Thankx for all the reviews! You guys are great! Here is the next chp:

-The Beginning-

I felt something wet being pressed against my forehead. It prodded over and over then stopped. A big warm, wet something then was slapped against my cheek. I groaned and it froze and retreated, only to vigorously renew its efforts.

"Stop…" I mumbled softly. I cracked open one eye to see a furry face with a long tongue inches from my face.

Wait…a furry face?

I gasped and shot upright without thinking. Almost immediately, pain shot through my body, reminding me what had happened. I just sat there, waiting for the dizziness to stop and I heard a whimper besides me. I turned to find myself staring into forest-green eyes. Then I remembered why I got up so fast.

"Agrona!" I nearly screeched, throwing my arms around her neck. She wriggled with happiness and her whole body moved as her tail thumped the ground rapidly. I released her from my embrace to look at her.

Agrona was a big wolf with a silver-streaked, black coat and emerald eyes. Her belly, chest and face were white and her tail was tipped with silver, which was swaying back and forth so fast that a cloud of dust had formed. She nuzzled her wet nose into me and I stroked her ears.

I had found Agrona when she was just a week old pup, starving and deserted. I was overcome with pity and from that day on I had taken care of her. It still amazed me how big she was. It didn't really show at first when she was growing, but when we encountered another wolf pack on our travels, I saw that she was almost twice as big as them. Currently she was up to my waist, but I knew it wouldn't surprise me if she grew another few inches.

There was also another thing that was different about Agrona. She was extremely intelligent, with the smarts equal to about an eight-year old. She understood almost anything I said to her and picked on my feelings fairly quickly. I also helped that I could understand her to some degree, the result of the only good thing that came out of having a demon wolf locked inside of you.

Damn. That reminded me. I tried to stand up but my legs felt like jello and trembled under my weight. Agrona whimpered and pushed up against me, offering support. After a couple of awkward minutes, I managed to right myself leaning heavily on the she-wolf's back. I gritted my teeth, ignoring the pain.

"Come on Ona, lets go" I commanded, using her nickname. She yipped and started to walk forward.

We didn't travel long before it was dusk. Every step I took caused my side to burn relentlessly. Agrona noticed my pain and stopped every once in a while. Finally as the sun set, she stopped.

"Come Ona…we can walk a little farther today…" She sat on her haunches stubbornly and stared up at me, as if to say 'You wish…' I sighed.

"Fine…get us dinner would you?" She barked and ran off, nose low to the ground. I smiled. It was really nice having a companion like her…I shook my head. 'Come on, focus on surviving here!' I reached into my left angle pouch and took out some fire-proof matches. After lighting a fire, I made an inventory of what I still had with me. 'Matches check; medicine bag check; shurikan and kunai check; scrolls check; I think that's about everything…almost' I pulled out a small chain that had a circle with a swirl in the middle. I cradled it in my hand and a tear dropped onto it.

'Oh Ah-Mah…why did you have to go?' My fist closed around the necklace. 'But you won't have died in vain. I will kill them all if it's the last thing I do…I will avenge you' I reached up and clasped the necklace around my neck, fingering the swirl. 'So that's what I have become…an avenger…'

Agrona then burst into camp, interrupting my thoughts. She had five rabbits stuffed into her jaws looking pleased with herself. She walked over but became nervous when she sensed my dark mood and stopped. I smiled at her.

"It's alright Agrona, I'm fine. Now let's see what you caught us!" She immediately brightened and ran over, dropping the dead carcasses at my feet. I picked one up and felt for any signs of starvation or disease. I grinned at her.

"These are excellent catches Ona, good job!" I praised her as I scratched under her chin. She sighed and leaned into my touch, thumping her leg. I smiled to myself. I loved her little quirks; she was always able to make me smile.

I quickly skinned and gutted the rabbits, suddenly noticing how hungry we both were. After eating a filling meal, I gathered as many leaves as I could find and made a small bed. 'Not exactly a five star hotel, but it will do' Agrona paced around in a circle before finally plopping down in front of the fire.

"Wake me up when the fire goes down…" I murmured to her. She yipped softly and gazed outward, looking for any threats in the shadows. And that's the last thing I saw before drifting off to sleep.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE'RE LOST!" Naruto screamed at the raven-haired boy. Sasuke sighed.

"We are not lost…we just wandered off the road" Naruto turned to his sensei.

"Well, why weren't you paying attention?"

"Um…I trusted in you so completely that I left the directions up to you?" Sakura sighed.

"Honestly sensei, that is the worst excuse I have heard out of you yet" Kakashi just shrugged.

"Relax, I know where we are. It will just take a couple hours longer to get back to the village" The blonde's face turned livid.

"A COUPLE MORE HOURS!"

"That's what he said stupid" Sasueke shot back. The blonde cried anime style.

"More hours I have to stay away from my ramen…"

"Oh grow up Naruto, it won't kill you!" the pink-haired kinochi grumbled smacking him on the head.

"But Sakura…"

"Both of you shut up. Some of us are trying to get some sleep!" Sasuke growled, already in his sleeping bag. Kakashi nodded.

"He's right you know, better get some sleep. We have a long day of walking ahead of us" He reminded them.

Grumbling, Naruto went to his sleeping bag as did Sakura, completely unaware, what the next day was going to bring.

How was it? Good? Bad? Yes I know this was a stall chp but the next will be better! Till next time…