"Ready?" Kakashi asked, lowering his head to meet the crimson eyes of his student. Kira glared back at him, a smirk playing on her face, showing her small fangs. They had grown since the first time he had met her.

"Here I come," the Shinobi whispered, before darting towards her at top speed. Kira watched him dash towards her, her tail swishing eagerly.

Closer…closer…closer…

Kakashi reached for his kunai knife, raising it in attack.

"Too close!" Kira suddenly yelled; her hands protecting her face as a sudden force field of wind erupted in front of her. Kakashi was thrown back with the force of the storm with a violent tug as he collided with a tree. The wind still scoured the ground, lifting stray leaves until it faded away into the air. Kira peeked out from her splayed fingers slightly to see her teacher lying at the foot of the tree. Kira cautiously walked over to him, her ears pointed forward. Kakashi groaned slightly, opening his eyes as the pain in the back of his head banged and throbbed. Suddenly, his eyes met two shining crimson eyes, which were replaced with a mouth with two fangs grinning the words, "Gotcha!"

"Very good," Kakashi smiled wearily, standing up on weak legs as Kyra jumped around him, "I'm surprised. I didn't expect you to use that much force."

Kira giggled, scratching her ear, "I guess I got carried away."

"No, that's good," Kakashi smiled, scratching her ear as she grinned up at him, "It means you have control over your wind powers. Plus, it means your finally taking me seriously enough to attack me with full effort." Kira blushed slightly, giggling.

"What's next?" she asked, running in a short circle and stopping to look up at him, "Huh? What's next!? What's next!?"

"That's it," Kakashi smiled downward at her, "The lesson's over. You can go home now. But I'll see you Monday, okay?" Kira looked slightly crestfallen, but her smile returned and she grinned up at her teacher.

"Okie-dokie!" she sang, running back in the direction towards the village, "See ya, Kakashi sensei!" Kakashi smiled, adjusting the bag on his shoulder and continued in the same direction.

I like this place, Kakashi thought, as he strolled through the streets of Uindo. It was different from the village of sand, and other places in the Land of Wind. It looked a lot like Konoha: green grass, full trees, plentiful and bright sakura trees…he could get used to this place. It was almost like a little patch of heaven amidst all the barren sand filled deserts that scoured the rest of the Land of Wind. He had been living here for two months maybe, as they had started training in May and it was now the month of July, getting up every morning to go for a nice walk, explore the grounds, spend time with the plentiful elite ninjas, but the thing he looked forward to the most was training the little kitten girl that everyone fussed over so much. The whole village seemed to adore her, except for the school children. For some reason, they always seemed to mock her, and make fun of her appearance. But the adults seemed to take pride in her; they looked at her with a sort of awe in their eyes, a sort of knowing smile.

Still, Kakashi thought, watching a gaggle of school children pass him, laughing and playing, I haven't seen any other Neko clan members here. Why is she the only one?

Kakashi sighed, lost in thought as he made his way to his apartment as the setting sun cast shadows in the walls of his apartment building. There was some sort of secret this village was holding.

"I hope you don't mind me coming over during your busy schedule, Miu-san," Kakashi said as he took a seat in the living room. The woman took a seat in the chair on the opposite side of the coffee table, setting down a tray of green tea as she did so.

"Not at all," she said in her soft voice, smiling at him with her glimmering azure eyes, "What can I do for you, Kakashi-kun?" Kakashi was still for a second, contemplating on how to string his words together: it was a delicate subject, he presumed.

"Well, it's about Kira," he started off, as the woman took a cup of tea and lifted it towards her face.

"Oh," she smiled pleasantly, her ears limp and calm, "Is she doing all right? I hope she isn't running you ragged."

"No, not at all," Kakashi smiled, waving a hand, "She's a good work out. I wish I had had more students like her."

"Kittens are very energetic and active," the cat woman smiled, "But she is very sweet and well behaved, is she not?"

"Yes, very," Kakashi nodded, smiling. He took a second to survey the room they were in. It was a traditional house, nothing unusual. It was very beautiful and spacious though, with tall windows and doors that let in early afternoon sunlight, accompanied with a few potted banzai plants.

"What I wanted to ask is," Kakashi started, meeting the mother's serene eyes, "Is…I haven't seen any other cat women in this village. Is there a reason for that?"

Miu looked up at Kakashi from her cup of tea. Her eyes flicked for a second as she looked to the side, setting the cup down a bit shakily.

"…H-how…did you notice?" she asked softly, not looking at him.

"I didn't know it was so hard to miss," Kakashi confessed softly, "Miu-san, please, I don't mean any harm. I'm just curious to know a little more about my student. Please," Miu's watery blue eyes met his, "Please," Kakashi said softly, "Just tell me all you know."

Miu sighed shakily, adjusting her seating position as she rolled up the sleeves on her kimono.

"I used to live in Kaze with the other Neko clan members," Miu explained, a faint smile behind her voice, "I was married to an ANBU Suna of the Katana clan. I worked there as a healer. We were very happy there," her voice quivered on that last sentence as Kakashi watched her dab her eye with her sleeve. She took a shaky breath.

"Then, Orochimaru attacked," she almost whispered. Kakashi felt his body tense up when he heard these words, so often repeated in Konoha.

"Orochimaru?" he asked softly, leaning forward. Miu nodded.

"He came to slaughter all Neko clan members," she sniffed, "By the time, my husband was already dead. But, Kira was only about three years old. Everyone, Nekos and ninjas came to attack. Orochimaru's henchmen were everywhere, scouring the village for Nekos. I-It was horrible," she sniffed again, adjusting her voice and continuing, "I was so afraid for her, because of…her power. We all knew she had the power. All Kaze-Konekos have red eyes. I guess Uindo never found out that she was the one because they didn't know. Nekos never lived here at all," she turned to Kakashi, her lips trying to form a faint smile.

"Why didn't you tell them that she was the one?" Kakashi asked. Miu shook her head, her voice coming out as a pained whisper.

"Kakashi-san, you have to understand," she spoke softly, "I didn't want that life for my daughter. The Kaze Koneko is one of the most respected Ninja in all the land, but they are also the most sought after. Hundreds of ninja squads are assigned to capture the Kaze-Koneko and harness her power, or worse, to assassinate." Kakashi must have flinched in horror, because Miu shook her head, "I know, it seems foolish to kill something so prize-worthy, by some people are so threatened by the fact of a Neko having skilled tai-jutsu and wind powers that they are forced to kill then. And worse, some people are disgusted," she closed her eyes, furrowing her brow as she spoke, "Some people, like Orochimaru, are disgusted with the whole clan together, because they see them as a threat."

Kakashi nodded, the pieces of the puzzle finally fitting into place.

"Why here?" he suddenly asked.

"Because I knew that if they found her, that if they found her powers, that Orochimaru would turn her into a monster," Kira's mother said through tears, "I came to live here, and the city helped protect us. I knew that she would lead a different life to the other children here…that she would never know what it was like to be with her own kind…but…to be in such risk of being captured by Orochimaru…I couldn't let that happen to my kitten….my only kitten…"

Kakashi sighed bitterly. The poor woman had done everything she could to protect her child, and yet he knew that the world would soon be after Kira, trying to take her away from her. Kakashi couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't.

"Thank you very much, Miu-san," he said softly, getting up from his seat and bowing graciously, "Thank so much for telling me." The woman wiped her eyes, smiling through her tears as a small laugh escaped her mouth.

"I'm so sorry," she smiled, getting up and facing Kakashi, "It's been a while since I told that story."

"Don't be sorry," Kakashi said, looking somewhat sadly at the woman as she dabbed her eyes for the last time, "I'm glad I know now." Miu bowed appreciatively, when one of her ears swiveled towards the right. Her head looked over to the staircase next to them. Her eyes widened, as she stood up, looking to the right. Confused, Kakashi looked in her direction. At first, he could see nothing, but all of a sudden, Miu spoke, "Kira…I…"

Kakashi felt his stomach churn with nerves when he saw the kitten hiding behind the staircase, her face veiled by shadows. She stepped a few paces away from the shadows, and Kakashi saw tears in her eyes. She had heard everything.

"Kira, please," Miu said softly, taking a step further, but was interrupted by Kira's tearful words.

"Why?" she choked out the words, tears streaming from her crimson eyes, "Why did you do that to me?" Kakashi felt a pang of sadness was he watched his students' tears drip from her face, her ears limp. He had never seen her like this before, and it upset him greatly.

"Kira, I did it for you," Miu desperately tried to explain, "I had to…"

Suddenly, with out warning, Kira's ear flung up as her eyes blazed with anger, her small fangs bared.

"Do you know what it's like!?" she yelled, her voice clenched with tears, "Do you know what it's like to have no friends!? To be alone all the time, with out a single person to turn to? To know that there is not a single other person out there that will look at you as something other than a freak? Do you know what that's like!?"

"Kira, please," Kakashi tried to reason, as her mother was taken a back by her odd behavior. Kakashi was frightened by Kira's angry disposition, but more than anything, he wanted to console her and make everything better. But before he had a chance to, Kira suddenly wiped her nose with a soft whimper and dashed past him, rocketing out of the house. Kakashi and Miu watched with disbelief as in a matter of seconds they were left in the room alone.

"Kira-chan!" Miu called out the open door from across the room, but only a calm summer breeze answerer them, making a wind chime shimmer somewhere off in the distance.

"She's gone," Kakashi said quietly, "She's still too fast for me."

"Kakashi-san," Miu suddenly said, coming up to him with tears in his eyes, "I-I'm so sorry this had to happen now, I-I didn't know she was liste-"

"Its okay, Miu-san," Kakashi said softly, putting a reassuring hand on the woman's shoulder, "I'm going to find her. I can track her easily, you just need to be calm and wait here. She'll be okay, its better that she found out now than never." Miu gulped, nodding.

"Thank you," she whispered. Kakashi nodded and dashed out the door.