

"He's right. Where is the snake anyway?" Senbei moved around the three to go in Tsunade's work station.

"Wait, Senbei!" Sasuke followed, unsure of the wolf's intentions. He was accompanied by his mate and friend into the den where the she-wolf was trying to work her magic on their prisoner.

The med-wolf had all kinds of plant like things and other materials beside her that looked plain out unnatural. Her paws were covered in weird blue goo that dripped whenever she lifted them and touched the white foxes stomach. She was doing everything she could to get whatever he'd eaten out but it was too late. The poison or whatever it was was already in his bloodstream and taking his body through all kinds of symptoms. There wasn't much she could do. She did manage to get him to upchuck once but only yellow ick came out. She let out a weary sigh accompanied by a defeat like posture. Her mood only worsened when her ex patient came in.

"No! Out! He's not ready!"

"Calm down, witch." Senbei scoffed, circling the canine on the ground on it's side, recognizing him from earlier. As the others filed in, much to the med-wolfs displeasure, he continued to scope the fox out, revelling in its suffering.

"Get out! All of you! I don't know what he caught and or what he ate! It could be airborne or passive by contact!"

"Well it's too late now if it is." Sasuke spoke up, pissing of the she-wolf more.

"That doesn't make it good, idiot! He's just dying really slowly and I don't know why!"

Naruto could see that frustration going on with her. The wolf did look like a walking mess of plant puke.

"Let's hope he dies a little slower. This is the same fox from earlier," The gray wolf chuckled darkly for a moment, noticing no one had understood what he meant.

"Earlier?"

"Yeah, on the haunt. Ibuki didn't tell you, Uchiha? She saved his pelt." He grunted in disgust.

The raven held the other canine's gaze, trying to detect a lie. "Why would she do that?"

"I don't know! Ask her!"

"Yes, yes, yes go ask her and get out!" Tsunade ushered them all out of her domain, closing the vines back down over the entrance so she could continue her work in quiet.

"We should talk to her just in case."

"For once I agree with your fox." Senbei smirked as he left the three to themselves, feeling daggers at his back.

"I really don't like him…" Naruto snarled, wanting to bite off the wolf's tail.

"Me either, but he's been right on a few occasions."

"Tobi's sure he want's to help us, but in his own way."

The raven alpha nodded in agreement. "He has an asswhole way of showing it."

~oOOo~

Saboru sat up on a rock in his uncle's den, watching his siblings and cousins run around for the third time today. They all looked so happy as the adults took a brief nap. He didn't feel like resting or running. In fact, any day now he had expected to wake up and be back at his dirt home with his former sensei...The wolf would laugh at his childish dream and claim there was no one but him in his life. He wasn't sure if he'd be sad or not either. He'd been having so much fun, felt so much love and ate so much food that it didn't seem real or it was too real. He went along with it though. Smiling, joking and laughing were now a every minute thing. Even his old classmates were here, shedding light that it was very much real. Then what was this feeling?

"Hey Saboru, you coming down or what?" Ichiro looked up to his little brother, misunderstanding his silence. "You gotta go pee?"

"Or poop?" Netsy came up behind the crimson child, sniffing his tail and making him shy away.

"No, no I'm fine!"

"Then what?" They all questioned at once, quirking their heads in unison like clones.

"I just feel unsettled I guess," He mumbled, bringing his tail up over his face in embarrassment.

"Unsettled about what?" the first born jumped up beside his kin and nudged him.

"Do you want go home?"

"I can go get dad!"

"Get dad for what?" Naruto entered the den, his mate right behind him. Both adults were curious to what was going with all the children surrounded around their youngest.

"Saboru feels unsettled?!" Jirou said aloud, perplexed at the meaning.

"Why is that?" The fox worried, walking over to his bothered son.

"It's nothing, really!"

"He's lying!" Netsy shouted, causing her parents to stir.

"Sshh, I see you guy's worked my brother to death." Sasuke smiled at the couple huddled together in the far back, tails locked around each other.

"We should let them sleep. Come on boys, we're going home." Naruto then motioned his young out, turning around to his whining nieces.

"Can we come too?"

"Please!"

"Well... Sasuke?"

The Alpha looked from his mate to the six wide eyed girls pleading up to him. He groaned and noticed one was missing. "Where's your older sister?"

"She went off somewhere again right after uncle Naruto left."

"I see. Naruto, I have to-"

"I got it." Naruto sighed, knowing the deal. "Just don't forget we have dinner tonight with Tobi. Come on girls." He lead the lasses out, leaving his mate to go on another search for the girl. His boys were happy for the company but now their dad had more bundles to watch. He groaned and walked on home, hearing five different conversations going on amongst the ones beneath him. The youngest of the group was still quiet and the child even stopped moving at one point when they passed by Senbei talking to another wolf.

"Saboru, are you sure you're alright?"

He shrugged and looked away from the far off conversation. He shared a smile halfheartedly up to his dad and nodded. He had forgotten that the wolf was still alive. Like his older cousin, he wasn't to happy about that...or was he? Stuck with confusing thoughts, he headed on home with his family. At first he thought he could catch a break but his cousins proved him wrong.

Even Naruto showed that he was starting to regret his decision. Every twenty minutes or so he had to break up a fight between the boys and girls and or just the girls. Why they were so hyper, he had no idea. He did know that Itachi owed him one later. He laid down for split second and was ambushed. Moving pounds of fur all over his face and head, chewing on his tail and ears.

He wasn't sure if he'd be making it to dinner tonight at all.

~oOOo~

Sasuke followed the girls scent all over the camp grounds. He could tell she was trying to hide her location by crossing over others paths but that didn't deter him. The trail brought him back to the med-wolfs den where he waited outside to the left, listening in on the hushed voices. Their whispering made no sense to him so he stayed hidden.

"But with him?! Of all the canines in the world, Ibuki!" Tsunade whispered, highly astonished. She was just about to put fox out of his misery before her apprentice showed up waving the love card.

"I know, okay! I know...You can't tell my uncle though!" She begged as if her life was on the line. In reality your mate was your life and you'd do anything to protect him and or her. It was their way of things, no matter whose side the other was on.

"I can't tell him?! What is wrong with your family and foxes?!"

"There is nothing wrong with us! I'm just not ready-"

"Well when will you be ready? Come next season? Or when he's dead from whatever he's got or the mauling he's going to die from if he lives?! The older med-wolf laughed in mocking outrage of the situation. It was incredible! Another Uchiha had fallen for their enemy. If it was one of the pack leaders children, she would of understood, but Itachi's child? No, no, no, no! Especially not the one she herself trained.

"I'll just stop them! Give me and him some time! He's going to make it…" Ibuki nestled closer the stagger breathing fox and rested her head on his neck, ignoring the appalled look she was receiving from her superior. The older she-wolf would never understand, for she had the worst luck when it came to zinging, worser than her uncle had.

"I don't get why you're protecting him. His kind is responsible for everything thats happened to us!"

"Are they?"

Tsunade gave up with a growl breaking the hush hush silence. She returned to her plate of medicine, trying to rack her brain over why the girl had to be so damn difficult.