Ruki44: I'm back! I've been on a updating streak so yea me!

Hinata: It's true. It's creepy.

Ruki: Don't expect this too often people!

Tetra: She is a lazy bum!

Rukia: Yea!

Ruki44: Shut up! Anyways, onwards to the chapter! Woo! I don't own nothing!

Chapter 3

The boy had been following them for quite some time now. Earlier he had hit his head on a branch, it was really quite funny, but she felt bad for the boy. But he had popped right back up, and now he was a few feet behind her, muttering about evil trees.

"Hinata? Something wrong?" Kunerari asked, looking back her worriedly. She snapped to attention.

"Oh no, nothings wrong. Just thinking, that's all." she said with a fake smile. Kunerari gave her a worried glance, but turned around ever the same. She looked down sadly. There was so much going on, but she couldn't tell anybody about it, like anyone would believe if she did. Just then an ear splitting scream practically destroyed her ear drums, making her stumble and start to fall. Start being the key word. The boy who had been tailing them for all this time caught her and steadied her, preventing her from falling down.

"Hinata? Something the matter?" Shino's monotone voice asked, obviously concerned for her well being. She smiled at the concern.

"Yes, thank you Shino-kun. Oh by the way, did you hear anything just now?" she asked off-hand. It was so loud…they must have heard something. Shino looked at her a bit worried.

"No, did you?" he asked. She poked her fingers together a bit awkwardly.

"I think I might of, probably the wind though." she said giving him a smile telling him not to worry bout her. Great, she was hearing things too.

"Hmph that was no wind." the boy next to her muttered. Her eyes widened slightly. The boy…he just talked…what was going on?

"Alright, if you need anything, just tell Kunerari-sensei or me, or if you're really desperate, Kiba." Shino said, turning around and continued following their teacher. Hinata gathered her thoughts and followed after him, the boy following slightly behind her, much more tense then he was earlier, like he expected to be attacked at any moment.

"Alright, we'll rest here for the night. It's getting dark soon and we have to set up camp." Kunerari-sensei suddenly announced. They all landed in a clearing.

"Alright then, Hinata, you're in charge with dinner, Kiba get some firewood, Shino set up the tents and when you're done with that you can help Hinata with anything she needs help with. I myself will look for something to eat. Any questions?" she said, looking at all of them. When none of them said anything, she nodded her head.

"Good. Alright then, let's go!" and with that the group separated to each thing. Hinata wandered to search for some spices, smiling softly. She always liked cooking and the rest of her team knew it. At first when it was either Shino-kun's or Kiba-kun's turn to cook, Shino would softly say he would be fine on solider pills and after Kiba's first meal, Kunerari-sensei mad it a law that Kiba should never cook again, so kami help them. When Shino-kun cooked, it wasn't bad, well not as bad as Kiba's, though that would be an insult. Shino's cooking tended to be on the bland side. Kunerari-sensei was a pretty decent cook for the most part, but it always had a burnt taste to it somewhat. After she cooked the first time, everyone was asking for seconds, or in Kiba's case, fourths and Kunerari asked if she liked cooking and when she said yes, everyone sighed a sigh of relief, even Shino. From that day forward, it was her job as a cook.

"Need anything Hinata?" came Shino's voice. She looked behind her and saw Shino with his hands in his pockets. She smiled.

"Um, how about some rosemary, just a bit if you please." she said, after thinking for a few seconds. Shino nodded.

"Alright." he said solemnly and went of to look for the plant she just requested. She looked a bit to the right and saw the boy in black just sitting there, waiting for something to attack them. Just then a fox appeared out of the thicket. Hinata smiled. She liked foxes, she thought they were cute. She never told anybody about that though. She would be sent to the asylum for sure, especially after the Kyuubi attacked. She sighed. She heard the whole story. The Kyuubi, the mightiest of all the bijuu attacked the village on October 10. With a swing of it's tails, it could knock down mountains and forests. Finally, the Fourth Hokage came and sealed the Kyuubi in an infant. Kakashi Hatake, the Fourth's student, took the baby and sprinted toward the Hokage's Tower, only for the baby to get killed by a villager who believe the boy to be the Kyuubi itself, not the container. A rumor goes around town that a man in black with a sword that could turn itself into fire killed the villager who killed the Kyuubi's container. Though that was just a rumor.

"Hey, a little kitsune! How cute!" the boy in black cooed, as he petted the little fox softly on the head. She smiled. Apparition or not, she was glad someone else loved foxes.

"Here you go Hinata. Anything else?" Shino said, handing her some rosemary. Hinata took the spice smiling and thought for a minute.

"Depends on what I'm cooking. Do we have any potatoes?" she asked. Shino pulled out a few potatoes.

"I brought some in case you decided to make some." he said in a monotone. Looking around he then squatted in front of her and whispered in her ear. "Any chance you can make those garlic potatoes again? They were really good." he asked. She giggled.

"Of course. You can find garlic?" she asked. Shino nodded his head vigorously. "Then consider it done." she said. Shino pumped his arm and went off to find some garlic. For his birthday, she knew what she would make as a part of his birthday feast. Just then that howl from earlier roared again and something crashed through the trees. It was a huge spider with a hole in the middle of its body. "Oh my god…" she whispered as she scooted away. The spider let out a roar again and then lunged for her. She squeezed her eyes shut, preparing for the worst. But the worst never came.

"Die, die, die, die!" came a cry, it was the voice of the boy who had been following them. She peaked open her eyes to see the boy had unsheathed his sword was repeatedly hitting the monster, screaming at the top of his lungs with his eyes closed. The boy jumped and cut the monster on the head. "DIE YOU DAMN HOLLOW!" he cried out. The hollow, or as the boy called it, disappeared. Her eye was twitching.

"What the hell was that thing?" she asked as the boy recovered from his spaz moment. The boy turned and looked at her, surprise in his eyes.

"You could see it?" he asked in wonderment.

"Yes. Now answer my question, what was that thing." she said, shaken up. The boy still looked surprised.

"And you can see and hear me too…interesting. Well to answer your question. That was a Hollow on you were it's prey." the boy said bluntly.

"Say what?" she said surprised. The boy nodded. She sighed.

"Well thank you…um…" she said trailing off after realizing she didn't know the boy's name. The boy looked blank for a moment then it dawned on him.

"Naruto Ka….Uzamaki." he said quickly. She raised her eyebrows. He was about to say something else for his last name. Didn't matter.

"Thank you Naruto-kun. My name is Hinata Hyuga." she introduced herself.

"I know." Naruto said right off the bat. He then puffed out his chest importantly. "I'm the new Shinigami or Soul Reaper sent out to protect you since the last guy didn't do such a great job." he said.

Ruki44: Oh! Hinata knows that Naruto is a Shinigami, what now?

Hinata: You suck at cliffies.

Ruki, Tetra, and Rukia: Yup.

Ruki44: You're also so mean! Runs off to eat chocalate

Hinata: That can't be good.

Tetra: It isn't. Just be glad we arn't gonna recieve the brunt of the sugar high.

Ruki: Already am...but just in case...grabs army helmet.

Rukia: Don't you think thats going overboard?

Ruki, Tetra, and Hinata: Nope.

Hinata: Anyways, review!