A/N: Hope everyone is enjoying the story so far. A special thanks to Midcore for being my first review. I don't have a beta reader still and if there are any grammar or spelling mistakes please point them out. Or better yet if you want to become my beta reader please contact me. I hope you enjoy the chapter and if you have any suggestions please don't hesitate to comment.

In a dead sea, whose sand stretched to the horizon in every direction, there stood a bastion of life. The sun hid below the dunes, its light slowly spreading across the sky. On a jagged outcrop of rock that towered out of turbulent sea of sand stood a walled village. Along its fortifications, pendants fluttered fiercely as a sandstorm swirled round this island of civilization. Though the wind whipped the city the grains of sand dances over an invisible barrier causing little sparks of static electricity.

This gentle dance of electricity of the circumference suddenly changed as a great bolts of lightning rippled over it surface with a sound like breaking glass. Slowly the great barrier which had guarded ov the village for a century started to shatter and fall like sakura petals from the tree on to the homes below.

30 minutes later

A young boy was timidly wondering round his family home looking for anyone to explain what the loud sounds were. But as he wandered down the corridors he failed to find anyone. He knew that the night before had been a ceremonial vigil that was supposed to last till daybreak. But everyone was supposed to be back by now. As he continued down one of the corridors he heard faint shouting ahead of him. Drawn towards the sound of people he ran along the stone floor, his small bare feet slapping against the smooth cold stone of the corridor. Ahead of him corridor turned into a covered gallery that surrounded a lawn of well manicured grass. He knew that the older kids like to play in the square, so he thought the voices belonged to them. Maybe they could tell him where everyone is.

As the boy neared the open door leading into the gallery he slowed a little as he felt the cold smooth stone flagstones become rough with a covering of sand. He looked down in brief curiosity never having seen sand within the village walls before, let alone his own home. However he didn't dwell on it long as he skidded through the doorway into one of the galleries. A grin plastering his face at the thought of finally finding someone. His grin slowly slid off his face as his young mind tried to comprehend what he was seeing. Sand floated in the air, dancing on the wind that circled round the stone columns of the Galleries. The sight of the sand was unusual but it was what the sand was settling on that had made the boy falter.

Bodies.

The dead and the dying lay scattered in throughout the courtyard. The white marble fountain that had stood in the center of this once quiet place was blackened and broken. Chunks of the marble laid strewn over the once pristine lawn. Though broken the water still shot skywards, but now tinged a horrible shade of crimson from the bodies near its base. The child stared in incomprehension, eyes wide and mouth agape.

His eye's were slowly drawn away from the mangled and twisted bodies to the only remaining figures standing amongst the carnage. He recognized one of them as his older cousin along with her clan summons familiar, a grey cat that stood up to her shoulder, teeth bare in a snarl. His cousins lip was curled up like her feline compatriot in a fierce snarl as she stared at a group of cloaked figures standing across from her. It was then he noticed his cousins' condition. She was breathing heavily and through she snarled at the strangers her lower jaw trembled slightly. With each breath that she forced through her gritted teeth a bloody stream of saliva ran down her chin. Though this alone made the child panic it was her bloody, shattered arm that hung limply by her side that made him let out a small startled cry.

Both his cousin and the strangers turned to look at the sound. The cloaks flapped in the wind that swirled through the courtyard, the dark shadow under their hoods facing the now terrified child. He was frozen as he stared transfixed. His cousin defiant demeanor was shattered as she stared at her relation, panic on her face. One of the hooded figures turned and took a step towards the boy.

The large cat roared and it's partner leapt forward, fully knowing the outcome of her actions.

"RUN!" she screamed as she aimed a fist at the leading cloaked figure. It was easily dodged, as the the individual sidestepped. There leg flicked out from under their cloak, ramming into the girls stomach with enough force to send her flying back against one of the pillars that held up the surrounding galleries roof. A spray of blood shot out of her mouth as she crumpled to the pillars base. Her companion fared worst. As it had leapt forward it had been blind sided. The sword had entered just behind the the front legs splitting and splintering the ribs as its blade was driven clean though the large cats torso. The momentum of the strike drove the feline into the ground. The felines body lay still for a moment, the owner of the sword standing over its still body. The cloaked figure gave his weapon a vicious twist making the cat give out one desperate wet sounding breath before it popped out of existence with a cloud of smoke.

All the while the two cousins stared at each other. One confused and terrified, and the other tired and broken. However the girls mouth kept moving. Though no sound came out the message was clear and the word was shouted inside the young boys skull.

Run. Run. RUN!

Farid woke with a start, shooting up in his bed in a cold sweat. He sat there clutching at the sheets as he got his bearings. He made a sound, the words getting caught in his throat. It didn't matter if he said it, shouted it or thought it. His mother would never be there again to answer. He tried to slow his breathing as he slumped against the wall his bed was up against. Resting his head against the cold plaster of the wall, so focused on trying to calm down he didn't notice the tears that fell onto the sheets. With one last deep breath he shuffled to the edge of his bed, his short legs not even reaching the floor. He looked around at the other beds in the room hoping he hadn't woken anyone else up.

They had left the hospital two days ago after the doctor gave them all a clean bill of health. The hokage had sorted out some temporary accommodation for the group until he could sort out a more permanent solution. This had meant that they had moved into two apartments in a more rundown part of the village. Though Grand Master William had taken an apartment all to himself, the children had refused to be separated and had left the hokage no choice but to squeeze a bunk bed into one of the apartments already cramped bedrooms enabling it to sleep three. Michael's baby sister however had been kept at the hospital until the group had got more permanent residence.

The boy slipped out of bed and tip toed out of the room, being careful not to wake his friends. In the small living room he grabbed a plain hoodie that had been thrown onto the back of the sofa, slipping it over his head. He went over to the door that connected their flat to the Grand masters. He paused, his knuckles millimeters from the door. Reconsidering though, his small balled up hand fell away from the door. Turning, he went over to the front door and slipped on his sandals. Carefully he unlocked the door and stepped out, pulling the door closed behind him.

He stood on the open air corridor, the early morning air making him shiver and almost making him backtrack into the flat to change out of his pajamas. However he pulled up his hood and just kept walking away from the flat with no real destination in mind. His tried not to think over his dream and the memories they brought to the surface. Farid however forced himself to focus on the present as he wandered the corridors of the deathly quiet apartment building. It wasn't long till he found himself on the roof of the building, looking out at the slowly lightening sky. He stood taking in the expanse of the village in the dim light, his hands buried in the pocket at the front of his hoodie.

He made his way amongst the ventilation shafts, slowly taking in glimpses of the new place he found himself in. Finding a large stack of air-conditioning units, he hoisted himself up. Plopping himself down on the edge of the unit, his legs dangling over the edge as he watched the sun threatened to crest over the horizon. He loved watching the sunrise; it was something his mother always used to do as well. She always carried him to one of the largest towers and they would watch the sun rise. As they used to do this, she would lecture him concerning everything from clan tradition, stories of past clan members and basic moral principles.

Faris touched his face as he felt silent tears return and start to run down his face. He pulled his knees into his chest and buried his face into the material of his PJs. However he wasn't able to wallow in his own misery for very long as he felt a sharp sudden pain in one of his hands. He yelped, clutching his hand to his chest, looking for the cause of the sudden interruption to his self pity.

Beside him sat what looked to be a 3-month-old kitten, its fur the colour and luster of obsidian. It stared at him with an intense unwavering stare a paw on his knee. Farid sniffed and then bust out crying, the trickle of tears becoming a torrent as he reached out to the feline. The kitten leapt forward into his arms knocking him onto his back. The boy pulled the cat close, all his emotions, all his pent up fear, despair and sadness cascaded out of him like a river. The feline clutched at him, rubbing his face over Farids wet cheeks. Though it had only been a few days it had felt like a lifetime since they had seen each other.

It took a while but slowly Farids sobs turned to sniffles and the kitten's mews turned to purrs. He pulled himself back together, whipping away the dampness on his face with the sleeve of his hoodie. The feline stood on the boys chest, its tiny claws digging into the fabric so that it could pull itself up to the boys eye level. They exchanged looks and stayed gazing into each other's eyes as if in quite council for a couple of minutes. It ended when the kitten lightly head-butted Farids slightly bunched brow. This made Farids feline ears perk up from his mess of hair on his head in happiness, making his hood fall off his head.

"Sa'dia." Farid whispered, still sniffling a bit. The kitten nuzzled his face, her whiskers tickling the young child's skin and making him giggle. The boy embraced her again, feeling her vibrate as she purred into his chest. He held her close, gently stroking her as he felt some of his trepidation at his new situation and the emotions dragged up by his dream ebb away. He sat up slowly as his breathing slowed and he relaxed, just in time for the first shards of sunlight to crest over the horizon.

Sa'dia wriggled out of his arms and clawed her way up his jumper and onto his shoulder. With her back end seated in the hood of his hood and her front legs perched over his right shoulder, the feline nuzzled his face again. This was met by another giggle as Farid reached up and scratched his companion under her chin. The boy quietly watched the suns light creep over the urban sprawl of what Grand master William called their new home. The child, though uneasy at the idea that he would never again see the village of his birth, was utterly captivated by the view in front of him.

Once the sun had fully crested the hill he stretched and yawned. "Where you been?" He asked stroking the side of Sa'dia's face. He listened as the cat mewed softly into his ear. He smiled and laughed as his companion told him of her mini adventures in the village over the last couple of days. "So, did you look around as Grand Master asked?" he asked as she rubbed her cheek against his. He felt her head nod in answer before she launched into her perception of the village from what she'd overheard and seen, as well as what she'd gleamed of the villages domestic and feral cat population.

Farid was, and always had been a shy boy. But Sa'dia was his opposite. Adventurous and forward, she gave him the confidence to interact with others and to try new things. He needed her confidence now more than ever. With the recent fate of their people and close family, coupled with the having to deal with a new alien location, his own resolve was already at buckling point.

Once she had finished they just sat there, taking solace in each other's company for a while. "The grand master wanted me to ask something?" he said quietly his gaze never diverting from the scene in front of him. "Do you think any of the other Ninneko will be able to find us?"

Sa'dia lay quiet on his shoulder, her purring falling silent as she thought the question over. The Kimura clan had always been able to communicated over vast distances through their contract with the Ninneko. This was accomplished through the Ninneko summoning on one anothers location. it wasn't done very often due to how exhausting the technique was. Though this didn't mean Sa'dia knew how to do it. However she had thought of technique days ago, but her calculations for the chakra the technique would need, compared to her own reserves at that present moment, had come up short. She conveyed this to Farid who nodded.

"We'll tell the Grand Master and see if he can help." He answered. The technique in question was the only clear way they had to be sure of any other survivors. However it was because of this exact method of communication that filled Farids heart with dread. The clans companions could pinpoint and then summon themselves on the location of specific Ninneko. If none of them had located either Sa'dia by now, it didn't forebode well.

A small paw patted him on the face bringing his mind back to the present. "Sorry." He whispered, his heart still heavy at the revelation that there might be no one left out there in his clan. A sudden, sharp pain as one of Sa'dia's claws fish hooked the corner of his mouth brought his focus to his companion. She followed her assault with a snort, as she tried and ultimately failed to chastise him for dwelling on his negative feelings. Seeing his little companion trying to look and act the adult made Farid bust out laughing. His body rocked as he went into hysterics, all what was left of his pent up emotion coming out as he laughed. This was only being made worse as the kitten screwed up her face in a very undignified manner as her little paw batted the side of Farids face.

Michael rolled out of bed, forgot he was on a top bunk and face planted the floor. He groaned as he picked himself off the floor, clutching his head. Looking round, he tried to get his bearings. Gry was still sleeping like a baby. She was half out of her bed, her legs under the covers and her head and shoulders on the floor. Michael sweat dropped. 'That can't be comfortable.' He thought.

He got up shakily to his feet, having to quickly grab the bed frame to steady himself with one hand, the other clutching his head. He turned to the lone single bed in the room to check on Farid. Seeing he wasn't there he adjusted his pj's and went into the living room.

Michael had expected Farid to be on the sofa or possibly in the kitchen. He looked around, but finding no one he collapsed onto sofa trying to think where his friend was. Leaning back he thought over what Farid liked to do in the mornings. They had food, so there was no reason for him to go in search of breakfast. His eyes looked over the clothing that had been dumped over the back of the couch the previous night and noticed Farids grey hoodie was missing. Though He could be wrong. Farid was the kind of kid that if he had a craving for a curtain food, come hell or high water he'd track it down.

Michael rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He suddenly remembered that Farid had always liked to watch the sunrise. Groggily he got up and grabbed his own jumper before stumbling towards the door. Still half asleep. He was sure Farid was ok but he thought he'd better go find him as his friend had a way of losing track of time.

William Takahashi stood in a dimly lit room. What light there was came from the many bright medical lights, which made the rooms tiled walls sparkle slightly outside of the cones of light they throw out. Before him, directly under the cones of light, laid out on stainless steel gurneys were 36 shrouded bodies. Standing off to the side was the Hokage and who looked on with sad expressions.

William looked down at the peaceful face of one of his students as they lay still and cold upon one of the gurney. Carefully he recovered her head with the medical shroud. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he turned away from the inanimate forms of his students and fellow countrymen. "I finally get to see the faces of the new generation, but at such a cost. Its not fair." His sad tone turned to one of anger. "Its not Fucking fair." He growled, grabbing a dish filled with medical equipment and throwing it against a wall. The two others watched on silently, watching the man's body go from being tense with anger before slumping to tired surrender. "They were just kids Damn it!" he said in a hoarse whisper. Once he calmed down a bit he looked over at the two people just outside the direct light, "Have you been able to acquire what I need Hokage-sama?"

The Hokage nodded, "There is clearing at the southern end of the village that we've allocated to you. The preparations have been made so you can lay your dead to rest there later today."

William nodded silently, his gaze back on the shrouded figures, as the hokage continued, "The village council would also like to give you their condolences and have allocated you the funds to build a memorial to them." Though the Hokage had been pleasantly surprised at the council's gift to Takahashi and his fellow survivors, it hadn't taken him long for to realize their underlying motive. They hadn't even met Takahashi and they were already trying to manipulate him. Though it was an underhand tactic he knew that, even though he hadn't known the man in front of him that long, it was a fruitless effort. Takahashi had already agreed to hand over much of the his villages knowledge and history. Though using Konoha's laws on clan techniques and documents, which the hokage had instructed him on, he should be able to keep some of it safe as well.

"Please convey my thanks to them. I know they have been pressing me for a meeting, which I've been putting off. Please tell them that after this evening I'd be happy to see them." William said as he walked amongst the still sheets.

The Hokage nodded quietly. "They'll be happy to hear that. They are eager to meet you and the children."

Takahashi stopped, a hand one of the gurneys, "I ask that you leave them out of it for now. They've been through enough already in recent days Hokage-sama. Let them acclimatise to their situation before having them bombarded with questions."

The Hokage took out his pipe, playing with it in his hands. "Your right of course. I'm sure a written description and documentation on each of them would placate them."

William visibly relaxed. "Thank you." he stated, straightening up and continuing among the covered bodies. "I was wondering if I can have my peoples belongings back?"

The Hokage nodded, "I'll get it released to you tomorrow."

Later that day...

The dead had been prepared to Williams specifications and had been brought to the clearing at the southern end of the village. It was an isolated area, away from the main districts and area's of commerce. That was probably why what buildings stood leading to open meadow had lain bare since the Kyrubi attack. There had been no reason to repair the area since the residents had either moved or had been killed.

Though the dead had not been born in the village. The procession to the clearing was no less impressive, the hokage had made sure of that. Hiruzen had combined the cremation of the shinobi from the diplomatic team alongside those of the foreigners. He hoped that the grieving families of Konoha's dead and the four new members of the village would interact, being united in their grief.

Along side them, representatives from some of the major clans had come. Though a few were there due to losing members of their clan in the ill-fated mission. An equal amount were there out of curiosity.

In the centre of the clearing were the funeral pyres. The bodies were transferred from the shoulders of family and loved ones and onto the pyres of wood. The hokage was in charge of the proceedings, though William, along with some others, stood nearby ready to talk about the departed.

The crowd of onlookers slowly quietened down as the Hokage took to a pedestal overlooking those who had gathered to mourn. The mass of black clothed figures staring back at him with somber gazes. The silence was only broken by a few sniffles and sobs. He cleared his throat, his hands grasping the sides of the lectern.

"It pleases me to see so many people here this evening. The passing away of loved ones is something none of us want to contemplate. And though the company of friends, loved ones and colleagues will never erase these loses. I hope that it will at least ease the pain we feel." The Hokage took a breath, giving the crowd a sad smile he continued. He went on singling out each of the deceased families giving their dead the respect they deserved. The list of konoha dead was relatively short compared to the lines of pyres that stood to his back.

"I know a lot of the information about the diplomatic mission has been withheld from you over the last couple of weeks. I'm sorry for any upset this has caused. This information has been withheld as the safety of survivors was initially thrown into question. I'm not in the best position tell you why this mission led to the deaths of so many good people. As you can see around you, deaths in the line of duty is a tragic reality that we deal with on a daily basis. I'd like to now ask a man who survived this ordeal to tell us about not just those who we personally have lost, but about the people who we don't know about. Though they lie in front of us, side by side with our fallen." He looked over to William Takahashi. "Takahashi-san?"

William in turn looked over at the children he was now the custodian of. They sat staring back at him, tired and still emotionally exhausted. But they smiled back at him. They were small and timid, but there smiles gave him hope. With this new found strength he stood up and made his way to the temporary podium. His borrowed black kimono waving slightly as it caught the evening breeze.

He stood looking out at the assembled crowd. His throat felt dry in the warm summer air. Looking up to the the sky, he breathed deeply. "I find it curious that in my life, my dreams and ambitions have always been overshadowed by tragedy. Before the men and women of your village entered our corner of the world. I had heard stories told of a land far to the east where the man came forth and showed us how to unlock our potential." He raised his hand and in his palm a leaf hovered over his palm, unmoved by the wind. He smiled wistfully as he made it dance as if in a gentle breeze before suddenly it bursting into a brief flame. "So when your people appeared and showed us who you were. They brought hope back into the hearts of many. Sadly, why this occurred at all is the same reason why we're here to honour their memory. Your people stepped into a land destroyed by war."

There was a hushed murmur through the crowd, punctuated by a few angry outbursts. William stood silently waiting for them to settle down.

"We warned them as soon as they arrived of the unnecessary danger they had put themselves in. But they wouldn't hear of it." He smiled sadly, "Over the next couple of weeks we opened relations with you village and opened negotiations on various subjects."

William paused as he collect his thoughts, as they threatened to break his composer. He took a shaky breath, "Sadly Events unfolded in such away that we had not foreseen. Just over a week ago during a 12 hour period we lost contact with all our operatives scattered across the western nations. After this our villages defences were overwhelmed. Upon the first sign of danger your team was extracted to our shelters for protection."

William, since the return of his sight had never looked as old as he did now. The lines of his face deepened as the sadness of his memories etched them deep into his face. "They stayed there as we helped them with their extraction plan." William had been advised by the Hokage before the funeral not to mention the failure of the Teleportation extraction seal. So he was forced to glaze over it. " We had hoped that we could repel the attack long enough to get as many people out as possible. This attack was however unlike anything we had planned for." William bit his lip, his new found sight failing him as tears threatened to fall. "I have experienced many battles. I have done things as a warrior that I'm not proud of."

He tried to continue, but the words escaped him. He stood there, in front of a crowd of strangers, tears catching the light of the setting sun. He suddenly looked so old. So fragile. So Lost. "But what occurred wasn't a battle, it was genocide." This statement was greeted by a dead silence as the crowd tried to comprehend the story being told to them. Here before them was a man who had lived through countless battles, been at war his whole life. A man who had always stood tall and had guided the next generation. Now brought to tears by the events that had led him to stand before them.

"I won't go into details here. But I praise your village, your people. We faced our darkest hour and though no one asked, your shinobi helped us. They could of turned away and left us to our demise. But they couldn't sit idly by as women and children were murdered. I hope you can take comfort in this fact. Because of their selfless act they saved countless lives. They died facing an enemy that wasn't theirs to fight, in a land that was alien to them. And though they weren't fighting for a flag, a nation or an Ideal. They fought out of sheer human compassion. I have never known individuals who encapsulated what heroes should be before I met your loved ones. " William stepped out from behind the podium and bowed. "Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity to meet them." He shouted as he choked back tears.

It wasn't a long service after that. A selection of representatives from the clan present as well as family came up to talk about those who had passed away. Takashi had spaced out a bit at this point, lost in thought. Michael who sat next to him squeezed his grandfather's arm not sure how to comfort him.

The Hokage retook the stand smiling comfortingly. "If everyone is finished its time to..." He stopped as he felt a tug on his robes. He gazed down at a child's face. The same child who sort comfort from him a week ago in the seal room. This time however Michael looked up at him a face filled with determination.

"M-may I say something, Sir?" He asked, unsure if it was his place to even be up in front of so many people.

Hiruzen patted the boys shoulder and nodded, "Of course Michael."

For a moment the child tried in some way to get his head above the lectern. Failing at every attempt, he puffed his cheeks in annoyance before standing beside the podium. He bowed with a natural grace before addressing his curious audience.

"It is a privilege to meet so many im-port-ant people." Said the six year old as he stood back up, having to focus on using such a difficult word. Unlike William he was dressed in just a dark grey t-shirt and black trousers. His hand slipped a raveled piece of paper out of his trousers as his gaze wandered up at the now pink sky, the sun now below the horizon. Lost in thought for a moment, an expression of deep concentration on his small face.

"Revocate animos, maes..maestumque timorem mittite; For..s-san et haec olim meminisse iuvabit." Michael quoted before looking at the piece of paper, "It was one of the last things my Dad said to me. It means 'Call back your spirits, and send away the sorrowful fear; perhaps even one day it will help to remember these things.'" The boy took a deep breath as his mind fleetingly thought of the fact that he would never see his father again. His lips stretched into a white line as he calmed his rising emotions. "He used to say that all the time when anything he comforted anyone when they were sad. And I never knew why he quoted this passage before." He scratched the back of his head a bit sheepishly.

It was strange to see this contrast between the self confidence this child and his guardian, who was so damaged by the events that had unfolded. The boy stood unwavering, looking out at the gathered crowd with a thankful gaze.

"I believe I understand now. To it means that though we can and will never forget what has happened here. Its no use crying for the lives that have been lost. We can never forget their sa-sacri...fice." He stuttered slightly, both because of the the words connotation and also because he truly had problems pronouncing it. "From here we strike outwards to create a better future. So that one day when we look back we will know that they would have been proud of us." Michael nodded with a determined smile. "Thank you for listening to me." He grinned and ran back to his grandfather.

The crowd was left a bit in limbo by the unwavering words of such a young boy in comparison of his elder. Their attention was regained however as The Hokage coughed for their attention. "Thank you Michael. I couldn't of put it better myself. Now its time to say our final goodbyes and light the pyers."

The children stood in watching the the fire consume the white wrapped figures laid out on the wooden platforms. The light of the flames dancing across their faces and flickering in their eyes. All three stared into the haze, their small hands tightly gripping each others in comfort. William stood a little way off talking to the Hokage and a selection of the clan heads. One of these individuals, couldn't help but look over at the three small figure silhouetted against the light of the fires. They excused themselves and went off to find someone.

The Hokage took a long draw on his pipe as he closed his eye's in thought. "You know you didn't have to inform everyone of last weeks events. Once the official mission report is filed they would of all received a copy."

William nodded, "I know. But after what happened to me it would seem a bit insulting to get that sort of information second hand." He looked round at the assorted group of people around him and the Hokage. Out of the crowd of people who had come to the funeral, only five had approached Takashi and the Hokage. These five consisted of; Nara Shikaku, Yamanaka Inoichi, Akimichi Chōza, Utatane Koharu and Inuzuka Tsume. "The last thing I would want is to give you the wrong impression of me.

This someone. After the receiving encouragement from his mother walked up behind the trio. Lost in thought the three were oblivious to the newcomer until Gry got a light nudge to her shoulder. She looked round to be greeted with a slightly fidgety, boy with a mess of brown hair and two red triangles on his face. Gry's surprise at someone coming up to her made her drop her companions hand. This sudden loss of contact in turn made the other two look round. The boy bowed quickly, once he got their attention.

"Hi, I'm Inuzuka Kiba. My mother would like to invite you back to our house for dinner." The boy was stiff and clearly unused to being so formal. His invitation was met by trepidation as Gry and Farid looked at each other in uncertainty. Michael however had already stepped forward, a grin on his face.

"We'd be honoured to welcomed into your home." He said bowing, "May I introduce ourselves as we have the advantage over you, Inuzuka."

The Hokage, William and the selection of clan heads looked on will a mixture of amusement and curiosity.

"Your grandson seems to have a maturity well beyond his years Takashi-san." said a man with a long platinum blond hair, his hand thoughtfully on his chin.

Emotionally tired from the evenings events. Takashi a still able to give a small chuckle, followed by a slight nod, "The boy was being groomed to be the next clan head. He's probably sat in on more diplomatic meeting in his short life than I have in all 68 years of mine."

The group smiled as they felt a little of the weight of the days events get lighter. Their attention was drawn back as the one of their group rejoined them.

"That boy yours, Tsume-san?" Asked William as he motioned to the child who was talking with his charges closer to the pyres.

Tsume grinned widely, "Aye, that Pups mine. Asked him to go over and invite them for dinner. I hope you don't mind. This invitation is also for you as well."

William looked back over at his young charges gauging their overall mood. Seeing all three seeming to be getting on with Tsume's boy, he turned with a warm smile. "It would be an honour to join you for dinner.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed the chapter, any and all feedback is great if you have the time.