Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Dragon Age. I do own the plot and any OCs I make.

"Its gates forever shut. Heaven has been filled with silence, I knew then, And cross'd my heart with shame."

Andraste 1:11, Chant of Light

Naruto looked at his old friends, and a smile crept onto his face. It was all he could do not to laugh. The looks on their faces were just too priceless. Surprisingly, it was Hinata who made the first move. "Naruto!" she gasped and, surprisingly, ran up and hugged Naruto.

Naruto placed his hand on the top of her head and patted it. A low chuckle rumbled in his chest. Looking down at Hinata, he said, "If this is the reaction I get for disappearing for a few years, I should do it more often."

Hinata looked up at his face and, realizing what she did and how close they were, squeaked and jumped backwards, her face a burning red. Naruto laughed softly, and turned to Kiba and Akamaru. But, not before Akamaru tackled him, and started to lick his face.

Naruto couldn't help but laugh as he tried to push Akamaru off him. "Alright, alright. I missed you to, boy." Akamaru barked and hopped off him, his tongue flopping on the corner of his mouth. As Naruto sat up he looked at Kiba.

"How's it going dog-breath?"

Kiba smirked, "Ah, you know. Fighting bad guys, saving damsels. The whole hero thing."

Naruto stood up and turned to Shino. Both just nodded to each other, no words needing to be said. Naruto turned and bowed to Kurenai. "I am glad that you kept my friends safe, when I myself could not."

Kurenai smiled and said, "Not a problem Naruto. Not to sound ungrateful for your help, but what are you doing here?"

Naruto looked at Kurenai. "I take it you're referring to my banishment. There was a stipulation that if Konoha was ever in danger, I would be allowed to return to provide information and another helping hand."

Kurenai's eyebrow rose. "And you believe that Konoha is in danger?"

Naruto nodded. "Those creatures you fought, they're called darkspawn. You fought them for what, ten minutes?" Kurenai nodded. "And you're all completely drained and you failed to kill them. Now imagine a horde of these creatures big enough to outnumber every shinobi in the Elemental Countries fifty to one, led by a twisted and corrupted dragon that was once known as a god, and you get what my group, the Grey Wardens, call a blight. Whether or not you believe me that is what, not only Konoha, but every country faces. And a Grey Warden is the only thing that can end a blight."

Kurenai gave Naruto a look that said that she did not think that she could determine whether or not he was lying. Catching the look, Hinata spoke up. "A-ano, sensei, but my byakugan failed to detect any trace of a lie when Naruto-kun said his piece."

Kurenai sighed. "All right, I'll believe you for now. But, it's not me you have to convince. It's the council and the Hokage."

Naruto nodded. "I know."

Kurenai signaled her charges, "Alright, then. Team Kurenai, your mission objectives have changed. Since the targets are dead, and we have a VIP with more knowledge about the targets than we currently have, we are now guarding Naruto Uzumaki until we reach Konoha. Traveling Position Alpha, form up and head out." With that the three ninja and the single Grey Warden disappeared in five blurs.

XxXxX

Tsunade sighed as she finished the first of ten rather large piles of paperwork. If pestered about it, she would had admitted that she fell every single one of her years. It's the damn stress, she decided. The political backlash that the Council of Elders created by banishing Naruto had almost unstapled the Leaf. And it had fallen to her to deal with it. In fact it was still going on.

With a poof of smoke, one of the gate ninja appeared in front of Tsunade. Tsunade cocked an eyebrow.

"Dereliction of duty, eh?" she drawled.

The ninja quickly shook his head. "No, Lady Hokage. Team Kurenai has returned from their border mission. They brought back someone interesting."

Tsunade looked over at Shizune, who had been watching in the corner. Someone interesting… Could be interesting. She looked back at the ninja. "Alright, send them in."

Team Kurenai walked in. They seemed to have been in quite the battle. Their clothes were torn, and they looked like they hadn't had a decent night's sleep for at least a few days. Except for the man behind them, he looked like he had just stepped out of the shower. Tsunade's eyes widened when she saw him. "Mina-…"

She cut herself off as she noticed the whisker marks on his face. And she only knew one man with whisker marks. "Naruto…"

"Sup, Grandma Tsunade." He said.

Tsunade suddenly got serious, as she noticed the griffon on Naruto's jacket. "Team Kurenai, we'll talk later. For now, leave. Naruto and I need to talk."

"Let them stay, Granny. I know it's a SSS -rank secret, but they know enough to stay. Also, adding Sakura and Kakashi to this group wouldn't be a bad idea."

Tsunade glared at Naruto. "It's a very bad idea, Naruto. There's a reason it's a SSS –rank secret and…"

"Should I use the Right of Conscription for something as trivial as this, Lady Hokage?" Naruto interrupted.

Team Kurenai collectively gaped at Naruto. He never called Tsunade, 'Lady Hokage.' Tsunade glared at him. "You would risk their lives and damn them, just because I won't let them listen otherwise!"

"If it comes to that, Lady Hokage. It's your choice: I conscript them and they listen in, or I don't and they listen in. What'll it be, Lady Hokage."

Tsunade fell completely silent for quite a long time. After a few minutes, Naruto spoke again. "You need not answer now, debrief Team Kurenai, and take a few days to think."

With that, Naruto strode out of the room. After a moment of hesitation, Hinata followed.

Whew! Never thought that'd get done. Sorry for the wait, but I'll update more often now that school has started. Nothing better to do in my free time. This LastStand, signing off.