They reached the gate and perched themselves on top of it and looked out over the top of the forest that surrounded Konoah Village. The moon was still setting, peaking over the treetops at them. They stared at a disfiguration of the horizon. It grew as whatever it was got closer, forming into a hulking form at the center of the moon's light but at the same time the silvery light of the moon hid its true shape. The group watched as more of the snakelike black shadows began to wave in the light of the moon, casting a hundred eerie shifting shadows.
Justicur could see below in the clearing in front of the gate hundreds of Shinobi had assembled. He looked to his right and left and found that likewise the rooftop was manned by more. He could even see a few of the white, animal-like masks of the ANBU. He even recognized one of them as one of the few who had met Tric before. Justicur could see that the wounds had healed.
Tsunade's hands became a blur beside him as she began a series of hand signs; the diamond shaped mark on her forehead began to glow.
Justicur took the hint and began to complete his own jutsu to store it for later completing the necessary hand signs adding slight flaws to them to get the desired effect and then ending with his fingers clasped together like a cage. To his other side he heard Saria do the same, fore no doubt, they where going to need it.
Tric hear the slight rustle of leaves as the shinobi in the clearing dispersed into the treetops, beginning the assault on the shadow.
Suddenly the shadow was gone. Justicur flinched, his eyes widening. Only one thought ran through his mind, where did it go!?!
And suddenly it was there, in the clearing, sitting there, as if it was docile as the Egyptian house cat it looked like.
It was a little less than twice the height of the wall. It looked like a jet black house cat with short shimmering black fur that shone in the moonlight and rippled when the cat moved, its muscles rippling. Behind it one hundred long black tales waved silently in the night air above the forest, almost as if it was trying not to damage the trees.
Then, below the awed silence that filled the clearing, a low rumble began to shake the earth and the walls like a small earth quake. It grew until it filled the air like a dull roar.
Justicur looked at the giant cat, realizing it was the source of the sound. But how is it making that sound??? It's not even moving! Wait... could it be? No it couldn't be? This thing is about to destroy us and it's?
Justicur looked over at Saria and found she was looking at him just as astonished her thoughts mimicking his, it's purring!?!
The looked back up at the face of the cat and found them staring into two cat eyes that reminded them of Tric's. Almost the entire eye was pitch black except for the iris which was stark white.
Amazingly, looking it straight in the eye Justicur felt no fear. His eyes flicked up to the top of the cat's head where he saw movement. Even from this distance he could see a figure was standing on top of the cat's head.
He saw the figure move slightly and then the figure disappeared.
"Well, this is certainly a surprise; I expected at least a 'hello'."
Justicur spun around and found a where the figure had gone. The figure looked about 16 years old and wore a tight black shirt with a baggy black pair of pants with pockets covering them. He looked a little like Justicur, but opposite Justicur's serious face and intellectual eyes Tric's face and eyes where like a painting of every shade of life, from the good to the bad. The other thing that separated Justicur and Tric was Tric's cat like features. On his head instead of normal human ears where a pair of cat ears that where covered in short black fur. And behind him was a cat tail that curled up at the end and was covered in fur like that which covered his ears.
"Hey, Justicur," There was a joking tone to Tric's voice, "Look me in the eye when I'm talking to you!"
Justicur had been averting his eyes, not wishing to see those mad eyes, but he looked up and looked straight into his friends' eyes, his friends green gold eyes that seemed to hide in their depths the laughter of the seasons and the sorrows of all time. He looked and realized that Tric's eyes had returned to normal.
Tric gasped as he was instantly crushed by Justicur's hug, "gasp Justicur gasp you can gasp let go now"
Justicur released him, "Wha-wha-what happened!?! I mean the last time we saw you you-you where trying to steal the scrolls! And when we thought I mean when we heard your cat or-or whatever that thing purring, it is purring right?"
Tric laughed at his friends antics and nodded his head, "Yes, it is purring and it has a name if you would please, and if you wouldn't mind we've been traveling for a while know and I'm kind of hungry."
Justicur took trick by the shoulder and began to lead him to the edge of the roof but Tric stopped him and turned back towards the giant cat that still sat in the clearing watching Tric and Justicur. Tric looked up at the cat and pointed his arm at it.
Justicur noticed that around each of Tric's arms from the wrist up three fourths of his lower arm where massive spools. He remembered that around each of the two foot wide spools where eight smaller spools. And as Justicur watched the edges of the giant cat seemed to shift, becoming fuzzy and indistinct. Suddenly black chains extended from the cat and shot towards Tric.
Justicur reacted and shot forward in order to nock his friend out of the path of the chains but he stopped as Tric lifted his other hand stopping him. Justicur watched as the chains as they shot towards Tric instead of piercing him they began to shrink and wrap around the spools and as more chains wrapped around the spools the cat became smaller and smaller till until it jumped onto the roof and became the size of a normal house cat.
The cat softly padded away towards Saria and began rubbing up against Saria's legs, purring.
"How-ya, wha-wa, uh...huh?" An obvious look of confusion covered Justicur's face.
Tric laughed again at his friend, "I'll explain later right now I'm really hungry, by the way I think Kurogekko likes you Saria." He smiled at her
She blushed, "Is that its name?"
"His. And yes that's his name."
She ran her hand along his back and along his tails; he arched his back in response, purring. "He's so cool and soft."
Suddenly there was a strange gurgling noise. Everyone looked at Tric. He smiled and scratched behind one of his ears and rubbed his stomach with the other, "Sorry, I'm kind of hungry I haven't had anything to eat since yesterday morning when I left for here. I kind of miss your cooking Justicur."
Saria and Justicur laughed at their friend and then arm in arm they jumped off the edge of the wall and headed back to Justicur's place.
Mean while the other shinobi and Tsunade stood, stock still, shocked. They looked at each other and then at Tsunade. She shook her head and looked off in the direction the three friends had disappeared. "You all may go, I'll watch him," She turned to Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke; "You guys should go meet the friend of your friend, K? Have a little fun."
Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke smiled at each other and followed their friends.
The night had returned to its stillness, Tsunade stood and watched the sun set.
Suddenly from off to her left Tsunade heard a twig snap. She ducked and her hand shot out. She winced and dropped the projectile. She watched as a pale figure jumped off the roof and vanished into the night. She shook her head, No! It couldn't be! But as she inspected the small white bullet and realized that it was the bone of one's fingertip her suspicions where confirmed.
In a blur she disappeared into the village to decide what to do next. Mean while a very pale boy in a short white robe with a purple rope tied around his waist watched from a distance. He looked at the new flesh on his hands and thought to himself, it's good to be alive.
He stood there only for a moment more and then vanished back into the depths of the forest, his goal achieved.