Hello everyone! My very fickle muse has been bugging me with this idea. It is a story I would very much like to see.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything/anyone from Naruto or Warriors.
In a ninja village such as Konoha, the smallest noise, the slightest disturbance can tip the scales and lead to the next great catastrophe. As such, the ninja inhabitants are trained to keep their eyes pricked, their ears alert for these moments. Which is why, in retrospect, it is quite surprising that not a soul noticed a small girl quietly sobbing in the woods. Especially since this girl was already expected to play a role of future importance.
At four years old, Hinata Hyuga was rather quiet and could be considered rather stealthy. Of course, when one has been recently kidnapped then blamed for the death of your uncle by the other members of your family, stealth would be required if you desired a moment of peace from said family. Her stealth had allowed her to quietly slip past the other Hyuga (who may have just not cared) into the garden and through a small service gate leading out towards the forest of Konoha, especially to a small grove beloved by her mother.
Why did everyone blame her? It wasn't like she asked to be kidnapped!? But, of course, these unfortunate events had already led to the iron belief that she was weak. Useless. A liability.
Little Hinata loved the forest. The greenery, the flowers...the freshness and life in everything. So many memories filled with laughter and fun and sunshine... Why couldn't everything be like it was before? Sniffling, the girl tried to pull herself together. Crying wouldn't help her now or ever and she was fairly sure it might lead to someone finding her sanctuary. Using a tree to steady herself while standing, she was surprised when the seemingly solid bark gave way into a hollow, causing her to pitch sideways into said tree.
As she pulled her arm out of the hole, a scroll fell out onto the ground. Curiously, the little Hyuga opened it. At the top of the missive was a strange symbol- a rectangle in which the top left and right corners were extended and a lightning bolt seemed to dissect the unusual shape in two. Hinata unconsciously tilted her head as she tried to puzzle the meaning of the strange shape. It was the mark of no clan she was aware of.
However, the rest of the scroll quickly caught her attention. Not much had been written but what was there was quite intriguing. It seemed to be some sort of contract. A summoning contract! Normally, the little Hyuga would have, very sensibly, been cautious about the strange scroll. But the past few weeks of tragedy and belittlement had worn on the young girl and all she could see was an opportunity. Finally, a way to prove she wasn't useless! She would be the youngest Hyuga to gain a summon! She was suddenly thankful for the boring lessons which had firmly taught her the hand signals.
But as she started the three-segment of signs, she only recognized the first two- bird, dragon... but cat? She hadn't learned that one. But as she mulled it over, she was reminded of the strange symbol on the scroll. Looking at it, she figured it was worth a shot. She shaped her hand into a fist then raised her pinky and pointer fingers at the same time.
"B-bird, dragon, cat!"
To be honest, she wasn't sure what to expect once the smoke cleared. But she had expected something a little more fierce than an amber-eyed, fluffy gray-furred kitten quizzically staring up at her.
Well, this wasn't the way Graykit imagined his first day in the camp going. Though in retrospect, it may have been a bit much to expect to chase an entire patrol of River clan scum out of Thunderclan territory and thus be made a warrior in the same day.
But even he didn't expect to have his vision clouded by smoke in the middle of wrestling with Ravenkit in the middle of camp. It wasn't exactly reassuring to one moment be looking at a startled Willowpelt and the next, to be staring up at eyes of the palest lavender with almost invisible pupils.
For a moment, both figures simply looked at each other, their heads tilted in confusion. Then with a fierce yowl, the kitten jerked backwards.
"WHO ARE YOU TWO-LEG? WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON THUNDERCLAN TERRITORY?" Hinata was shocked at first, then remembered that, yes of course, summons could talk.
"...I-I'm sorry, neko-san, I don't know where that is. T-This is the forest of Konoha."
Indignantly, the gray kitten drew himself up and fluffed his fur out threateningly. Hinata had to press her lips together to prevent the unconscious coo at the adorable sight from escaping her.
"This is Thunderclan territory and you aren't welcome!" Then he pouted. "And my name's not neko- whatever; it's Graykit."
"G-gomen, Graykit-san. I-I wasn't aware of that."
His curiosity getting the better of him, Graykit let his guard down. "What is a 'gomen' and a "neko-san?"
"W-where I'm from, 'gomen' is a really polite way of saying you're sorry, a-and-"
She was cut off at this point by the appearance of more smoke. When it cleared, two more cats had appeared. One was a black and red marbled cat with a very fluffy, scarlet tail and nervous amber eyes. The other cat was very different with grey-blue fur and sapphire eyes. To Hinata, the biggest difference between both newcomers was the regal bearing of the grey cat and its piercing gaze which gave nothing away. Unlike Graykit, who was clearly a kitten, both of these cats were fully grown and clearly unhappy.
"Graykit, are you alright? What happened?!" The black and red cat, clearly male from the sound of his voice, began to fuss over the grey kitten. Meanwhile, the regal cat kept her sharp eyes on the small twoleg, who was now fidgeting and poking her fingers together in what was clearly nervous agitation but not making anymore movements towards the felines.
"Yes. I would like to know that as well." The grey cat meowed tersely. Before Hinata could answer, Greykit piped up from underneath the male's fierce licking. "I dunno, Redtail- this weird twoleg was staring at me and called me a 'neko-san', whatever that is, 'then said sorry in a weird, fancy way she called a 'gomen' and then she said she didn't know what Thunderclan is and that we're somewhere called Ko-no-ha." The grey kitten said the last word slowly, as if tasting it as he said it.
As both adult cats stiffened at the name, Greykit turned back to the now trembling girl. "These are Redtail and Bluestar, the leader of my clan." Clan, like ninja clans? Before Hinata could ask further, the male, Redtail hissed up at her.
"Why did you summon Graykit, twoleg?"
With a gulp, Hinata answered, "G-gomen-nasai, Redtail-san, Bluestar-sama. I found this scroll and-" She was again cut off, this time by Bluestar. "And what right did you have to use this scroll, young one?"
Uncertainly, the Hyuga bit her lip. "I-I'm not sure if I had any right but I m-meant no harm."
At this, the grey she-cat pinned her ears back. "No harm! How could it not be harmful when one of our young was taken away from his clan." She yowled. Marching up to the young girl, she snarled. "Of course there is harm, twoleg!"
With a yelp, Hinata averted her eyes and bit her trembling lip. She couldn't cry now! But she was so ashamed of herself. Of course she would end up hurting someone. She always did.
"G-g-gomen-n-nasai, Bluestar-sama. I-i-it w-will never happen again." She managed to gasp out.
Slowly, the she-cat backed up as Hinata got her emotions under control again. After a minute of quietly observing her, she finally spoke.
"You are an unusual twoleg. What is your name?"
"H-Hinata Hyuga, Bluestar-sama." With her eyes respectfully diverted to the ground, she did not see the flash of recognition in those sapphire eyes.
The she-cat slowly nodded. "Very well then Hinata. I do not believe you intended harm to Graykit or any member of my Clan. However, there will be a debt to pay for this action."
Ignoring the curious looks the other two males were giving her, Bluestar simply watched as the girl nodded solemnly. "E-even though I didn't mean to, I-I d-d-did something wrong, s-so I need to make it right."
Seeming satisfied, Bluestar nodded firmly. "Very well then, go home little Hyuga. Return here in three days when we will have made our decision."
With that, Redtail picked Greykit up by the scruff and the three cats vanished in yet another cloud of smoke, leaving the little Hyuga just what she had gotten herself into this time.