Chapter Five - Miscommunication

"Fuck!" Kiba practically shouted, causing Sakura to jump. A frown creased her brow as she looked at him. Was it so imperative for him to get what he wanted? Sure, she had already given in and certainly wanted the same thing as him, but it wouldn't kill them to take it a little slower. A fast fuck in the woods didn't actually appeal to her all that well, thus, whoever was coming, was a welcomed interruption. Unless it was an enemy nin, then she might just have to bust their head in for them.

Kiba sheepishly looked at Sakura's annoyed expression; was she angry that he'd tried to go further with her? She had initiated the kiss, but it didn't mean she wanted more than that. Of course, at the moment, Kiba couldn't afford to worry about that. Someone was approaching their little shelter, and while Akamaru hadn't commented on it being an enemy, it still wouldn't do to be caught in his current position.

Sakura was already reaching out with her own chakra, checking for any familiarity in the intruder's own reserves. It was easily recognizable. They'd been tailed apparently, unbeknownst to both, most likely, Sakura thought with some disdain, because of her lack of vigilance, and had Akamaru not intervened they might have been caught in a rather awkward situation by someone Sakura would rather not have to face then.

Sakura hastily pushed herself off of Kiba and readjusted her disheveled clothing, clothing she hadn't even realized Kiba was in the process of removing while his tongue had been darting across her skin.

"Don't worry. It's not an enemy. Someone followed us," she muttered between smoothing her hair and retying her hitai-ate. Kiba nearly growled when she swiped the back of her hand across her lips. It was like a sign that she found distaste in the fact that his mouth had been there not so very long ago.

His mouth was already open ready to tell her his thoughts when he caught their stalkers scent. Cringing, Kiba lifted himself up as well, although he didn't bother to straighten his own clothing. Let the guy think what he wanted if he felt the need to follow them; it was their mission, damnit, and theirs alone.

Sakura knew he could have approached much more quickly and much more quietly, he was obviously letting them know he was coming. Slightly insulted that he thought she wouldn't have sensed him, but also highly embarrassed that, where she'd been, she wouldn't have, Sakura ducked out of the rock hollow. She planted herself firmly on the nearest bolder and waited as the deliberately loud sound of sandals tapping on tree bark grew closer.

Kiba joined her, though did not sit near her, but in fact several feet away. He watched her face, loving and hating the way her eyes brightened and the corners of her mouth twitched upwards into a sad smile. His instincts were kicking in; he wanted to comfort her, to make that small poignant smirk a fully genuine grin. But something in him told him to stay back. It told him just to wait.

"Took you long enough, senpai," Sakura teased, as soon as their guest's gaze settled on her. "But, really, did you have to be so noisy? Or did you lack faith in my abilities to hear you approaching if you were quiet?" Her pouting attitude caused a humorous smirk to pull at his lips.

"Well, now, Sakura, I was just protecting myself. I didn't want you to mistake me for someone else and end up with a fist through my face. We both know you're quite fond of that move," Tenzou smoothly retorted, walking, or in Kiba's greatly displeasured opinion, stalking towards Sakura.

Clenching his jaw tightly, Kiba refrained from snapping at the older jonin. He didn't want another man near Sakura, and that thought alone was foolish of him as she'd been on a team of three men for several years and he could have cared less then; this sudden change of heart was disconcerting to Kiba and certainly wasn't doing anything for his manly exterior.

To Kiba, it was painful watching as Tenzou approached Sakura and affectionately ruffled her pink locks. Out of fear of Tenzou doing something more, Kiba's mouth acted on its own accord.

"What are you doing here anyways?" Tenzou's head snapped to the side, finally taking notice of Kiba. His eyes were slightly widened and his expression looked vaguely guilty.

"Oh, well, apparently, Hokage-sama was quite worried about the two of you being on this mission alone, so she sent me along after you. After all, we know relations with Kumogakure have been less than friendly lately, even before this whole incident. But we'll certainly get Kakashi back, right Sakura?" Tenzou said, turning to the kunoichi with an encouraging smile.

Sakura knew she shouldn't, but the overwhelming feeling that something bad had happened to Kakashi washed over her and she couldn't help when she slouched forward, forehead relaxing against her ex-sensei's shoulder.

"What… what if he's?" Sakura whispered, voice muffled and hesitant as she pressed her face against the roughness of Tenzou's olive-green vest.

Hating to see her so doubtful and apprehensive, Tenzou relented and placed his arms around her narrow frame. "You really think Kakashi would do something to get himself hurt? He's got to come back for you and Naruto, you know that," he said soothingly.

"I know but- but you know the Sharingan was really starting to get to him; I couldn't even repair all of the damage to his retina before he went on his mission. What if he's dead because I couldn't-"

"Sakura!" Kiba, silent for so long, finally spoke up. "If Kakashi's dead, it's because Kumogakure betrayed us. Not because of you, not because of him. So stop it."

Her head shot up at the sound of Kiba's gruff bark and Sakura stepped back from Tenzou, suddenly aware of her surroundings once again and more importantly just who she was with. Both were sending rather unsettling looks her way. Kiba's was a horrible mixture of anger, concern, and resentment, while Tenzou's was merely full of sympathy and a hint of tenderness she'd never expected to see.

Sakura flashed the two men an apologetic smile before sighing and slumping back onto the rock she'd previously occupied.

"Right," she stated, "it's probably stupid to ask you, but you weren't followed or anything, were you? You weren't exactly quiet, you know."

"No, I wasn't, we're too close to home for the spies to already be lurking. ANBU patrols into this territory on a weekly basis, so definitely no enemy nin around here."

"Well, that would have been nice to know yesterday," Kiba groused, they could have traveled just fine during the day then and avoided a good number of complications; although Kiba wasn't sure if he really wanted to evade those certain complications. Not when Sakura was the complication.

The kunoichi shrugged, "I suppose it doesn't matter now though, Kiba, we can make up for it tonight anyways." Kiba realized she had no idea of the implications behind her words, but he couldn't help but perk up a little bit at the idea of spending an entire night with her. Then he was reminded that it wouldn't involve much contact at all, only the sweet little scent of her sweat and femininity would be tickling him tonight. That fragrance would surely drive him insane; cause him to run headfirst into a massive and solid tree trunk.

And now he had to share her. He had to share her with a man she was used to and comfortable with in many ways she wasn't with him. Kiba wondered if she'd still let him touch her, if the presence of another person would cause her to be repulsed by him. Would she seek comfort with the older jonin? Tenzou, that was his name.

Tenzou? Asshole is more like it. What reason does he have to be here? He weaseled his way into this mission just so he could keep Sakura to himself. That much is obvious. His scent gives him away.

"Kiba?" Sakura was giving him a crooked stare, brow quirked. "What's the matter? Are you really that mad?"

Kiba's startled face only served to prove her right. Although how she'd known what he was thinking was beyond him. She did seem to have that ability though. To know just what he was thinking, especially, it seemed, when he didn't want her to.

"I-" Kiba sputtered.

"It's not that big of a deal, alright? Really, I'll run twice as fast tonight after all this rest today."

Letting out a sharp amused snort, Kiba only stared at Sakura's tilted face, hair blowing across her forehead as a soft breeze crept into the clearing. "Yeah, I know you will," he said softly, relieved that she'd had entirely different train of thought.

"So," Tenzou spoke up in, what to him, was an awkward silence after those soft words the boy had spoken to Sakura. "What were you two doing to pass the time away before dark?"

The question had been completely innocent, Sakura knew that much, but… what the hell was she supposed to say? Oh not much senpai, just nearly molesting my partner. Like hell she'd ever say that to Tenzou. How had she let things get to where they'd been anyways? Obviously, being in close proximity with Kiba, a very attractive, very virile man did things to her body, because it certainly had nothing to do with her heart. It couldn't when she was still so deeply hurt by the one's she'd loved.

Sasuke was nearly unbearable to think about, and it hurt just having Tenzou near her. She wanted to throw herself into his arms and for him to respond with the same vigor. But that would never happen; he didn't love her, and that was the end of the story. No one loved her wholly, truly. As family, many loved her, but never romantically, never in that way that she felt she needed to complete herself, her heart. For an instant she'd felt that with Kiba and she'd let go of herself; now she realized it had only been lust, the power of having someone want her so badly. But it was obviously just sex for Kiba; it had to be when it was with her.

As luck would have it, Sakura didn't have to answer Tenzou's question, Kiba beat her to it.

"Resting, enjoying the hot spring, what else?" His nonchalant tone freed Sakura from having to answer, but it hurt as well. She knew he, just like she, couldn't simply tell what had been occurring before Tenzou's arrival, but Sakura had to wonder if it meant just that much. Nothing.

"And, I've been getting to know everyone's favorite little fiery kunoichi better," Kiba added with a slight laugh, making Sakura smile. Perhaps he did care. Just a little bit.

Tenzou's sharp gaze flitted to the Inuzuka. "How so?"

The question was so unexpected Kiba simply sputtered, "I- uh, I- I mean, we've just been talking, she's been 'teaching' me about her ridiculous chakra control."

"It's not ridiculous!" Sakura interjected, annoyed.

"Sakura," Tenzou said, holding one hand out, "I believe he meant ridiculously good chakra control."

Laughing nervously, Sakura shrugged it off, hoping the situation could just be forgotten. She still wanted a nap before sundown.

"Well, boys, I don't care what you do, but I'm resting before nightfall. Maybe you should do the same, wouldn't want me to leave you behind, no?" The 'fiery' kunoichi walked to her small shelter snickering the whole way.

"Well, let's get going you two," Sakura spouted, finishing up her stretches and casting a bewildered glance at Kiba and Tenzou. Although they didn't look haggard by any means neither did they look as good as she felt. But it was their own faults, in Sakura's opinion, if they hadn't slept at all in the last four hours before dark. Catnaps were Sakura's specialty and often what kept her going during long hours at the hospital.

I wonder if Kiba calls them dognaps, Sakura mused, giggling furiously at the thought.

"What's so funny?" Kiba and Tenzou simultaneously questioned the woman so sweetly twisting and bending before them.

Kiba hadn't gotten any sleep besides the nap between the incident in the hot springs with Sakura and her waking him up. His body and thoughts had been too preoccupied with the memory of Sakura's teeth and tongue and lips ghosting over his skin, her hands in his hair, tangling in the short strands. And, had that man not been there, he would have had much more of those feelings. They wouldn't have stopped earlier and Kiba would have shown her just how much he wanted her.

Just her body though, because I can't seriously be falling for Haruno Sakura. It's not possible and definitely not safe. He thought of Naruto's wild antics of flinging Rasengans around and ghastly rages when it came to those he loved. And Kami only knew what Sharingan Kakashi would do to the poor sap who messed with his little Sakura. Really, just what was he getting himself into?

Tenzou, on the other hand, was probably the one he knew the least of. He didn't seem a particularly harsh or quick tempered person, but Kiba already knew he was sharp witted and that was just as dangerous. At least the man didn't look any more rested than Kiba himself looked.

While Kiba had been haunted with thoughts of the kunoichi's touch, Tenzou had been carefully calculating some things. Firstly, what was going on between the two? Sakura gave very little away, but something in the Inuzuka boy's eyes irked him. It was like the dog was ready to attack her, whether in one way or another, the thought still completely pissed Tenzou off.

Secondly, and foremost in Tenzou's mind, was where he stood with Sakura. He knew she cared for him, she'd admitted it a few months back. And, while he'd been overjoyed to hear the words from her lips, he also knew he didn't deserve her. He was a monstrosity, a byproduct of Orochimaru's twisted experiments. So, he'd let her down gently, told her she just shouldn't get involved with him. She handled it so well, too, almost as if it really meant nothing to her. Tenzou knew otherwise though; Sakura didn't lie and she was more passionate about life than anyone he'd ever known, except for maybe Naruto.

He'd certainly wanted her though; wanted to wrap his arms around her and tell her the same words she'd told him, but he simply couldn't. It wasn't in him to taint Sakura in any way.

"What's with you two?" Sakura asked, head tilted to the side in her usual manner. "Care to share your deep and dark thoughts with me? Since you both seem to be completely ignoring my suggestion that we head out and instead focusing on whatever has you staring at nothing." Rolling her eyes, she stepped forward to grab at both of their arms. "Come on," she spoke, pulling them along, "time to go; it's completely dark now, thanks to your loafing."

The two shinobi, jerked out of their reveries by the feel of Sakura's hand on their skin, finally got a hold of themselves and nodded, acquiescing to Sakura's command.

"Best to stick to the trees for now, more concealing and less noise," Tenzou suggested. Kiba rolled his eyes before springing into the nearest trees branches. Sakura and Tenzou easily followed suit before dashing to the next tree limb.

One thing Kiba was grateful for when it came to traveling was the lack of speech. He didn't have to hear Tenzou talk to Sakura on a more intimate level than himself, nor would he have to come up with clever remarks of his own. Unfortunately for Kiba, Tenzou had other ideas.

The older jonin and current ANBU member often had to talk while traveling, briefing his comrades on their task or other similar issues. Smoothly he jumped to the same branch as Sakura, falling in step with her own movements. He spoke so quietly even Kiba could not hear him.

Tenzou frowned, "What's with the Inuzuka?"

"Huh? What do you mean what's with him?" Sakura ask, confused.

"He seems to hate me," Tenzou replied with a small laugh.

Sakura, a bewildered look on her face, asked, "Who could hate you?"

Tenzou hadn't meant to get that kind of an answer, he wanted to hear that the boy was always angry or simply had a grudge for some reason, but instead he got her honest and instant reaction. And he knew exactly what it meant. How could anyone hate you when I love you? She always did show her heart in her eyes.

"Sakura… I-"

And before he could turn his thoughts into words a kunai came flying from the foliage and slammed into Sakura's shoulder. The kunoichi's eyes widened and a grimace of pain creased her face as she stumbled but managed to keep herself upright on the large tree branch.

"What the hell was that?" Kiba yelled, flinging himself to Sakura's unoccupied side. "I can't smell anyone but us! How the hell-"

Tenzou was already sending out wooden sensors through the ground to search for the enemy while Sakura began to instruct Kiba on pulling the kunai from her shoulder.

They were there alright, about ten of them, if the trackers were correct, though how they were managing to mask their chakra and even their scents from the Inuzuka boy was beyond him. The sensors slithering below their feet could feel their body heat though. Relaying this new information to his teammates as well as the enemy's location, Tenzou was preparing to send the tough spiny roots flying out of the ground to entrap the bastards that had hurt Sakura when he suddenly didn't have to as the group of them finally released their chakra control and charged the trio.

Although the nin were talented at concealment, offense was obviously not their forte and Tenzou was surprised they'd decided to attack anyways. Sakura was still sitting in the tree healing herself as Kiba and Tenzou easily finished them off. A couple of kunai here and there from the two of them was all it took, though Akamaru had caught one of the shinobi by the leg, shaking him roughly and dragging him off to the side for later interrogation.

"Good boy, Akamaru," Kiba praised, scratching a hand through the dog's rough fur before squatting down to the disheveled shinobi.

"No, let me," Sakura said prettily, slipping off the tree to land lightly on her feet. The only sign remaining of the kunai being implanted in her shoulder was a crimson stain and ragged slit in the back of her shirt.

The captive watched as the pretty little pink haired kunoichi approached, realizing he might just have a chance if this girl wanted to question him. She looked like a softy, not too mention most women shinobi he'd known were worthless besides being flexible in the sack.

Something in the way she was twirling his very own kunai between her fingers was slightly disturbing though, like she had some inner demon she was about to unleash upon him. It was nonsense though; she was just a girl, just a stupid little g-

The bloody kunai dug slowly into his thigh, twisting and burning. His voice rang out before he could stifle it and his own blood pooled around the sharpened metal as it ground through his flesh and bone, embedding itself hilt deep. Course it was the bitch that had done it.

"Now, since I've paid back that little favor," Sakura sneered, "you're goin' to answer a few questions for me, okay?" Her voice had changed drastically from the first words he'd heard from her, they'd been dark, vicious, and now her voice was light, almost cheerful. She seemed mentally unstable to the now-injured shinobi.

His only reply was to spit in Sakura's face, which she smoothly dodged. Annoyed by the stupidity of the nin before her, Sakura decided it would just be easier to make him talk. She wasn't particularly violent. At least not all the time.

Settling her palm on the top of his head, she sent chakra into his nervous system causing the memory receptors to spark and the thoughts to transmit between his brain and auditory senses. Sakura merely had to listen to him speak now and pick out the chunks they actually needed.

"Yes, honey, I know, take out the trash." Sakura flinched at his first words. He was a husband, or at least a lover. "Sorry, sorry, daddy has to go to work." And a father. "Yes, Tsuchikage-sama. We're to get the scroll from the Konoha shinobi traveling to Kumogakure." Sakura's interests were peaked, Iwagakure was involved?

The captive stopped for a second before continuing on, "Hey, Idaki, how'd we come across this information anyways? The Hokage's correspondent? Hah, so that bitch's sources aren't as secure as she thought."

In that instant, some foreign chakra burst to life in the shinobi's body, causing him to have severe spasms and bloodcurdling screams to issue from his open mouth. Sakura tried to force her chakra to move through his body, to determine whatever was causing his pain, but by the time it reached the source his heart had stopped. What Sakura felt inside of the man was sickening. His heart had basically been cooked in the man's chest.

Kiba and Tenzou looked at Sakura expectantly. From her grimace, the news wasn't good.

"He's dead."

"What did you do to him?" Kiba sputtered, clearly surprised by what, to him, looked like she'd killed their prisoner in some violent manner.

"I didn't do it!" she spoke vehemently. "There was some other chakra in him; didn't you two feel it?"

Both men shook their heads.

Sighing, Sakura bent down and slid the nin's eyelids closed.

"We should at least bury the bodies before we continue, we don't want to leave that obvious a trail," offered Tenzou, before hefting the body over his shoulder and setting to work.

I know what you're all thinking... OMG, SHE UPDATED! and haha :P this craps hard, I hope you all know. I love writing, but sometimes the words just don't want to come out, AT ALL. But thankfully I have an awesome friend online that's been helping me get my thoughts flowing again, major thanks to him. Too bad he doesn't even read my writing, haha, but yeah, I updated, here you go... some of you are horribly impatient, haha, what would you do if I died! Then you'd NEVER get an update... that'd be wicked of me, no? But, anyways, please just have patience with me (most of you did, but a few... ooo) I'm not the healthiest of people and have quite a busy schedule between work and the shite dealing with my heal issues, but writing is a good outlet for me, and, while some people are urged to write more when they get "update please" in their comments, that's not really me. Give me some long detailed comments and I might just drool on you :) Haha, I'm kidding, I wouldn't drool on you, just drool in general. So, enough of me 'ranting" (was that a rant?), as always, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, even if it seemed a bit drawn out; I wanted to get that central tension established... and, I like making Evil!Sakura... it's fun :D