Chapter Four

Fox Clan Konah

Iruka was frantic, he had searched everywhere for Naruto and couldn't find him. It was like Minato, Kushina, and Jirya all over again. He even searched in the wolf clan, no sign of him. Turns out that Lord Uchiha's son and grandson also disappeared.

"Where the hell could he be!" Iruka shouted. He was standing at the clearing where Naruto always came to hide. Naruto had been missing for over two weeks now, ever since he was informed of the betrothal.

Pacing back and forth, Iruka plundered his mind as two were the boy could be. Stopping to look at the waterfall in the distance, he paled. No, No! He thought to himself. He wouldn't. Iruka looked at the waterfall again. Yes, yes he would, because the boy loved causing Iruka headaches.

"That…little brat!" Iruka shouted to know one. Of course he was going to have to find him, before something bad happened. With that Iruka set off on his journey to the human realm.

Land of Fire

Kakashi sat down on the couch opposite of Dediera and his guest. He had been coming over daily since he found out about the three guest Dediera had. Glaring at his nephew, he sighed. How did he end up with such a dimwitted relative? He remember when he first was introduced to the boys.

Two weeks earlier.

"Uncle Kakashi, I wasn't expecting you." Dediera said, looking down the hall. How the hell was he going to hide those three? He thought to himself.

"I wanted to apologize, I shouldn't be questioning your decisions. You are completely right." Kakashi hugged Dediera. "I hope you can forgive me."

"Water under the bridge," Dediera had to get him out of here. "You know now is not the perfect time. I was just going to take a long nap."

"Oh, I didn't mean to bother you." Kakashi sniffed the air. "Were you cooking? I thought you were going to take a nap?"

Dediera blushed. Well, shit. Come on Dediera you can come up with something. Anything to get him the hell out of here, before all hell breaks loose.

Dediera went to open his mouth, when a loud splash echoed down the hall. Kakashi raised an eyebrow, looking past Dediera. Mouth agape he stared at the figure walking towards them. A male, about Dediera's age, came walking out with a towel wrapped around his waist and head.

"Dediera, you should come to the bath." Itachi said, as he walked towards the kitchen. He had heard the knock on the door, and sensed Dediera's wariness. "You don't want it getting cold."

"It would appear I have interrupted something. You didn't tell me you had a guest." Kakashi blushed slightly at the sight of the nearly naked man. He didn't even want to think about what he interrupted.

"Right, so you should be leaving now, right." Dediera said anxiously. "Wouldn't want to keep him waiting any longer."

"You aren't even going to introduce us. Where are your manners?" Kakashi walked over to Itachi. He needed to see if he was worth Dediera, unlike that Sasori. "Kakashi, I am Dediera's uncle."

"Itachi, I am Dediera's lover." Itachi replied with a straight face. "Now if you wouldn't mind, I am going to head back to the bath, coming Dee?"

"Your accent, I don't think I have heard it before." Kakashi looked at the man closely. "Where are you from?"

"Uncle, what is with the twenty questions. Leave the man be." Dediera intervened before Itachi could reply.

"Right, sorry. I will head out then, and let you resume, whatever it is that I interrupted." Kakashi hugged Dediera again and headed for the door. He was about to grab the door handle when another loud splash echoed down the hall.

Dediera hung his head. He was doomed. Kakashi turned around and raised an eyebrow at the men. Only to see Itachi drying his hair out. Itachi froze at the sound of the splash, knowing it was too late. Kakashi looked from Dediera to Itachi and back to Dediera.

"What the hell did you do?" Kakashi asked.

Present

He still couldn't believe his eyes. Sitting in front of him was three people that did not belong in the Land of Fire. If anyone else saw them, they would probably have a heart attack. Shaking his head he sighed again.

"Ok, tell me how this happened again." Kakashi said. They had told him several times in the past few days about how they ended up at Dediera's, but he just couldn't believe it.

"Ok, I was being forced to marry someone I don't love, and never will. So Sasuke suggested we come here, that way it no one could find us. Itachi came with us because he would be lost without us, and he knows it. We fell asleep in the woods, and the next morning Dediera found us, and let us come here." Naruto said for the hundredth time. He was starting to wonder if the grey haired man was senile.

Kakashi just looked at the boy who spoke. He wondered if he was related to the last Fox that had come through the portal. Shaking his head, he glared at Dediera.

"You thought itwas a good idea to bring them here?" Kakashi asked.

"What else should I have done? Let them freeze out there? What is the big deal, you are the only one who visits me anyways?" Dediera asked. He hated being treated like he did something that could end the world.

"THEY HAVE TAILS, AND ANIMAL EARS!" Kakashi shouted. "I am sure they could survive out there!"

"Yeah and what if someone else found them, like the people you always warn me about? What then?" Dediera asked, causing Kakashi to calm down immediately. "I couldn't, and wouldn't leave them. It's not right."

"What is so wrong with us being here anyways?" Itachi asked. "It's not like we plan to cause chaos or anything."

"It would be like if I went into Konah." Kakashi replied.

"No, if you entered Konah, you would be locked up in one of the two fortresses until further notice. After we found out whether you are friendly or not, you would be sent back to your realm, or executed." Itachi replied. "We are running away from our world, and we are not going back, so get over it."

Kakashi was about to say something when someone busted through the front door. A man stood there breathing heavily, and glaring at the three on the couch. That is when Kakashi noticed the fox ears and tails. The man himself had brown hair, and a scar going across his nose. His eyes were a chocolate brown, and his fur was a light brown.

"NARUTO UZIMAKI! DO YOU EVEN KNOW THE HELL YOU PUT ME THROUGH!" The man shouted at the fox-boy sitting on the couch. Naruto paled at the sight of Iruka.

"H-how did you find me?" Naruto stammered. "What made you look here of all places?"

"Really?" Iruka asked raising an eyebrow. "I have been searching for you for over two weeks, this was the last place I thought you would ever be, and with wolves!" Iruka walked towards the couch. He still had not stopped glaring. "What the hell were you thinking!"

"I wanted out of there! I would have told you, but you would have tried to stop me. I wont go back, not if they think I am going to get married to someone I detest." Naruto growled. "I am sorry for what I put you through. But if you are only here to take me back you might as well leave."

"Naruto!" Iruka growled.

"Hi, my name is Kakashi, and it would seem that you are the only one who has any sense here." Kakashi interrupted. He couldn't take his eyes of the fox man. It was like he was drawn to him.

"Iruka. You better of not hurt him." Iruka replied, finally looking at the other two in the room. The young man looked like he was going to keel over and die, while the older man kept staring at him. Iruka blush slightly under the stare of Kakashi.

"We wouldn't dream of it. It would appear that they are now guests of my dumbass nephew." Kakashi replied without blinking an eye.

"Hey!" Dediera said offended.

"I don't think you are dumb." Sasuke said, finally speaking for the first time. Iruka looked at him, his eyes widening. The boy had the mark of the fox, and he was friends with Naruto?

"Naru, why is he looking at me like that?" Sasuke asked hiding behind Naruto's tails.

"Iruka stop, you are scaring him." Naruto looked at Sasuke. "It's ok, he looks at me like that sometimes too. I think he might be crazy."

"Wait, I have heard your name somewhere." Iruka said looking at Kakashi. "You! You were the last one to speak to Lord Jirya!"

Everyone in the room turned and looked at Kakashi. So, Kakashi thought, he is related to Jirya. He mentally slapped himself for forgetting Jirya. Why he hadn't contacted him immediately he would never know.

"How do you know that?" Kakashi asked in shock.

"How do you think?" Iruka responded sarcastically. "I was the one who delivered and pick up the letters. Where is Jirya?"

"You know where my uncle is?" Naruto asked in shock. He hadn't seen Jirya in years, he just assumed he died, like his parents.

"Yes, and I think it is time I give him a call."

AN~I know I know it was a short chapter! I just wanted to get it out, before I forgot. Jirya is still alive!? And living in the Land of Fire! And what about Kakashi falling for Iruka on sight. I think he is going to have a bit of a challenge on his hands! As always leave reviews!