Lion King reference chapter titles for the win! If I spell a name wrong please tell me! Sorry this took so long, my partner for this and my other partner for Shrunk Twins and Green Cub has been swamped at school. Clipped Wings is going smoothly though.
It was fairly stocked already. Iruka was sent out earlier that morning to bring things over. There was food and medical supplies sitting on the table. The genin put their gear down. It was a waste of effort to carry it around, if they needed something they would get it. It wasn't like they were going anywhere. They start unpacking the bags. Taking note and putting things away.
Sakura put away the food. "How long with this last, Kakashi?"
"We have enough to last a week or two I think."
"So we have a time limit of how long we have to heal Naruto..."
"Not necessarily. If needed I can head back out to the village for more."
"It would still be best if we healed him sooner than later," Sasuke intervened, glancing out the window. "Knowing Naruto, it's going to be hard to keep him occupied for a long while."
"True.." Kakashi looks out as well. It seemed the pain of his wounds were finally too much for him as he was sitting back watching the sky.
Sasuke watched Naruto. "He will be okay, right Kakashi?"
"I'm sure he will. We just need to let him know we're here for him." He looks down at the package in his hand, "Not just us either." Iruka had also left a present for Naruto, a note apologizing about missing out on seeing him yesterday.
Sakura finishes putting away the last of the food away. "So what do we do now?"
"You can continue practice if you want, I'm going to check on fox-boy." Kakashi sets the package down and grabs the medical kit just in case. Sakura decides to go out and practice maintaining her chakra levels. Meanwhile, Sasuke follows Kakashi to help Naruto.
As Kakashi comes over he could see some of the bandages turned red. He sighs sitting down and unrolling the scroll to use as a sort of check list. Cracked ribs, multiple lacerations, a few burns and stabs, hand was crushed at one point. "Never can stay out of trouble can you.."
Sasuke takes some burn cream from Kakashi's first aid kit. "Naruto, where were you burned?"
The blond didn't respond squirming slightly. Kakashi was busy gripping the back of his neck with one hand to keep him still while undoing the bandages with the other.
"Naruto?" Sasuke repeated softly.
Fox-boy whines trying to wiggle out of Kakashi's grip. "He doesn't like being treated. I doubt he'll say anything."
"The sooner we treat you, the sooner you get back to normal," Sasuke squats down next to Naruto. "Do you want to be normal again?"
Naruto turns to him distracted. Kakashi glanced between them before tentatively letting go of the blonde's neck and continuing with both hands.
"That's better. Now where are you burned?"
Naruto blinks looking away. Kakashi undoes the wraps around his torso revealing a majority of the wounds.
"How can I help, Kakashi?"
The silver haired ninja was surprised at his gesture. He pulls out a jar and unscrews it. "Just put some of this on any wounds you see." Kakashi then proceeds to test the ribs and bones mentioned in the list. Naruto winces at it but it seems Kyuubi was focusing on those first. The blacked haired genin began to rub the cream on Naruto's torso. They continue, refreshing the bandages and applying the cream.
By the time the two ninjas were done, the sun was low in the sky. Sakura was sitting in a nearby tree, watching the boys. Sasuke stands up, stretching. Naruto gazed off into the distance as Kakashi puts away the supplies.
"What's wrong Naruto?" Sakura jumps down to join her allies.
"Hard to say, it could be anything. He could be talking to Kyuubi or just bored." Kakashi says stepping back inside.
The pinkett waves her hand in front of the fox-boy's face. "Hey, Earth to Naruto. Are you there?"
The blonde blinks startled.
"Are you hungry, Naruto?" Sasuke asks softly.
Naruto glanced at him and back to the forest again.
"Come on, I think we have some ramen," Sakura attempted to bribe the blonde.
He turns at that following them inside.
Sakura pulled out some of the ramen that she had put away earlier. "What do you want, Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei?"
"I'll have some rice," Sasuke replied.
"Fine with me." Kakashi says
"Okay," she gets out a bag of rice as well. "Where would I find a pan?"
"There should be dishes in the cabinets." There are lots of safe houses throughout the village and they stocked the basic necessities into each. Sakura starts cooking, and soon the smell of ramen fills the safehouse.
Naruto was sitting at the window gazing out again. He could have sworn he smelt something out there, but it was so little he couldn't be sure. With the nin hounds long since vanished there was no one else to smell it anyway.
Sasuke joined him at the window. "What's wrong?"
He couldn't find anything... The blond sighs turning back to the rest of them.
"Can you not talk?"
Naruto's head tilts slightly.
"Well, you'll be less annoying now."
To be honest he was having trouble recognizing words in general. He remembered his name, their names, ramen, Kyuubi and a few others. Kyu had to resort to speaking in fox to communicate with him.
"Dinner's ready~" Sakura calls. She brings the ramen to Naruto, then sets the rice on the table.
Naruto smiles eating awkwardly with his claws.
Sakura places a dish of curry next to the rice, and grabs some plates from the cupboard. "Let's eat!"
Kakashi sets up his plate and it was gone in a flash. Sasuke puts some curry and rice on his plate, and eats it, thinking.
"Is it good, Sasuke?" Sakura asks. Sasuke nods, then goes back to thinking. 'I made this just for Sasuke, he doesn't even acknowledge it!' Inner Sakura cries.
The meal passed on quietly.
Sasuke stands up, and places his silverware in the sink. "I'm going for a walk."
"Just be back before dark." Kakashi replies.
Sasuke gave a nod to acknowledge that Kakashi had spoken, and left. "Wait, let me come with you!" Sakura calls after him. She stood up, her food half-finished.
Naruto watched him leave. Kakashi glanced up from his book then back to Naruto. Sakura leaves her plate at the table and heads for the door. The blonde looks up at her as well.
"I'm going to follow Sasuke," the pinkett announced.
Naruto starts to stand going after her.
"Why are you coming, Naruto?"
He blinks at her confused.
"Can't you tell that he wants to be alone?"
"Then why are you going after him?" Kakashi asks.
"Well, because..." Sakura searched for an excuse to go after Sasuke. "Umm..."
Kakashi glanced at her.
"I didn't think that meant me as well..."
Kakashi sighs standing up. "Just stay here.. We should set up the beds anyway."
"Okay..." Sakura reluctantly concurred. She found the beds, and helped get them ready for nightfall. Naruto watched out the window again.
Minutes before the sun dipped below the horizon, Sasuke returned. The blond looks up at him. Sasuke glanced at the other, then focused on Kakashi. "Did anything happen while I was gone?"
"No, nothing at all."
"Good," Sasuke sighed, glancing once more at Naruto. "I'm going to bed."
Kakashi nods and Naruto glanced back to the window.
Sasuke enters the hallway just Sakura leaves it. "Oh, Sasuke. How was your walk?" she asks.
Sasuke mumbles a "Fine," but mainly ignores her. Kakashi goes back to his book. Sakura sat for a moment, then announced that she was going to bed as well.
Naruto stayed at the window trying to find that scent again. Eventually Kakashi dragged him to bed too.
When the sun arose, Sakura got up first. She pulled out some materials, and started cooking breakfast.
The sounds woke up the foxboy, who at some point in the night curled up next to Sasuke seeking heat from the fall chill. He gets up going into the kitchen.
"Good morning!" Sakura says cheerfully. Then, realizing who came in, she adds, "Oh... It's Naruto..."
That tone made him sad for some reason, even if he didn't understand everything she said.
"Is Sasuke and the sensei up?" the pinkett continues, not knowing that Naruto can't understand.
The blonde tilts his head, instead walking over to the smell of food.
"Hey, back off!" Sakura snaps. "It's not time to eat!"
Naruto shrinks back, that tone was accompanied by a hit far too often for his liking.
"If you want to have breakfast, then go wake the others."
He backed up a bit more, shrinking into himself.
"Well?"
A gentle hand lands on his head but the blond still flinched. After realizing it didn't hurt he looks up to see Kakashi. "What's with all the yelling?"
"Naruto was trying to steal some food before it is as time to eat!" Sakura replies.
He sighs. "Did you miss the whole 'turned feral' conversation yesterday?"
"No. But he should know better than to steal food."
"..." Kakashi wished she would see his side for once.. Often times he would check up on Naruto when he was younger and catch him snatching food off of stalls just because he had so little money or the vendors plain wouldn't sell to him.. The reason the boy is so addicted to ramen is because it's usually all he could afford let alone cook himself..
"Especially when I'm cooking it for everyone, not just him!"
"Sakura, he doesn't understand you right now. All he knows is he's hungry and you have food."
"Maybe someone should tell him to wait then."
Kakashi sweatdrops. He doubts the blond would react if he said Naruto was now the fifth Hokage..
"Well, breakfast is ready. Someone should go wake Sasuke," Sakura sighs.
Kakashi sighs going to wake said Uchia. Sasuke got up compliantly. He glances around the room, then follows Kakashi out to the kitchen.
Naruto was sitting by the window again. Even when he's normal the blonde rarely likes to stay inside if he could help it.
Sakura notices Sasuke come in, and she was all over him. "Oh, Sasuke! Did you sleep well?" Sasuke gives her a nod, and sits down at the table. Kakashi sits as well.
"Breakfast is served!~" Sakura cries, setting the food she was cooking by the boys.
Naruto glanced up and walks over cautiously.
Sasuke patted the seat next to him. "You can sit here."
The blonde sits watching Sakura out the corner of his eye.
Sakura sits on Sasuke's other side, leaving Kakashi on his own part of the table. Then, the pinkett puts food on a plate, and hands it to Sasuke. "Here you go," Sakura says. "I made it for you~" Sasuke takes the plate, but puts in front of Naruto.
Naruto looks at it, sniffing quickly. Kakashi makes his own plate while nonchalantly observing the three.
"You can eat it, Naruto," Sasuke sighs. "Sakura hasn't poisoned it."
Meanwhile, Sakura was yelling in her mind. 'That was for Sasuke, not Naruto! Why did he just give it away like that!?'
The jonin couldn't help but be curiously interested in Sasuke's odd behavior. The blonde however reaches to his plate to eat. The said ninja takes his own plate, and, with Sakura following, puts food on his plate.
The four eat in relative silence,
Sakura glanced out the window, then suggested to Kakashi, "We should go outside. It would be a shame to waste such a beautiful day.
"Good idea."
As Sasuke finishes cleaning the last dish, Sakura leaves the house. Sasuke glances at Naruto. "Are you coming?" he asks.
He looks up coming to the door and rushing outside. Kakashi followed at a slower pace.
Outside, the forest was gleaming, as all the light was reflecting of the morning dew. The air smelled crisp, and the trees rustled in the slight breeze. Naruto takes off toward a group of feeding birds, chasing them away.
"Why don't go for a run in the woods?" Sakura suggested. "I think a certain someone needs to let some energy loose."
"Yeah, good time for scouting practice while we're at it."
"Hey, Naruto! We're going!"
The fox glanced over and runs back to them. Sakura leads the way through the wood, while Sasuke trails behind to watch. Kakashi just wanders behind while Naruto weaves between the trees.
Along the way, Sakura finds a stick, so she decides to tease Naruto with it. "Hey, Naruto, do you want the stick?" She waves it around over her head.
He looks at her tilting his head.
"Go on, go get it!" Sakura tosses the stick in front of her.
The blonde gave a look equivalent to 'are you nuts?'
"Isn't Naruto supposed to be part fox?" Sakura sighs.
Kakashi glanced up. "Try this." He tossed her the set of bells he still carried around. The sound caught the fox-boy's attention.
"You still have these?" the pinkett asks, catching them.
He shrugs. "How do you know I didn't always have them?" Naruto comes closer trying to find the sound.
Sakura shakes the bells. "Over here."
Naruto pounced trying to catch them.
As the foxboy leaps, Sakura holds the three shiny objects out of his reach. He pouts lunging again.
Again, he was thwarted, and the bells were held higher. The blonde growls slightly.
"Just as I suspected. Naruto has no forethought, as always," Sakura crows.
The fox backs away crouched on all fours to jump again.
"I see right through your plan."
In a blink he leapt back pressing against a tree. Then pushed off with a chakra boost whizzing past her. The bells were pulled out of the female genin's hand, and she blinked in surprise. What just happened?
Naruto now sat on the ground batting them and enjoying the sound. Sasuke smiled. Naruto was always full of surprises.
"Looks like he still knows how to use chakra." The jonin observes.
"But he can't talk!" Sakura protests. That's not what was supposed to happen!
"You'd be surprised what foxes can do."
Sasuke walks up to Naruto. "Can I see those?"
Naruto glanced up at him.
"Please?" Sasuke asks kindly. "Maybe we could turn this into a game?"
He surprisingly bats them over.
Sasuke stoops down and picks up the bells. He dashes up a tree, and puts them in the tallest peak. Jumping down, he asks, "How fast can you get them?"
His head tilts for a moment before leaping up to a branch. He continues to pounce up occasionally using his claws to grip the trunk. Finally he grabs the bells smiling.
"Good job, Naruto! Now come back down!"
That was a little harder.. Foxes weren't built to climb trees. Sakura cheers in her head. He had found a way to get rid of Naruto! Naruto glanced around trying too find a path down. Sasuke calls encouragement to him. "You can do it, Naruto!"
Kakashi watched as Naruto picked his way down. The blonde seemed to respond to Sasuke rather well..
"Hey, Sasuke, can I try? I'll be even faster than Naruto," Sakura says.
The other sighs. "You don't need training right now," Sasuke explains. "This is to train Naruto so the team will be ready sooner."
Finally Naruto makes it back to the ground.
"Good," Sasuke says, and takes the bells from Naruto. The blonde pouts slightly. Ignoring Naruto, the other male genin tosses the bells at Kakashi. "Thanks for letting us use those."
Kakashi puts them away. Naruto pouts again.
Sakura sighs. "You know that face isn't going to convince anyone to do anything for you. Speaking of which, I think it's time you help out. You've been doing nothing but sit around while we were here."
He blinks at her uncomprehendingly.
Sakura leans in closer to Naruto, her face inches away from his. "Are you listening to a word I'm saying?"
Kakashi sighs.
Sasuke pulls the pinkett away from Naruto. "Haven't you realized that he can't understand you yet?" He asks.
"But Sasuke... I..." Sakura couldn't come up with a reasonable excuse.
Unnoticed by the others the blonde turns to the forest tilting his head.
Sasuke gets done rebuking Sakura, and turns back to Naruto. "What is it?"
The blonde steps off following something.
The black haired genin grabs Naruto's arm. "Wait! What are you doing?"
Naruto glanced up confused.
"What do you smell?"
Naruto turns back to the trees. Darn, it was gone again.. Sasuke looks where Naruto is looking. He didn't see anything though...
"I think it's time we head back." Kakashi says, "We've been out here half the day."
Sakura glances up at the sky. Kakashi is right, the sun is at the midpoint in the heavens. How did that happen?
"Come on." The jonin starts leading the way back.
Sasuke leads Naruto after Kakashi, and Sakura trails behind. Something was wrong with Sasuke. He seems different... Naruto stumbles along behind. That scent just didn't sit right with him for some reason.. But it keeps disappearing too, how does that happen?!
"What's wrong, Naruto?" Sasuke breaks into the blonde ninja's thoughts. "Can you try to explain to me?"
All he could do was give a soft whine.
"Can you sign?"
Apperently not...
"I have some paper at the house. Can you write it?"
He couldn't do anything regarding human language at the moment. If only Sasuke spoke fox.. Sasuke sighs. Next time Naruto notices something, they should follow it.