Chapter Three: Not enough to feed the hungry

Kiba walked along the street heading in the direction of the Hyuuga House. Akamaru began barking and the large dog began jogging at a faster pace down the street. Kiba concentrated chakra to his nose and breathed deeply. The faint smell he had come to associate with Hinata registered into his brain. It wasn't a scent he could easily desribe. All he could say about it was that it smelled sweet and warm. Was that possible? Who knew? The scent was sweet, but it wasn't like anything he had ever tasted before. He also described the scent as warm, because a warm feeling, that could not be placed, washed over him whenever he was near enough to smell Hinata. Shrugging of the thought of Hinata and her scent Kiba focused on the approaching Hyuuga estate.

Hinata was crouched into her jyuuken position. Her byukugan was not activated. She stood still all her concentration focused on Neji who had agreed to train with her this morning. Suddenly Hinata sensed the presence of another ninja come into the lawn of the Hyuuga property. Hinata allowed her eye to wanderover to the gates leading into the streets of Konoha.

"Kiba-kun," Hinata whispered mildly surprised to see the Inuzuka ninja.

Suddenly Neji ducked and kicked Hinata's feet from under her. Hinata fell on her butt on the soft green grass. Neji let out a sigh and smirked at Hinata as he offered her his bandaged hand.

"Don't ever take your eye off your oponent, Hinata-chan," Neji lectured softly as he adjusted his Jounin vest.

"Yo, Neji!" Neji turned to Kiba and Akamaru who were at the gates. Neji motioned the pair to enter the grounds.

"Sorry to have distracted you Hinata!" Kiba teased as he approached the Hyuuga cousins. Akamaru excitedly rushed forward jumping onto Hinata, sending the poor little ninja back to the ground. Kiba let out a laugh.

"Hinata, Kurenai-sensei asked me to get you. She wants to meet with the old group for a quick training session for old times sake, you know. " Kiba signaled Akamaru to get off Hinata and offered the indigo haired girl his hand. " We are to pick up Shino and head over to the training ground with Kurenai-sensei." Hinata nodded and turned to Neji.

"I'm sorry, Neji-nii-kun. I have to go," waving a final good bye to her cousin as she followed Kiba into the street.

"I heard that there was another kidnapping attempt at your place last night, Hinata," Shino broke the silence that had taken over the three chuunin. Shino had grown quite tall, a good two inches taller than Kiba. He still wore his black round glasses, but his high colared cote had been exchanged for a black one and he wore the chuunin green vest.

"Ai, H-he got a-away," Hinata said as she concentrating on her hands as the tips of her fingers gently tapped each other. A small blush grazed her features.

"Do you know what village he had come from?" Kiba spoke suddenly, causing Hinata to jump slightly at hearing him. He was standing next to Shino with one armed tucked behind his head while the other petted Akamaru as they walked, his slitted eyes on her. Hinata bit her bottom lip as she turned to face the dog ninja. Kiba's eyes suddenly wandered from her face to the pink of her lips.

"N-no, he d-didn't have a-a forehead p-protector, or n-none was vi-visible,"Hinata answered feeling guilty that the subject had gotten away. Kiba cought himself in an impure thought and realized that he had not heard Hinata's response. He sighed.

"Oh." Kiba really didn't know what to tell the girl to his side. He had been doing that a lot lately. Thinking inapropriately about Hinata. It wasn't overly strange. He had of course spent a lot of time with his teammate. He had practicaly gone through puberty right in front of her! He was a boy after all and she was really the only female he spoke to on a day-to-day basis. The small fantasies were absolutely one hundred and one percent normal!

"K-Kiba-kun?" Hinata's tiny squeek managed to reach Kiba's ears.

"Hn?" Kiba asked turning to look at her his eyebrows furrowed and his face somehwat tense, as if he were bothered by sommething.

"A-Are you o-okay?"

His thoughts were normal and completely out of his control. Besides, it was okay as long as he never acted on them. Its not like he liked her! Kiba shook his head frustrated. This is what comes from thinking too much! Straightening himsef, folding his arms behind his head and sticking his chin into the air he answered, "I'm fine." Kiba smirked and picked up his stride to get ahead of his team up.

Hinata felt something nudging her hand. She looked down to notice Akamaru lapping her small hand with his big doggy tongue starring up at her with bright puppy eyes. She smiled and followed Kiba who again begun to think…

Kurenai was leaning against a tree her eyes were closed hiding her signature ruby eyes. At thirty-one, the raven-haired sensei was as beautiful as she had been when she was first assigned to team 8. She was waiting for the three former genin to arrive to the training grounds they had often visited during their genin days. Now they were all chuunin, Kiba and Shino on the border of becoming jounin any day now. Hinata… well Hinata had improved but her lack of confidence was standing in the way of her becoming a great ninja. As far as Hinata knew, she did not know where her standing was as a village nin in Konoha. Kurenai sighed. Hinata was not weak, simply the girl was heart broken. By nature, she was a loving child, one born into the wrong clan. The Hyuuga clan was cold to their young, training them from early on to be strong and to stand on their own. Hinata's childhood had most likely been a painful one. One with loneliness and harsh training. Of course, the girl would not become the great ninja Hiashi wanted to make her because she did not harbor the heart of a cold ninja whose mind was set on power or strength. Her heart was of a more protective nature, a loving heart. If Hinata had been able to choose her destiny, Kurenai was sure the girl would have been great at whatever she would have choosen—nin or otherwise.

The team 8 sensei smiled warmly at her three students who were now nearing the training grounds. Her smile lingered a few seconds on Hinata.

Hinata as usual had pink staining her cheeks, and though she was looking at her sensei in the eye, her face was tilted shyly downward. Kurenai could tell that there was soemthing on the 16 year-old's mind. Her eyes, those white orbs, looked a bit sad. Kurenai's own garnet eyes wandered to the sky for a moment.

Hinata's eyes reminded her of the day she had been assigned to be team 8's leader. She, respectfully, went to the Hyuuga estate to properly introduce herself to Hiashi-sama as Hinata's sensei. That day had gone badly. That was the day Hinata had been officially removed from being Hyuuga heir, and the day her father had disowned her from the clan. The eyes of a sad, rejected, dissapointed 13 year-old Hinata haunted Kurenai, even now.

"Yo Kurenai-sensei!" Kiba interrupted Kurenai's thoughts. The sensei's eyebrow twitched slightly, she had forgotten how loud Kiba was…

"Arigato," Kurenai pushed herself from the tree to stand straight in front of the younger ninja. Her face was still and no emotion leaked through. The woman was 31 years old now. Time however had no aparent affect on her. She looked as young as when she was the first time Kiba, Shino, and Hinata laid eyes on her.

Upon their first meeting, Kurenai looked beautiful with a fair complexion and a complimenting mane of glossy, ebony hair. Her most stunning features had been the ruby eyes, which gave her an exotic air. She was also as equally intimdating as she was beautiful, always keeping a cool and stoic appearance in the heart of battle. Hinata had always admired her sensei, and looked up to the older woman almost as an older sister role model.

"I called you three here because it's been a while since we've all trained together. I just want to see how you all are and see your improvements. We'll be doing all our old routines. So there won't be any surprises." Kurenai then smiled, almost wickedly before leaping high into the air. "Shall we begin?"

Three kunai zipped through air each aimed at one of the chuunin. Hinata dodged and activated her byukugan. Shino's destruction bugs immediately began to swarm out of his coat. Much to the annoyance of Kurenai, Kiba let out a terribly loud, but enthusiastic "Yahoo!" while Akamaru let out deep barks of excitement.

Kiba fell hard on his knees, a small trickly of blood coming out of the corner of his mouth. He glared up at Shino who stood cool and composed behind his dark glasses, his hands in his pockets. A smirk hid under the Aburame's high collar. They had been sparring for almost three hours. Kiba was now tired, hungry, and annoyed. Not too far from the two boys, Kurenai and Hinata were locked in a spar of their own. Kiba got to his feet and he and Shino walked closer to observe their sensei and their teamate train.

Hinata crouched low to the ground in her juuken stance, her byukugan activated. Kurnai held a defensive stand with both hands bent out her knees bent. The two women breathed hard. Sweat bead were forming their hairlines in. In Hinata's case, her bangs had begun to cling around her four head. At their feet laid a clutter of ninja stars and kunai. All of them had come form Kurenai's attacks. Hinata's Shugohakke Rokujouyon Sho had deflected all of ninja weapon, the same attack Nehi had used back in the chunnin exams. Now the women had switched to simple hand-to-hand taijutsu.

Kurenai charged heading straight for Hinata. The young kunoichi managed to block almost all of the Kurenai's attacks, managing to neutralizee a few so they did not hurt her too much. Kurenai jumped back, very impressed with Hinata's improved strength and speed. Though the chuunin really needed the most training in speed and agility. Kurenai's focus was interrupted when the faint smell of cigarette smoke reached her nose. Immediately Kurenai red eyes wandered to find the source. That had been a mistake. Kurenai's focus returned when she felt a painful blow to her stomach. It managed to surprise her and she staggared back, eventually loosing her footing and fallig right on her butt.

Kami, Hinata had managed to land a kick on Kurenai- sensei. Hinata ran over to her teacher's side, completely worried and blushing deeply. "Gomen, are you--."

"I'm fine. Good work Hinata," Kurenai smiled warmly as she got back on her feet. Kiba and Shino and an excited Akamaru approached their fallen sensei. Surprise was etched on their faces. Neither of the two chunnins had ever seen anyone knock down Kurenai. Something was off. Then the smell of cigarette smoke reached Kiba's sensitive nose.

"Ha. Ha. Kurenai, finally you've been surpassed by your students?" a deep voice startled the young members of team 8.

"Could it be Kurenai that you are losing your youth?" Gai sensei suddenly appeared in front of Kurenai's team. Beside him was Sarutobi Asuma smoking like a chiminey (as always). Behind them three other jounins appeared. They were Shikamaru, Rock Lee, and Neji. The three youngest Jounin in Konohagakure.

Kurenai wore a faint blush as she glared frighteningly at the green clad sensei. Gai, oblivious, responded with his annoyingly bibg smile and even more annoying "Nice Guy Pose". Kurenai's eyebrow twitched.

"What do you want?" She demanded thoroughly annoyed.

"We have a mission. A rogue nin has been causing trouble. There's a possibility that he might have friends. We're supposed to track him down. Tsunade has teamed us off to go in search of this criminal--," Asuma was interrupted by Gai.

"I of course have been teamed up with Rock Lee. We shall bring back this fellon!" Gai and Lee stood back to back in a mirrored Nice Guy Pose. Everyone shuddered.

Hinata looked over at Neji who was standing beside Shikamaru and the others as they looked on at the boasting green clad team. Neji however was looking at Hinata. When their eyes met, he gave her a fraction of a smile. Hinata blushingly returned it.

"Well then. At what time are we to leave?" Kurenai finally asked turning her back on Gai to ask Asuma.

"Right away."

Kurenai nodded and looked over at Shikamaru and Neji. "Which one of you is coming with me?" She asked slightly menacing but very cool, Hinata noted.

"I am." Kurenai jumped slightly at hearing Asuma's voice. She spun around with a shimmer of pink gracing her cheek. Hinata noticed and felt warmth at knowing that she and her sensei weren't that different. "Shikamaru and Neji have been partnered together." Asuma explained tossing his cigarette to the ground and stepping on it all while looking at Kurenai straight in the eye. The woman did not speak.

"Well, there is no moment to loose! We shall set forth and come back victorious!" Gai pointed to the sun, fire in his eyes.

"Hai,"Kurenai shook her head and then turned to her students. "I guess that means the end of our training session. I'll meet up with you guys again when I return. Work hard until then!" Kiba grinned at the persistent blush on his teacher's cheek. Hinata and Shino merely nodded at their sensei. With one last smile, Kurenai nodded at Asuma and they disapeared. Lee and Gai followed.

"Hinata-chan."

"Hai, N-neji-nii-ch-chan?" Hinata turned to acknowledge her cousin. Neji was muted for a second before he rememberd what he had intended to tell her.

"This mission might take a few days. Gomen, I will not be able to train with you." Hinata smiled at the jounin.

"D-don't w-worry," Hinata wanted to say more, but it just wouldn't come out. Neji nodded and he and Shikamaru disapeared in a similar fashion as the older jounin before them.

"Well then," Kiba stretched and let out a loud yawn as he stepped beside Hinata. Hinata turned to Shino who had remained quiet.

"How about we take a lunch break?" Shino offered as he adjusted his black frames, which had slid slightly to the tip of his nose.

"I'm starving!" Kiba stated and was then followed by a loud grumbling coming from his stomach. Akamaru let out a whine to indicate that he too wanted food. The two boys then turned their attention to Hinata. Hinata blushed at the sudden increase of attention turne don her.

"H-hai," She nodded.

The three genin then began their walk back to town for food. A happy Akamaru barking the entire way.

A/n: Ahh sorry... Its finals weekend... and I've had shit to do and junk... college bites... I'm supposed to be studying or sleeping... but instead I did this... dammit i'm going to regret it when i fail astronomy... maaaaaaaaaan... thanks to thsoe of you who reviewed. I'll be going on usmmer break soon so i'll have time to write and speed things up, cuz shit's taking longer than i thought... gomen.

Silia-chan: Thank you. I agree, Hinata isn't a leader type... plus i thought she had been kicked out of being heir... i probably imagine it... oh wells... Hope you like this chapter though its slow...

H and K 4ever: Yea, Neji gets cast as a bad guy alot in ff. I personally like him. the only thing that creeps me out about putting him and hinata together is that their blood related... i'm only thinking about the children here. Thank you! Hope you like.

Achillae: Well, this is going to be a kiba/hinata though it probably doesn't seem like it so far... next chapter will be all kiba and hinata... but probably not much fluff cuz i don't want to rush'em ya know. Thanks. Hope you like.

G-G: Naruto will make a few appearences... and yes... the hinata-having-a-crush-on-naruto-issue will be addressed. However, it going to be completely one sided. Naruto is clueless and I'm not the biggest fan of Naruto/Hinata so you'll probably not see much of him... plenty of neji and kiba to go around tho'.

ooo... okay totally self-publicity here. I have an AMV (dedicated to HINATA of course) at you tube. If intrested: http/ the link... the song is in spanish though... so sorry for that... Neji, Naruto, and Kiba are featured tho! Tho Neji does pass as a bit of a jerk... I tried to avoid it... but i couldn't get any better clips of him...

bah...

love.