Tada! Here you go! I hope you enjoy it and like I always tell all of my 100 silent readers, leave a review and let me know what you think. I suppose I'm doing something right =D There's a bit of jumping around in this but it's needed to help keep the story going, plus I'm sure there are many who want more Kiba but for the time being, he's not gunna be around so much. Don't worry though, he's not forgotten!
The morning air was damp and cold as Meng Ka woke up and went about packing, the house silent as the sun had yet to even begin to peak over the horizon. Setting her small bag on the counter, she opened the refrigerator and pulled out a few things as she began to make breakfast like she did every morning. As the coffee finished brewing, Meng Ka had finished cooking pancakes and sausage with fruit. She placed the plates down on the counter and hopped on the stool after pouring her some chocolate milk. She looked down at the pancakes and pushed them around slightly as she rested her head in her other hand, not really all that hungry after all. Kakashi walked in with a yawn as he slipped on her green vest and zipped it up. Sitting down next to Meng Ka he slipped his mask down and began to eat the pancakes, sipping on the coffee every now and then. The two of them remained in silence as they ate, neither looking at each other the whole time.
By time they were finished the sun was just starting to show itself out in the horizon and Tinktink flew in, landing on the window as she chirped softly and looked over at the two of them. Meng Ka washed her plate and cup before turning around and grabbing her bag as she slung it over her shoulder and looked at Kakashi who grabbed his book and began reading as they headed out the door. Tinktink flying slowly above them as they made their way through town, everyone still asleep in their beds as the sunlight had yet to hit the village. Making a quick stop, Meng Ka slipped into Kiba's room, as she slipped a note onto his desk and then snuck out once again. By time the three of them had made it to the gate, the village had just started to wake up. Looking up at Kakashi, Meng Ka smiled softly, "I'll come back as soon as possible, Uncle Shi."
At first Kakashi didn't respond as he continued to read his book but then he slowly brought it down and put it in his pocket. "Are you sure this is something you have to do on your own Meng Ka? You're still very young." He said as he bent down and picked her up, hugging her close to him.
Meng Ka hugged him back and for a while the two of them remained that way, both of them sensing the long separation to come. "Did you really think you could get away with leaving without telling me goodbye?" A voice said behind them and Meng Ka opened her eyes, looking behind Kakashi to see Asume standing there.
She smiled and jumped down from Kakashi's embrace and ran over to Asume, "Asume! You know I hate goodbyes." She smiled up at him as he picked her up and tossed her in the air before pulling her in for a tight hug.
"You take care of yourself and come home in one piece." He said as he looked back at her, the usual cigarette missing from his smile. "We'll all be here waiting for you." He said softly as he put her down and ruffled her hair. "Make sure you don't grow any while you're away too."
Meng Ka chuckled and shook her head, "I'll try but I can't promise anything." Her smile turned sad though as Tinktink rested on her shoulder and chirped, urging her to get going before more time was wasted. Looking back up at Kakashi, she hugged him one more time, "I'll miss all of you." She whispered before letting go and turning to leave the village. Looking back over her shoulder she waved to the two of them before walking forward as she followed Tinktink for a while. It was about midday when they stopped as the path Tinktink was taking had disappeared. Chirping softly Tinktink flew in front of her and Meng Ka took hold of her legs as she lifted her up in the air. Meng Ka manipulated the air around her to make her lighter as they flew through the air for the rest of the day. Nightfall brought cold wind as they took shelter in a cave and Meng Ka watched the dark clouds fly through the sky as the moon peaked out from behind them, wondering how everyone's day went without her there. Sighing, Meng Ka turned over and curled closer to the fire as she fell asleep.
"Hmmm…" A voice said as Meng Ka yawned and stretched out on the cave floor. "Took you long enough to come snooping around." The voice said making Meng Ka's eyes fly open as she sat up quickly and looked around, her eyes settling on an elderly man. His hair was surprisingly thick and white; he even had a beard that hung a good deal below his chin. He was smiling down at her as he leaned on an old cane.
"Huh?" Meng Ka asked as she rubbed her eyes and then stood up, "Who are you?" She asked curiously as she picked up her bag and pushed the book that Kabuto had given her back as well. She stood up and looked back at him, her head tilted to the side.
"Who am I?" The old man asked and then shook his head and he turned around mumbling to himself, "What do they teach kids these days? Don't even bother introducing yourself but instead you ask an old man rude questions." He continued as he walked out and Meng Ka followed after him. "Who am?! Ha!"
"Um, excuse me sir." Meng Ka said as she caught up to him and he stopped outside the mouth of the cave. "I'm sorry, I'm Men-"
"Meng Ka Hakuen, sole survivor of the Village Hidden in the Phoenix flame." He said as he turned around and Tinktink landed softly on his shoulder, rubbing her head against his cheek. He smiled petted her head.
"You…" Meng Ka trailed off as she looked at him with her mouth wide open, unsure of how to take this old man. "Who are you?"
He chuckled to her surprise and smiled over at her, "That my child is of no concern but you on the other hand. I know all about you and so much more."
4 years later
Birds sang in the air as the wind blew around the ruins of the village hidden in the phoenix flame. Ashes were long gone as dirt and nature took over the floating island high up in the sky. The air was clear and crisp as Meng Ka sat upon a fallen building that was high up on a hill, overlooking the ruins of her village. Taking in a deep breath through her nose, Meng Ka concentrated on one word and one word only. Wind. Wind. Wind. Wind. Wind. Wind. Wind. The word repeating the word in her mind as she felt the wind around her shift and change yet her goal was still so far away as she felt her chakra growing weak. She took in another breath as her mind wondered to the first time she was brought here.
After following the old man to the edge of a cliff, Meng Ka stomped her foot on the ground and glared at him, "What is wrong with you? First you tell me you know all about me and then just walk away?! Who does that?"
The old man looked over at her, "Hmm? I see you haven't learned to control that anger of yours. That's one of the first things children were taught back in the day." He sighed and shook his head, "We have a long way to go. No come on, we'll go back to your village so that no one will disturb us." He said as he walked off the cliff and Meng Ka gazed at him in shock as he remained afloat in the air, walking as if he were on solid ground. "Please tell me you can at least do this?"
Meng Ka edged closer to the cliff and then looked up at him, "Why do we have to go this way, isn't there another way?"
"Oh yes, cause there's always an easier way to getting to a floating island." He said sarcastically as he smiled over at her. "Just let the wind do all the work. One day you'll be able to do this without even thinking about it."
Meng Ka looked at him uncertain then down over the cliff. Suddenly the old man wacked her right on the head with his cane. "Ow!" Meng Ka yelled as she held her head, "What was that for you crazy old man?!"
"That," He said as he smiled once again at her, "was for looking down of course. How do you expect to do anything if you are always so scared. Free your mind of all that nonsense and get a move on; I don't have all day after all. Waited eight years for you to come poking around after all."
Meng Ka groaned and looked over Tinktink who remained on the old man's shoulder. She chirped at her encouragingly as Meng Ka frowned, "Traitor." She mumbled as she took a few steps back, closed her eyes and with a yell ran right off the cliff. "I'm doing it! I'm doing it!" She yelled as she opened her eyes and saw the floating island coming closer to her. Then with a scream she started to fall, the old man yelling after her to concentrate. Determinedly Meng Ka concentrated and the next few hours went pretty much the same but she was making progress as she finally reached the roots of the island and pulled herself closer, hanging on for dear life. Then she pushed on and made it to the top around midafternoon, exhausted.
"Well, took you long enough. I see I have my work cut out for me." The old man chuckled as he stood before her leaning on his cane. "Come, come. We have plenty to go over and so little time."
Meng Ka groaned as she fell on the ground, her body completely numb as she had used up practically all of her chakra just to get on the island in the first place. Meng Ka chuckled at the memory as she sat there, four years later. Looking back at it, she could see just how childish she had acted as well as just how far she had come, after all the old man was right, she would now fly among the air all day without even thinking about it. A smile spread across her face as she remembered how angry she would get with him, not even realizing at the time that he was doing it on purpose as well.
"Ow!" Meng Ka said as she opened her eyes and rubbed the top of her head.
"Stop dozing off, you can't concentrate like that." The old man said as he sat next to her. "Honestly, turning into wind isn't that difficult. You've done it plenty of times already."
Meng Ka looked at him surprised, "I have?" She asked as she stood up and stretched, having been at it all day.
"Yes. In your sleep, you do. Seems your subconscious knows just what to do, yet your conscious is just blocking it out." He sighed as he stood up and Meng Ka helped him up as well. "It's about time I showed you something anyways. Perhaps that will help you."
Meng Ka followed the old man down the hill and through the ruins into a small home that the old man told Meng Ka used to be her home. The roof had collapsed in but she didn't mind since they were above the clouds it never rained here. The place was covered in over grown vines and wild flowers as they made their way to a small room that seemed virtually untouched by nature. Walking inside, the old man knelled down and began to dig in the ground. Meng Ka reached out to help him but he waved her hands away. Then he pulled out a large roll and sat it on the ground between the two of them and unrolled it.
"A summoning contract?" Meng Ka asked as she looked down at the list of names written in blood. "But I already have Tinktink, why would I need a summoning contract?"
The old man smiled sadly down at the scroll, "This is no ordinary contract my child. Usually those who seek a summoning contract are those who wish to use the animal for protection but that is not the case here. The roles are reversed, by signing this; you agree to be that animal's protector. For many years, the phoenix flame has been entrusted with keeping this safe. Tinktink is your companion but she is also your guide, her wisdom is that beyond even mine." He placed his hand on the wood of the scroll. "For from its firey depths gave birth to the first phoenix and his brother, first sage of the village hidden in the phoenix flame as well as your great great great grandfather, Meng Ka. If not for these creatures we would not even exist."
Meng Ka looked over the scroll in wonder as Tinktink sat quietly on the wall above their heads, looking down with her sharp golden eyes. Meng Ka traced over the last name that was written as she looked at the elegant writing and then asked in a hushed voice, "What creature is this that my whole village would sacrifice themselves instead of giving it up?"
"Dragons." The old man said as he placed his head over hers. "It's time to sign it." His face suddenly light up in a smile as all seriousness left his face. "I'm very curious to see who you get stuck with. Dragons can be rather egotistic as well as prideful. A rather pain to keep such a relationship but I guess we do own them." He chuckled and motioned to the empty slot.
"Wait, so dragons are real?" Meng Ka asked as she looked at the old man in wonder.
"Of course they are, they just live in a whole different world from ours. Though they have become rather rare as well and they are rather stubborn fools. I remember there were a few times when those who would sign the contract but when they tried to summon their dragon none would appear. You have to be rather forceful with them and don't hold back. After all, it is our famous temper that we get from them." He smiled and motioned to the slot once again.
Meng Ka said and smiled softly at the old man, keeping that famous anger in check. She then drew out a dagger and cut her finger, writing her name on the slot and then pressing her hand print at the bottom. The old man nodded once and then rolled it back up, "Time to see who you get stuck with, child."
Meng Ka looked at him curiously, trying to tell if maybe this was all a practical joke to try and get her to show some anger but with a shrug Meng Ka walked outside and then stood in the middle of the village as she took a deep breath in. As she let the breath out she slowly formed the signs, boar, dog, bird, monkey, and then ram. She took in another deep breath and then opened her eyes as she slammed her hand down on the ground, chakra pulsing through her hand as it shook the island, putting all of her frustrations of the day into that as the contract signs flowed out of her hand and onto the ground. Then with a loud bang and roar they were cast into shadow and the giant creature in front of them blocked out the sun and his beady red eyes looked down at them as flamed licked at her mouth.
"Who is the stupid creature to wake me up from my nap!" he yelled as he looked down at him, his black scales shinning underneath the sun. "Do you know who I am, kid?" He asked as he lowered his head to Meng Ka, his hot breath blowing up dust. "I am Astarot, prince of the dragons and guardian of the gates of hell."
Tinktink chirped sharply as she landed on the dragon's nose as the two of them stared at each other for a while. "Really now? So that is what has happened in the past six years while I was napping." Astarot said softly, "I am sorry about your mate Tinktink, he was a true friend and a great phoenix."
"Mate?!" Meng Ka yelled as she looked up at Tinktink, "You had a mate and you didn't tell me?" She said as tears formed in her eyes. Tinktink chirped softly and flew down to her as Meng Ka hugged her close and the two sat there crying for her long lost mate.
Suddenly Astarot let out a heavy sigh as his hot breath blew up more dirt and Meng Ka coughed as she wiped her eyes. "You haven't accomplished much in these past six years."
Meng Ka glared at him, "Well at least I wasn't sleeping for the past six years. What have you accomplished?" She said as she stood up and put her hands on her hips.
Astarot laughed slightly, "Ha! Sleeping? That would be a waste of time; I was only napping on my mountain of gold."
Meng Ka rolled her eyes, "What ever happened to being the guardian to the gates of hell?" Meng Ka mocked him as she stood her ground before the large dragon.
The old man sat off to side as he chuckled and watched the exchange with Tinktink by his side as he sipped at some tea, "This is more entertaining than I thought it was going to be."
The dragon growled at Meng Ka as his tail suddenly formed around her, "Well, I won't have a summonor who can't even change into wind!" He roared as he threw her up in the air and took off after her.
"Hey, don't change the subject!" Meng Ka yelled as she stopped herself and glared at the dragon before her.
"I'll change it as I please!" He yelled back as he suddenly charged at her with his mouth wide open. Meng Ka was able to dodge it just in time as she moved out of the way. For rather large animal he was rather fast. "I suggest you turn into wind if you don't want to find yourself in my stomach tonight."
Meng Ka screamed as she flew away from him, dodging all of his attacks but only barely. It didn't take too long before Meng Ka was caught back in the dragon's tail as he squeezed her as Meng Ka felt his hot breath on her and he let out a growl. Suddenly a strange sensation ran through her body as his tail literally went through her and as she looked down she couldn't see her mid-section anymore, it was gone. Panic started to take over as she stared at her mid-section, wonder where it could have gotten to.
"Now just give in to it." Astarot's rang in her head and Meng Ka looked up at him shocked as his big red eye was at eye level with her and two of them stared at each other. It was almost as if the dragon was looking into her past as his eye seemed to glow with a hidden fire. "Don't be afraid, give in and trust yourself."
Taking a deep breath Meng Ka closed her eyes and let the sensation flow through her body and then suddenly she was soaring through the air. She was everywhere at once, in everything and all around. The sensation filled her as she felt her mind wondering off of the island and running across the mainland, faster and faster, almost home. "Meng Ka!" A sharp voice cut through her mind and pulled her back to the island as she stood before the old man on top of Astarot's head, his being the voice that brought her back.
"Very good. I can finally get rid of you for a while now." The old man said with a big smile and Astarot growled and shook his head, trying to get Meng Ka off.
"What?" Meng Ka asked a bit dazed as she landed on the ground and Tinktink landed on her shoulder. "What are you talking about old guy?"
"Til next we meet again Meng Ka." Astarot said suddenly. "You better be able to change into the other forms or I will eat you." He said as his mouth blew a few flames at her and Meng Ka dodged them.
"Wait! I have so many questions." Meng Ka said suddenly as she reached out to him but in a poof of smoke he was gone. "Ugh!" Meng Ka yelled as she stomped her foot then glared over at the old man. "So what is this about getting rid of me?"
"Well you can't really practice your healing here now can you? Plus there is some multitasking in order here. Like I keep telling you I don't have all day." He said with a nod as he sat up and stretched. "Well now, you should pack up you're leaving today."
"What?!" Meng Ka asked still in shock as she looked over at Tinktink, "I think he's finally lost it, Tinktink." She mumbled as he suddenly appeared in front of her and smacked her on the head again.
"And yet you still can't block that." He said as he chuckled, "Go on, I'll call you when you should return." He waved her at her as he dismissed her. "And don't forget to practice the other elements too!"
Meng Ka chuckled and nodded her head, "Come on Tinktink, I know just where we can go first."
"And you can't go back to the leaf village either." He suddenly said as he looked over at her. "It's not exploring when you already know the area. Now shoo, go spread justice and heal the poor. After all you come from a long line of scholars; learning is what we do best."
Meng Ka rolled her eyes and waved at him, "Yeah, yeah. I won't miss you either, yah old goat." She said with a smile as she walked back to her room and packed only a few things, leaving some other stuff since she knew she was going to return some day. Looking over at Tinktink she petted her on the head and then the two of them took off into the sky as they flew to the nearest town.
Susake struggled out of the mouth of Manda as he suddenly fell to his knees breathing heavily. "Wow, you're a mess." Suigetsu said as he looked over at him with his purple eyes.
Manda suddenly groaned, "Those eyes…you controlled me…with those eyes." It was hard for him to speak as the blast was too much even for him to handle. "I of all…people…" He trailed off as he let out his last breath.
"Oh, he's dead." Suigetsu suddenly said as he looked over at the large snake. "Wasn't Manda Orochimaru's favorite pet? You ought to treat animals better. And the whole manipulation thing with the genjutsu, too."
Sasuke glared up at him, "There wasn't time to think. I didn't have a choice."
"You always have a choice, Sasuke." Meng Ka said as she appeared in front of them and looked Manda over. "Poor thing, he may have been grumpy but deep down he was nothing but a big teddy bear." She frowned as she looked him over. "I've never healed a heart this big before…" She trailed off as she tilted her head to the side and Tinktink chirped sharply at her. "I know, I know. It'll cost me my life, blah blah."
"Who are you?!" Suigetsu asked as he stood up and looked over at her, blocking Sasuke from her view.
"What are you doing here Meng Ka?" Sasuke suddenly asked he pushed Suigetsu out of the way, "Sorry about him, he's an idiot."
Meng Ka smiled over at Sasuke and walked up to him, giving him a gentle hug. "It's been so long Sasuke. I see you're still up to no good." She chuckled as she looked him over and placed her hand over a few ribs, making him wince. "The broken ribs are the least of your worries right now. You'll need to rest for a while; can you stay in one place for that long?"
"Meng Ka?" Sasuke said as he looked down at her with a mixture of emotions clouding his eyes. "What are you doing here?" He asked again since she didn't answer him the first time. His mind traveling back to a time when Kakashi was about to teach him how to focus his chakra in his hand but before Kakashi started he head him swear to no matter what protect Meng Ka with it.
"I came to check on you of course. It's been so long, I haven't even been in the village for the past four years." Meng Ka rested her hands on his chest as she checked his heart and then sent chakra through his system as she healed what she could. "Training takes a lot longer than you would think it does. But I also came to thank you, Sasuke." She said as she looked down. "Killing Orochimaru was a good thing; even I would have done it. You revenged my village and put one less person for me to worry about." She smiled brightly at him as he stared at her.
Sighing, Sasuke gained a neutral face and brought a his hand up as he poked the middle of her forehead with his finger, "Idiot." He said as a smile pulled at the corner of his lips. Meng Ka rubbed her forehead confused as she tilted her head to the side. "Where are you staying tonight?" He asked as he looked at her.
Meng Ka shrugged, "Around I guess, I haven't stayed in an actual room in so long that I don't think I would know how to anymore." She chuckled as she placed her hands in her lap and Sasuke shook his head with a sigh.
"There you are!" Karin yelled as they ran up and she glared over at Meng Ka, "Who are you?" She asked angry as her nostrils flared.
"None of your concern." Sasuke said sharply as he looked up at Karin and Jugo.
Karin was taken aback a little but shook her head, "I thought you would be here. Your chakra suddenly disappeared, so I wondered what had happened. Did you transport yourself?"
"You hid yourself inside of Manda," Suigetsu answered as he looked back over at Sasuke, "then used the transportation technique to escape into another dimension. So why are you in such bad shape?"
"Just before escaping, we both get hit by the blast wave." He said as Meng Ka had him raise his arms and she wrapped up his rips. "My opponent was one of the Akatsuki. He was stronger than I expected."
"The Akatsuki are bugging you now?" Meng Ka asked as she finished patching him up and then looked over at Tinktink, "We really have been out of the loop for a long time." She mumbled as Tinktink nodded her head.
"In any case, he needs time to rest. Right, um, Meng Ka?" Suigetsu said as he looked over at her and she nodded her head.
"Ahem!" Karin said suddenly drawing their attention, "How pathetic! And you call yourself the man who killed Orochimaru?"
"Orochimaru was already weakened to begin with." Sasuke said neutrally as he looked up at her. "That's all there is to it."
"Hm, interesting." Meng Ka mumbled as she looked between Sasuke's three companions, finding them rather familiar in a way.
"What is interesting?" Sasuke said as he looked over at her, his eyes still red as he gazed at her.
"Well, for someone who ran away from home you sure do surround yourself with people who are similar to your friends." She said as she smiled gently at him, "Like Karin is a lot like Sakura, rather wimpy looking but behind that there is incredible strength and both can control their chakra rather well. Then this Suigetsu guy, he's not fully human huh, kind like Naruto and I'm guess both can be rather annoying and hot headed as well, plus Suigetsu and Karin don't get along all the time either, huh." She then pointed to the other one in the group with orange hair, "And this guy…" She trailed as she frowned and then glared over at Sasuke, "So that's how you see me?! A guy?! Really, Sasuke, that's just mean." She pouted as she crossed her arms and looked down at the ground.
Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her and then ruffled her hair, "They're nothing alike, Meng Ka. Stop over reacting."
"Oh yeah! Well then, "Meng Ka put her hands on her hips, "Karin has the hots for ya just like Sakura does. Naruto and Suigetsu both has some demony thing going on for them and this guy and me are both perfectly harmless…yet so dangerous." She smiled innocently at Sasuke at the end as he shook his head.
"I'm not in love with Sasuke!" Yelled Karin as she glared over at Meng Ka, Suigetsu only laughed as he bent over holding his sides.
"Let's get going, best get out of here as soon as possible." He looked up at the taller guy with orange hair as he motioned for him to come over, "Carry me Jugo, I can't walk well in the state I'm in. You're coming too, Meng Ka." He said as he looked over at her, "It's not safe for you either."
Meng Ka sighed as she stood up, "Fine but I'm still made at you." She said as she frowned at him but a smile was pulling at her lips as well.
Meng Ka stretched as they sat in the room at the Inn that they had found. Jugo was currently replacing Sasuke's bandages as Meng Ka laid beside him, curled up in covers, having not been in a bed for so many years, she had almost forgotten what it was like.
"Ha! You talked about killing Itachi." Karin suddenly said as she looked over at him from across the room, "You won't be able to move around for some time in that condition.
"We've been moving around nonstop lately." Suigetsu piped in, "It's a good chance to rest up."
"All you've done is rest up, you feeble punk!" Karin said as she glared over at him.
"There, finished." Jugo said as he got up and walked away. Meng Ka yawned and sat up next to Sasuke, wrapped up in blankets from head to toe.
"You didn't do a thing at the northern hideout," Suigetsu said, "so don't start telling me what to do now."
"What?" Karin yelled, "Want to make something of it?! Then let's do it!"
"Enough already." Sasuke said firmly as he put his robe back on and Tinktink flew into the room, landing on the window sill next to Jugo. "Suigetsu, Karin. Have you gathered information on Itchai?"
"You're in no shape to act so bossy." Karin said as she turned to look at him.
"I've picked up some tips about Akatsuki," Suigetsu said calmly, "but nothing specific about Itachi himself."
Karin shrugged, "I got zero." She said defeated.
"Seems they're targeting specific people though," Suigetsu added, "People with special chakra."
"Special chakra?" Sasuka asked as he looked over at Meng Ka.
Meng Ka shrugged, "If you're referring back to when your brother was all like 'We have no need for you now but later we shall come for you' creepy thing, then I haven't a clue. But, I do know that it isn't special chakra at all, it's the nine people who harbor the tailed beasts. Even I know that I've been out of the loop for four years." Meng Ka rolled her eyes and hugged her pillow closer to her.
"I talked to some animals," Jugo finally spoke up as a small bird sat on his shoulder while Tinktink was busy cleaning her feathers. "and located a number of Akatsuki hideouts. It seems they always sense a powerful, unpleasant chakra around each area. That's what the animals have told me."
Meng Ka narrowed her eyes at him but then smiled over at Sasuke, "I like him." She said while Sasuke looked at her from the corner of his eyes before looking back at the three of them.
"Wow, even simpleminded animals can sense chakra, eh?" Suigetsu said as he smiled over at Jugo. "Or maybe it's because they're simpleminded, just like Karin."
Karin suddenly kicked Suigetsu in the face as he morphed into water, making water splash everywhere as Jugo suddenly started to spasm a bit. "Suigetsu! This time you're not getting away with it!" She yelled as she continued to kick him into the ground. Suddenly a glowing red pattern started to form on Jugo, "Kill…I want to kill." He said as it continued to form all around him, making the two of them stop as they looked worriedly over at him.
He stood up from the window and let out a yell as the glow engulfed him and then faded away leaving a gray mark behind as well as one of his eyes having turned yellow. Suigetsu and Karin held him down as best they could, "Shoot! Jugo's killing impulse is loose!"
"Sasuke! Hurry it up!" Suigetsu yelled as Meng Ka watched the exchange curiously. "Calm down, Jugo." Sasuke said as his eyes turned red and Jugo began to go back to normal.
"Sorry." Jugo said out of breath as he fell to the floor. After not hearing anything they looked up to see not only was Sasuke sleeping but so was Meng Ka as her head rested on Sasuke's shoulder and Sasuke had his head resting on hers. Jugo got up and gently placed them down, pulling the pillow out form Meng Ka's hands and placing it under her head before he pulled the covers up over Sasuke. Tinktink chirped and flew in, landing on Meng Ka's pillow as she sat and put her head under wing. The two of them hadn't gotten sleep in the past two days, Meng Ka having caught onto Sasuke's chakra was so excited that she hadn't slept until they had found him.
With a started Akamaru suddenly stopped running as Kiba sniffed at the air in shock. It wasn't too long ago when he had got onto Sasuke's scent after the other hound dogs lost his scent. But this smell was of someone else, someone he hadn't seen in years and was left only a simple note as a form of goodbye. The scent was sweet and comforting as he remembered it all too well.
"What is it Kiba?" Kakashi asked as the others stopped beside him.
Kiba's jaw tightened as Akamaru yelped in excitement. "There's another scent that's familiar and is traveling with Sasuke. I didn't smell it before but it just popped up out of nowhere." He frowned as he looked over at Kakashi, "It's Meng Ka."