I do not own any rights to Naruto (story or characters). Just the characters I make up along the way! I have full love and respect for Masashi Kishimoto!
SOOOOOO sorry it's taken FOREVER for me to update. I've started going to college for Creative writing and that needed to be my focus for a while. Hopefully I will get the next couple of chapters up this week. Be patient with me ;p
Have fun!
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Stepping into the shade and feeling the sand beneath my feet, I let my weary shoulders drop in exhaustion. Home, I was finally home. After three long tiring weeks in Konoha, I was back. The moment I caught sight of the village in the distance I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief overcame me. The visit to Konoha was so sudden that I hadn't had time to come to terms with leaving the safety of the desert. Stepping into the unknown, into a territory where not only had I never been but where I was a stranger was terrifying. Since the moment I left my whole body was tense ready for an attack at a moment's notice with no solace.
I could feel the tension bleed out of my body as I walked through the break in the tone wall that leads to Suna. A merchant was leaving the village as I entered, one of the small caravans that still lived out in the desert. I recognized him as a client of mine, an older man that looked after his youngest grandchild. He had arthritis and a bad back, but the tough old fart refused to give up his trade. He stopped just to greet me as I passed.
With a hug from his granddaughter and a gummy smile, he went on his way. I found myself genuinely smiling for the first time in weeks.
From the moment I walked through the gates of Konoha, I was in enemy territory. It didn't matter the Konoha was Suna's ally; I was effectively walking into a war zone. I could feel eyes on me the moment I walked in; a presence on the edge of my awareness that followed me everywhere. Not sure if it was the council or the village itself I couldn't take the risk of contacting my contacts in Suna. I barely managed to get a letter out to
Gaara using Shiba's summoning.
I met at the gates of Konoha a smiling woman with soft pink hair and beautiful green
eyes. Sakura was just as Kaiyo had described her. Cute, smart, and full of fire. My head was still spinning watching her tear through the hospital. People either were terrified of her or in awe of her; I was a little bit of both. She has a passion for the healing art and a thirst for knowledge that left me speechless. I hadn't thought to bring any of my journals with me so I was left rattling off general bits of information that I could remember off the top of my head. She ate it up like a sponge giving comments and offering some of her research in return. I left with at least three more books and a promise to send some of my own.
"Yuu-chan!" With a quick step to the right, I dodged the incoming brown blur as it leaped at me. The move was practiced leaving the woman no time to correct as she landed face first in the sand. "You are so mean Yuu-chan," Kaiyo whined from the ground spitting out sand as she spoke. With a quiet chuckle, I reached down to help her up pulling the woman to her feet. I may love Kaiyo's particular form of greeting, but that didn't mean I had to let it happen every time.
"Hey, Kaiyo." Her face melted into a bright smile as she wrapped her arms around me in a warm hug. I wouldn't admit it out loud, but I missed this. This warmth and feeling of home that Kaiyo seemed to radiate. It made the ache that had plagued my body all but melt away; it was good to be home. Stepping back from Kaiyo's embrace I turned to the approaching delegation from Konoha that had walked up behind me. At the front was the Hokage surround by his guard and the Gennin teams participating in the exams. Since we were all going the same way, I decided that traveling together made more sense. Plus it allowed me to gather information from those closest to the Hokage. The Hokage had agreed to my request with a curious look in his eyes before plastering on what I was sure a cheesy smile.
"Hokage-sama. Welcome to Suna." Kaiyo bows respectively in greeting her brown curls bouncing in the wind. The masked man's eyes wrinkle in greeting. "Thank you." He offered motioning to the Jounnin sensei's to go ahead with their teams. Only four people stayed behind. Shikamaru whispered something into the Hokage's ear that I couldn't make out. "I was hoping to freshen up before meeting with the Kage." Kakashi offered with an eye crinkle. I didn't trust the masked man as far as I could throw him but Gaara respected him, so I held my tongue. Kaiyo seemed to be ok with that and motioned one of the Jounnin behind her to escort the Hokage to his rooms. I left Kaiyo with Temari, who was beating off the brunettes advances with her fans, knowing that she was in good hands. It had been too long, and my forest was calling to me.
The clean, fresh air of my sanctuary greeted me as I walked into the cavern. The branches and trees seemed to reach for me in welcome the moment I walked in, and I found myself just wandering around the forest floor for awhile. My herb garden was in perfect condition, just like I left it, and I noted that I needed to thank Kaiyo for taking care of things while I was gone.
Shiba was waiting for me the moment I walked into my house lying in the middle of a big patch of sun apparently napping. "We need to talk." Ignoring her words I walked past her setting my stuff down on the small table in the center of the room. I stripped out of the cloak I had donned the moment I entered the desert and pulled off the bulk of my weapons. By the time I turned around I was down to just my pants and shirt, bindings and goggles left on the table behind me. Shiba cocked her head up at me looking me over curiously. "I see that" was all I said as I stretched my weary muscles. She glared at me but seeing as she hadn't deemed this conversation worthy of her standing I decided to make myself comfortable. I all but fell into my bed pulling my largest pillow against my chest as I sunk into the mattress. Kami, it felt wonderful to be home finally.
"I've been tracking activity in the desert," Shiba spoke finally standing up from her prone position. Stretching out more like a cat than a wolf she clawed at the wood beneath her claws. With a massive yawn that had her sharp white teeth sparkling in the light, she padded over to my bed. "I'm sure that Gaara's aware of it," I said turning on my side to snuggle deeper into the mattress.
I spend so much time in the village now that I never have a chance to just relax in my bed anymore. As much as I missed the Suna, I need a moment to myself. "Look at you." Cracking open an eye I gave her a questioning look. "What?" I asked through a yawn. Ok, I needed a long shower and my hair needed to be brushed but other than that I looked the same as when I left. Something in her eyes, however, had me sitting up. "Shiba?" But she didn't answer me. Instead, she climbed onto the bed behind me curling up like she did when I was a child. Her tail whacked me in the head a couple of times before she finally got settled. I smacked it hard earning a playful snap of her teeth to my rear. I wanted to boot her out of my bed seeing as it wasn't built for a large wolf, but the warmth of her fur was making it harder to keep my eyes open. Her voice rumbled against my back, and I felt myself relax into sleep. "Sleep little one. I will keep watch over you."