Don't own anyone or anything except what I come up with!
Chapter Eight: Unfinished business
It had been three days since they had been washed up on shore and still neither had found the other. Kakashi was still weak, but got around on make shift crutches Sakura and Sasuke had quickly carved. The Jonin denied rest until they dropped from exhaustion he was so worried for Naruto. By the fourth day Kakashi was well enough to get by without dependence on the crutches and the search speed up considerably.
Naruto dropped to his knees with a churning stomach.
"Damn... I shouldn't have packed so little food..." he muttered. "Maybe I'll get lucky and the next noodle bar is just around that boulder."
"Is ramen all you eat?" asked Imako who sat cross-legged on said boulder.
"Of course!" he said at once. "There are so many delicious flavors..."
Imako stared at him with a sweat drop as the boy rattled down all of the flavors while drooling like a waterfall.
'I can't believe my brother is sealed into such an idiot!'
Kakashi returned an hour after Sakura and Sasuke had made camp for the night and glumly joined them by the fire.
"Not one trace," he said answering their questioning looks.
"That idiot is probably having the time of his live," said Sakura downcast. "Making us worry for nothing..."
She couldn't prevent the few stray tears from falling and quickly covered her face. Kakashi moved next to her and rubbed her back in a comforting manner.
"We'll find him tomorrow," he said consoling. "I swear we will."
'If he's still alive,' thought Sasuke. 'I just hope that dunce has an idiot's luck!'
Kakashi sighed inwardly.
'They do care about each other, even if they do their best to show otherwise.'
Naruto woke having been shook and looked up.
"What..." he asked tired.
"I smell charred wood," she said taking her foot off his stomach. "It might be from your comrade's last campfire."
Naruto instantly perked up.
"Well what are you waiting for?! Lead the way!"
"Just go that way," said Imako pointing to a forest of dead trees. "I'll catch up with you."
"What are you up to?" asked Naruto suspiciously.
"I'm just going to do some business if that's all right with you," she snapped.
Naruto shrugged and darted off into the forest without a second thought.
"Perfect!"
Imako vanished after him.
"Hey yo! Anyone around?!"
Kakashi froze in place.
"Hey Master Kakashi, Sasuke, Sakura!"
The Jonin almost called out in relief of hearing Naruto's voice and whistled for the others to return from their search.
"Heeeelllllooooo!!!! Anyone!?"
Kakashi dropped to the rocky floor and hurried toward the blond Genin's voice with Sakura and Sasuke close behind. Naruto spotted his silver haired Master and ran towards him, seeing the other two behind him now as well.
"Finally!"
"I'm glad to see you in one place," said Kakashi putting his hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Naruto..."
Kakashi stepped aside to clear the way for Sakura, whose eyes were glazed with tears. Naruto smiled brightly.
"Sakura, you're alright!"
"Naruto..." she stepped closer. "You- you're..."
"Hey, it's alright, I'm right here!"
"You're... A HUGE FUCKING JERK!!" she yelled walloping him on the head. "DO YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED WE WERE?!"
Naruto was on the ground with tears of pain in the corners of his eyes.
"Dunce," muttered Sasuke behind him.
Kakashi hung his shoulders and sighed.
"Things never change..."
"Mmm yes, think that's true about people too, Hatake Kakashi?"
Kakashi snapped to attention and turned to his left to see Imako crouching on the branch of a tree. He scowled and slightly tensed for a possible fight.
"Don't Imako," he said warningly. "I'm not in the mood to fight you. Lord Hokage the Third has assigned team7 to--"
"To bring me back to Konoha, I know," she finished. "The little fox told me all about it."
Sasuke and Sakura glared at Naruto who was thoroughly confused.
"What the hell is going on here?" he asked getting up. "What's with everyone?"
"So naïve," she drawled. "Let's just say I have some unfinished business with Hatake."
Imako stood up and transformed into her demonic, wolf like form; her eyes completely black with red irises.
"And that will be corrected momentarily," she snarled maliciously.
Later days, Imako the Demon Wolf