Tsunade stood impatiently on the inside of Konoha's strong gates, awaiting the ninja she had summoned.

Shino Aburame had closed in on the rare bug, pausing out of habit, to look for his team mate and his loyal canine to come running past trees marking them while they sped past as they had so many times before, but the only movement that met Shino's eyes were the leaves being picked up in the lonely autumn breeze.

Realising what he had been waiting for, Shino looked away, he knew he would never see his dog loving comrade bounding around, bringing life to the training grounds again.

Shino moved to cup the insect with his hand against the tree as another shinobi landed in the middle of the training grounds, the shinobi delivered his message from Tsunade before disappearing as quickly as he came, Shino left the training grounds towards the village gates as the small rare insect fell off into the sky.

Tenten sat silently on the porch outside her home, sharpening her weapons. Keeping busy to keep from remembering, her only company was the now fully grown Akamaru, one of the few possessions she had left of her lost lover.

Akamaru raised his head and let a low growl break the silence as a shinobi came into sight, holding his hands up to show he meant no harm the shinobi delivered his message from Tsunade then left the now standing Tenten and Akamaru to prepare for they're meeting.

As they set off Tenten watched as Akamaru looked around for his master hopefully but seeing no one else he lowered his head and continued to trot alone side Tenten through the village.

Neji sat in his serenely tranquil garden, engulfed in deep meditation, or at least he appeared to be but truly underneath his calm façade his mind was distracted with deep concern for his team mates, without the youthful, if not abrasive, motivation from their old sensei the team's fighting spirit had dwindled considerably – Neji's thoughts were disturbed as a servant led a shinobi into the courtyard.

Neji peered out at the ninja through sharp, impatient eyes before standing to leave after the shinobi while pushing his previous thoughts back to the darkest folds of his mind, to gnaw away at him next time he found himself alone.

Duth;

The blunt thud made as Rock Lee's fist connected with the tree he was training against, his bandages soiled and bloody.

Duth

It was common knowledge now, to both shinobi and villagers, that Lee would spend every minute he had training, he trained to get stronger, faster, better, at least this is what he said he was training for but the truth was he was training to forget.

Duth

It was also common knowledge that Lee had never fully recovered from the loss of his mentor; he couldn't understand how the man he had aspired to be like could have been destroyed so easily.

Duth

This is why he trained now, to fight the pain by working himself to his end, days at a time, refusing sleep or eat until he would pass out from exhaustion.

Duth-crack

Lee's kick forced the tree to snap, and fall, and as though his body had been waiting for this exact moment he sank to his knees, his vision blurred and tears welled up in his eyes.

Duth

He hit the floor as he began fading out of consciousness, he could barely lift his head as a pair of feet landed in front of him.

Duth;

The sound made as Lee shoved the young shinobi away from him, forcing himself to stand; the shocked shinobi delivered his message then left without looking back.

Duth

Lee punched another tree before leaping up into the trees with his new found energy.

Hinata smiled as she made her way back down the mountain, she hadn't seen Naruto look so alive for so long, since before the mission …

Hinata paused as a shinobi greeted her with a message from the Hokage, Hinata smiled and thanked the messenger and continued on her way back to the village filled with hope that things will finally get better.

Sakura, Shikamaru and Choji had been training for hours now and had decided to take a break.

"It's your shout Shika! Choji and I beat you!" Sakura laughed as she was met with the expected reply

"Troublesome" but his irritated look was interrupted but the arrival of a messenger "looks like I'll have to treat you guys another time, we have a mission" Shikamaru yawned after the shinobi had left, Choji and Sakura nodded as they left the training for the village gates.

Tusnade had began to drift off leaning against the wall, the sound of footsteps snapped her out of her slumber, she looked around, wiping the drool from her chin as the remaining few of the original twelve arrived in front of her

Back thanks to some great reviews and a tingly feeling (was grinning all day)

Jenai