Hi there! Here's the next chapter- I hope you enjoy! Fair warning, I will be changing Graystripe's father to Whitestorm...because. Also, I am thinking of inserting kekkei genkai (not sure if the spelling is correct) for the clans- not per family because I simply do not have the willpower to even begin trying to sort out family lines in the clans, but per clan. Feel free to message me with any suggestions.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Naruto or Warriors. I hope you are having a good week and that you stay safe.
Upon the return of the three cats, the clan was in an uproar. A silver queen rushed over to the trio and promptly began smothering her kit.
"Graykit, what happened? Are you ok? Where's Spottedleaf?! She needs to look at my kit!" Her fussing eventually rising to a screech in her agitation. Graykit fidgeted in distress. "Mom, would you stop fussing, it's embarrassing." He mewed, trying to avoid the gaze of his snickering denmates. Except for Ravenkit, who peeked from the safety of the nursery.
A large white tom came up beside her and trailed his tail along his mate's spine in a soothing gesture while scanning the confused kitten over for any obvious injuries.
"Mind your mother, Graykit. We were all very worried. Willowpelt, calm down. We need to give them some room." As Spottedleaf hurried over to check Graykit, Bluestar made her way through the crowd. Graykit muttered sulkily, "Yes, Dad".
"All senior warriors, come to the Highrock for a meeting! Spottedleaf, once you finish, can you bring Graykit over as well?" Bluestar's mew silenced the frantic whispering that had been present since the trio returned. As she waited, her young medicine cat hurried over. "Graykit is absolutely fine. What happened?"
"Just wait a moment, Spottedleaf, so I can tell my senior warriors as well." As they spoke, her deputy, Willowpelt, her mate Whitestorm and two other toms made their way. When everyone had settled at the base of the great boulder, Bluestar wasted no time. With a gentle flick of her tail, the leader looked at the small gray kit. "Kit, could you tell us all what happened?" The kit in question needed no more encouragement to launch into his tale of the strange twoleg and her strange words. The tense, almost terrified look, faded from his parents' faces and was replaced with slight amusement and quiet purrs. When he was done, Willowpelt looked to her leader.
"Bluestar, may I take him back to the nursery? He's had a big day and looks tired." As Bluestar nodded, Graykit tried to resist. "I am not!" His fierce look was immediately ruined by an enormous yawn, prompting the purring silver queen to pick him up by the scruff and carry him away.
A dark brown tabby tom stepped forward. Unlike the kit's parents, his expression had gone from grumpy to downright angry. "This twoleg is obviously a threat! She must be dealt with!" He snarled, abnormally long claws raking the ground. "Wait a moment, Tigerclaw." A large green eyed, golden tom with a mane-like scruff shuffled uncomfortably. "It sounds to me like this twoleg is a kit and, cat or not, our code forbids harm towards any kit. Not to mention she has Thunderclan's summoning scroll, making her a potential summoner."
"Lionheart, our code only applies to cats-" Tigerclaw began hotly, but Whitestorm stepped forward. "While I am not happy about my son being taken, he was returned safely and it does not sound like she meant true harm." He stated gently. Bluestar turned to her deputy who had remained quiet throughout.
"What about you Redtail? How did Hinata Hyuga strike you?"
After a moment, the cat in question mewed slowly. "I don't know if she is worthy of having our summoning scroll yet...but she may have potential."
At his words, Bluestar allowed a rare grin to cross her muzzle. "My thoughts exactly. Therefore, I would like two warriors to observe the girl in the interval before she is set to return to the grove. Any volunteers?" Tigerclaw simply sneered and looked away.
With a glance at each other, Lionheart and Whitestorm stepped forward. "Good, report back here each evening for the next two days. Make no contact with her, observe only. Dismissed."
The girl in question had managed to slip in past the guards (whom she strongly suspected had noticed but not cared) and her little head buzzed with questions and worries all night long. She had just managed to fall into a light sleep when the maid awoke her the next morning.
"Forgive me, Hinata-san, but your father requires your presence immediately in the dojo." With that, Hinata was bundled into a training kimono and rushed to the training dojo.
"You're late." A cool monotonous voice greeted her from the other side of the room, his back turned away from the entrance. "M-my apologies, Tou-san" she replied with a polite bow. Neither noticed two shadows, one gold and one white, watching intently through the screened doors from the branches a conveniently close tree.
"Take up your position." He barked. From there, little Hinata was expected to block numerous strikes and blows. Or shall we say, attempt to block them, as her father did not soften nor slow any of his attacks. Time and time again, the girl was knocked to the ground only to quickly hop back to her defensive position. This continued until, finally, a particularly swift blow knocked her into the wall behind her, stunning the young girl.
"Get up!" Her father barked. When she did not respond, he sneered. "Pathetic." And swept from the room.
After a period of time, for all she knew it could have been minutes or hours, Hinata managed to pick herself up and trudge from the room. No healer in the compound would be allowed to see her.
She held her left arm as still as possible since she was fairly sure she had dislocated that shoulder as she made her way back to her room. In front of her mirror, she grabbed her left wrist with her right hand, then pulled her left arm out and straight, teeth gritted. Lucky for her, the clan library had plenty of scrolls on healing, and the scrolls describing "on-the-go" medicine were a must of the shinobi world, thus not barred to her as other, more advanced scrolls were. This was in fact the second time she had dislocated her shoulder, forcing her to learn quickly. The youngster almost blacked out again but this time from relief. Using a winter scarf for a makeshift sling, she set out to accomplish her other tasks for the day, still unaware of her shadows.
First she visited her sister, Hanabi. Barely a year old, Hinata was content to hold her sister with her good arm and gently rock her. As she watched her younger sibling's giggle, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. No one certainly blamed her for anything!
Stop that she told herself sternly. Everything that happened had happened because she was the Hyuga heir, not Hanabi. And for what would happen in a few days time, well that was she was the one silly enough to fool around with a summoning scroll.
"My lady, your father has requested your presence." Looking up at the young maid, Hinata smiled. "A-arigato, Haru-san. But please-"
"Call you Hinata, yes my lady I remember. But it simply isn't proper!" She called after the young heiress but she was far enough away where she could pretend not to hear.
"I understand that you wish to have an extended visit to the graveyard tomorrow?" Hiashi Hyuga was not known for his gentle nature. He was well known for being very direct, if polite, and thus did not waste time on small things like pleasantries on his eldest child.
"I-if it isn't too much t-trouble." Hinata mumbled, poking her fingers together with nerves. Her father scowled. "Stop fidgeting and get rid of that ridiculous stammer."
Once the girl stilled, he sighed. "Normally, I would prefer for you to use the time to try and awaken your Byakugan (unspoken was the opinion that she should have already managed this). But considering what day tomorrow is, then yes, you may spend two hours there. But be sure to make that time up later on!
"Arigato!" She managed to squeeze out, privately amazed that she managed to with-hold her stutter. At his nod, she wasted no time exiting his office and finished her studies for the day, before having a quiet dinner by herself in the clan dining room (not being allowed to make herself something from the kitchen for the sake of "propriety") and readied herself for bed. Her last thought was that at least the following day would be better, even if it was potentially her last.
Bluestar was alerted to the return of her warriors by the sound of claws scraping. Exiting her den, she was surprised to see Whitestorm pacing outside on the rock, claws out and scraping against the rock while Lionheart watched warily. She was a little unnerved herself since her nephew was normally quite cool and only allowed a select few to witness any sort of emotion- namely herself and Willowpelt.
But, once she heard their report, she understood why. A father himself, Whitestorm would feel more protective than usual over kits, regardless of species difference or the events that had led them to their current assignment. Once he had calmed down, Bluestar flicked her tail towards Lionheart.
"Do you think she is strong enough to be a summoner of Thunderclan?" The golden tom hesitated, then mewed, "Not yet... but she showed a lot of promise today in that she kept going. I think she could be, with guidance."
"I see, well, continue to observe throughout the day tomorrow, then guide her to the grove tomorrow night instead of returning here."
As both toms nodded and headed off to get some rest in the warriors den, Bluestar headed to the medicine den. She needed Spottedleaf's advice.
Happy Easter!