Chapter Two: New Teammates

Tora and her sister strode through the village. Tora was laughing to herself quietly almost the whole time. Okami eventually walked away after telling her where to meet their new teammate.

She soon arrived at the site her sister had told her. The boy standing there looked like a decent ninja. Very confident, and pretty well muscled. Probably wouldn't survive through the chuunin exams though. Tora smiled as she approached him.

"Hello, I'm you're new teammate, Tora," she said gracefully extending a hand. He took it firmly.

"I'm Kuru. Nice to meet you, Tora," he said in almost a cocky tone. Tora smiled warmly. Though as soon as she turned around a grimace appeared on her face.

'He's not going to survive through the chuunin exams with that attitude. Oh well he's expendable, and I only need him to live to the preliminaries. I can use him to get close to...'

Tora wandered around the village aimlessly, keeping her eyes open for the blond boy. She saw him a little later with Konohamaru, two children his age, and a pink haired girl who appeared to be one of his teammates. They seemed to be arguing.

"Hello Naruto, Konohamaru," she smiled at them. Both of the boys blushed and replied,

"Hi, Tora." The pink haired kunoichi looked at her in an odd manner.

"Who is that? She has a Sunagakure headband but she wasn't with that group earlier." Tora approached the girl.

"So I see you've already met Temari, Kankurou, and Gaara. I'm Tora by the way. It's nice to meet you," she said extending a hand.

"Sakura. Pleased to meet you, Tora. Are you here for the chuunin exams like the others?" Tora laughed.

"Of course! The chuunin exams are amazing, but hard. Is your team going to take them this year?" Naruto got as close as possible to the two girls.

"You bet we are! And then I can become a chuunin! Dattebayo!" Sakura almost punched the hyperactive boy.

"Yes I guess we are. Um what you just said about them being hard, have you taken them before? You must've become a ninja really young to be taking them again at your age." Tora laughed loudly.

"My age! Ha! Sakura, how old do you think I am?"

Sakura frowned, "Um twelve I guess. Just like us. How old are you?"

Tora smiled widely. "I'm sixteen." Sakura's jaw dropped, and Naruto and the younger three seemed stunned. "Well I've got to go now. I'll see you guys at the chuunin exams. Bye Sakura! Bye Naruto! Good luck!" Tora jogged off toward where she said she would meet her friends.

Sakura quickly walked away after Tora left so she would no longer have to continue arguing with Naruto on whether or not she was his girlfriend. Naruto stared after Tora.

"I've got a sixteen year old babe flirting with me! Ha! You've still got a lot to learn from me Konohamaru."

Tora quickly found her friends and smiled.

"So any idea where you would like to go tonight?" Temari smiled widely t the question.

"Oh damn I don't care I'm just so glad you came! So did you meet your new teammate? Is he nice? Cute? Ugly? Tell me!"

"Wow, Temari slow down already! Wait until we find a place to eat, I'm starving!" Kankurou said enthusiastically.

"Ok, Kankurou you pick the restaurant."

The siblings all sat and laughed. Gaara and Okami sitting close together and being extremely quiet.

"So you were on a training mission? For that long?"

"Yeah but I think I learned quite a lot. So what have you guys been up to?"

"Oh you know. Missions and such. Meeting cute guys." Tora smiled widely.

'Everyone but Okami. Good enough for me.'