Again – I don't own Kiba, Naruto, or anything like that. I just have Tsuka.

Sniffing again, Kiba caught another scent closing in. He grimaced and closed his eyes, wishing it would all go away.

"You do realize we're a team, right Inuzuka?" The blonde kunoichi stood ten feet away – the damned chicken of hers was perched up on the arch that marked Konoha's exit. Her expression was a mixture of irritation and curiosity, which, while typical for her, was hard for anyone else to read at first.

The dog-nin scoffed, still with his back facing Tsuka. "Some team – I work my tracking alone… I don't need you." Kiba hesitantly started to turn around from his hunched position, but twisted back to avoid her curious, penetrating looks.

"With no sample scent? No trails? I know how you work, Inuzuka. You're as blind as a newborn puppy." She shook her head a little – not so much of a disapproval as it was just a twitch. "You need my abilities, Inuzuka… Though I bet you don't even know what I do." Tsuka sighed and dropped to her knees – to all appearances scraping in the dirt out of frustration.

"I don't care. And you're not going to help me. I've done tracking since my first day as a genin – I work alone. And I definitely don't work with a chick my own age in charge." Kiba eased to his feet, and started to walk off, but when his cream shadow didn't follow, he ended up having to turn around, much to his dislike.

Akamaru was sniffing at Tsuka's hands, making snuffling noises at her drawing, and whining that he couldn't exactly understand it. The simple diagram was doodled in the dirt under her – two ninjas, dog and bird.

Her messy scribble pictured the kunoichi seated on the big dog, the bird in the air above, and Kiba leading.

The stick figures weren't pretty, but they displayed her intentions. Tsuka nodded to herself as she finished up, confident as she worked it out in her mind.

"So… You're not going to do anything but ride on Akamaru? Some Ninja." Kiba was now over her shoulder, his slit eyes inspecting her crude drawing with a bitter resignation.

"So you really didn't hear about my ability?" She blinked up at him as he nodded, as if the fact were obvious. "I'm like you – an animal user – I do more than look pretty." Kiba rolled his eyes and scoffed, while the blonde scowled up at him, her eyes bright and somewhat irritated. Already with the high and mighty, eh?

"So. What do you do? Fly?" Kiba snorted, ruffling Akamaru's head, and returning the kunoichi's glare with a skeptical look. The eagle above screeched a little, flapping his wings and launching into the air, and soaring over to land on a lower branch on a nearby tree, his feathers ruffled.

"Okay, I'll give you three guesses as to why Daisuke's blindfolded." The girl pulled herself up, dusting her pants off.

"Dai… Oh, your bird, right? Lessee… He's scared of dogs?" Kiba offered half-heartedly, his shoulders shrugging and obviously not interested.

"Nope. Probably would be more the other way… birds his size can take down deer."

"He's an Aburame."

"Funny – but wrong. Dai's a Toriikata through and through." She smiled again, and a little of Kiba's tension melted away – at least she had a good attitude...

"It has to do with you, right?" She nodded affirmative. "I honestly have no idea." He said simply, taking a step closer, eyes narrowed in scrutiny.

"Tell me. What is it you do?" Kiba smiled a little, teasing her. He was unconsciously warming up to his new partner… but it wasn't all that hard when she was so warm herself.

"I'll show you." She said as she turned up to the raptor. "Dai! C'mere." She extended her forearm, which the dog-nin noted was wrapped in leather with a layer of metal on top. It seemed like she was some sort of human perch.

The bird coasted down from his branch, landing on her arm with a soft thump. He screeched happily – flapping his wings a little.

Tsuka turned back around to face her partner, the bird still standing on her arm. "Well – you and your dog smell… We, well… See."

"See? See what? The future or something? Ooh…" He laughed bitterly, smiling and displaying his fang-like canines.

"You don't get it! By concentrating chakra to our eyes like you do to your nose, Daisuke and I have vision twenty times that of a normal human!" She pouted a little – her face scrunched up. Kiba figured she was just a wee bit exasperated – but he liked pushing her buttons.

"That still doesn't explain -"

"I WAS GETTING TO THAT!"

"… Er. Go ahead then. I'm curious."

Tsuka heaved a deep breath – regaining her usual cool and collected voice. "We share the same vision 'plane'" She stated simply, as if it were obvious.

"Huh?"

"Just watch, dang it!"

Kiba smirked a little – Yeah, her buttons were fun to push. Tsuka ripped the blindfold off the bird, closing her eyes as he opened equally bright ones, though amber in color. She paused a little bit, and Kiba realized she was building up chakra.

"Hold up some fingers or something…" Tsuka commanded, eyes still shut tight.

"Why? Did I miss something?" Confused, Kiba complied, lifting up seven fingers – though he was still confused what "seeing" had to do with closing her eyes.

"I'm proving to you that I can see through Daisuke's eyes." She replied, her voice clear and calm again. "Seven, by the way."

"Oh, I get it! He sees through your eyes and you see through his, huh?" Kiba grinned – so she wasn't useless after all… And he had figured it out mostly on his own. He deserved a gold star for that one. Totally.

"Yup. But if both our eyes are open at the same time… things get dizzy."

"I can only imagine… So are, um… are we a team now?" Kiba wondered aloud; his voice cautious so Tsuka didn't feel out of sorts. It seemed rather the opposite.

"Yup! A team!" She flashed another wide grin, then took the lead as she sped off, bird, boy, and dog close behind.

Hope you liked! I'm trying to even out Kiba's mood. After all, he's not very in-character, yet. But depression will do that to ya! Review please!