Chapter 97 Lioness vs. Vixen

The sun was rising over the Demon Feline Capital as the day of the final battle of the grand tournament began. It wasn't even six in the morning and already people where filling the stands for the championship match of the female tournament between Queen Hinata for the lions and Sakura Haruno for the foxes. While the stands where filling up both women where still sound asleep in the arms of their mates.

Slowly Queen Hinata opened her eyes however she didn't want to leave the warmth of the bed and her mate which slept beside her. His warm body was pressed up against her as his strong arms held her close.

"Morning Hinata-chan." said the half asleep king

"Morning Gamba-kun." purred Hinata as Gamba started rubbing her back just a bit with his claws causing his Queen to purr even loader. "If only I could stay here all day."

"Only one win is separating you from the championship." pointed out Gamba "Then you can lay in bed as long as you want."

"Truth be told I want to do more than lay in bed." purred Hinata as she rubbed up against her love.

"Don't you worry I have things planned for tonight." whispered Gamba into Hinata's ear as her blood became hot with ideas on what he could be planning. "I just hope you aren't disappointed with what I have plan."

"Nothing you can do can disappoint me." explained Hinata "I must admit I am looking forward to this last fight."

"Last fight?" asked Gamba slightly confused "You're giving up fighting?"

"In a way, I will still train but I am not going to fight on the front lines like I did in the war." Explained Hinata before smiling "Besides didn't we say that after the tournament we would start actively try to have kids, you are the last of your line and I am your queen."

"I can hardly wait and you're not even pregnant yet." Explained Gamba as a heavy knocking began at their bedroom door.

"My King and Queen sorry to wake you but the Queen has to head toward the field for her match." explained a voice on the other side of the door.

"Looks like I have to get going." explained Hinata as she slowly got out of bed.

Across town at Sakura Haruno was also getting ready for her fight, however like Hinata she was having leaving her bed.

"If only we had time." whispered Naruto as he kissed the back of her neck as she sat at the edge of her bed, his hands where wrapped around her as waist and chest. Everyone told her to stay, the love of her life was in the mood and so was she but she knew that soon someone would be by to lead her to the championship fight.

"We will once this is all over." said Sakura as she turned around and kissed Naruto on the lips. "Now we both have a championship match to win and once that is over we can have a private one on one match."

Naruto simply grinned as he watched Sakura move off toward the shower.

A little bit over an hour later Naruto along with his friends and family where taking their seats in the stadium. Since they were going to change the field after Sakura's and Hinata's match Naruto was allowed to watch. Sasuke was allowed as well but it was unlikely that he was interested in the match. Naruto was scanning the field it was rather simple, a large waist high grassy field with a large stream running down the center of the field.

"Don't worry son I am sure Sakura will be fine." reassured Kushina to her oldest son as she placed a hand on his knee.

"Besides it isn't like yours and Sasuke's match Hinata doesn't want Sakura dead." Added Ino "Sakura should be the one worried about your match against Sasuke."

"We should all be worried about that." added Sai to his mate before looking at Naruto, it was clear that the legendary hyperactive ninja was more worried about Sakura then himself.

"I just hope that the lions don't try anything to allow their Queen to win." stated Seth Namikaze

"Don't worry Hinata would never allow cheating." added Naruto as the load speakers came alive.

"Welcome to the final day of the grand tournament, today the champions will be crowned. The first match will see our Queen Lady Hinata fighting for the Demon Lions vs. Sakura Haruno of the demon foxes." Stated the announcer "These two former humans have fought together in the past and even where after the same man for a while, now they fight for their new races and the championship crown."

"Do they really have to bring me into this?" asked Naruto

"Now welcome to the field our champions." stated the answers as Hinata and Sakura walked out the underground passages. The crowd roared as they walked toward each other, as a large amount of the crowd began to chant Queen Hinata.

Out in the field Hinata and Sakura paid no attention to the crowd as the two old friends stopped yards apart from each other separated only by the small stream that ran between them. Unlike the other matches who only had one referee championship matches had three referees, one from each of the races fighting and one neutral race which would be the head referee. The neutral race in this match was the horses and just like all the other matches before the referee started into the rules, not that either one of the fighters where listening.

"Are you ready to begin?" asked the horse referee

"A moment if you will." requested Hinata

"Of course Lady Hinata." responded the horse main referee as Hinata took a step into the stream, coming to a stop in the middle.

"Sakura I know we are friends but I don't want you to hold back, I will not." explained Hinata

"Neither will I." answered Sakura as she took a step into the water before offering her hand to her old friend. "Good luck Hinata."

"Same to you my friend." the responded Hinata as she took the pink vixen's hand. The crowd had been watching and listening to whole thing broke out into cheers as the two former humans backed away from each other and returned to the starting positions.

"Thank you for waiting on me." thanked Hinata as the referee nodded his head as Hinata got into her traditional gentle fist combat stance "I am ready whenever you all."

"Same here." added Sakura as she followed Hinata into a combat stance.

"Alright, begin." ordered the referee as almost instantly Hinata shot forward as she activated her byakugan. Her goal was to shut down Sakura's chakra network before the match even started. Sakura jumped back herself but she wasn't fast enough as Hinata delivered five blows to Sakura's chakra network along her left arm. Both of them came to a stop as Sakura held onto to left arm which was hanging limp.

"One arm down, one to go." thought Hinata as she looked at Sakura's arm, all the chakra follow had stopped from Hinata's hit. She was so focused on the lack of chakra movement in the left arm that she didn't notice the buildup in chakra in Sakura's right. Within moment chakra began flowing out of Sakura's right hand and into her limp left arm.

"What are you doing?" asked Hinata as the chakra started flowing in Sakura's arm again.

"A little trick Lady Tsunade taught me." explained Sakura with a grin as the flow of chakra in Sakura's arm returned to normal as Sakura moved her hand forming a fist. "I use my own chakra to restart the chakra points you shut down."

"You're just making it harder on yourself." laughed Hinata as she prepared to launch another attack.

"I could say the same thing to you." stated Sakura as Hinata leaped forward as Sakura channeled chakra into her hand.

"She is going to strike the ground and form a protective wall." thought Hinata as the chakra gathered around Sakura's fist. A moment before Sakura would strike the ground Hinata jumped into the air to avoid the rock that would be coming up from Sakura's blow however the blow never came as Sakura began to run though hand signs.

"Solar ray." yelled Sakura as a ray of light brighter than the sun shot out from Sakura's arm and hit Hinata right in the eyes. The light was brighter than even the sun as Hinata was forced to close her eyes as she was momentary blinded. When she opened her eyes again Sakura was gone, however she didn't have to wait long as she smell filled her nose, her head snapped toward the source only to see Sakura in the air with her.

"Hello." joked Sakura as she channeled chakra into her fist. There was no time to move as Sakura's fist made impact on Hinata's arm. Hinata roared in pain as she felt her humerus bone break under her skin as she was flung across the field smashing into the ground. The crowd gasped as they watched their queen flip end over end before coming to a rest face down in the dirt. Sakura landed on her feet as the crowed held its breath as they looked toward their fallen Queen.

Up in the royal box King Gamba was on his feet as he looked down at his mate who lied on the ground. It was as if time had stopped for him as he waited for any sign of life. All around the stadium the demon felines began to chant Hinata's name as Hinata slowly began moving again.

Hinata got onto her hands and knees wincing at red hot pain shot up from her broken arm. She spat out some blood as she got back on her feet, the crowd roared as Hinata as got onto her feet. She looked at the source of her pain, her broken arm.

"It's just a fracture, I can still fight." thought Hinata as she got into a stance, each movement of her arm caused pain like hot knives to run up her arm.

"Hinata it's clear you are in pain just give up." explained Sakura

"I don't think so." stated Hinata with determination in her voice as she started to run though hand signs as a storm of demon chakra began to form around her.

"I have never seen anything like this from her before." thought Sakura as she took half a step back causing Hinata to smile as the chakra balled around her fists.

"Lion's roar!" yelled Hinata as all chakra lanced wind rushed toward Sakura. Thinking fast Sakura ran though hand signs herself.

"Water barrier!" yelled Sakura as the stream which split the field in two shot up to form a makeshift defensive wall. Hinata's attack from home as it smashed against the wall with such force that the water wall began to bow inward, first only slightly and then more and more.

"Oh…shit." thought Sakura a millisecond before her defensive justu gave out letting a massive stream of chakra laced wind slammed into Sakura. She raised her arms over her face in a last second defense as the attack cut into her flesh opening dozens of cuts of all different sizes all over her body.

Up in the stands Naruto's heart stopped as he looked at the love of his life standing in the middle of the field with deep cuts on her arm and legs however the thing that scared him the most was the deep gash which ran from around Sakura's belly button and ran down to her hip. Blood was pouring out onto her fur before running down onto the ground. Sakura rushed to place healing chakra on the massive laceration. Sakura pulled her arm away from the wound only to see that the healing chakra had done its work sealing the wound off and preventing any more blood lost.

"Good, that should hold it until the fight is over." thought Sakura as suddenly she felt a powerful blow across her face as Hinata round house kicked her friend in the face sending her flying head first into the nearby wall. For a moment Sakura disappeared in a cloud of dust as Hinata stood in a small pool of Sakura's blood. The pain of her broken arm was reaching a climax as she grabbed her arm in an attempt to ease the pain only to make it worst.

"Please stay down." thought Hinata as her byakugan looked through the dust only to see Sakura on the ground. For a moment she hoped it was over only to have a large amount of demon chakra leak out Sakura's body replacing the dust.

The foxes in the stands cheered as Sakura got back onto her feet as she released the justu condensing her tails together, allowing everyone to see the seven demon chakra tails which danced behind her.

"Nice try, Hinata." growled Sakura "But it isn't over yet."

"Bring it on." ordered Hinata as the two of them rushed toward each other and began to throw punch after punch each one of them blocked by the other. The fight was all out with both of them aiming for the other's injuries, Hinata aiming for the gash on Sakura's side and Sakura for Hinata's fractured arm. The battle reached its peak as both of them punched each other hard in the face sending each other flying backwards. Both batted and bruise women stopped their attacks as they caught their breaths and took stock of just how much damage each had done to the other.

Aside from the massive bruises which were already started to swell all over their bodies, Sakura had a gash by her ear from one of Hinata's claws and a clear bite was visible on her arm. Hinata wasn't in any better shape, her broken arm had been hit so many times when she blocked attacks that bone was sticking out her skin.

"We look like shit right now." laughed Sakura

"We do for sure." laughed Hinata back before her eyes narrowed. "It's time to end this."

"Agreed." answered Sakura as she channeled chakra into a small ball in her hand.

"The Rasengan….why am I not surprised you know that?" asked Hinata as chakra gathered around her one good hand, taking on the form of a lion.

"It's a pack justu and hopefully in a few months I will be a Sakura Namikaze instead of Haruno." explained Sakura as the small Rasengan finished forming in her hand. "It was fun Hinata but it is over."

"It is over." confirmed Hinata as Sakura disappeared in a flash of light only to reappear within inches of Hinata back.

"I have her." thought Sakura as she moved the Rasengan forward to deliver the final attack which would give her the win. However suddenly Hinata's spun around as her lion attack moved to deliver the winning attack for Hinata. "How did she know I would appear here?"

Both massive attacks found their marks as Sakura's Rasengan hit Hinata's rib cage and Hinata's lion fist attack hit Sakura's shoulder. Both women where sent flying backwards into two massive clouds of dust and earth. The entire arena was silent as everyone watched as the dust slowly came to rest, both women were on their sides neither one of them moving.

"Come on Hinata-chan." prayed Gamba as his eyes locked on his love who was lying helpless on the ground. Her deep blue fur had spots of bright red blood on them and her arm bone was sticking out of her body.

"Come on Sakura-chan." Prayed Naruto as his eyes locked on his love who was lying helpless on the ground. Her pink fur was covered his dust and dried blood with her seven tails spread out all around her.

As if answering both of their prayers slowly both Sakura and Hinata began to move both women trying to get back onto their feet. The entire silent as Sakura got onto her hands and knees a second before Hinata did. For a moment both of them just looked at each other looking straight into each other's eyes before Sakura made her attempt to stand up, the foxes in the crowed began cheering as Sakura got onto her feet however the cheers stopped as Sakura's legs gave out causing her to faceplant into the ground.

The horse referee quickly moved to Sakura's side to check her status.

"Sakura Haruno is unable to continue the fight." exclaimed the referee as the home crowd roared believing they had won, even Hinata breathed a sigh of relief. "However if Lady Hinata isn't able to stand and remain standing for 30 seconds the match will be declared a draw."

It was as if all the air had been removed from the stadium as all eyes turned toward Hinata, if she could stand she would claim the victory and the championship for her nation, her people and her love. Slowly she began to will her muscles to move even as each breath hurt more then the last. Slowly she got onto one knee before placing her good arm on the knee to help herself up.

"One last push." screamed Hinata as she let out a lion roar as she got onto her feet. The moment she was back on two legs the crowd roared and began chanting her name in-between their makeshift count down.

"25" chanted the crowed as Hinata struggled to remain standing.

"20" chanted the crowed as all of Hinata's muscles begged to give in and join Sakura on the ground.

"15" chanted the crowed as her vision became blurry and a mixture of blood and slava began to build in her mouth.

"10" chanted the crowed as Hinata's legs began trembling like leaves.

"5" chanted the crowed as their Queen pulled on her last bits of strength.

"It's over, Lady Hinata Queen of the Demon felines and champion of the lions is victories." yelled the referee as Hinata fell down onto one knee as the crowed let out its biggest roar as medical officials from both sides rushed onto the field however they were not alone. In a breach of protocol both Naruto and Gamba rushed out onto the field leaving their friends and in Gamba's case his guards behind them. Both of them ran past the other toward their loves.

"Sakura-chan." said Naruto with worry in his voice as he placed his hand on Sakura's face. Sensing his touch Sakura's eyes slowly opened and looked up into his.

"Naru…to…kun…did I." stuttered Sakura as the medics slowly helped her into a sitting position.

"No, you didn't win but I don't care as long as your safe." explained Naruto as placed his hand on her cheek before placing their four heads together before kissing each other.

"Don't worry." explained a fox doctor "Here wounds while numerous are all none life threatening. We will get a stretcher and take her in for treatment"

"I don't need a stretcher just some help up." explained Sakura as she grabbed onto Naruto to help herself up only to fall again, however instead of hitting the ground she fell into Naruto's arm.

"Why don't I just carry you?" offered Naruto as Sakura nodded her head as Naruto took her into his arms, instants took over as Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck and placed her head into his shoulder.

At the same moment across the field King Gamba was on his knees along with his Queen.

"Are you alright?" asked Gamba as Hinata nodded her head before wincing in pain as a doctor touched her broken arm.

"Apart from my arm I mean." Laughed Hinata as Gamba turned to the nearest doctor who was busy putting the Queen's arm bone back inside her body. The healing chakra did its work as the bone was put back into place.

"With some healing chakra and a lot of time she will be fine." Explained the doctor as Gamba nodded.

"I won, I made our kingdom proud." Explained Hinata as her last bits of strength left her as she fell forward into Gamba's chest. Gamba carefully wrapped his arms around his Queen before picking her up bridal style with Hinata's one good arm wrapped around his neck, the other resting along her body.

"The championship means nothing to me, what matters is that you are safe." explained Gamba as he looked down at his love.

Both Naruto and Gamba were so focused on their loves that neither one of them even notice all the camera flashes as they carried their loves off the field in almost the same way.

Up in the stands watching the whole thing was Sasuke Uchiha, he rolled his eyes as he moved away on his way to prepare for the championship match of the male tournament between him and his former teammate who was now focused on his wounded love in his arm.

"Enjoy your last few of hours of life dead last." laughed Sasuke

Well I hope you liked this chapter and the fight between Hinata and Sakura. Next chapter will be the start of the match between Naruto and Sasuke. I would like to thank you all for the long wait for an update, multiple computer problems which slowed down my writing. Now until next time please keep reading, thanks Wilkins75.