What is it with Cats and Dogs?

Chapter 6

"DADDY! I'M GONNA BE LATE! WHERE'S MY SHOES!"

Urako dashed around the house, her long purple hair flying behind her as she hunted for her elusive shoes. She was tired after her thirteenth birthday party the night before and she was in a horrible mood. Her back ached, her stomach hurt, she had a headache and her 'mother' had already left. Her anger only grew when she heard her father speak.

"What's the problem?"

Kakashi sat at the table as he usually did, nursing a cup of coffee. She glared up at him and held up a foot over the table so he could get a good look at her bare foot.

"My shoes. Where are they?"

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders and took another pull of his coffee. Urako sighed in frustration and turned away from him to continue her search. She had just pushed her fat grey and white cat out of her way when suddenly she noticed the edge of a black sandal peeking out from under the sofa.

"Never mind, I found them! Thanks Ichiyama!"

She swooped down and scooped up the sandals in one motion, already halfway out the door before Kakashi had even registered that she was going. He looked over as Ichiyama waddled into the kitchen with his tail held high in the air.

"You found 'em for her huh? Good job."

He knew that the cat didn't understand a word he said, but the cat always seemed to know what Urako wanted. Even when Iruka couldn't figure out what was happening, like her sudden depressions that she would fall into that left her mute and without appetite.

As she ran toward the Academy, she prayed that Shino and Kiba would cover for her long enough for her to slip into her class before her 'mother' noticed she wasn't on time…

People always thought her choices of best friends were strange. While most girls were sticking with other girls and brushing each other's hair at sleepovers, Urako had played rough games with the boys. Kiba was loud and athletic with an easy smile, while Urako was usually quiet and sweet. But they worked beautifully together, bringing Kiba's strength together with Urako's speed and intelligence. Shino was more like Urako, but was more calculating than the other two.

Urako saw an open window and smiled. Either Shino or Kiba had left it open and would be sitting on the other side of the room to make a disturbance if one was needed. With a smile she hauled herself up high enough to see where Iruka stood and where an empty seat was. She saw Shino glance her way and then turn his head so he was facing forward again and gave a barely perceivable nod. With a sigh, Urako dragged herself up through the window.

'Please don't let my clothes catch again! Or my hair!'

She slid to the floor and peeked around and saw that there was a seat open by either between Hinata and Neji or next to big lovable Choji. The seat by Choji was closer to the front of the class, and the other was almost in the back… Finally she crept into the seat next to Choji and smiled, pushing her long hair out of her face calmly.

"Oh, so you finally decided to join us then Urako?"

Urako froze mid-smile, slowly looking up at Iruka with a nervous giggle.

"Oops?"

Iruka snorted and shook his head.

"Who left the window open for you?"

Urako closed her mouth and stared up at her 'mother' without a glance at her usual accomplices. He was always amazed at how hard it was to get information out of her. He doubted that even Morino Ibiki would have an easy time with her…

"Alright then. Detention for you, Kiba and Shino after school today."

All three groaned and Urako tried to make what her family and friends began to call the 'sad kitty face' at Iruka, but the man had turned away, aware that if he saw it, his resolve would be gone.

………

"Sorry guys…"

Kiba yawned widely and Shino shrugged. Kiba looked up at Akamaru and smiled at his friend, putting an arm over her shoulders.

"Hey, we woulda made a diversion but your dad was too quick."

Shino nodded, folding his hands inside the sleeves of his jacket. He knew he would be in deep trouble with his father for getting in trouble because of Urako again, but he liked to get in trouble with her. Both boys knew she was a magnet for trouble, and all you had to do was wait for something interesting to come around.

Both boys looked over at Urako and nearly fell over. The girl was sobbing into her long sleeves and had pulled her hood over her head in an effort to hide her face.

"Wha? What's wrong?"

Kiba looked over at Shino, who came over and put an arm over her shoulders over Kiba's own arm. Neither had ever seen her cry like this before, and were at a bit of a loss. Kiba shot Shino a questioning look, getting only a shrug in reply.

"Ura, what's wrong?"

Something in how the quiet boy asked his question made Urako angry. She wasn't sure if it was because he was asking like he was afraid of the answer, or because she had seen other girls dissolving into tears during school. She didn't like it when they did it, and now here she was, bawling her eyes out. Kiba tried to make her laugh.

"Well, since it's Urako, we know it isn't Sasuke."

Both of his companions snorted. Urako had to be the only girl in their class that didn't have a crush on the dark Uchiha, something that both boys were thankful for.

"What's going on here?"

All three jumped at the sound of Iruka's voice, and they returned to the chores that he had set them. Kiba was wiping desks and shelves clean, Shino was washing the chalkboard and the windows while Urako swept the floor, then mopped it. In his hands were four bento boxes, but he set them on the nearest desk when he saw Urako's shoulders jerk in silent sobs.

"Ura-bo? What's – "

Urako spun to glare at Iruka, then put away the mop she was holding. She was fed up with the day, with her parents, with her friends… She just wanted to be left alone! Without another word, she walked out the door and dashed toward home.

Iruka looked at the boys, who both shrugged. Iruka gave them both a boxed lunch and sent them home with a warning as he always did, then took off after Urako.

Kakashi was waiting for him at the door when he got there, his face lined with worry.

"Urako went to her room with that damn cat, then I heard a scream and the next thing I knew, she was locking herself in the bathroom! I think she might be sick or something."

Iruka ran to the bathroom and tried the door and found that it was locked. Finally he put his face close to the crack near the wall and called out to his daughter.

"Ura-bo, what's wrong? Are you feeling okay?"

"No. My stomach hurts and I'm bleeding!"

"Eh?"

Urako looked at Ichiyama, who sat on the edge of the tub, looking like a drooping mountain. He meowed once loudly, then jumped down and rubbed against her shins, purring loudly.

"I'm bleeding… Is that bad?"

Iruka blinked in sudden understanding, a smile stealing over his face. Kakashi looked dumbfounded. WHAT could Iruka be smiling about?! Bleeding was bad! …right?

"Well, I'll get you what you'll need and pass it through the door to you when I get back. Then we need to have a little talk, okay? Just hang out with Ichiyama until I get back."

"Okay."

Iruka smiled and Kakashi understood.

Great. Now we get a hormonal teen girl. This should be fun.

A/N

Yay, the teenage years! Iruka is pretty cool, but boy is Kakashi going to have a hard time! Aren't hormones a bitch?

Reviews are much loved! Cookies for y'all who have reviewed! Please no mean flames. If you don't like it, don't read it! 

Deception'sChosen