Hana started growling about a hundred meters from a lake. They could see the edge of it, but she whipped in front of them, pushing them back a bit. She was steadily growing, not fast but quick enough.

The second they had heard her growl they had gotten into their defensive position. The three Genin got into a triangle around Tazuna, while Naruto silently handed the man a kunai. He accepted it with trembling fingers.

Hana brushed her tail against Kakashi's hand, and he tensed, not expecting her to talk with him. It's a very strong chakra scent. You might need to get your eye ready, she cautioned.

Kakashi blinked and looked down at her in surprise. He didn't ever tell anyone about the sharingan anymore. They either knew or didn't know. He shrugged and looked up. He lifted his headband with one hand while grabbing a kunai with his right. He let his eye fall open, three tomoe spinning in his red eye.

Sasuke saw this gesture and gulped. A slight mist was snaking in. Suddenly a giant cleaver spun through the air, heading for them. Kakashi spun around. "DUCK!" he yelled.

They all ducked just in time. The giant sword hit a tree with a thunk, embedding itself deep into the wood. Hana growled again as the fog started creeping in even more. The ground was covered in it. A man suddenly appeared on top of the sword, standing there like he was just walking through.

"Ah, Kakashi. I've heard of you and your special eye" he sneered. "But it won't be enough to beat me,-"

"The Demon of the Mist" Kakashi monotoned. "Yeah yeah. Just leave. This is not your fight"

Zabuza growled in annoyance. "Do you always spoil your enemy's introduction? No matter. This is where you die!" The mist that was gathering was quick to make more of itself.

In seconds flat they could see only two feet in front of them. Hana flicked all her tails and she glowed blue, this time with more chakra than before. It cut through the fog, showing Naruto and Sasuke where she was. Naruto focused on anything coming at them so it wouldn't hurt the man they were trying to protect.

Meanwhile Sasuke was panicking. They were going to die here. If Kakashi was tense, that meant that he was scared that he couldn't handle the ninja. And that meant that he wasn't going to be able to fulfill both of his goals. He looked down at his hands. They were shaking.

Kakashi noticed this. "Sasuke."

Said boy was startled out of his thoughts. He didn't have any time to voice anything. Kakashi went on. "Don't worry. I'll protect you guys even if it kills me."

The masked ninja turned around a little to show that he was smiling underneath his mask, his normal eye curved up. "I don't let my comrades die."

Sasuke found he was holding his kunai too close to his other hand and let out a small sigh. He nodded slightly. He could trust Kakashi. He just knew it. He wouldn't let him die. He almost jumped at the next noise he heard.

A mocking voice came out of the mist. "Eight choices…Liver, lungs, spine, clavicle vein, neck vein, brain. Which one should I go after?"

Naruto almost left the formation when Hana sprinted forwards, out of sight. She let out a growl and almost suddenly the mist disappeared, leaving the five of them bewildered. They took in the sight slowly, as the sun was bright without mist.

Hana was hanging onto Zabuza'a arm. He cursed a few times, mentally hitting himself for not dodging fast enough. He didn't even sense her coming. He used his other arm to swing his sword at her, trying to dislodge the pesky animal.

But Hana hung on, just enforcing her chakra shield to keep the offending metal away. His eyes went wide and he flung his weapon at another tree, satisfied easily by the thunk in the bark. He used his now free hand to make a hand sign.

His chakra was depleted somehow, though, he noticed after he shifted back to his sword. He grasped the handle with one hand and pulled heartily. He cursed himself silently again when his mind started slowing down from lack of blood. He made another hand sign and did a quick healing jutsu on himself. It wasn't the best, but it would ensure he could still finish the job.

Hana growled as she fell to the lake's surface. She landed lightly, balancing on her toes to keep ready to dodge. She raised her muzzle to the air and sniffed in. Zabuza was close. He was still bleeding, but not as heavily. She flicked a tail and showed a foxy grin when it whipped around her angrily.

Soon she was ready, and Zabuza was back. He narrowed his eyes at her and started to charge. She let out a yawn and jumped above him, flicking her tails hard into his face. It splashed down into the water. Water-clone.

By now Kakashi was on the water as well, using himself as bait. He knew that one jonin and one demon could easily defeat the now wounded missing-nin. It would just take some time.

The real Zabuza finally made his entrance again and he smirked at Kakashi. "You need to help the little fox? Aw, how cute." He made a gagging noise. "And I hate cute."

He was behind Kakashi in an instant, ready to cleave him in half. Hana just stood there, on top of the water, as the Kakashi Zabuza killed sank into the water as well. Again Zabuza cursed. Kakashi was behind him now, and he held a kunai to his neck. "Got you"

Zabuza fought dirty and kicked him from his spot. Kakashi flew back, nothing available to aid his flight. He couldn't hold onto anything, so when he landed on the other side of the lake, he had to start running so he could get to the missing-nin.

Meanwhile Hana had not moved. She did raise a paw, however. She poked it forward and the water that was hanging there followed her will, shooting forward to slap the Demon of the Mist on the leg. It stung like hell.

Zabuza sighed and turned around. The water was dancing restlessly around the white and blue fox, and her tails whipped it up even more at his movement. He blinked as a huge dragon shape made of water came barreling down towards him. He frantically made the signs for the same thing and it swam up slowly, crashing with the offending one.

Then he was hit as Kakashi had made one as well, using his eye to copy the signs the other man had made. Hana let out a little yip and starting running to the side of the lake that the Genin's weren't on. She ran up the side of a tree, growling as she did.

Zabuza landed near that same tree. Kakashi ran over, ready to kill him. He was working up the chakra needed for a chidori when two senbons came from the tree. He blinked and looked up.

A masked ninja jumped down from the tree. They nodded curtly at Kakashi. "Thank you" a voice said. "I had been going after him for awhile." He picked up the man with ease. He felt for a pulse and confirmed the death. "Yes. He is dead. Thank you for weakening him."

Kakashi nodded and his eyes zeroed in on the location of the senbons. Right where they would bring death. He smiled, satisfied. "You're welcome." The fully masked ninja nodded and made a one-handed sign and disappeared.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes at this, but let out a sigh and fell over. Damn. He'd used too much chakra with the eye. He let it fall closed and let out a yell. "Hey! I need help!"

He hated admitting to a weakness, but hey. He did. Hana let out a little whine and bit into his collar. She dragged him into a sitting position and then made sure he could lean on her while they waited. Her blue chakra coat was gone, and she was pure white again. Although she was covered in mud, dripping water on the forest floor, and blood covered her muzzle.

"Thanks" he managed. He fell asleep after seeing the team plus Tazuna running to meet him.