I do not own Naruto – if I did, Kakashi would really be great – like a Sannin etc etc etc… and we'd see what's under his mask.

Revelation of the Wolf: The Glory of the Hatake Clan

Enemy Attack

For the next half of the day, Temari, Kankuuro and their team escorted the slowly trundling caravan through their wild country. Miles after miles of sand, rock and tree stubbles passed, wild hills and foreboding ridges.

The two trucks were no trouble but, after five hours, from the jeep, Temari and Kankuuro heard bangs, some scuffling and swearing.

Veering off the bumpy dirt road, the jeep jerked to a stop and the four passengers piled out.

Temari and her team watched with disbelief as the delicate image of Yukimoto Megami disappeared in a cloud curses.

Passing the family debacle, the two other vehicles continued on – there was no need for them to stop.

Signaling to the other two shinobi, Temari sent them ahead with the trucks, while she and Kankuuro remained with the smaller group.

Li, yelling, launched himself furiously, planting a punch on the bodyguard's chin.

"Pay more respect, damn you1"

The bodyguard was tactfully silent as he worked his jaw around slowly.

"SHUT UP YOU SHITHEAD!" Megami yelled, planting her tiny fist in her son's stomach. "I'm the one to punish Kakashi – if he deserves one."

"You'll always side with him –":

"Who would want to side with you?" asked Raiden sourly.

Li turned on his brother, anger raging, firsts swinging.

Materializing out of nowhere, Kakashi approached the teen from behind, grabbing his wrist and swinging him away from Raiden.

Kakashi…… I could swear I heard that name before. But where? Something Shikamaru said?

Man, that guy's fast! Kankuuro gulped. He may enjoy the Icha Icha series but it looks like he's more on top of his game than we think! Maybe we've underestimated him…..

Raiden stuck his tongue out at his older brother.

'Li, I would suggest you think before you hit," Kakashi said softly. He flicked his eyes over Raiden. "But, Raiden…. You need to stop provoking your brother…. It's seriously dangerous and I won't be there to protect you all the time. So please try to use your head before you speak."

Megami sighed.

"Li, I love you as my son….."

"Like hell you do!"

"But I think this is going too far – Kakashi never shows any interest in girls – much less yours so stop trying to provoke arguments."

"Feh. He's your boy toy and don't try to hide it," Li growled.

Megami shook her head.

"You know that is not the case, Li."

Raiden looked at Kakashi.

"That'd be so cool," he said. "I'd have an awesome dad for once – not some embarrassing uncle."

Megami blushed at the thought of living life forever with a good man like Kakashi.

Kakashi paled.

"Oh my! Everybody's making assumptions here," he laughed, trying to hide his acute nervousness. "There's no one important in my life right now – seriously. And I highly doubt there ever will be such a one."

Raiden looked disappointed.

Megami wiped a tear away.

Kakashi, looking at a scene of gloom, sighed.

"Could it get any worse?"

There was a silence. Li fumed, looking off into the trees.

"So……." Kakashi said. "Why don't we take the top off and have Li drive us part of the way?"

"Brown noser……" Li muttered but her smirked and started to undo the catches.

Temari and Kankuuro breathed a sigh of relief as the jeep started up again.

Within an hour, the jeep reached the border to find that the trucks had passed through safely and the Sand shinobi had left for home. Temari frowned. There were no escorts to take Megami onward. Sighing, she turned to Kankuuro, who shrugged.

Taking Kakashi aside, she looked into his dark sunglasses.

"Listen, the country you're entering is…. Dangerous to say the least. The Wind Country is by far more peaceful than Earth – that's not saying much, I know. You need to be on your guard."

"Sure, sure…." Kakashi shrugged.

"I don't feel so good sending you in there especially without information and a heavy warning. But there's no choice…. I just hope you don't bump into vengeful missing-nins. Although, Megami-sama I'm sure wouldn't be that big of a target."

Hmmmmm……… Lightning's Howl, would that be such a bad thing? Li would give me more respect, if he saw me actually defeat something.

"…. It's the thing I would suggest…."

"Eh? What did you say?"

Temari gritted her teeth. She disliked being blown off.

"Kakashi, ninja's can be terrifying people."

"I can be terrifying too," Kakashi murmured, seriously bored by her age-long lecture.

She's just like Iruka-sensei!

"I'm sure you can be…. But…."

And very patronizing too. Ah well….. Ignorance is for youth only….

"Don't judge a book by its cover," Kakashi grinned, tapping her on the nose with his Icha Icha novel. "Look underneath the underneath."

Megami-san, this clothing I wear is a perfect disguise, I really appreciate that now. Nobody would imagine me like this. Not even intelligent Temari. Well… it's not like she ever met me personally before…..

Temari glared at the silent man who stood before her, looking down at her with an amused smile on his face. Her lips quirked up wickedly as she remembered Kankuuro's bet.

"Well, here's the bet." Kankuuro said, calmly as the sibling trio bowed at yet another feudal lord. "Kiss a guy before the week is out."

Temari sniffed and turned her head.

"That's stupid."

"Scared?"

"Fine."

Watch me prove it, Kankuuro.

Suddenly, leaning forward, she placed a kiss onto his lips. For a second, Kakashi enjoyed her warm, moist softness. A tang of spice and a smell of balsam. He would never forget it.

Temari drew back. Kankuuro's jaw dropped open.

"So…." Temari said, without a pause. "What did I win, brother mine?"

Megami glared. Li sniffed.

"See, mother, what did I tell you? You hired a man whore!"

Temari gave Li the evil eye, and he gulped nervously, shutting up instantly.

Kakashi said nothing, too stunned to say anything.

Whoa. That was….. wow….. was that illegal or what?

Megami tugged Kakashi back to the jeep, possessively. And without further ado, Li drove a silent thoughtful group away.

The sky had turned a deep violet, the capital only an hour away when Li stopped the jeep and got out wordlessly to let Kakashi take over. Magami and Raiden had long ago fallen asleep in the back and after popping a few pills, Li shut his eyes.

Driving in silence, his eyes scanning the jagged crags of the small cliffs, the scraggly gorse and the rough outcroppings of grass, tree and brush, Kakashi kept an eye out for any sign of movement.

For although the night was filled with silence, there was an air of expectancy, of watchfulness. Uneasiness formed in Kakashi's stomach as he picked up several strange scents in the slight breeze.

BAM!

A dark figure landed on the jeep, rocking the vehicle as several more followed. Quickly, Kakashi slammed the brakes, jerking the car wildly. His eyes widened as he saw only one attacker fall off. The Sharingan already had noted their strong chakras.

Ninjas.

Before any of the attackers could complete a seal, Kakashi leapt up and forward, kunai in each hand, spinning and slicing as he went.

Megami and Raiden woke up with a gasp as the vehicle lurched again. Li yelled as he felt the blood spatter on his face. The singer and her younger son just sat there, frozen. Watching four men fall away from Kakashi, clutching their slit throats.

Looking at the Leaf shinobi, standing at the ready, in the falling dark, Raiden and Megami felt both awe and fear. The gentle man they knew as a friend had changed into a soldier – almost soulless – crouching with blood on his hands.

"Megami-san, I want you and the boys to drive the car as fast as you can out of here – I'll deal with the rest as they follow." Kakashi said, urgently.

Megami nodded and looked at Li.

Li sighed and started up the car while Kakashi threw off the bodies. Catching sight of the hitae ate markings, Kakashi drew breath.

Stone. Why would Stone ninjas be sent to kill a singer?

As Li drove away, Kakashi focused in on himself and his surroundings, picking out four other humans. A platoon. There was another human, farther away, approaching with very strong chakra. Kakashi sighed. The combination of darkness and enemy terrain did not weigh in his favor.

Lightning's Howl will be a life saver here – if I need it. And I will, before the night is out.

For the first time in his life, Kakashi could taste excitement on his tongue, a calm confidence and a sense of fellowship from within.

Suddenly, he was surrounded by a fire attack. Tunneling underground, he surfaced, finding himself accurately behind his assailant. Using his sensei's 'flash' technique, Kakashi disposed of the shinobi in two seconds and already spotted the second target.

Deflecting the shuriken and kunai thrown in his direction, Kakashi sped up and stabbed the man deeply in the heart. Using kawirimi no jutsu, Kakashi tricked the other two opponents, who had crept up on him and tried to slice him from behind. One succumbed to a broken neck, the other to a kunai.

The masked Jounin leapt away, hiding himself deep in some foliage as the last man approached. He sighed as he felt his chakra ebbing away.

Well, there's always Lightning Howl….

Kakashi laughed soundlessly.

This would be fun.