here's chap. 2 I don't own anything

Chapter 2: a child?

"There're some strange disturbance in this area. I want you to check it out. Normally I would classify this as a B-rank but because it's so far away in Lighting country, I classify it to be an A-rank. There have been a few rumors floating around. Be careful this could easily turn into an S-rank, you two." The fifth Hokage said.

"Why us two?" Natsuhi asked. "Doesn't the Lighting country have itself hidden village?"

"Simple." She said. "Out of all my jounins, Kiba tracking skills are brilliant and his attacks can't be anticipated and you Natsuhi, have your Ket Tan. You've got a level head and can think well under pressure. Combine with your skills, your Ket Tan is hard to fight against because very few things can affect you in battle. As for Lighting country, there is a hidden village, but they are so busy preparing, I don't think they heard about it yet. This is a difficult mission."

"But Hitomi and Hikari are much better at using their Ket Tan." Natsuhi said.

"Either of them is fit for this mission. Hitomi is hot headed. Hikari can't make important decisions under pressure as well as you can. Besides, they are already on their own missions providing backup for two other teams." The fifth said. "Natsuhi, those were the reasons that you were chosen to be an ANBU squad leader. This could get ugly and I want to make if it does, it won't go wrong. I think most likely this will turn ugly."

"I see." Natsuhi murmured.

"Besides, I think it's time you got over your fears. You've stood behind Hitomi and Hikari long enough. It's time for you to take the spot light." She smiled.

"I don't know." Natsuhi said.

"Come on, it can't be that bad working with us." Kiba added and patted Akamaru his monstrous size white dog.

He had no idea how hard it for her. She thought. She mutely nodded.

The fifth smiled. "Natsuhi, stop arguing and get going. I expect to see you home by the end of the month."

Natsuhi jumped out of the tree and looked at the ground in interest. Akamaru and Kiba landed down next to her and asked, "What's wrong? Are you tired?"

"Look on the ground." She said stilling looking.

They humored her and saw a strange site. There were huge slashes like that of a huge paw. Natsuhi was standing in the middle one, there two on each side of her.

"What made this?" Kiba wonder. Akamaru sniffed and whined. "Akamaru said it was from a large dominating canine male of some kind.

"Dogs don't have five visible claws." Natsuhi said looking at Akamaru's paws. She knelt down and touched the marks. Thinking back to the battle between Naruto and Gaara years ago when they were huge creatures. The markings reminded her of it. The thought did not comfort her about this mission at all.

"We're here. We might as well as rest if we want to enter that city as civilians." Kiba said taking off his leaf headband and tucking it into his pouch. Following his examples, she replaced her bow with one that didn't the leaf symbol.

"Whatever made this track was a beast. One that will be hunted by the Akatsuki when they get wind of it." Natsuhi said.

"If the Akatsuki get wind of it, it will be an S-rank." Kiba said. "I'm not sure if the two of us will be enough. Those guys are all at the Kage level."

"Everything has a weakness. It's only as strong as its weakness point." Natsuhi murmured as she stood up and ran a hand through her curls, a gesture that was keenly observed by Kiba.

"The village is just up ahead. I think we should try for it before it gets darker." Kiba said.

"All right."

The village was gated by a tall wall with guards posted on them. Natsuhi and Kiba exchange a look. In the report, it looked like an ordinary town, without the wall. Something bad must have happen here.

"Excuse me!" Kiba called up to a guard. He looked down.

"Yes? What do you want?" He asked.

"We're weary travelers hoping to rest here as we make our way to the port city. Can we stay here for a while?" Kiba asked.

The doors open and the two walk in. A guard stood there waiting for them. "Welcome travelers." He said.

"Thank you. If you can point us to the closest inn?" Kiba asked.

"Yes, please follow me. Why are you headed for the port city? I'm Hiro." He said.

"Is there a particular reason that you ask that?" Natsuhi asked.

"Well port city is going through a tough time. People who go through there never seem to return. You two look like newlyweds; that's no place to spend your honeymoon." Hiro said cheerfully.

Tomato red Natsuhi stopped Kiba from objecting by taking his hand and giving it a squeeze. "An aunt of mine lives there. She's elderly and we thought we would stay with her for a while. She needs company." She answered.

"Yes. She didn't say your village was fortified." Kiba said.

"It's new." Hiro said. "The wall has only been there less than a month."

"May I ask why?" Natsuhi asked.

"um…raiders and the like." He said. "Well here you are." He led them to a building. "Enjoy your stay."

"Thank you." Kiba said as Natsuhi was looking off in the distance. Hiro walked off.

"What are you looking at, Natsuhi?" Kiba leaned down and whispered mindful of eavesdropper.

She shifted her eyes to a little girl barely a few years old holding a tattered teddy bear. She seemed to be fascinated with Natsuhi as Natsuhi was fascinated with her. She stared right back as she sucked on her thumb.

A middle age man with balding hair saw this and told Kiba, "Young man, you best keep your young wife from that child."

Kiba turned to look at the innkeeper. "Why? The child looks sweet."

"That child is the reason we have that stupid wall on." He said. "She's a demon child!"

"A demon child?" Natsuhi asked without looking at the man.

The old innkeeper's voice dropped, "A month we were attacked by this great wolf-beast with five tails. Our late chief was a retired ninja. He used some ninja jutsu and forced the beast into that child."

"Why that child?" Kiba asked.

"Several years ago, a young woman came here. She was very pregnant and asked for shelter. We figured she was a rape victim. Well within an hour, she had the kid and died the next and named her Hotaru because at the birth there were lots of fireflies. Ever since then, the kid has been here because we don't know anything about the young woman. So our chief used her." He answered. "Not that the child need any more things to make her weirder. Strange things always around her. Her eyes turn red! As if purple wasn't a strange enough sight." Looking at Natsuhi he added, "In fact her eyes look just yours!"

With Akamaru who was just as interested, Natsuhi walked to her and knelt down to look down at the jinchuuriki who stared back her with open curiosity. Natsuhi took in the sight of the girl. She looked normal enough. She had silvery blond hair, chubby fingers, and purple eyes. Natsuhi didn't show the shock she felt. There was no doubt this child had Ayame blood. She felt like she was staring into her own eyes. There was no mistake, this kid was an Ayame and a jinchuuriki.

Akamaru tipped his nose to smell her and nudged her. She stopped sucking on her thumb and reach out to touch Akamaru who licked her hand. She giggled showing her baby teeth.

Hotaru walked closer and started to play around Akamaru. Kiba watched interested as Hotaru acted like a pup who playing with an elder. The innkeeper looked horrified, "Young man, your wife!"

"Don't worry. She's an orphan?" Kiba asked.

He nodded.

"Please ready our room, we'll be right up." Kiba said walking over to the group.

The child looked up at him and smiled as she clutched to Akamaru leg. She tilted her head and looked at the dog who whined down at her. She turned and smiled at him. She reached both her hands up and said, "Up!"

Natsuhi stood up and took Hotaru into her arms.

The group went into their room. Kiba turned Natsuhi was cuddling the child as she struggled to not fall asleep and was failing. When she did, he asked, "What do you make of her?"

Natsuhi turned to look at him. "You know the Ayame clan is known as the Amethyst Rose eyes. Only we have purple eyes that turn red. This little girl is an Ayame. We have to take her back to Konoha before the Akatsuki catch wind of her."

"You really think that is a good idea? Won't that bring dangers to our village?"

"Weird things that happen around her, it is her Ket Tan coming into activation. She needs training to stop it from going rampant." Natsuhi said. "Kiba, she needs to come with us because her best chance of survival is with us. Naruto is a jinchuuriki and he can help her with the bijuu. The powers she got from it and her Ket Tan, she could destroy the world if she isn't trained. Besides Konoha is a hidden village with ninjas, it's bound to attract trouble and dangers."

"Looks like she coming home with us. Akamaru said she is a pup." Kiba said sitting down. "I bet it is the wolf reaching out."

Akamaru was sleeping, curled around the sleeping Hotaru. "You know one of the things that I fear is all things canines."

Kiba smiled as if he knew. "I know."

"I didn't as a child but I was attacked by one when I was one." Natsuhi smiled at him. "I've feared everything you are since we've first met in the Chuunin exams all those years back but thanks to this mission, I've come to realized there are bad dogs and good dogs. You and Akamaru are so gentle and amazing."

"I'm not sure about gentle. That might ruffle my feathers the wrong way if I was the sensitive type. Luckily I'm not, I know what you mean by it."

"Well you can be very gentle at times. Yet in battle you are a fierce team."

Kiba smiled. "You're going to give me a big head."

Natsuhi laughed.