I don't own Naruto

Quick note-the time skips in this fic will not be multiple years as happens in some of the other fics.

Six Months later

Konoha

Danzo looked out over the village, his eyes cold. He had convinced the Damiyo to banish Naruto and remove Tsunade from the Hokage seat but to his surprise the Damiyo had appointed one of of his family members to the seat. Now, Danzo had to tread carefully as the council was smooching up to him. The merchants had jacked the prices of things up so much that the Konoha citizens had to work all day everyday to afford them. Most of the ANBU under Tsunade had retired or became teachers. The nins that were left where only basically trained and the Chunin Exam was in Spring Country. Danzo scoffed at the stupidity of people. The new Hokage had even removed him from the council as he really didn't need to represent a missing nin and dead clan. Danzo was furious. ROOT had to go underground for now. Techi had been his last kill order as he was seen as a demon lover. The Hokage, Setsui, was more of a pushover than anything else. Rumor had it that he came to Konoha to marry Hinata bit was furious to find that she had left. Also, the Hyuga clan elders had mysteriously died within a week of each other but without a trained medic nin like Tsunade, it was ruled as sickness.

"Sir, what are you orders?" Fu said.

"Nothing, Fu. Keep your eyes and ears open. I will bring Konoha the glory it should have been." Danzo said. Fu nodded and disappeared. Danzo fumed as he looked over his options and none were appealing at the moment. He would just have to wait.

The west

The former Konoha group had been training with their teachers. Sakura, Ino, Hinata, Hanabi, and Tenten had thrown themselves into training. Tsunade, Kurenai, Anko, and Guy had been training them hard on everything from Medical to warfare. The girls trained to prove the former village wrong and to help their friends. Naruto, Shikamaru, Kiba, Shino, Neji, Choji, and Rock Lee had been training as well. Kakashi, Asuma, Guy, Tsuande, Anko, and Jirayia had taught them. They were now at least Jonin level and ready for their first test. Ryska had scouted a fortress that held prisoners not far from the hidden camp Tonight they would attack it to free the prisoners and begin the fight to unite the west. Ryska was telling them that there was a chance that they could find allies among the prisoners.

"So, the Intel is that there are high class prisoners here. If they aren't bloodthirsty warlords, we may can recruit them to help us. The best time is during the night shift change as they are lax in the guard change..The eastern side is more open but the west side is covered in forest." Jirayia said. The group was listening intently.

"So if we stage a distraction, the guards will leave the positions to cover it. And as for the the distraction..." Jirayia said.

"We can use Naruto's Shadow clones. He can make so many and doesn't have to be near them." Shikamaru said. The group nodded. Over the past six months, Naruto had lost all baby fat and was now a lean muscular teenager. Choji had slimmed up as well. He was still heavy but more muscle than fat. Lee had begun to fill out as well. His hair was no longer in a bowl cut but was shaggy and down to his shoulders. He was still youthful but in his own way. Sakura was beginning to fill out as well as Ino. They were ready for their first test. Ryska couldn't train them in her style as her style involves using mystical arts. Ryska smiled as the group talked. Her own comrades were being held somewhere and she hoped to find them.

"Ryska, you seem to want to attack these forts quickly. Can I ask why?" Sakura asked.

"I have comrades who were captured by a Warlord. I fear that the Warlord may try to do something to them " Ryska said, honestly in her voice.

"But if your comrades were as strong as you, they should be able to get out of the prison unless..." Ino said.

"The Warlord uses innocent lives to ensure they don't. This is why the west needs peace and then have those strong enough to keep that peace." Ryska said. Naruto asked her something.

"Why weren't you captured with them?" Naruto asked. Ryska looked at him, pain evident in her eyes.

"I had walked away from them because I sensed a dark spirit. By the time I realized it was a trap, they had already been captured. I let the group think that my friends were alone. That was a week before I met you." Ryska said. The group looked at her

"Didn't you want to help them?" Kiba asked.

"Yes, but if I had been captured, I wouldn't be able to get them free." Ryska said.

"Could they be in this area?" Jirayia asked

"I truly do not know. I cut all communication with them so the enemy couldn't track me or counter plan. I...pray we are not to late for the prisoners." Ryska said. The group looked at the sunset. They had to move now. Soon they were at the fortress. True to Jirayia's Intel, the guards were lax. Naruto summoned about 100 clones. He sent them against the opposite side to distract the guards. Soon an alarm was sounded in the fortress. All guards ran to the other side. Soon, the group was over the wall into the fortress. The group then split into three groups. Ryska, Naruto, Kiba, Konohamaru Hinata, and Sakura into one group. Ino, Hanabi, Choji, Shikamaru, Lee, and Konohamaru into another. Tsunade, Jirayia, Kakashi, Kurenai, Guy, Anko, and Asuma into another. They quickly went to their assigned areas. They had yet to encounter the enemy.

"Guys, only three of my clones are down. Apparently these guys can't use arrows or are bad shots." Naruto whispered. The group nodded. Suddenly a large prison was in from of them with three guards. Naruto made to make more clones but Ryska shook her head.

"No. Let's do this another way. If they see the same attackers outside and inside they may sound another alarm." Ryska said as she began removing her cloak. Underneath her cloak, she had a tank top and pants on. Ryska, like Tsunade, was very well endowed in the chest area. She hid her sword and her staff became a bracelet. She winked at Naruto.

"What are you doing?" Naruto asked. Ryska smirked.

"Naruto, there are some ways that only us girls ca use. Haven't you learned anything from Jirayia? A woman's best weapon is her body. Once I distract them, you attack." Ryska said. She walked out, making sure the guards saw her. All three grinned.

"Lose your way? We can keep you company." One said. Ryska smiled and giggled.

"Oh, you are shy. I like them shy." The other one said. The third just grinned stupidity with blood running down his nose. The three never saw the kunais that ended their lives. Ryska looked over them, making sure their spirits were pure. Sakura tossed her her cloak. The group ran into the prison. The stench of death and decay sickening. The group then spilt into pairs to tackle the prison's hallways. Ryska and Kiba took the left, Sakura and Naruto took the middle and Konohamaru and Hinata took the last one.Kiba and Ryska looked in the cells seeing nothing. Kiba ran ahead following a scent. He came to a huge cell with prisoners. One was wearing tattered black clothes chained by his hands, one was chained foot and hand and and had a leopard print clothing, another had a gag on and the other was in some sort of stone prison. The others caught up to them. Ryska inhaled.

"Are these your friend" Kiba asked

"Yes, I didn't think they would be here. Let's get them out. " Ryska said, using the keys that they had taken from the guards. Ryska opened the door and stood in front of the one with the gag.

"Demi, it's me, It's Ryska." Ryska said. The man looked at her, trying to smile. She removed the gag quietly. The man called Demi smiled.

"If you had come tomorrow, we would have been gone. Kahani is going crazy being tried hand and foot. Get me free and I'll get the others free. There are more prisoners down there." Demi said. Quickly, Ryska unlocked the chains and gave Demi the keys. Ryska told him where the meeting spot was. Demi nodded and moved to free the others. Kiba had already moved down the hall. He came up on the cell. It held two men, brothers, from the look of it. Kiba's senses screamed Alpha and he knew that if these guys were free they would be very helpful. He picked the lock to face the older one. He was powerful to the point Kiba knew he could end him. He had a half moon on his forehead and purple stripes on his face. The man opened his eyes to look at Kiba.

"Here to torture me, maggot?" The man hissed.

"Nope, here to get you free as long as you aren't part of this force here." Kiba answered. The man stared at him.

"A kid? Hmph, these monsters took me down what do you expect to do against them alone?" thean said. Kiba smiled.

"I'm not alone. I'm going to get you and your brother free. Then we are going to free all the others who are held against their will here." Kiba said. Ryska had caught up to Kiba. Her face was shocked as she saw who Kiba had found.

"SESSHOMARU!" Ryska whispered. Sesshomaru looked at Ryska.

"How did they get you two and where are the others?" Ryska asked as she and Kiba got the chains off Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru rubbed his wrists and then was beside Inuyasha who was unconscious from their treatment. Sesshomaru's normally expressionless face had worry etched on it. He had finally accepted his little brother and now he was caught in this place

"Kagome and the others?" Ryska asked.

"They separated us. I think they took the girls to be sold as slaves. If you hadn't come today