A/N: Helllooooooo fans of Naruto Warriors Series! I just want to thank every last one of you by name on my reviews board (it's the most I have EVER gotten, thank you SO much!): MatsuriWolfsong, Night Kaida, Tenten's Panda, Crestfallenfeline, Navi-at-Heart.
Sure, it doesn't seem much, but to me, it keeps me going. I LUV all the comments, they crack me up and smile. But seriously, if you're going to FAVORITE my story, the REVIEW first, that would make me SO happy. Well, I'm sorry that I couldn't start another chapter, my mom was gone for a week, and so was the laptop; I COULDN'T do another chapter without it. XD
ENJOY, Y'ALL!
Disclaimer: Ok, I don't know how many times I have to do this, but I DON'T OWN NARTUO OR WARRIORS! IF I DID, JAYPAW WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE (well, it's a special power *shrug*)
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Lee, of course, beat Tenten and Neji home and was jumping up and down as he told Gai-Sensei. 'Oh boy' Neji and Tenten thought at the same time. Gai-Sensei bounded up to them, to the entrance of the village, the tangled brambles and vines that intertwined together on the many trees. This made a cave-like opening for Clanmates to move to and fro freely to hunt or attack. Lee was right behind him, as always.
Gai got to them and grinned so big it rivaled the Cheshire Cat. His eyes were burning with a passionate love (A/N: wEiRd way to put it, I know) and was also purring with a pride only mentors could make to their apprentices.
"I am so proud of you three! YOU USED THE POWER OF YOUTH TO LEAD OFF AN ENTIRE ARMY OF ENEMIES AWAY FROM HARM'S WAY! THIS DESERVES TO BE TOLD TO CATS EVERYWHERE! MY APPRENTICES, YOU ARE THE GREATEST WARRIORS ANYWHERE!" Gai-Sensei was right in front of them, but he was yelling as if they were across the mountains!
They were used to this though, and they learned not to flinch after the first moons of being with him. They had to get used to Lee too, so that was a double smack with a Monster to the head. Of course, after being announced like that, all cats from the dens, nursery, Warriors' Hill were gathered around the young, brave apprentices. They all whispered excitedly. Neji and Tenten were slightly embarrassed, both looking at the ground, drawing in the dirt.
All the kits and newly made apprentices were gathered the closest. Naruto, Kiba, and Chouji were jumping up in front of their faces crying out, "Where'd you fight? Were they big? What kind of Justus did they use? What Clan did they come from? We'll tear 'em to shreds before they set another paw on our territory!" They cried out, determined. Tenten purred in amusement at the little balls of fur.
"There, there now; one at a time! I can only take so many at once!" Tenten meowed, putting her head at eye level to the small apprentices, her doe eyes glowing in the sun. Neji didn't stop looking at the ground with his head, but his eyes did wander to Tenten's amused actions. She was now crouched down to bat her front paws in front of Naruto' s face; Naruto was of course was playing back, rolling onto his back and nipping at the paws that came close to his face.
Kiba and Hinata both jumped onto Tenten's back, claws sheathed, and were "attacking" her pelt. Soon, all the new apprentices had her: Ino and Sakura at the tail, Shino and Sasuke at her hind legs, and Chouji was TRYING to get to her belly with his chubby paws. They all were mewing playfully to each other; trying to flip Tenten over.
All the other warriors and elders purred in amusement as the she-cat messed around with them. Neji couldn't help think 'she's good with kits….' He then mentally slapped himself. 'NO! I CAN'T THINK THAT WAY!' Neji turned a deep shade of red. He scolded himself as he stomped off to the lake for a drink, passing all his Clanmates. He heard some whispers as he was leaving: "She's that kit that was found lost in the woods." "Can we still trust her?" "Might as well, she hasn't done any damage yet to the Clan". He heard about every conversation. This made him madder than a squirrel whose secret winter stash was taken while it was starving. He then ran to the lake, anger flowing through his veins.
"OK, OK that's enough," Tenten purred as she stood up, all nine newly made apprentices clinging to her, all laughing and giggling. They all let go and let out an "AWWWWWW, WHY NOT?" They might be new, but they are obedient. She shook out her pelt and began to clean her face with her paw. As she was doing this, she noticed Neji, sitting over by himself by the lake. He looked angry, and she wondered why. As she was staring at Neji, she didn't notice the Leader coming up to her.
"Ah, Hem," he coughed, and she jumped. But when she turned around to see who it was, she relaxed.
"Good Evening, Hokage the Fourth," she meowed friendly to him. His eyes danced with kindness and wisdom.
"Good evening, Tenten," he replied, and then said," How about you go see what's wrong with him, hmm?" he inquired. He was a big tease sometimes. Tenten blushed, and just nodded, afraid if she spoke to him, she would squeak. She began to trot to Neji at the Lake, in which he looked lonely and mopey.
Hokage the Fourth just shook his head and let out a deep purr of amusement. The mentors were all gathered around him now. He turned his head slightly, still looking a Neji and Tenten, and asked, "They still don't know, do they?" All the mentors purred to that, and Iruka answered, "No, sir, that they do not." That amusement was then quiet again, like a knife had come through the air, Hisashi came to sit with all of them.
"Is there something amusing that I missed?" Hisashi asked. They all quickly looked away from Neji and Tenten and began to speak to him absent from the real world, "Oh no, Kakashi just told us another thing to say to your apprentices when you're late for another session." Iruka said, changing the subject a bit.
Of course, Hisashi didn't believe this, and his gaze fell to the two apprentices by the lake; his nephew and his teammate. They seemed… close. His eyes narrowed a bit. He loved his nephew very much, but he fully understands why Tenten cannot be his mate. He turned to the Hokage and asked, "Would you like me to get the Dusk Patrol ready, sir?" in the most nonchalant way. The Hokage then relaxed after being a bit stiff, and nodded in agreement. Hisashi then left to fetch the Patrol.
"We all understand the rules of the Hyuga family, sadly they have to be followed," Kakashi muttered as he trotted after Hisashi. The rest of the Warriors dispersed to gather their apprentices for late training. Only the Hokage was left looking at the two teammates. He sighed and turned to go back to his den to think about this.
AT THE LAKE
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Neji was just sitting there on the rock that sat on the shore of the lake, glaring at his reflection. Tenten came up behind him without sneaking up on him; she knew he could see her. She then crouched down behind him on the bank, her tan tail swishing soundlessly back and forth. Balancing all her power in her hind legs, she jumped over Neji's glaring head, and landed right in front of him where her eyes were to his.
She meowed, "HI NEJI!" Of course, what surprised her was that he actually looked shocked, and backed away too far. SPLASH! Tenten saw Neji land in the water with a thud. Thank StarClan, the water was shallow here, but that doesn't mean that Neji loved water. Only RiverClan and MistClan liked water. A strange, thick yowl escaped from his mouth as he jumped from the water, onto the bank.
At this sight, Tenten couldn't hold it in anymore; she fell onto her stomach, and laughed. She laughed so hard in fact; she was rolling back and forth on the rock, holding her belly with her forepaws. (A/N: The irony, right?)
At the sound of her laugher, Neji then got up from his sitting, soggy position; jumping around to face his teammate. 'Now, a gentlecat of the Hyuga Family would be to calmly walk away, to react to this as if it was nothing' Neji thought as he stared/glared at Tenten. 'BUT NOT THIS TIME!' Inner Neji told him, and he agreed. He leaped onto his laughing teammate, and used his strength to push both him and Tenten into the water.
The first thing he noticed was that she stopped laughing as soon as she hit the water; the second, he was in the water AGAIN. Both their heads popped up from the slightly deeper water, and they stared/glared at each other for a while. Finally, Tenten splashed Neji's face with her forepaws, and tried to swim away. Neji shook his face in happy frustration. He was a better swimmer than Tenten, and easily caught up to her. He got ahead of her, and got her face wet with the help of his hind paws. She sputtered and bobbed erratically as she tried to gather her balance again.
By then, Neji was back on the bank, shaking his pelt out. She purred in amusement at his soggy figure. She swam out of the lake, and did the same; getting Neji wet AGAIN. He playfully growled at her as she purred. They both simultaneously began to clean themselves. Neji felt much better after their water war; so much happier in fact, he almost forgot why he was unhappy. Of course after this thought, he was back to being serious again.
He cleared his throat, and calmly said to Tenten, "We'd better get back to camp," he said, standing up. She looked disappointed, but quietly agreed. She got up, and began to follow Neji to the middle of camp, but then stopped and asked, "Hey Neji?"
"Hn?" he replied. He turned around to see his teammate staring at the sun going down. She turned her head, not looking at him, and asked, "Will you watch the sunset with me?" Her meow sounded soft and careful. He then quietly walked over to her side and sat down with her. At the corner of his eyes, he saw that for the first time in a while, Tenten looked relaxed. Her body seemed to look comfortable instead of its usual stiffness in the past couple of weeks. Her side molded perfectly into his, when did he get that close to her? Did he just sit like that? Oh well. Everything seemed so calm NOW.
The sun made its way to the water, making a reflection across it. With this effect, it seemed to make Tenten glow. Not because of the water, but her spirit seemed just to GLOW. He felt at home in this position. Then as quickly as it began, it ended. It was soon dark, and with no moon out. He got up at the same time as Tenten, and they walked home together. It was time for them to rest; they had Dawn Patrol tomorrow morning.
Neji and Tenten trotted warily to the apprentices' den with Lee, Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Ino, Shikamaru, Chouji, Shino, Hinata, and Kiba. Their nests were side by side, so they just plopped down on the moss and familiar scent of friends and home. Neji fell asleep quickly, but Tenten stayed awake; thinking about what the strange blue and red eyed cat was talking about.
'What does he mean that he was MY Clanmate? Why was he so familiar but yet a stranger to me? I guess I DO have a more distinct past than what the Warriors thought' Tenten thought as she finally drifted to sleep, snuggling closer to Neji for warmth, and he seemed to get closer with her. Soon, they were side by side again; they both felt sleep for the first time in a long while.
Sadly, there's no ending here; the blue and read eyed cat is staring down at the two apprentices, with a raged glint because of the white one. He was getting to close with Tenten. He was on top of the tallest tree that was closest to the camp without being spotted by his *shudders* Clanmates. He then thought 'I do hope you realize soon enough that home for you is not there, but with us, the WildClan.' He stood up, and jumped from tree to tree, away from the FireClan's Camp.
He knew what Tenten would be doing in her sleep, the same that she's been doing for moons now: Visiting StarClan for answers about her past, and soon to be, future.