A/N: Hey everyone! What goes on? So sorry that I haven't gotten to do this story in a while, it's been complicated… But I am so fine now! XD I love all of you who had ever sent a review to my story (ah hem ah hem, TWO viewers.) I love you all *blows kisses* Brownies for all of you! XD
Enjoy…
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NEJI'S P.O.V
I see as she is about to pounce on a brown, plump vole; determination in her doe brown eyes. She stalks her pray silently and sneakily as a fox. Her brown tail swept barely above the ground, slowly moving back and forth swiftly.
I was blinded by her magnificent leap with a swift and careful leap and a quick bite to the neck of the blinded vole. She then picks it up and trots happily to the village of our hidden village in the trees. I stood up from my meditating spot and stretched long and hard.
Good for her, I thought as I follow her about 10 feet away. I found her at the fresh kill pile, two identical shiny black cats smiling broadly at her.
"Well done Tenten!" Gai-Sensai shouted proudly, his black, pupil less eyes shining with fire.
"Yosh! Mission complete Tenten!" his mini twin agreed enthusiastically with the same fire in his eyes.
She put the mole on the fresh kill pile, her brown doe eyes glowing with pride, "Thanks guys, it didn't even see it coming," she blew her bangs out of her eyes. I thought it was cute. WHAT? What am I thinking? She's my TEAMMATE! Hisahi would never let me have her as a mate; it would be against the rules. I shook my head violently, trying to get the thought out of my head.
Just as Tenten came into the clearing to clean her head and face with her paw; nine kits came running out of the nursery made out of thorn bushes and brambles. A blonde one with shining blue eyes came up to Tenten first, "Tenten! Tenten! What'd you catch this time? Did you meet a fox? Or a Mist cat Warrior? Did you?-" he was caught off when a black kit came over to him and whacked him in the head with his paw, claws sheathed.
"Dobe! You ask too many questions at a time! Shut up already!" Sasuke-kit growled into Naruto-kit's ear. Naruto-kit rolled his eyes and smirked at him, "You're just jealous I got here first, Sasuke-kit."
"Why you—" Sasuke-kit jumped onto the smirking blonde kit and they tackled each other downhill. A shy dark blue kit came up to Tenten with shining pale lavender eyes.
"H-hello, T-Tenten…" she whispered so softly to her. I visibly flinched at her voice. Oh, how I hate the main branch of my family. They killed my father, and my MOTHER. They killed my father for the Lightning village as a "sacrifice" since my uncle, Hisahi, had killed the deputy of the Lightning Village for kit-napping my little cousin Hinata. She was just a newborn, while I understood everything what was happening that very day. The same as when I got this evil curse mark on my forehead.
I touched my forehead with my paw with sympathy. I wished I was never a part of this clan, I wish I could be free like all the other kits and apprentices right now. When I was a kit, I was always training, 24/7; while other kits got to play in the clearing, chasing butterflies.
I will always envy the kits, ESPECIALLY Hinata. She doesn't have to go through what I went through at her age. I will never forgive the main branch, EVER! Anger ran through my veins when I saw Tenten talking to my cousin.
"Hello to you to you too, Hinata-kit," Tenten purred, respectfully bowing her head. My neck fur bristled. Hinata-kit blushed with embarrassment of the respect Tenten was giving her. "O-oh, y-y-you don't h-have t-to do Th-that Tenten-chan." She pretended to be batting a leaf on the ground.
Tenten let out an mmrroww of laughter as her tail curled around her paws as she sat down once again. "No need for you to get embarrassed, I was just being respectful to the next Hyuga heiress." Tenten explained with a glint in her eyes. Okay, forget anger, I was trembling with rage.
I turned around and was about to march off to Fire Lake, but that's when Tenten spotted me. "Oh, Neji-kun! Hey! How has your morning been?" she scurried off to my spot, " I'll see you all later, enjoy your fresh kill!" she shouted behind her tan back, bangs falling in her face again.
"Hello, Tenten, how has your training been going," I pretended I didn't notice her before; I was almost POSITIVE I was blushing. Tenten saw this, and began to purr with laughter in her brown eyes. I frowned and began to stomp away again. "Hey, hey, HEY! Neji, I was just teasing you; I mean you never blush." Tenten said catching up to my side again. "I didn't mean anything personally, Neji-kun," her eyes shone with an apologetic glow.
Now how can I say nothing to that face? I sighed, " It's alright, I'm just moody lately…" I trailed off and looked away from her face. Her eyes were still on me, I can FEEL it. Then, she looked away and trotted ahead of me to Fire Lake. I snapped out of my daze of a daydream as I saw her walking gracefully; I ran up to catch up.
A few warriors on top of Warriors' Hill were sharing tongues were talking about the young apprentices. "Do you think they know of each other's feelings for one another?" Kurenai-sensai asked as she got between the ears of a dark tom with a spiky pelt.
"I doubt it, Kurenai-sensei," the tom replied with a shrug, "Young love is blind," a silver tom with a spiky pelt and one red eye and one black eye agreed. "For that matter, ANY love is blind, but for some reason it is the young love that puzzles us all." Iruka-sensei walked beside Kakahsi-sensei. They watched the two apprentices stop for water at their main water source.
"I hope they realize that before warrior-hood, or it will be too late for the young Hyuga lower branch,"the Hokage came out of his rock den, "Hisashi wouldn't agree to let Tenten and Neji be mates, Tenten was found in the forest, she was not clan born; but she was also not a kitty pet. It confuses us all, because that is the past and this is the future. We do not look back."
All the warriors bowed their heads in respect. But a white spiky warrior walked beside the elder, "MOST do forget and never look back, others do not", Jaraiya looks at the new generation of kits messing with each other. His eyes fell on the young blonde and black kit, eyes shining softly and sadly.
"I hope that the apprentices will make could warriors, as will the kits as apprentices", Kakashi sighed grooming Anko's neck. She silently purred as he finished. Iruka let out an mmrroww of laughter, with a cheerful gate in his warm eyes. Kakashi and Anko looked away from each other with deep blushes on both of their faces.
"OF COURSE MY APRENTICES WILL MAKE IT! THEY WILL BE GREAT WARRIORS!" Gai-sensei screamed as he sprinted to the rest of the warriors, eyes filled with rage and pride. Everyone groaned silently as he caught up with them. Anko rolled her eyes, as did Kurenai. "So sorry for leaving early from sharing tongues," Anko said getting up and stretching, "But I believe it is almost time for the dusk patrol."
Her gaze fell on all of them with a hurried look of panic and pleading. It's not that they HATED Gai, it's just, well…
He was way too weird to talk to; and if they did talk all he would talk about was either training, or about how Lee was the best apprentice he has ever had and would show the entire clan so. They all felt sorry for Tenten and Neji; and were so…CONFUSED of what Lee thought of him. Oh well, it was his teacher, let it be.
"Oh, oh YES! YES!" Kurenai agreed hopping away from a snoozing Asuma who then fell over as soon as he lost his support. Kurenai turned around and whisper something in his ear; he jumped up immediately and caught up with Anko.
"Kakashi, it's also your turn for the dusk patrol," the Hokage said sitting at the tip of High Rock. Kakashi bowed his head and followed the others to the trail of their hunting grounds. As soon as the warriors reached the path, they were attacked blindly by nine kits who rushed out of the nursery.
"ATTACK!" Kiba and Naruto shouted as they attacked Kakashi's hind legs with tiny claws.
"HINATA, SAKURA, INO!" Kiba shouted, "GET HIS BACK AND HIS HEAD! ONE OF YOU ATTACK THE FRONT LEGS! THAT'LL DISTRACT THEM!" He went back to joining Naruto, who was working on his tail with a joyful glint in his eyes.
Hinata took one look a Kakashi (A/N: I remind you, kits are VERY small compared to warriors) and she looked all the way up to his face; then she fainted. "HINATA!" Ino and Sakura squealed running to their shy friend. Sasuke leaped in from a small tree and got to Kakashi's back. "I GOT HIM! I GOT HIM!" he screamed to the boys. They were cheering as they got under Kakashi's belly.
Shino, Sakura, and Ino watch from the sidelines as they try to revive Hinata. They were cheering with all their spirits in overdrive. Even the warriors watched with amusement, Kakashi was purposely not caring about this moment; he was even finding it amusing.
AT THE LAKE…
"How have your few moons of apprentice-hood been for you, Neji?" Tenten asked lazily as she lay in a patch of lavender, brown tail curling around her body. She sighed with pleasure as her aching muscles rested.
Neji noticed this and ignored the question, " Are you alright? Have you been training too hard again?" he rushed to her side and look over her, she looked healthy and fit, the Hyuga clan has VERY good eye-sight.
"What? No, no, no, it's just I've been awake for awhile, that's it, I swear!" Tenten denied as she leaped up. She looked so serious and honest, but was hiding something, Neji could tell. His eyes softened, "Tenten, what's wrong, you haven't been yourself lately; I mean, you look so tired all the time, with your muscles all aching as if you have been running all day." He got closer to her face, her eyes wide with panic and she took a step back.
"Have you been speaking with Star Clan again? Are you trying to find where you came from again, Tenten?" his forehead was on hers as he said that. Her eyes then softened suddenly, and she whispered, "Yes, yes I have." The silence carried on for a few minutes before they heard two tiny squeals in the air, "ATTACK!"
The mood was broken and they both purred with amusement as they walked side by side up the hill toward the nursery. "Looks like they're at it again," Tenten said as she sped up ahead laughing. Neji watched her, and chuckled silently as he ran with her. Maybe this life is not as bad as it is than when I am with her, he thought smiling silently in his head. He saw the kits trying to take down Kakashi-sensei again: Naruto was at his ears, Sasuke on his back, and Kiba at his belly. Boy, this was going to end funny…