A/N: Ok, this has absolutely miniscule limeness. It's hardly noticable. 13 is unlucky (usually). Quite a nice chapter though. Shout out to Den-Den, thanks for the support! R&R!

Friendship

I walked briskly, hands shoved deep into my pockets as I kicked a stone along moodily. Where the heck are them idiots? I kicked the stone into a nearby bush then scowled further. Great, just great, now all I have are my thoughts. Maybe Naruto had died, but even so, it's our team's responsibility to return the body to Konoha. Sakura will scream and cringe, Kakashi's far too lazy, Kari's out there with him somewhere and is probably asleep (lazy baka-onna) and I, well to be honest I don't actually care. But someone has to do it.

I journeyed further into the forest, deciding he had to be nearby our chosen training trees. Unless he got lost, I wouldn't put it past him and Kari's not exactly got a good sense of direction.

As I mooched a long I passed a girl. I took in her beauty and innocence without much interest, offhandedly noticing how she reminded of Kari in a couple of ways, but stopped when a weird feeling shot down my spine as she walked past me. Turning round to look at her retreating back I watched as her dark hair swished behind her. There's something weird about her…

"Whoa…" Looks like I found Naruto, that's definitely his obnoxious voice. "I've seen a lot of weird things in my life before but this takes the cake!" His eyes were closed so he didn't see me approach and I caught him unprepared when I gave him a good punch to the head.

"OW! SASUKE! WHAT'D YOU DO THAT FOR?!" Naruto shrieked, glaring up at me.

"Dork did you just forget about breakfast? You're such a loser" I said. I glanced around. "Where's Kari? Don't tell me you lost her."

"What you talking about, Kari's right—NANI!? KANOJIXYOHA ARU BUNMAE!"

"You can't even keep track of one girl? You loser are you completely useless? It doesn't matter if 'she was there a minute ago', where is she now?" I questioned.

"KARI-CHAN?! DOKODESU KA?! –Oro? Wakan nai, maybe she went after that weird gir—boy..." Naruto said. Weird girl? Or did he say boy? Kari don't tell me you've gotten yourself kidnapped or something.

I placed my hands on my knees panting to catch my breath. I hope I actually find him, I'm probably lost again, and it better not be in vain… Speak of the devil, more like angel and he shall appear!

"I had a feeling you would find me" he said in that warm soft voice of his. I felt my cheeks heat up from his lovely voice but shook it off.

"What's your name really?" I asked observing his face wondering if he'd tell me the truth. But some part of me already knew that this boy wouldn't lie to me.

"Haku, yours is Kari correct?" he said. I was surprised he actually answered, and even more so that he actually knew my name.

"Yeah, that's what they call me anyway. I'm sorry for Naruto's behaviour, you're really pretty and he thought you were a girl" I said. Haku smiled causing my heart to flutter at the sight of such purity and innocence.

"Arigatou Kari, you're pretty too" he replied. Oh stop blushing you idiot! Just because he's sweet and beautiful and stuff is no reason for you to turn to goo!

"Look Haku..." I said. My change of voice made him look at the ground, as though expecting accusations. "We can't help that we will have to fight sooner or later, for what is precious to us, but..." I trailed off scolding my soft heart.

"I'm surprised you listened to me, I'm glad however that you took the time to." His smile seemed to light up everything. For goodness sake Kari, pull yourself together! "Go ahead and say what you want to say, I promise I won't laugh."

"Can I be your friend?" I asked. He seemed slightly taken back, confusion dancing in his bright hazel eyes. "I just… like you as a person, you have a pure spirit and you care about Zabuza very much and… and I respect that" I said softly. I mentally scolded myself again realising how shakily and quick I spoke and the embarrassment that coloured my face. He probably thinks I'm a right idiot. But at least I said what I wanted to say. I'll be able to sleep peacefully now.

"I'd like that" he replied his warm smile unmistakeably genuine, his eyes filled with a deep warmth and everlasting gratitude. His eyebrows furrowed slightly as his look softened even further "But we may end up..."

"I know..." I said hastily, knowing full well that one of us would inevitably die. "But I just… I just wanted to talk to you. I don't want you to hurt my team, they've taken good care of me in the short time I've known them and I befriended them all. But from the moment I sensed you I knew I didn't want to hurt you either. It might sound crazy to you but… I just… I don't particularly understand it myself to be honest" I took a deep calming breath, knowing I was making little sense, but still wanting to say what I needed to say. "In the end, everything happens for a reason, right?"

"I suppose so Kari-chan, it's the way of the world" Haku said softly. It took every ounce of my will to stop me crying there and then. Ninja were meant to be fierce warriors and here, here in front of me what the sweetest most kind-hearted person I had ever met in my life and we'd end up killing each other. We're still just kids for heavens sake! We could have so much ahead of us!

I may have been able to force back my tears, but the Gods themselves couldn't have stopped me from throwing my arms around the gentle boy and embracing him tightly. My face buried into his chest, the fabric of the kimono brushing against my cheeks. My eyes stung fiercely but I wouldn't cry. He needed this. He needed to know someone cared. After a moment, I felt arms encircle me, as gentle as they were, they were strong and I felt safe and protected.

"Arigatou Kari-chan... Watashiha zutto wasurenai yo…"

"And I'll never forget you Haku-kun" I replied as a smile spread across my face and unshed tears shone in my eyes. For a few moments we stood there, until we knew it was time to let go once and for all. We turned and walked away from each other. We were enemies, opposing shinobi to fight to the death the next time we entered battle. But still… My smile stretched as I wiped my eyes, we shared a moment that will last until the end.

I'm sure I left Naruto somewhere around here…?

Great. It hopeless. HOPELESS! How could I not pay attention to where I was going? My dear instincts led me there with no problem and now they don't have the decency to show me the way back. With a scowl I turned and kicked a tree next to me. I yowled in pain cursing my now possibly broken toes.

That's when I got that feeling. You know the one? That tension with the chills going down your spine when you know in your gut someone's following you. You start to sweat, your heart hammers in your chest, you just know you—

"WHO'S THERE!?" I shouted as I span round ready to grab a kunai and fling it at the offending stalker, only to be met by a squirrel jumping out of the rustling bush. A squirrel... Kari you really are pathetic. Ugh! Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness damn it!

I was just about to grumpily continue on my way when something grabbed me and shoved me into the tree. I froze, remembering all those stories, those horrible stories of rape's and murders from my world. A guy in his twenties or so had pinned me against a tree. I stared at him with wide horrified eyes, mouth slightly open from shock.

"Hey beautiful" he whispered. I could feel something hard press roughly against my thigh. My wrists were held above my head by one of his large hands as his other hand went inside my shirt. I felt myself shudder as he dared to touch me. His lips brushed against my cheek and the stench of alcohol was on his breath. This can't be happening, someone wake me up, somebody, anybody!

"OOMPH!"

The next thing I know the guy was thrown off me, sent flying from a hard smack to the face. My body shaking slightly, my legs caved in, my back sliding against the tree until my butt hit the grass. I just stared at the patch of grass in front of me blankly, still frozen from shock. I could hear some shouting, but my frozen body couldn't react.

"Don't you dare touch her! If you lay so much as another finger on her I'll kill you! Do you here me?!"

"Little girl wandering around on her own is easy prey. She was innocent and defenceless, too easy. If you wanna protect her ya shouldn't let her wander round on her own."

SMACK.

"Get out of here before I slit your throat you sick paedophile!"

The next thing I know, blue ninja sandals were squashing the glass I had been blankly staring at. The person crouched down so they were kneeling in front of me.

"Daijixyoubudesu ka?"

Am I all right? I'm not particularly hurt, but I'm not ok either…

"Kari, wokii teru no ka?"

Yes I can hear him, but the words don't sink in and my body won't react…

"Kari mite!"

I can't look at you… I can't move…

A hand squeezed my shoulder while another lifted my chin. My eyes met with a gleaming onyx peering at me through raven bangs. For a moment I thought the eyes went red, but my mind couldn't think. I felt a slight shake to my shoulder but my body felt numb and floppy.

"Kareha itami masuka?"

I don't think he hurt me… I'm not bleeding, I have no wound. Maybe a bruise here and there… Why is the person talking in so much Japanese? It's hard to understand him…

"Shikkari sinsai!" Pull yourself together and I felt a light slap to my face. I blinked, snapped out of my numb daze. Sasuke…? Why the hell did he slap me?

"What was that for?" I said shocked.

"You wouldn't listen to me" he said. He looked rather frantic and distressed. Not Sasuke like at all. "You looked… dead…"

"Gomen—"

"Nanite kotta kangaete te tan, da sasurai no ufo dake no you nano desu ka?!" he cried angrily. Again with the Japanese? Where's that little voice when you need it? 'What the hell were you thinking wandering off on your own like that?' Thank you!

"What's it to you? What are you doing out here anyway?" I retorted scowling.

"I had to come find you and Naruto, everyone was worried when neither of you were there, we thought you were dead" Thanks for the vote of confidence…

"So you found Naruto-kun?" I asked hopefully. Maybe I wasn't hopelessly lost and was close to finding him!"Yeah, you're heading in the wrong direction" Never mind… "Come on, he's probably shit himself with worry by now." Unable to suppress a smile I grabbed hold of Sasuke's wrist and pulled myself up.

"Thanks for coming to find me" I said, slightly annoyed I was brought up with good manners and had to thank him. He nodded in recognition then started walking in the direction of Naruto. I knew I should've turned left at that stream… I jogged to catch up; aware I was a little sore where he grabbed me and where I was slammed against the tree. I looked at Sasuke's back at my eyebrows knotted in worry. I've never seen him so worked up; I guess he's a little touchy on death…

"Woah Naruto can climb that high now using his chakra?!"

I glanced down at the sound of Sakura's voice. So she and Kakashi had finally found us eh? Took them long enough… Looks like they haven't spotted me or Sasuke yet. They look so small from up here.

"What do ya think high enough for you guys? I mean it's a long way down huh?" Naruto hollered as he stood up on the branch. He slipped and fell back. Sakura screeched in terror as Kakashi sighed. Naruto span so he was upside down feet stuck to the tree. Oh my little Naru-monkey! I taught him to do that!

" JUST KIDDING! You guys really fell for it!" Naruto cried laughing at the look of shock on their faces.

"We were worried about you Naruto!" Sakura screeched waving her fist at him, the look on her face seemed to scream her urge to strangle the poor boy.

"Hm, I think this is going to end badly" Kakashi mused looking up from his book. Naruto's feet detached themselves from the bark with a noise like toilet plunger. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped.

"AAAAAAAAH! PUSSHU SURU DAKE HA SHITE I NAI GA ANATA WOMISEBIRAKASU?!" Sakura screamed her hands pulling at chunks of her bubblegum pink hair. You just had to push it didn't you, you show off.

The voice snapping me out of my daze I shot across tree branches pouring chakra into my feet I spun around the branch and grabbed Naruto round the middle, stopping his fall. I coughed blood leaking from my mouth, Naruto having succeeded in kicking me in the chest, where my slowly healing ribs cried out in pain. This sudden pain made me lose concentration and thus, lose my chakra flow sticking me to the tree. Luckily another person had grabbed hold of my hips saving us from falling again.

"You really are a total loser Naruto" Sasuke growled.

"Hey! Don't call him a loser!" I cried glaring up at him.

"Kari-chan! Sasuke!" Naruto gasped.

"YOSH! SASUKE-KUN! ANATA NO BESUTO!" Sakura squealed in admiration and delight. Sasuke's the best? Was I invisible I helped too!

"If I'm still sane by the time I've finished their training it will be a miracle..." Kakashi sighed, turning back to his book.

"We're at the top already can we go back now?" I whined, having bored out of my brains as my two male genin team mate's climbed the same trees over, and over, and over, and over again, hour after hour. I beat up everything in sight causing a decent crack in one of the trees. So what if it was tiny it's a start! Sasuke and Naruto were proudly standing on the top of their trees savouring their victory. I jumped to the top of my own tree and gave them a stern look.

"I suppose we should head back" Sasuke said, smirking softly.

"And have a victory dinner!" Naruto cried in delight. The three of us jumped down and then fell on our butts. Man, were we tired. I heard soft footsteps running towards us, glancing towards the sound I noticed a familiar blob of white.

"Kita! My wolf-puppy!" She wagged her tail happily in greeting.

"Momma!"

Did she just talk?

"Did Kita just talk?" Sasuke asked in confusion.

"Sasuke you baka! Animals can't talk!" Naruto said laughing.

"Momma?" Kita repeated, tilting her head to the side.

"AH! Kari-chan it talked!" Naruto cried.

"My baby! You can talk! Oh Momma's so proud of you!" I cooed in delight embracing my clever little wolf cub.

"Where's the wolf been? I haven't seen it much" Sasuke said, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. Taking offence on behalf of my beloved Kita, I rounded on the Uchiha boy in my sitting position, feeling very un-intimidating noticing he was standing.

"IT?! THAT WOLF HAS A NAME!" I shrieked.

"Yeah Sasuke! Don't go picking on Kita-chan just because she's a baby!" Naruto cried, immediately taking my side over his rival's. Sasuke rolled his eyes, pulling me up and putting my arm over his shoulder to keep me standing. Naruto took my other arm and the three of us hobbled towards Tazuna's house, weakly supporting one another as Kita lead the way.

"What have you three been doing you look like something the cat dragged in" Tazuna chuckled the minute we hobbled through the door. Kita whined indignantly. She wasn't a cat!

"We made it all the way to the top!" Naruto cried triumphantly. Kakashi glanced at me for confirmation, I sighed and nodded.

"Good, now we move on. Starting tomorrow, you three are bodyguards for Tazuna" said Kakashi.

"YOSH!" Naruto cheered in delight. The sudden movement caused Nauto to lose balance and fall forward, dragging me and Sasuke with him. Why was I on the bottom!? I tried and failed miserably to shove their weight off me.

"Naruto you are such a loser!" Sasuke cried. I grinned.

"Yeah but he's our loser!"

"Sasuke Naruto I think you should get off Kari, you're hurting her" Kakashi pointed off, they finally removed themselves from me and I looked gratefully at Kakashi.

"I love you Kakashi-sensei" I cried in eternal gratitude for our lazy sensei.

"Momma?" Kita cried, licking my cheek.

"I love you too Kita-chan!" I said patting her on the head.

"Kari," Kakashi said sternly. "Why can Kita talk?"

"Umm, she's intelligent?"

"Even so, it usually takes years and years and she's extremely young. Also, her coat shouldn't be bright white at this time of year."

"She's unique?" I said.

"I'll say, it seems Kari, you've created a young demon." Jaws dropped, eyes widened and a chorus of disbelief spread the room. "Well, I guess it's unlikely, but it shouldn't be ruled out considering the circumstances. Especially the fact she was created and not born."

"Momma?" Kita questioned, looking up at me for an explanation of the stares around the room. I smiled, scooping her into my arms.

"It doesn't matter what she is, what she looks like, how intelligent she is, or how she came to be. I still love her and nothing will ever change that. Do you seriously think she's evil?"

"I doubt it Kari, but it should be taken into consideration on what her needs may be in a few years time. For all we know she might grow to the size of a house." Kakashi said. "She'll need to see the Hokage when we get back, he can decide what to do."

I scowled slightly, pulling my precious wolf club into a tighter embrace. "Okaa-san?" Wait, that's two words! I smiled at her scratching behind her ears. No matter what I'll still love you.

"In a few more days the bridge will be finished, and I have you to thank for that" said Tazuna a grin stretching across his face, being the first to speak after a rather silent meal.

"You've all done great, but you still have to be careful" Tsunami warned.

"I've been meaning to ask you this but I haven't had the chance until now, why did you stay and protect me even though you found out I'd lied to bring you here?" Tazuna asked.

"Hitobitono seigi no michikara hazureruyuukiga nai ga tsubasano shitani kixyourixyokunashidousha okubyou ikinokoru kotoha deki masen." said Kakashi. Those who stray from the path of justice have no courage, but under the wing of a strong leader, cowardice cannot survive.

"Oro?" Tsunami asked.

"That was a quote from the first Hokage" Kakashi replied.

"But why?" Inari asked, directing everyone's attention onto him.

"What'd you say?" Naruto asked. Inari slammed his hands on the table, glaring up at Naruto with tear filled eyes.

"All this stupid training is just a waste of time! Can't you see Gato's got a whole army they'll beat you down and they'll destroy you!" Inari cried. "These cool things you all say they don't mean anything! No matter what you do, the strong always win and the weak always lose!"

"Speak for yourself. It won't be like that for me you got that!" Naruto cried.

"Why don't you be quiet you make me sick! You don't know anything about this country! Why do you keep butting in?! You're always laughing and joking around you don't know what it's like to suffer and be treated like dirt!"

"Listen to yourself whining and complaining like some sorry little victim! You can whimper all day for all I care! Okubyoushadeha naku anata ha nanimo!" Naruto shouted. You're nothing but a coward!

"NARUTO! You went too far!" Sakura shouted. The hyperactive ninja got up and stormed out the door slamming it behind him. I got up and went to follow.

"Gomen Inari" I said softly, before exiting the room and going after Naruto.

I leaned back into a laying position on the roof as I gazed up at the stars. Naruto's always so happy-go-lucky, apart from a couple arguments with Sasuke I've never seen him angry like that before. I'd gone after him and pulled him into an embrace to calm him down. He smiled before saying he was going to spend some time alone and that he'd see me later. Probably gone to train the baka, you've got to admire him for his determination.

"Can I talk to you?"

I looked down to see Kakashi sit next to Inari, the both of them looking out at the sea.

"Naruto can be a little harsh sometimes, but he doesn't hate you. Your grandfather told us what happened to your father. You probably don't know this, but Naruto also grew up without a father. In fact he never knew either of his parents and he didn't have a single friend in our village" Kakashi said.

"Huh?"

"But still I've never seen him cry, sulk or give up, he's always eager to jump in, he wants to be respected. That's, his dream and he'll put his life on the line for that in a heartbeat. My guess is... he just got tired of crying and decided to do something about it. Even though he's young and still learning, he knows what it means to be strong like your father did. I think he knows better than any of us what you're going through. What Naruto told you earlier, as cruel as it sounded he's probably told himself that a thousand times" Kakashi continued. I smiled. You know your students well, eh sensei?

"But what about Kari?" Inari asked. "She's his friend isn't she?"

"Kari only recently appeared in our lives. She and Naruto had this sort of connection the day they met and their bond has never wavered in the slightest. They have become very close, inseparable maybe as a better word. Kari has often defended our team with her life which is how she got injured. She's just seems to make people feel at ease, and make them feel happy. Sasuke may even consider her his friend, and you've seen what he's like" Kakashi said. I snorted with laughter before smacking my hand over my face. "Going to join us Kari?" Kakashi asked. Damn… I jumped down landing between them.

"Onee-chan?" Inari asked looking up at me.

"Kari you need to sleep" Kakashi told me. I sighed and nodded.

"Kay, night Inari, night Kakashi-sensei" I said walking inside.

"Where've you been?" Sasuke asked moodily as I walked in the room. Sasuke consider me as a friend? Pshh, yeah right Kakashi-sensei...

"Cheering up a certain team mate of ours" I replied. "All right if I borrow your clothes again?" Sasuke shrugged. I changed in the bathroom and got into the bed, ready to drift off to sleep.

"Momma!"

A soft grunt came from Sasuke as Kita bounded onto the bed. She snuggled into my chest, curling up into a little white ball. I placed my arm around her and closed my eyes.

"There's not enough room for her as well, put her on the floor" Sasuke grumbled.

"You go on the floor, we're already asleep."

"Oyasuminasai" Sasuke mumbled, turning away from me, his back against mine.

"Goodnight Sasuke."