Saskue ran as fast as he could, trying to get the screaming princess from those two, but they were fast, must faster than himself, and he would never catch up on foot.

"Saskue!" She shouted, trying to struggle out of his grasp only to have his grip tighten. The enemy ninja jumped into a tree and up into a clearing. It looked like he would get away, when Saskue finally got out of the maze of trees, that's when a blade on a chain flew at him, it just skimmed the kidnapper's side, causing him to drop the princess. Saskue caught her just in time. The two looked at him as he ran off, disppering in a puff of gray smoke. "Are you alright sweety?"

"Yes, I haven't suffered any injuries" Saskue let out a sigh of relief and hugged the girl in his arms.

"That's always good to here, but how meany times do you get kidnapped? I need to put a bell on you" Saskue said with a wink. Kiku giggled. The sorde man looked around for the source of the helping hand, which emerged from the forest. A young man, younger than himself, it was dark but he knew who he was looking at, tears of joy almost filled his eyes, but there were more important matters as hand. He placed Kiku on the ground and told the younger man

Always at the right place at the right time hugh?" The stranger nodded "Can you take her back to the castle?" He pointed to it, the boy nodded "I'll chase them down"

"Your not going to leave me with him are you?"

"Do not worry princess, I trust him. Besides, he knows what will happen if he pisses me off" He said with a smile before running off. The boy walked up to the terfied princess, she flinced and stepped back. He put his hands up in the air, sliently telling her to calm down. She took a deep breath as he reached his hand out, becking her to take it, Kiku was scared, but if Saskue trusted this stranger, She had no reason to be. She placed her hand on his and he gently closed his hand around it and jerked his head to the side, telling her to follow, she, still to scared to do anything else, did so.

Goda was pacing back and forth in the throne room, all his ninja could do was watch. "Father!" Kiku yelled as she ran into her father's arms "Oh, My daughtar, your safe!" Rikimaru looked around "Wheres Saskue?"

"Still cahaseing them"

"Then you came back alone?" her father asked, Kiku shook her head

"No, someone helped in my rescue and Saskue told him to escort me home"

"Who?" they all said in a courise

"I did" A voice came up from behined them, they all turned around at ounce. There stood the boy, the light from the lanterns made it easer to see him. The boy had to be about 14 or 15 years old, musiclar for his age. His long black hair was braded tied together with a jewled clasp at the end. He whore tight-fitting dark blue armor with a bag strapped across his sholder. A odd weapon, a sickle blade with a chain, a kusarigama, clung in his hand. He wore a mask on the lower half of his face, not unlike Rikimaru's He took a step foward, slideing the mask down to revile a kind smile.

"those eyes.." Rikimaru grumbled, The boy smiled "Yes ninja, there blue, just like my brother"

"Who are you, why were you here?" Kiku asked as her father just now put her down. "My name is Koga, Prince of the Yamazaki country, I was tracking the two men, who have been spreading evil across japain, after months i found myself here,far away from my home. As I was searching ,I herd screaming, I ran to see that the princess being carried away by the one of very men I was looking for, when she was safe my brother told me to bring her back"

They all looked at him in disbelief "Brother?" Rikimaru said as he took something out from under his shirt "Yes Ninja" he walked over to the older man. He opend the ninja's hand, reveling his half of the pedent he and Saskue wore at all times "Saskue is my brouther" He grabbed his belt and showed off the buckle which was the same thing as the necklase

"So Saskue's a..." Ayame started, Koga side

"you two cheach on quick. Yes a prince" he looked at the pendent again "You where half of our family symbol, are you his lover?" All the ninja did was nood. The boy smiled.

"Why diden't he tell us?" Ayame asked "He never even told me." Rikimaru responded, his fist chenching in anger

"I'm shure he must have his reasons. But that would be something you would need to ask him" Koga said "Anway are you alright, princess?" he said turning to her

"Yes, thank you for saveing me" She said with a bow, he bowed back

"No problam, its always our pleasher to save such a beautyfull princess" Kiku blushed

"Well th-thank you..whate 'our' you mean you and Saskue?" Koga playfully shook his head

"Then who..." just then, something jumped out of his bag. The princess looked down to see a large kitten sitting in front of her "Meow" it said. The kitten was jet blck, save for some white trianlges on the top and botten of its blood red eyes, among further ispection, the cat had two fluffy tails. Koga picked up the kitten.

"This is who i mean" He held his pet up to her "This is my pal Kiba"

Goda's face grew stern amound studying the cat "Hmmm it's been a long time since I have seen a nekomata, especially one thats a pet, I thought they were all evil" Goda said, studying the cat.

"Not this one, this little guy has been with me since I was born"
Kiku giggled "Aw hes so cute!" He scrached under his chin, makeing the cat purr.

"He likes you" The cats eyes wanderd and say the male ninja, his tails amd ears sprange up. The cat struggled out of the young prince's grasp and patterd over to him. He began to nuzzle the ninja's leg and purred, making Koga chuckle

"I guess he like you even more" Ayame teased

Rikiamru just stood there, looking at the feline. Kiba looked back at him for awhile and went back over to his master. "So young prince, who are these men you and your nekomata are tracking?" Goda asked

"Their names are Myōga, a sorcerer from my country, and Jaken his ninja flower, the man with the fox demon; about a year ago, they began to wreak havoc across the lands , for what reason, i don't know, but i have been given orders by my father to stop him." Goda rubbed his chin

"You said your brother went after him" Koga nodded

"He's able to track someone for days without rest, but it wount do him any good, it doesn't look like he had complete control of his anger which clouds his sixth sense, and those beeds the two where make it impossible to read them, so he should be back soon after he gives up"

"Its settled then, Rikimaru, Ayame, split up and find this Myōga and show him the true wrath of heaven for trying to harm my preshus daughter." bouth ninja nodded

"What about the princess?" Ayame asked

"It's alright, i'll preuct her while your gone" Ayame's eyes narroed, he looked him straght in the eye

"I better not see one hair out of place" Koga smiled

"Not a one" Ayame nodded and the ninja were gone in a flash. Koga looked around

"Something wrong?" Kiku asked

"I can't find Kiba, where did he go off to this time?"

"Can I help you find him?"

"Shure, you can give me a tour of your home as well" They walked off together