Shadows

Chapter 9

The dogs tracked scents, from one hideout or campsite to another. They all Come to a standstill on an abandoned building. The all gathered around Kakashi and Usagi who were back to back. Pakku jumped up to the tall ninja and rested on his shoulder.

"She's close. Her sents all over the town, there waiting for the word. Yae's smell is all over this place and the girl is far away," He licked at his paw as Shikamaru dropped down next to Kakashi.

"Five man team, there all birds. Rather quick too, they almost bested us with there little flying act," The dog looked to Shikamaru and noticed the shadow ninja was lighting a cigarette.

"I hope your not smoking near that child," Scolded Usagi as she pointed to his cancer stick and began lecturing him. Shikamaru kept smoking even as Usagi reached over and tried to snag the cigarette.

Pakku sat up straight and all the dogs lifted their heads into the air, noses to the sky. They all sniffed as if one and then lowered their heads. If they were facing the wrong direction they turned fast or some just turned their heads in the direction.

"She's here," They all spoke at once.

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Yae kissed Shizu on her head as Dio lifted the child up. They were still at there house, Yae insisting Dio take the child till the fighting was over. Dio reluctantly agreed but only under the circumstance that Kimiri stay with Yae. Yae had argued,as she pulled her scarf around her neck. It was going against the plan, but Yae trusted Dio to keep her daughter safe.

She'd changed into a dark blue and pale green zip up. A pale green skirt with blue shorts. The parts of skin you could see she wore fishnets. She wore high heeled open toed sandals that wrapped all the way up her leg to just below her knees. Her hair was pulled up into a messy ponytail. Across her forehead was her red headband with the Village of the Mist symbol on it.

Yea kissed Shizu once more as she squeezed Dio's arm, she jumped up into the forest area. Dio watched as Shizu waved bye to her mother. Dio looked to the little girl and felt his heart sink.

"I'm sorry little one, she's a danger."

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Four birds jumped down to the building. There was one in each corner. There black eyes locked on to a target. The dogs crouched down and began to growl out. Usagi pulled her staff from her back while Shikamaru pulled Asuma's blades from his back pocket. Kunai in hand, Kakashi made a high pitched whistle and the dogs charged.

The four scrambled, two dogs on each of them and one human. Usagi took on the red bird, swinging high then low. Red struck out with a kunai but every time they got close they were knocked away by a hard staff to the wrist or kunai. Red tossed the double kunai's down as they backed up to the edge, the knives embedded themselves at their feet while they performed lunged forward jabbing the long staff into the casters stomach, they vanished with just a block of wood in it's place.

Kakashi watched as his wife's opponent vanished and he jumped back to the middle of the roof. Usagi joined him and they stood back to back.

"This is a trap," Said Usagi as she jabbed her staff hard into the thatching of the roof. Pulling her hands together she muttered quietly.

"Aqua Slate!" She waved her hands before her as if dancing. Opening her eyes she targeted two of the birds and fired water like daggers at them. They also vanished leaving blocks of wood behind. Kakashi kept his eyes on Shikamaru as the dogs finished off the last one.

Sjikamaru was looking over the edge of the building. Down below copies of Yae laid. The road below them red, pools and pools of red.

"RELEASE! " Shouted Kakashi. The Yae's all vanished. Shikamaru breathed deep and then let out slowly.

"So far so good," cheered Usagi as she pulled her staff out.

" She's watching," said Kakashi as he placed a hand on Shikamaru's shaking shoulders.

"She's here," Yae's voice is strong as she stands across the way kunais at the ready. Shikamaru moves and comes to land just next to her. He picks up the end of her scarf and pulls it to his face.

"Get ready ladies," Behind Yae, Kurenai and Kimiri appear. They are linked arm in arm with the outfits matching Yae. The three ladies synchronize their movements. Hitta and Aussa appear, two large beasts growled into the night as the dogs all vanished.

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Shizu moved a piece on the Shogi board. She jumps up and moves to the other side, pulling her hands together she puts pointer and middle against the palm of her left, closing her hand around the right she looked at the board. Her eyes lit up and she moved one of the pieces forward taking out three of the other sides.

Dio stood in the doorway looking out into the rock garden. Slowly coming towards him there were feet marks. Slow and precise they came closer and closer till they rested just at the edge of the floor boards. He held his hand out and felt as if another was placed in his own. He moved aside to let them up and bowed.

"She's free to go. They've all gathered at the abandon warehouses. She's ready for a fight, be careful the child may rebel." From the feet up the figure apeared. Long blonde hair with a purple birds mask. She moved it to the side of her face and smiled. She bent down and whisled low. Shizu looked to her.

"Hey little one I'm a friend of your daddies. I'm Ino,"

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All five ANBU stood before the five. Hitta and Aussa charged passed everyone causing the birds to scatter. Shikamaru stood back as he pulled his blades out once more, this time attached to the ends were lines with tags every four inches. He tossed them down embedding themselves into the base of the building across from them.

Yae slashed down causing the green bird to dodge and toss a few shurikens at Yae's exposed back. She jumped up and over avoiding them all, Usagi jumped passed knocking the green bird down as she moved to take on the red one again.

The Red bird was armed with claw like gloves. They swung their arms as if they weren't attached, Usagi backflipped to Shikamaru's side and the red bird launched forward to bring their knee up for a stomach attack. Usagi moved before the strategist and pulled both her hands together and with a great shove blocked the knee attack. She skidded just a bit but dug her feet down.

"Chojii!" Yelled Yae as she moved to Kakashi's side.

"Bubun Baika no Jutsu: Partial Multi-Size Technique!" His arm grew out and he gripped onto the red and green birds he smashed them together and then lifted them up. He tossed them down to the ground where the wires were placed. Hinata stood down at the bottom her byakugan activated.

"Jūho Sōshiken: Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists," Her fists gathered chakra that formed two twin lions. She punched at the two as they came down pounding them into the ground. As her fists cleared she looked up waiting for the other three.

Kurenai and Kimiri were attacking the black and purple faced birds. Aussa and Hitta held the last in their jaws and were playing a cruel game of tug of war. Kakashi moved toward them pulling the mask off the ANBU member. It showed the face of woman. She was young and beautiful but she was now pale and bleeding profusely from the beast inflicted wounds. With a loud growl Hitta tossed the girl up in the direction of the trap.

Yae rushed forward to help the goddesses out. She made quick hand signs but let her hands drop. Kurenai held the black masked, Kimiri held the purple. But looking past them She found she couldn't breath. Yea could hear her heartbeat in her ears. It was all going slow. They tossed there ANBU members down and Shikamaru pulled the tags.

All the others backed up away from the blast, Yae road the shock waves and braced herself.

The kunai was raised high, and the child's scream rang through the air. Usagi moved forward and gripped onto Yae. Shikamaru moved in on her right just in front of her and then Kakashi on her left.

'Ino's not, Shizu, gotta separate her. Shikamaru's plan was a bust. CLONES!.' Thought Yae as she took a step forward and the kunai lifted higher on the little girl and came to rest just at her neck. From behind Ino, Dio walked up with a evil grin on his face. Yae's fists clenched as he pulled the headband off his braid and tossed it to the side.

"Now a mark to match your mommies!" Yelled Ino as she slashed across. Shizu screamed out in pain and everyone launched forward. Ino tossed the little girl aside as the first began their attack.

Kakashi and Usagi reached her first. Usagi striking low with her staff while Kakashi charged his chidori. As Ino jumped up to avoid the staff, Usagi ducked down and Kakashi pushed passed to strike Ino. In a puff of smoke she was gone and her cold cackle rang out. Kurenai, Choji, and Hinata all ran into the town, Kakashi following as Usagi looked back.

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