AN: *Shamefully peers out from her cave* Anyone there? I'm so sorry it took me so long to update, but this chapter has been very hard to write for some reason. It is super long though and I've been writing it in pieces over the past however many months, so I hope it doesn't seem too disjointed. Part of the problem was I knew the exact spot where I wanted to end it, but too many things had to happen to get there! Anyway, I'm very excited to leave this "filler" chapter behind so we can get to the stuff I wanted to write when I first started this story! Not that I think this chapter is bad (I'm quite proud of it), but well you'll see! Thanks to everyone who's reviewed and stuck with me!

Disclaimer: I have no ownership of my life right now, so how could I own Naruto?

Chapter 5: Peace, War, and Diplomacy

After running hard for a few miles, Team 7 broke free of the forest that encompassed the Grass Haven, so Kakashi slowed the pace to a walk to traverse the wide plains that lay ahead.

"Alright, guys. We'll take it easy for a little while," the jonin said as he readjusted the pack slung across his shoulders and shortened his long stride.

Never lacking energy, Naruto immediately took the opportunity to break formation and dash past Sakura and Kakashi. Planting his feet squarely, the blonde genin blocked his sensei's path and pointed at him accusingly. "Don't act like you forgot your promise to finish telling us about Owl, Kakashi-sensei!"

Kakashi blinked his one exposed eye at his impatient student. "Oh, well there really isn't much more to tell…"

Sasuke strolled by Naruto and rudely knocked his elbow into the shorter genin's shoulder. "If you weren't such a loser, you'd already have figured out how Owl survived."

"Hey!" Naruto shouted as he shook a fist at Sasuke's back. "Bastard, what are you talking about?"

"Agh, Naruto! Could you be any more annoying?" Sakura whined with her palms over her ears in disgust.

Kakashi just rolled his eye at his team's childish antics. With a lazy wave, the jonin retook the lead and drawled, "Well, if you've got it figured out, you can enlighten the rest of us, Sasuke. Saves me the trouble, anyway."

Sasuke shrugged and shoved his hands in his pockets. "From what you told us of Owl's abilities, it's obvious you took advantage of them and did a body swap."

Sakura nodded in agreement. "Right. And some sort of genjutsu would have been needed to make it appear that the substitute had Owl's physical appearance and chakra signature."

Kakashi smiled beneath his mask. These two really are too smart for their own good… Out loud, the jonin replied, "You guys pretty much nailed it. Owl developed an extremely high level jutsu that not only allowed him to erase his own chakra signature, but also instill it onto someone else. Very handy for making an escape."

Naruto was unusually lost in thought. Staring at the ground, he finally asked in a quiet voice, "So, it was just like what happened to Neji's father and uncle?"

Kakashi could tell where Naruto was heading. The genin obviously thought, and rightly so, that the way the Hyuuga Clan protected Konoha from war with the Land of Lightning was morally unforgivable. Not wanting Naruto to get the wrong idea, Kakashi faced his student and said, "No, Naruto. It's not quite what you think."

Naruto narrowed his eyes in anger. "What are you talking about! Another person's life was sacrificed to protect Owl, who had been convicted of murder but had abilities that the village wanted, so it was judged that his life was more valuable than someone else's! No life is less valuable than another!"

The kid had a valid point, but ninja politics sometimes had to go to extremes to ensure the safety of the village. Naruto would eventually learn that you can't take the moral high road in every situation if you wanted to genuinely protect people close to you. But for now, Kakashi supposed he better stop Naruto from jumping to more conclusions.

"Listen, Naruto. I'm not saying I don't agree with you. But, what happened with Owl was different. The stand-in was another convicted criminal who was due to be executed as well."

"But!"

Kakashi silenced the orange wearing genin with a stony glare. "Let me finish, you need to understand this. What happened with the Hyuuga clan was not a public execution… the sacrifice was done in secret, and the Cloud ninja were expecting us to try and fool them, so the body that was shown had to pass their scrutiny. Only Hiashi-san's twin brother could do that."

Clearing his throat, the jonin continued, "It's true the Third Hokage deemed Owl too valuable to die, even on charges that were justly decided, but we had all the pieces necessary to pull it off… without sacrificing anyone who was innocent or unwilling to do so."

Anger turned to confusion in the young genin's eyes. "Wait, you mean the other convict agreed to the plan?"

Kakashi nodded. "That's right. I personally explained the entire situation to him. He was serving a sentence for murdering his wife and sister in a drunken rage and had already accepted his punishment to be just. In his eyes, agreeing to the Hokage's idea was one last good deed he could do for the village."

"Oh… I guess I get it." Naruto averted his eyes in shame. "Sorry, sensei. I should have known you wouldn't have allowed it if it meant sacrificing innocent lives."

Kakashi grimaced beneath his mask. The kid thought too highly of him. But, he wasn't about to spill anything else about his past. Instead, he gave Naruto his famous eye crease smile. "Don't worry about it. Just remember right and wrong isn't always black and white."

"But, sensei" chimed in Sakura. "What I still don't understand is why the Third Hokage just didn't clear Owl of the charges? You said that he found out the truth of what happened, so why did the execution have to happen at all?"

Kakashi should have known they weren't done with the questions. To be fair, he hadn't been very forthcoming about the true reason for Owl's actions. Seeing Sasuke quirk an eyebrow at him, daring the jonin to lie again, Kakashi knew he would have to give them something.

Sighing, the silver-haired ninja gathered his thoughts. "For one, Owl technically was guilty. He did kill Arrow, but again, it wasn't a black and white issue. Let's just say that revealing the reasons behind Owl's actions would probably have cleared his name in the eyes of both Leaf and Sand shinobi, but doing so would no doubt have started a war between the Lands of Fire and Wind."

All three genin were obviously not satisfied with that answer. He was dodging and they knew it. Sasuke grunted in annoyance, Sakura sniffed with derision, and Naruto did what he does best: yelled.

"Agh, sensei! Why do you keep beating around the bush? We all know that you know why Owl killed Arrow! So just tell us!"

Frustrated with himself for the position he was in, Kakashi curtly retorted, "Look, if Owl wants to explain it to you, I'll let him, but I don't have time to get into it now. Back then, ninja village politics were strained and complex, you aren't old enough to even begin to understand."

Naruto looked like he was going to argue, but thankfully Sakura kicked her teammate in the shin.

"Ow! Sakura! What was that for?"

Obviously trying to keep Kakashi from hearing, the pink-haired kunoichi grabbed Naruto's arm and whispered, "Just drop it, ok? Can't you tell he doesn't want to talk about it?"

Pretending he didn't hear, Kakashi just kept walking and an uncomfortable silence fell across the team. Feeling guilty for once again being the source of strain in his team's close bonds, the jonin finally relented and apologized. "Sorry guys I didn't meant to snap, but I really think it would be best if you heard the story from Owl himself."

Sakura gave him a genuine smile in reply. "We understand, sensei. We're sorry too, but this kind of thing is new to us, so we're just trying to learn as much as possible."

"I know…" Making a decision, Kakashi looked back at his team. "Tell you what, I think to help you better understand, I should tell you exactly what the Third Hokage told me after Owl's trial."

"Hmph," Sasuke muttered. "More words of wisdom from that old man?"

Naruto glared at the Uchiha. "Hey, show some respect!" The blond turned toward Kakashi and grinned. "C'mon, keep talking! I wanna hear more about how to be a good Hokage!"

"Well, after the verdict had been announced, I may have been a little upset…"

***Flashback***

In the two weeks between his return to the village and the end of Owl's trial, Wolf had worked non-stop to try and get information from anyone about the current relations between the Lands of Wind and Fire. He had even questioned the Sand shinobi that had arrived for the trial, but he couldn't pry too deeply without drawing attention to his motives.

Without a doubt, the silver-haired teen knew that what happened on that mission had been the result of secret orders given from higher-ups. Whether they originated from the Land of Wind or the Land of Fire, Kakashi did not know. What those orders were meant to accomplish, Kakashi did not know. All Kakashi knew was that his captain had killed Arrow, seemingly without reason, but in Owl's mind, it had been necessary.

Frustrated beyond belief with his lack of knowledge, Kakashi's hope of clearing his captain's name had all but disappeared, and today the jury made up of Leaf and Sand shinobi had reached a verdict. Tomorrow, Owl was to be stripped of his ANBU rank and mask, revealing his true face and name, before being hanged publicly. It wasn't a surprise, both the Leaf and the Sand wanted to forget the incident and appease both sides without cutting the few threads holding the shaky peace between them. A life for a life.

Kakashi was getting desperate. And when a wolf gets desperate, he strikes without thinking at the most obvious target.

Which is how a wolf-masked Kakashi found himself outside the door to the Hokage's private study.

Hesitating for only a second, Wolf barged in the room without knocking.

"Lord Hokage! You have to…!" Wolf shut his mouth with a snap when he saw that the Hokage wasn't alone. Hiruzen Sarutobi was sitting at his desk reading a mission scroll and his two closest counselors, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane were standing at his side.

"What is the meaning of this, ANBU?" Mitokado-san's voice was stern.

Equally intimidating, Utatane-san glared at the young jonin. "You have some nerve, boy, waltzing in here like that."

Bowing deeply, Kakashi chastised himself for acting so rashly. "My apologies, I had hoped to speak with the Hokage on an urgent matter."

Looking up from his work, Sarutobi smiled. "Ah, Wolf, I was wondering when you would get here. It was taking so long, I thought I would have to send a messenger, but you're here now and that's all that matters."

Confused, Kakashi forgot his determination to get answers even if he had to force them out of the Hokage. "You were expecting me, sir?"

The Hokage opened a desk drawer and pulled out two scrolls. "Yes, I have a mission for you."

"A mission? But, Lord Hokage, Owl's execution, you have to…" Once again, Kakashi trailed off, glancing at the other two shinobi in the room.

"Relax, Wolf. Homura and Koharu know everything there is to know about what you want to know. I can tell you aren't going to listen until you've had your say, so go on and ask whatever you like."

He's letting me ask whatever I want? Where do I start? Feeling foolish, Kakashi fumbled for a question. Finally, he blurted out, "Did you order Owl to kill the leader of the Sand ANBU we were teamed with?"

"No, I did not. And before you ask, I did not give Owl any orders I did not give you for that mission."

So much for that theory… Figuring he might as well get to the point, Wolf asked, "Then do you even know why Owl killed Arrow?"

Taking a moment to pull out his tobacco pipe and light it, the Hokage blew out a puff of smoke with a sigh. "Yes, I do. Just this morning, Owl told me everything that happened."

Before Wolf could get over his excitement and continue his questions, Sarutobi smiled and added, "And I can assure you that your captain has never done anything that wasn't in the best interest of this village."

"Then call off the execution, sir! You have to clear his name!"

Sarutobi closed his eyes in sadness and rubbed his forehead. "Unfortunately, as Homura, Koharu, and I have been discussing, that is something I cannot do."

"Why not? Hurin has devoted his life to this village, he's the last ninja who would ever betray you, and now you're just going to do nothing and let him die in dishonor!" Kakashi knew he was overstepping his bounds, but his anger could not be held back. There was no way he was going to let Hurin share the same fate as his father… name disgraced by the very village he loved until his dying breath.

The two counselors had moved to step towards the irate teen, no doubt to escort him out, but Sarutobi waved them off. "That's right, I am going to do nothing." The Hokage then stood up, holding the two scrolls and slyly smiled at Kakashi. "But, you Wolf, you have a new S-ranked mission to carry out." Sarutobi expertly twirled the scrolls between his fingers and flipped them towards the young ANBU.

Wondering what plan the Hokage had in mind, Wolf caught the scrolls and opened them eagerly. One scroll detailed his new mission and the other was a letter for Owl. After reading their contents, it took him a minute to fully comprehend the instructions.

"Lord Hokage…" Kakashi didn't know what he was supposed to say. On the one hand, if he succeeded in the mission, Owl's life would be spared, but on the other…

As usual, the village leader seemed to read Kakashi's mind. The Hokage stepped closer to his subordinate, making their conversation more personal. The two counselors picked up on the Hokage's wish for privacy and they silently excused themselves from the room. Once the door had closed, Sarutobi reached out and removed the wolf-painted porcelain mask from the silver-haired teen's face and said, "Kakashi, I know this is not the outcome you had in mind, but it's the best I could come up with."

With lingering anger and frustration, the young jonin stepped back and retorted, "But, this is almost the same as imprisonment! Exiled from the village, yet forced to continue high-ranked solo missions with no recognition?"

"Hmm, it may seem that way to you, but to Owl, this opportunity is far better than anything he could have imagined the moment he stabbed Arrow in the back. In fact, he has already agreed to serve in this capacity for as long as he lives."

Well, of course he did… Anything is better than death by hanging, thought Kakashi bitterly.

With a knowing smile, the Hokage added, "I can tell you are not convinced. Kakashi, answer me this: Why do you continue to be a ninja?"

Not sure where his leader was going, Kakashi replied stonily, "I live to serve and protect the village, Lord Hokage."

"Of course, you are in ANBU are you not? But, do you have another reason, I wonder?"

Another reason? What is he expecting from me? Hesitating, Kakashi tried to say something else that would sound honorable, but in the end he could only speak the truth. "I… I don't know how to do anything else, Lord Hokage." Unable to meet the kind eyes of his leader, Kakashi looked away shamefully.

"Hmph, you think too little of yourself, but that's not the point I'm trying to make." The Hokage reached out to grasp the young ninja's shoulder tightly. "Kakashi, in his heart, Hurin only wishes for one thing."

With a soft smile, Sarutobi continued. "The actions of your captain and his willingness to accept any punishment, whether it be execution or exile, have laid the foundations for peace in this village. But, the path is treacherous, one wrong step and we will again be caught in the pits of war."

"But, isn't this only a short term solution? Who knows when another incident will occur that will again threaten the shaky peace between the Lands of Fire and Wind."

"That's true, of course. But, Kakashi… you will soon learn that the only reason we can justify our way of life, is by hoping our actions will someday lead us towards a day when ninjas are no longer needed."

The young ANBU couldn't find his voice to agree because his heart, filled with cold acceptance of ninja life, had no room left for such hope; yet, he didn't want to disappoint his Hokage, who's dark hazel eyes were desperately searching for some flicker of the flames of hope in Kakashi's own charcoal-black orb.

With silence weighing heavily in the air, Sarutobi finally sighed and turned to face the office window. "Kakashi, do not worry for Hurin. The home I've arranged for him will accept him for who he is, and also give him a second chance at a family." With a soft chuckle, the Hokage added, "I do believe my friend Kenta-san, has a daughter who caught Hurin's eye a few summers ago when they happened upon each other during a mission."

Relieved that the Hokage had changed the subject, Kakashi took a moment to refocus. Something the Hokage had said sparked the silver-haired jonin's memory. "Owl once mentioned a woman named Kayo who let him rest at her home in the Land of Grass when he was injured. Is that who you're talking about?"

"Yes, Kenta-san and Kayo are loyal to the Leaf Village. Kenta used to be a ninja that I grew up with, but he sustained an injury that forced him into early retirement. So, he moved to the countryside in the Land of Grass with his now late-wife to raise their daughter."

Briefly closing his exposed eye, Kakashi finally let go of some of his pent-up anger and worry. The situation couldn't be any more in Hurin's favor. A family that could be trusted would take him in and keep Owl hidden and safe. Plus, the experienced ANBU could continue to put his skills to use by acting as an undercover scout and information-gatherer. The Third Hokage really had found the best solution.

Picking up his ANBU mask from the table where Sarutobi had set it aside, Wolf gave his leader a salute. "I accept the mission, Lord Hokage. I promise to make sure Owl escapes and successfully reports to his next duty assignment."

Facing his young soldier, Sarutobi nodded. "I know you will, Kakashi. But, I must tell you… this is not an ANBU mission. You will perform this mission under your own name and will. If you are caught or unsuccessful, I cannot accept responsibility for your actions."

Kakashi didn't hesitate. "I understand. Hurin would do the same for me."

Sarutobi returned to his seat at his desk and smiled. "I know… good luck, Kakashi."

With a bow, Kakashi exited the office. Stowing his ANBU mask in his belt pouch, Kakashi leapt onto the roof and breathed in the fresh air. With renewed purpose, the young jonin ran towards his apartment to gather supplies. It was time to save his captain.

***End Flashback***

"And so, I broke Owl out of prison and we somehow managed to pull off the body swap and escape without notice."

"That's so amazing!" Sakura cheered. With a giggle, the pink-haired girl added, "And did Owl and Kayo fall in love?"

Count on Sakura to home in on the romance, thought Kakashi. Smiling at the young kunoichi, the jonin said, "Yup, they really do make a nice couple. Unfortunately, they were never able to have kids, but they couldn't be happier." It was true. The few times over the years when Kakashi had dropped by to visit, Hurin had been at peace with his new life and rarely ever spoke of missing the village.

"Aww, sounds like they are soul-mates… I hope I can have a happy ending like that one day!" Blushing, Sakura glanced at Sasuke. But, the raven-haired genin wasn't paying any attention. In fact, both he and Naruto were staring at the ground lost in thought.

The blond kicked the grass as he started walking again. "The old man… he died before he could see his dream of peace come true."

Sasuke scoffed at Naruto. "He was a fool. Peace will only ever be short-lived in our world."

Sakura glared at both her genin teammates. "You guys are missing the point! The Hokage died protecting our village, and he was ok doing that because he trusted us to carry on his legacy."

Surprised, Naruto looked up at his female teammate. "Sakura-chan…"

Sasuke just shook his head and glanced at Kakashi. "What about you? I know you wouldn't tell us to believe in the impossible, so what was the point of that story?"

Glad he had been somewhat prepared for this, Kakashi only hesitated for a moment before replying. "Well, at the time, I also thought the Hokage's dream was too naïve to be realistic. And, I can't force you to believe in something you don't trust in, but consider this question: Without hope that our fights and struggles aren't leading to a more peaceful world, then what are we fighting for?"

All three genin opened their mouths to respond, or argue in Sasuke's case, but Kakashi silenced them wave. "Save it. I don't need your answers. At least, not until you've answered it for yourself."

The silver-haired jonin turned away from his team and continued walking. Feeling three sets of eyes boring into his back, Kakashi could guess what each of them were thinking. Revenge, love, acknowledgement… Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto… I hope all three of you can move on from your own selfish desires and find true purpose in life.

After a good minute, Kakashi turned around and waved back at them. "Well, come on guys! You can ponder life's most difficult question later! We've got a mission to do!"

The three genin looked at their sensei in annoyance and then at each other. Sasuke rolled his eyes, Naruto grinned, and Sakura sniffed before saying, "Baka-sensei. He was the one that brought it up!"

Naruto then whispered something only his two genin teammates could hear. Seeing Sasuke smirk and Sakura giggle in response, Kakashi could only wonder what plot they were hatching to get back at him.

Well, at least they make things interesting… Not wanting to turn his back on his devious students, the jonin watched as the three nodded at each other before striding into a jog to catch up.

When the genin had reached him, Kakashi asked, "Do I even want to know what that whispering was about?"

Sakura smiled innocently at him. "No time to explain now… after all, we have a mission to do, just like you said, Kakashi-sensei!"

The jonin narrowed his one eye at his team. "Hmm… I see how it is. Just remember, my nose can smell out any whiff of mutinous ideas toward your poor old sensei." For effect, Kakashi sniffed the air around Naruto experimentally.

The blue-eyes genin grinned cheekily. "Sniff all you want! No mutinous ideas here!"

Chuckling, Kakashi ruffled his student's hair. "We'll see about that. Now, let's get going." Turning north, the jonin resumed walking and inhaled deeply as a spring breeze blew across their path. The smell of blood made him stop in his tracks.

Not looking where he was going, Naruto ran into the back of the tall jonin and fell backwards clumsily. "Ow, sensei! What's the big idea?"

Sasuke had picked up on Kakashi's wariness. "What's wrong?"

Team 7's leader was too busy thinking to respond. It can't be coming from Owl's place, we aren't close enough. But, it's hard to tell with the breeze which direction the scent is coming from. It could be a border skirmish, in which case we shouldn't get involved, but any intelligence could help us discover if Owl has been compromised…

Making a decision, Kakashi drew a kunai and knicked his left thumb with the blade. Six hand signs later, Pakkun appeared with his usual dour expression. "What's up, boss…" Pausing, the pug sniffed the air. "Oh, want me to lead you to the source?"

Meanwhile, Sasuke had activated his Sharingan. "There's a faint chakra signature at 10 o'clock."

Kakashi nodded in agreement. "Right. Pakkun, looks like someone is wounded. Lead the way for us."

"No problem. Whoever it is, they're close. Follow me." The pug bounded ahead with Kakashi and the rest of the squad close behind.

Before long, they came across signs of a fight. Fresh blood stained the grass in streaks and it was obvious some type of wind jutsu had wreaked havoc on the nearby greenery, as shrubbery and flower buds were strewn in a wide arc across the plain. Dirt that should have been undisturbed was piled up in crumbling heaps, indication of an earth jutsu user.

Kakashi immediately began examining the tracks left behind by the combatants. From the boot prints and remnant patterns of jutsu, it was easy to tell that a small group, possibly a four man squad, had surrounded and attacked a single opponent.

"Looks like an ambush," Sasuke said as he also scanned the ground for clues. Kneeling, the raven-haired boy excavated an abandoned shuriken that had been half buried beneath the freshly trodden grass.

"Sensei, you don't think this involved Owl, do you?" Sakura's green eyes were filled with worry.

The jonin was now examining the blood stains, using his keen nose to try and distinguish a scent. "Well, this is the blood of whoever was ambushed, and I'm not picking up Owl's scent. But I can't rule out the possibility of him being involved." It's not likely Owl was part of the squad, he works alone… but, a battle like this, so close to the Earth-Grass border… something's going on.

Naruto had been searching for signs of the wounded combatant. "I checked the perimeter and didn't find anyone, Sensei."

Kakashi shook his head. "It's hard to tell, but I think the ninja who was wounded feigned death and once his attackers left, tried to escape this area. Whoever it was lost a lot of blood, so they can't be far. Pakkun?"

The hound had his nose focused on the blood trail around Kakashi. Looking up, Pakkun replied, "I think you're right boss, the scent heads this way. I can hear a stream nearby, he must have made his way there."

Kakashi shared a look with Pakkun. The loyal pug's expression clearly told his master that he didn't think it was a good idea to continue following the scent. They both were familiar with the nearby stream, and the fact that it marked the edge of the Land of Earth border.

Naruto had other thoughts. The blue-eyed genin eagerly trotted ahead in the direction Pakkun had indicated. "Let's go! We have to help them!"

Sakura grabbed the blonde's arm as he dashed past her. "Wait, you dunce! What if it's an enemy shinobi?"

Naruto glared at his female teammate. "Sakura! It doesn't matter who it is, they're injured! We can at least offer some supplies! Right, sensei?"

The leader of Team 7 sighed and collected his thoughts before answering. "Judging by the signs that the wounded ninja is an earth jutsu user, and the fact that he's headed back towards the border, I'm almost positive that he is a Stone shinobi."

"So what?" Naruto yelled back. "We just had a mission in the Land of Earth. They're not our enemies!"

Standing, Kakashi shook his head. "Naruto, if a shinobi from the Land of Earth was across the border and in the Land of Grass on orders from the Tsuchikage, then that's a violation of the peace treaty. By helping him, we'd be forsaking our alliance with the Grass. It was most likely a team of Grass shinobi that ambushed him."

Sakura had put on a thoughtful expression. "But, that doesn't make sense. If a Stone spy was sent across the border, he would have been alert and not taken by surprise so easily. And how would have the Grass known about it?"

She's right… none of this adds up. But, can we risk getting involved? Damn it, Owl, why haven't you sent us a report?

Almost reading Kakashi's thoughts, Sasuke added, "Well, we won't learn anything more by staying here."

"True," responded Kakashi with a nod. All three genin stared at him expectantly, waiting for a decision. The jonin tapped his forehead protector thoughtfully before turning to Pakkun. "What do you think, how far is he?"

The pug snorted in derision. "You already know what I think, boss. But, my guess is that he's less than a mile off."

Hearing that, Naruto scrunched his face in determination. "That's it. I'm going no matter what since he's so close. If you aren't coming, sensei, I'll just catch up with you later." With that, the impulsive genin took off at a run, following the trail of blood.

Pakkun sighed grumpily. "I'll go after him and makes sure he stays out of trouble. Go find Owl, boss, we need answers."

"No, Pakkun. I want you to head to the farm and see if Owl is there. Tell him, or Kayo if he's not there, that I'm on my way, then report back to me. The rest of us will go after Naruto and see what we can find out about what happened here."

"Tch, fine. But you owe me for making me run around so much."

Kakashi scratched behind the pug's ears fondly. "I know. Just hurry, ok? I have a bad feeling about all this…"

Pakkun nodded and stretched his legs. "Leave it to me. See ya." With that, the loyal hound took off running as fast as his short legs would allow.

Turning to Sakura and Sasuke, the leader of Team 7 sighed. "Alright, let's catch up to Naruto before he causes an international incident."

Nodding, the level-headed members of the team fell in behind their sensei as they sprinted after Naruto.

Before long, they spotted the blonde genin as he ran to the side of a shinobi who had collapsed just yards shy of the stream that marked the Land of Earth border. The injured ninja wasn't unconscious yet, as evidenced by his breath coming in short gasps and his hand pressing against his side in a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding from a deep wound.

Quickly assessing the situation, Kakashi ordered Sasuke to fetch water and Sakura to start preparing bandages. The jonin then knelt next to Naruto, who had rolled the wounded man onto his back. The Stone ninja was clearly a member of ANBU; his limestone-carved mask was still in place, if stained with blood.

Leaning closer, Kakashi shook the man's shoulder. "ANBU, can you hear me? We're here to help. Can you report the extent of your injuries?"

The shinobi struggled to talk through teeth clenched in pain. "Took a sword to the liver… no other major wounds or… signs of poison."

"Alright, don't worry, we'll get you patched up," replied Kakashi as he stripped off the man's vest and shirt. Grimacing beneath his mask at the sight of the jagged cut oozing blood tinted black with bile, Kakashi quickly started cleaning the wound. Giving quiet instructions to the genin, who were amazingly adept at working together when dealing with injuries, it wasn't long before the wound was stitched and dressed.

Luckily, the shinobi hadn't passed out from the pain and after a few minutes, Kakashi was able to help the man sit up. "You'll be weak for awhile, and will need to be careful to not reopen the wound, but you'll make a full recovery. The damage to your liver was marginal and should heal on its own in time."

"Thank you, but… the blood loss must be… getting to me… your headbands are from… Konoha? Why are you…?" Trailing off, the Stone ninja shook his head in confusion.

Before Kakashi could respond, Naruto exclaimed, "We saw signs of a battle back there and your blood leading here, so we couldn't just leave a wounded ninja stranded like that!"

Chuckling wryly, the ANBU replied, "Well, this has certainly been an… interesting day. Who would've thought spying on the Grass would lead to me being saved by the Leaf, after being caught totally off guard by a squad of Sand shinobi."

Kakashi's visible eye widened. "You were ambushed by the Sand? How many? Where were they headed?"

Rubbing the back of his neck, the wounded shinobi sighed. "Well, it wasn't really an ambush… more like me being too focused on tracking Grass ninja movements and being surprised to find the Sand instead. I thought I was well hidden, but they sensed me out and quickly decided I was in their way." The ninja looked up at Kakashi. "Before I tell you what I know, can I trust that you won't try and blame us for whatever is going on here? I can tell this is something we don't want to be caught up in."

Annoyed at having to play politics while knowing Owl could be in danger, Konoha's Copy Ninja glared back at the man. "This is between Leaf and Sand. I'll have to report that we found evidence of you breaking the peace treaty, but we both know that's old news and we don't have the strength to do anything about it anyway. So, just tell me what I need to know."

"Hmph. You don't mince words do you?" The Stone ANBU shrugged his shoulders in defeat. "Everything happened so fast that I didn't get a good look at them, so I couldn't tell if they were rogue ninja. But, it was a squad of four Sand shinobi and they headed north-east away from border. You're at least an hour behind them… it took me awhile to drag my ass over here. Anyway, their leader was fast, he's the one that got me. The rest of the squad had a sensor-type and two kunoichi, one a medic, the other a wind jutsu user. That's all I know."

The new information had Kakashi's thoughts running in high gear. A skilled squad of Sand ninja in the Land of Grass, attacking anyone in sight? If they're rogue ninja, it may have nothing to do with Owl. But it can't be a coincidence, them being so close to his location.

Sakura seemed to come to the same conclusion. "We need to hurry, if we are going to warn Owl." The pink-haired genin quickly packed up their medical supplies. Squatting next to the injured ninja, she handed him some spare bandages. "Here. You'll have to change the dressing soon. I'm sorry, but we have to go. Will you be alright?"

The ANBU nodded. "Thanks, girl. My team is meeting me near here soon. So, you all need to get out of here anyway… let's avoid more complications, eh?"

Kakashi nodded, acknowledging the hidden promise that lay in the other ninja's words. "Thanks, I appreciate the cover."

The Stone ANBU waved Kakashi off, grimacing at the pain the movement caused. "Don't worry about it. "I'm just grateful that I'm alive and don't need to deal with this mess. Now get going!"

Naruto saluted the wounded man. "Right!" With uncharacteristic seriousness, the blonde turned to his teammates and added, "Let's go, sensei. We need to find Pakkun and make sure we get this information to Owl!"

Kakashi shouldered his pack and led his team off at a fast run. "Keep up and stay on your guard!" the jonin ordered. "If that Sand squad gets wind of our presence, we may have to deal with them. If luck is still with us, we can avoid them and get to Owl's place before they find it. They shouldn't know more than the general location of where Owl is operating, if that's even the reason they're here."

Despite his optimistic words, the leader of Team 7 couldn't shake the uneasiness he was feeling. The pieces of the political puzzle weren't fitting together right…

Devoting only some focus to running and keeping alert, Kakashi began rethinking the entire situation. Could the Sand really have gotten their hands on top-secret documents during the invasion? They would have needed inside help… Kabuto probably. But something still isn't adding up… only documents that mentioned Owl are missing. Who could've known to even look for recent information on a Leaf shinobi, who for all they know, died over ten years ago? Orochimaru. He could have…

Interrupting the jonin's train of thought, Naruto asked, "Uh, sensei? I know I'm not good at understanding this stuff, but if the Sand really knew about Owl, wouldn't they show us the evidence and confront us directly about it?"

Sakura nodded in agreement. "No you're right Naruto, I have a hard time believing this squad's actions are being officially sanctioned by the Sand. So soon after working out a new peace treaty with us, sending a small squad out to search aimlessly for one man who isn't even a threat to them? It makes no sense!"

Kakashi had to grin slightly beneath his mask. His students really knew how to surprise him. Looking over his shoulder at them, the jonin nodded. "Yes, I've been thinking the same thing. My guess is Orochimaru leaked the information to a select few followers in the Sand to gain support for the invasion. I'm betting those followers knew that he had murdered and impersonated the Kazekage and are now on the run as rogue ninja to avoid being charged with treason."

Sakura shook her head. "Even if this squad is a part of that group, it still doesn't explain why they would go after Owl. Especially now of all times."

That's the part I don't want to think about… Just this once, Kakashi wished his female student wasn't so intelligent.

Knowing his team was waiting for an answer, the jonin sighed and looked away from their expectant gazes. Finally, in a low voice, he said, "I can think of two reasons. One, they think if they capture Hurin and bring him back to the Sand Village for justice that it will get them back in good graces with the Sand Council. Or…" Kakashi trailed off, not wanting to say the second reason aloud.

Sasuke did it for him. "Or, they are simply out for revenge."

Naruto scoffed at the Uchiha. "For something that happened 12 years ago? Yeah right, Sasuke. Right Sakura?"

The kunoichi didn't answer at first. Chewing her lip nervously, Sakura glanced at Kakashi, green eyes filled with worry. "I'd say it's the most plausible scenario, Naruto."

Sobering, the blue-eyed blond blinked as realization hit him. "Oh."

Sasuke had put on a burst of speed so he could run alongside Kakashi. The jonin could feel the kid's dark eyes focused on him. Knowing he couldn't look away forever, Kakashi met Sasuke's gaze with his own.

The Uchiha must have seen the determination in his leader's stare. The boy's mouth curled in a small smirk. "I see. You're already prepared. Good, then I don't need to worry."

I swear Edge, if you are involved in this… Kakashi wanted to believe that the virtuous and intelligent boy he knew back then wasn't now a pawn of Orochimaru and blinded by hatred and revenge. But, the silver-haired ninja couldn't help but remember Edge swearing, in a voice still laced with anger and grief, to see Owl dead, no matter how long it took.

Shaking his head to get rid of the memories, Kakashi refocused on the task at hand. In a stern voice he ordered, "Let's not jump to conclusions. Stay in formation! We need less talking and more speed!"

The three genin responded as one, "Yes, sir!"

Heightening his awareness of the surrounding area, Kakashi couldn't sense any chakra besides their own. He could only hope the Sand ninja hadn't already gotten to Owl's home, which was less than 5 kilometers away now. He briefly considered summoning the rest of his hounds to track them down, but he wanted to keep his team's presence hidden from the Sand if possible. Sending out 7 hounds to search would immediately alert them that someone else was in the area. Especially since they had a sensor-ninja. Speaking of ninja-hounds… where is Pakkun? He should have reported to me by now.

Timing impeccable, as always, the loyal pug's chakra suddenly appeared in the distance and Kakashi let himself breathe a sigh of relief as soon as he saw Pakkun approaching. Not wanting to stop and waste precious time, Kakashi signaled the hound to jump on his shoulder and report.

But Pakkun would have none of it. The pug instead bit Kakashi's pant leg, forcing his master to slow down. Taken aback, the hound trainer reached down and unceremoniously grabbed the pug by the scruff of his neck. "What's with you?" But, one look at Pakkun's face made Kakashi halt in his steps. Blood had dried in the pug's furrowed wrinkles and also stained his nose. Brown, deepset eyes were more shadowed than usual.

"Boss, I'm sorry… but you're already too late. There's no use running." Pakkun's voice lacked its normal gruffness.

It took a second for Kakashi to put together his hound's words and appearance. "Pakkun? You can't mean…?"

Glancing at the genin, who were awkwardly standing a few feet behind, waiting with apprehension, Pakkun softened his voice even more. "You may want to leave the kids here, Kashi. There's seven bodies total… it's a bloody massacre up there."

TBC

AN: Dun-dun-dun! So sorry for the cliffie! If I haven't said it before, the whole point of this story was to set up character development for Kakashi and Team 7. And it's hard to have character development without angst! Next chapter: Those Left Behind. I'm naming my chapters now! Btw, I hate the title to this story… I suck at coming up with titles. I'll probably change it when I finish, but if anyone has suggestions let me know! Thanks so much for reading!