Chapter 3: The Hunt Begins

Quote of the Day: Certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of man and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never really care for anything else thereafter. Ernest Hemingway.

"Man this is so boring!" a blond haired teen complained as fell backwards from his meditative position.

His older brother's eye twitched. It is really difficult to meditate with someone when that person constantly complains that meditation is boring. Meditation is not boring. It is a necessary part of their training their father would not have made them do it if he didn't feel that it was needed. Another sigh of boredom escaped his younger brother's lips. He opened his eyes; brown orbs stared at his brother who was now lying on his side, drawing in the dirt with his finger.

"Would you keep quiet? If you do not want to meditate then don't distract others."

"It's not my fault that pops makes us do such boring things. I would much rather be sparring than meditating."

Their argument continued for a few more minutes, and it was starting to where on the nerves of the youngest sibling of the three. She opened her emerald green eyes and glared at her brothers, who were so engrossed in their argument to notice that they were bothering her.

"This happens every time we meditate. It ends now." she thought as she looked around for anything to throw at them.

Lying behind her, almost as if they were put there just for this reason, were two rocks about the size of her fists. She picked them up and turned back around, they were still arguing. So she threw the rocks at them. Had this been any other time her brothers would have easily avoid the projectiles flying towards their heads. But their arguments over meditating would always make them oblivious to everything else. The stones met their mark with a satisfying thump, knocking both her idiot brothers to the ground.

"Ahh! What the hell you doing ya crazy bitch!" cried her blond brother his hands covering the left side of his head. Her eye twitched again as she quickly got up and stomped over to her fallen brothers.

"What did you just say?" her brother shrank under her angry gaze as he answered her.

"I-I said… uh...uh what the hell...Uh was with this crazy itch…yeah that's it." hoping to Kami that his sister would buy his obvious lie.

"Whatever, I'll deal with you when we get home. But this needs to stop now!" She yelled at them as she place her left hand on her hip, and used her right hand to point between the two like a mother scolding her children.

"You" she pointed to her eldest brother "you're supposed to be the oldest. So why do you always get pulled down to his level."

"I..I .." the eldest stuttered unsure how to answer his younger sister, when ever she got mad it was best to just agree to what she wants and not argue.

"You know what I don't care" she interrupted silencing him. "You to are going to stop all this arguing during meditation. Or I swear I'll make both your lives hell. Got It?"

"But Yuuga.." started to complain her blond brother, but was quickly silenced with a glare.

"Fine we'll stop I promise." Yuuga's eldest brother said. the second eldest just grumbled something under his breath.

She figured that was the best she would get out of them. So she sat back down getting back to her meditation. She couldn't believe how immature her brothers could be, She was the youngest, and yet she acted the most mature half of the time.

"Damn I think I'm bleeding.." She sighed as her blond haired idiot brother once again interrupted meditation, then she smiled. She wouldn't trade her brothers for anything.

"Yep I'm bleeding."

He stared at the fire as it danced in front of him. Before all this happened Naruto never really stopped to appreciate fire. In the ninja world fire was mainly used to cause harm, and destruction. But now this relatively simple element was warmth to his cold being, light in the otherwise dark cave he had taken shelter in from the storm. He just sat there, his legs pulled to his chest, his head resting on his knees, a half eaten field ration lay forgotten at his side.

It had been about twenty hours since he left the village. He was sure that the village had sent a team to try and capture him, or kill him. Even if he went through all the legal procedures to denounce his citizenship, the elders wouldn't want there weapon to leave, alive anyways. Hid thoughts wondered a bit as just stared at the fire. Thoughts of what it would have been like if he had parents, would they have loved him, probably not. They probably gave him to the Fourth Hokage the minute the Hokage needed to seal the Kyubbi. After about an hour or so a dark chuckle echoed in the back of his mind. Suddenly he found himself in front of the cage that housed the very source of all his misery.

"All my thoughts about you wee right after all." the Kyuubi said to his jailer

Naruto just stood their standing in front of the cage staring at the floor at this point he didn't care what anyone thought of said about him. He was broken, hollow, a shell of his former self, a walking corpse.

"You are weak. You should have destroyed them all. Yet you did nothing. All you have done was run. Only weaklings run." the demon taunted the broken Naruto.

Naruto's fist clenched at his sides, so hard that his nails pierced his palms and blood slowly began to run down his hands. How dare the Kyuubi make fun of him. it was cause of him he was in this situation.

"Shut up." Naruto said through clenched teeth.

The Kyuubi just chuckled at the order. slowly his chuckle grew in strength until his laughter echoed through out Naruto's mind, a mocking laughter.

"SHUT UP!!" Naruto yelled at the demon in front of him as he dropped to his knees covering his ears trying to drown of the Kyuubi's laughter.

Slowly the laughter lessened until it was gone. Naruto looked up and stared the red eyes on the other side of the bars.

"Whats so funny?" his question was met with silence. "What so funny!?" Roared as he stood up and angrily yelled at the source of his pain. "Listen all my life was a living hell cause of you. It's cause of you the village hates me, cause of you I have no parents, cause of you I will never be accepted. Because of you I have no one!" Naruto's breath was ragged, tears were starting to form in his eyes but he refuse to shed any tears in front of this monster.

The great demon only started at the child in front of his prison. He felt angry that his container was weak. How was it that this child was his jailer? He should have just removed the seal and destroyed the village. In the demon world trespasses like the ones Naruto endured would not be tolerated, they would end with the death of the trespasser or the trespassed. Kyuubi could not understand why Naruto refused to unleash his wrath upon the village. Kyuubi would enjoy if he would be the one to do it, Naruto only needed to remove the seal and he would take care of the rest. But Naruto still refuse to release him. He felt even though they hated him he still need to protect them. Even though the village made it quite clear that they did not want the protection of a demon.

"I wish you would just go away." the Kyuubi heard Naruto whisper like a scared little boy, wishing that the monster under his bed would go away. But the Kyuubi was one monster that could not be wished away, no he would forever remain under the bed. Always there watching and waiting for the right time strike. A small chuckle escaped the Kyuubi's mouth.

"You can't get rid of me, no matter how hard you wish it, I'll still be here. Aside from the pain and suffering you have endured I am the only constant thing in your life. I'm all you got." Although the Kyuubi would never admit it, Naruto had earned a small amount of respect from the king of the bijuu.

Naruto's breathing was heavy. Talking with the Kyuubi surprisingly took a lot out of him. Well it wasn't really talking it was more like stating he obvious. Because of the Kyuubi him life was hell. Fatigue was starting to catch up with him. Naruto felt him self beginning to lose consciousness, his eye lids began to drop as sleep drew him into it sweet embrace. Kyuubi's words echoed in his mind right before sleep claimed him.

"I'm all you got."

Kakashi leaped from branch to branch. The teams under his command followed close behind him, Pakkun traveled right beside him. The rain did not let up. It continued to rain almost as if it want to hide Naruto from them. So Pakkun's nose was of little help. They had left the village over ten hours ago, three of those hours used to rest. They had found some foot prints heading northwest so they had decided to follow them. Kakashi knew what Naruto was capable of , so they would really need to move if they wished to catch up with him. He turned his head slightly to look at his team. It was larger than it was originally supposed to he had arrived at the Hokage's office he was surprised to see the usually quiet and shy heiress of the Hyuga begging the Hokage to accompany the search Hokage at first refused saying that their team was to exhausted from their previous search mission.

"Then allow me to go. Kureni-sensei, Shino-kun and Kiba-kun can stay here. Please let me go and search for Naruto-kun, please." to say everyone was surprised at the moment would be an understatement. They were amazed, Hinata had not stuttered once.

Kureni could feel the agony radiating off Hinata. She could tell how she was feeling. The thought that Naruto might disappear from her life would be a devastating. She knew that Hinata would be left an emotional wreck if they could not bring Naruto back. She wouldn't let that happen, not if she could do anything about it. She walk over to Hinata, who now had tears beginning run down her cheeks, and placed a hand on her shoulder. Hinata looked up at her teacher, her sorrow clearly visible in her lavender colored eyes. Kureni gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze and turned to the Hokage.

"Hokag-sama I request that my team be allowed to join the search party." The Hokage let out a sigh, she somehow knew that Kureni would request this for her student's sake.

"Are you sure? Your team is tired. You should get some rest."

"My team is fine. Besides, my team has worked under more strenuous conditions than this."

Tsunade stared at Kureni. Deciding if she should let them go. Her gaze turned toward the other two members of Team 8, Kiba seemed a bit annoyed that they were going back out into the rain. He seemed more upset about not being able to go back home than Naruto running away. Shino on the other hand maintained his usual emotionless face, from what she see anyways. Finally her gaze turn to Hinata. Hinata was looking at her with a pleading look. Silently begging to be allowed to look for her crush.

"Fine you will be allowed to join the rest of the party."

A small smile made its way across Hinata's face.

"Arigato Hokae-sama."

Kakashi stopped, which in turn caused everyone else to stop. He turn to one of the people in his group.

"Sousa now." Kakashi said a short haired chunin.

"Hai Hatake-sama." She responed and leaped to the muddy earth below.

She landed with a splash. Mud stained her clothes and her pale almost white skin. She and her team here chosen to find the Kyuubi container. Danzo managed to catch wind of the situation and intercepted the ANBU messenger and told him that he was sending his own team as well, so the need for the other team. Her and her team's orders were simple eliminate the jinchuiki so no other village could use him against Konoha. She preformed a few seals and slammed her hand into the mud and closed her eyes in concentration. She could feel the life around the forest. This was her ability. By sending out pulses of chakra she could sense chakra of all living things around her. Every person has a unique chakra signature. She scanned around her for a few moments trying to find the large chakra signature of their target. From what she has been told the Kyuubi container was not very good at hiding his chakra signature. She pulled her hand out of the mud and jump back to the tree tops. She landed on a branch near Kakashi.

"I could not locate the target's signature Hatake-sama." Sousa said o Kakashi in a dead voice.

Kakashi turn to the rest of his group. He did not trust Sousa's team they are Danzo's personal ninja. They had a different agenda, he just didn't no what.

"Hinata, Tenchi,your turn."

"Hai" they responded as they both activated the famous eyes of the Hyuga's.

Tenchi was part of the branch family of the Hyugas. Only slightly younger than Hinata's father Haishi. so he was able to see farther than Hinata, but having two Byakugan users would be a tremendous help in finding Naruto.

"I see something. It's about 400 meters west." said Tenchi pointing in the direction of the object.

"Lead the way Tenchi." said Kakashi as the group began to follow Tenchi as he lead them.

Hinata felt a little disappointed that she was not about see as far a Tenchi. Granted he was much older and experienced with the eyes of the Hyuga. But she push those thoughts out of her head. Now was not the time to think of her self. She was out here for Naruto. They reached the spot Tenchi pointed out. Hinata almost immediately saw what Tenchi hand seen. When they landed from the treetops Hinata went straight to what Tenchi had seen. It was a piece of orange fabric. Naruto was probably the only one in the entire village, no in the entire shinobi world that would where orange. the orange fabric was a darker shade of orange due to the rain soaking the fabric.

"I think I found a foot print." one of the group members called out over a crash of thunder.

The foot print was slightly filled with water but otherwise good in every other way. It was near the base of a tree, so the branches were able to keep most of the rain off of it.

"Looks like he is heading northwest from here. That's not good." Tenchi said as the rain continued to pelt them like thousands of tiny fists.

"W-why isn't t-that g-g-good?" ask Hinata as she shivered which in turn caused her to stutter again. Tenchi answered

"Because Hinata-sama, if he continues this direction he will reach the Kusa no Kuni border, and if he manages to cross it then.."

"We may not be able to find him." Kakashi finished

Hinata felt like her heart just stopped. Never see Naruto again. Something like that she could not comprehend, Naruto was her light. He believed in her when no one else would. During the chunin exams everyone even Kiba, her own teammate and friend told her to forfeit her match against Neji. No one believed in her. Except Naruto, he believed in her, and sh felt like she could take on the entire world. But without him she felt like she would return to the way she was, weak.

"Well I say good riddance, Naruto wasn't much of a ninja anyways. The village is better without him." Kiba said, his arms around himself in a futile attempt to keep warm, Akamaru running around his feet playing in the mud.

Kureni was shocked. From what she had heard Kiba and Naruto were friends when they were younger. Maybe Kiba was still mad at the fact Naruto had beaten him during the chunin exams. Or all the attention Hinata paid to him.

"Kiba I can't believe that you would.." Kureni's sentence was interrupted loud slap resounded in front of her.

Kiba was on the ground a hand resting on his left cheek. Hinata standing over him. Everyone, save Danzo's agents,was surprised Hinata the shyest, most timid ninja they know just slapped Kiba. Kiba was in complete shock.

"Hinata" Kiba said softly

"Don't you ever talk about Naruto-kun like that. Naruto-kun is three times the ninja you will ever be!" yelled Hinata

She then took off in the direction he foot print pointed.

"Let move we best not let her get to far on her own. we have wasted too much time here." said Kakashi as Kiba was helped to his feet by Shino.

They all nodded and continued with there mission Kakashi hopped that he would be able to find Naruto before Danzo's ninja did. Who knows what their orders are.

Well here it is sorry it took so long. I had a death in the family and my computer got so messed up that I had to do a complete system recovery. Lost a lot of my stuff so here no rant this time even though I would want to. All my chapter are now going to be at least 2,500 words now, this chapter is 3,133. Anyway please read and review. A review would be greatly appreciated.

Well See Ya Squall Leonhart Out.