Disclaimer: Owning nothing is a sad fact I seem to live with. Maybe some day.

It was during mid evening when at last the yerrow arrived. Iruka had rubbed it soothingly upon his mating mark, which he could admit felt fundamentally wrong. It was as if he was getting rid of a part of himself, in fact it had felt so serious that he had asked the kind man if such a herb would hinder his ability to breed once out of the war.

That, had caused a stir, as Kakashi, who had not spoken to him after he had hit Iruka -even after he had apologized, and been forgiven- who of which had snapped to his attention with a heated glaze in his eyes, and a foolish giggle underneath his palm.

'Hmm… planning to get mated just after the war are you? Say, if you do, can I watch?' He had said with a cunning lewd grin underneath the fabric of his mask. 'W-what! N-n-no! I was speaking in a rhetorical sense! Have you no shame?!'He had responded, while Iruka had given the man a swift slap to the back of his head.

Now, he was at the lagoon bed with Kakashi, who had thankfully changed into his dragon form once more. He had decided firmly that he was going to bathe, he smelled horrid, and even when around Alpha's, he refused to have their odor. The water, though undoubtedly cold, was refreshingly pleasant especially after the day he had been put through.

Kakashi surprisingly -or perhaps not, he did not presume to understand nor know the man's strange mannerisms,- had been reluctant to do, though Naruto had managed to silence his complaints with a bargain for grain at breakfast in the morn. It wasn't as if either Iruka or Kakashi needed sustenance so much as they simply found the act of eating pleasant. Which Naruto found rather fair, he enjoyed his Father's cooking and often asked for an unnecessary second serving.

His previously grime covered underclothing now washed and lain to dry the hidden Omega slipped into the rather cool water with a sigh of content, eager, to get all the different types of fluids off his body and feel clean once more. Instead of running his fingers through his hair like he normally would have, he simply dipped beneath the surface and called it a job well done, although mentally his mind screamed at him for taking a coward's rout.

It was perhaps because he was to distracted by knocking the water out of his ears that he did not hear the ominous slide of fabric and foreboding thud of footsteps until it was too late. The water splashed around him as suddenly there were three large splashes disturbed its tranquil state.

He turned in fear, internally ready to fight, when he came across the joyous face of one Ino Yamanaka. Faced with gleaming blue eyes and a coy but rather happy smile, the first thing he took note of was the rather remarkable fact that her hair was down, pooling, and slightly floating on the lagoon's surface.

Then of course he took in the rather obvious fact that she was very nude. Which made his eyes snap up from traversing her form more than he had, particularly the lower regions.

He had seen female Alpha breasts before, it wasn't as if they cared whether or not they were shown Alpha females had breasts which could hardly be called breasts -mostly because there wasn't a need for them, they didn't produce milk after all.- However, regardless of that small fact, he had no desire to see the other parts of Ino's genitalia. He turned away mostly out of respect, and rather not wanting to admit it to himself, embarrassment.

That unfortunately did not last, for when he turned away his eyes caught onto something else/ Rather someone else, standing atop a rock and looking rather smug, yet, reluctant. Completely naked Sakura stood, hands folded over her breast, chin tilted upward, and to the poor blond's horror flaccid penis almost directly in front of his face.

Unable to stop himself he jumped back, nudging the blonde Alpha beside him with his elbow rather roughly as he did so. His face the very depiction of red, he was sure he could outmatch his Mother's hair with its brightened and nearly luminescent colour.

"We got off on a bad start. I did not like you, especially your pathetic muscles and frankly really odd behavior. However, you have impressed me, something not easily accomplished I will admit, so I shall introduce myself. I am Sakura Haruno; Ruler of the Sturdy Hand." While strong, her tone was light, and her frame though tense, was more relaxed then Naruto had ever seen it. Although he did not know what she planned to accomplish by telling him this.

"Don't listen to her, she likes to boast about nothing." The third voice despite himself, did indeed startle him, but not entirely. Jiraiya having been there was somewhat expected considering the other two were. He they tended to stick together he found, with Ino being a slight exception.

Still, that didn't distill the fact that he was currently bathing with three Alpha's present. Obviously he wasn't one of the most society driven Omega's around, but he was still at least slightly inclined to his belief that the two should bathe separate. Regardless of the fact that they were not aware of his status.

So unusually shamed, and enduringly quickly he attempted to move away from the three, as they began to argue, the so called 'Ruler of the Hand' stepping down from her dominating position upon the rock.

"Naruto right?" Damn if he wasn't near enough to the rock that Sakura had jumped down from a prime hiding spot, Jiraiya had to speak to him ruining his escape. His good manners made him turn around.

"Ah yes, but as you can see I'm all washed up so I'll just head off, and I'll talk to you in the morning!" He spoke hurriedly eager to be on his way, or rather, away from the three Alpha's near by. He had seen Alpha breasts yes, but he had no desire to see anything else, Sakura had taken that particular virgin experience away from him with her stunt. So he was feeling slightly skittish.

Ino however, didn't seem inclined to let him go quite yet, her hand found his wrist rather easily and he found himself fumbling rather awkwardly as he was pulled onto her chest. Glad for the tender moonlight which cast his face in shadow, he was not aware such shades of red existed.

That was when the platinum blonde let out a prime shriek, her hands letting go of him abruptly and her body separating so that she may flee, she flailed around for a moment. As she ran from him quickly. He wanted to make sure she was okay, but his need for modesty beheld him and he hid behind the large rock instead. He was curious to see Kakashi there already, the dragon peeking around the stone to stare at the three Alpha's before he moved away and sheltered himself fully.

His eyes fixating themselves upon Naruto's questioning ones.

"I am not doing that again, fun as it was." The dragon stated, his tongue flicking ever so slightly out. Though he didn't state what it was, Naruto had the explicit feeling it wasn't what he would call appropriate. That also made him less inclined to inquire about it given the current circumstances.

Careful not to be caught by his now yelling comrades, he dived under the water and swam until he reached the shallow side of the bank where he had entered, running at quick pace to his mare who held a cloth towel over her flank for him to cover himself with.

He felt the heat on his cheeks as he did so, now that he had bathed with Alpha's he was extremely careful that his own breasts -for male Omega's were expected too,- and genitalia, before grasping the reins of his horse and steering her away from the lagoon.

Finally, far enough away, he let out the shiver of disgust that had crawled up his spine, it was one thing to be taught about another gender's anatomy, it was quite another to see it for himself, especially right before his eyes as he had witnessed with Sakura. It wasn't at all as his Mother had said, not that he wanted to remember that particular conversation, but all the same.

Kushina had told him that both an Alpha and Beta's genitalia were far different than their own. Because it was necessary for evolution. Female Alpha's had at one point been able to produce milk for their child if the Omega was in danger, hence they still had a semblance of breast left. Male Alpha's had never evolved in such a way, instead they had gained a heightened strength and pain tolerance, so that they could better prevent harm from coming to the pack. Pack's themselves were rather rare to come across now, only frequenting Southern China.

In the days when Pack's were prevalent and necessary for survival, there had been a clear system that had helped them all remain breathing, and it had worked marvelously apparently. The Male Alpha's protected the pack as a kind of outer defense or the first line of combat. The Female Alpha would remain just behind them, as a second line of defense.

The Beta's regardless of first gender would remain by the Omegas side as a kind of caretaker or a bodyguard of sorts. They were also valued like slaves, but not many spoke openly of that.

The Omega's were the primary caretakers and advisers to the Alpha's back then, during times of great longlasting combat they were able to give judgement of whether or not to remain or to flee were the Pack at to great a risk.

It had been an interesting system to learn of, even if it was no longer implemented. Of course those times were far more barbaric and no one regardless of equality opinions wanted them back.

It was what the Han fought for.

Beside him Kakashi let out a strangled hacking noise, and he raised his eyebrows in wonderence, the dragon didn't elaborate, but he did continue coughing as if something foul had landed on his tongue and bile was in his throat. Wisely Naruto let it be. Instead shrivelling up his nose in distaste and disgust.

"I never want to see another naked Alpha for the rest of my life." He reveled outloud. Of course, that was when a group of very nude Alpha's from their army ran by all heading for the lagoon, yelling and racing it would appear. Naruto could only stare for a moment, and fathom at the irony. Kakashi gave a snort, black smoke escaping his muzzle before he began walking once more.

Naruto decided -rather wisely- to ignore the incident ever happened, once they reached the thicket where he had taken off his clothes he quickly donned them, giving a quick shutter in the night's cold air before he made his way back to the camp, eager for the comfort of his tent and some food to fill him. The lights of the night were beautiful, and the tents didn't mess with the majesty of it for once as there were no lanterns lit.

Except there was a small luminance from the East, which he knew was where the Captain and the adviser's tent were located. He had thought they would be either sleeping or bathing with the others. His curiosity spiked he made his way over as quietly as he could, which as result of his training was near silent. He hid behind a tree, and stared at the shadows pacing within the cloth.

"They are not fit for war! They would not stand a chance against the Han." Cried the adviser's monotone voice, a startling aggressive tone to it. Naruto felt his heart plumit a sudden sinking feeling in his gut at the cruelly spoken words, and he wondered if they held any truth.

"They have completed their training, I fail to see the problem." Madara spoke, his voice slightly louder then Naruto had heard in days past, agitation? He could not help the small smile that crossed his face at the masked defence the Captain had of his soliders, whether he sounded stoic or not.

"Those pups are no more fit to be soldiers then you are to be Captain. Once the general reads my report your troops will never see battle."

"We are not finished!"

"Careful Captain." Spoke the adviser once more, steel edging to his words. "The Emperor may by your friend, but he is not without common sense, and I am both his confidant and adviser." for some reason Naruto was not shocked to hear that Madara knew the Emperor personally, although he knew not why. "And by the way, I got that job on my own."

With that, the light from the tent became a little brighter, as did the Namikaze heir hatred for that strict and aggravating man. The Captain came marching out, his expression turbulent, and his hands fists. There was a moment of hesitation, but the blond wasted little to no time in going to the angry man, it wasn't much, but with such accusations anyone would feel a strain to their confidence.

"You want me to hold him?" He asked, for he had no way of conversation. Were this his Father he would have made tea, or brought him into the garden to watch the blossoms, but it wasn't and he knew that not all Alpha's were as easily calmed as his Dad was. So it came as no surprise to him when Madara's "6'4" frame brushed past his and he was speared hardly a glance. Even with such an attitude, Naruto could not bare to see such pained eyes.

So perhaps more quiet then it should have been if he expected the man to actually hear him he said "For what it's worth, I think your a great Captain." Madara stopped for a moment, and Naruto's breath caught, his eyes bore into his trainers black gaze, snapping them wide open for something hidden lay in those bottomless depths.

Unthinking he continued, his mind saying everything for him without a conscious decision on his part. "You do what you think is right, and you care about your troops, I know it may not seem like it now but one day, one day soon, I think he will come to respect you just as everyone here has… Just as I have." For once, he felt bashful speaking to someone, a tinge to his ears and cheeks, and he looked down, hoping the shadows would cover his face.

Maybe it was his imagination, but just before he heard the grass shift and the pebbles crunch, he thought he heard a quiet response: "You're a respectable man yourself Naruto."

Even if his imagination had seen fit to trick him, the cold of the night was not felt on his face anymore.

"I saw that." Kakashi said, startling the poor Omega who had all but drifted into his mind.

"W-what n-no! No!" He shook his head, that wasn't at all what that was, it was the compliment itself that had made him flush with heat, not the man who had even it.

"Uh-hun, yeah sure. So, not a bad man to mate with after the war I'll give you that."

The burn to his cheeks didn't go away until the early morning. When he found himself stocking supplies for travel. They were going to war.