The soft cackle of a fire was the first thing that he heard. The faint flickering light and shadows dancing with the glowing fungi about the ceiling had an ethereal feel, making him wonder if he had really woken up or not. A mighty rumble from his stomach killed that uncertainty.

Rabbit meat was a smell he knew well enough to recognize, at least when it was literally inches away. The fire had been built on his left, between him and the cave's entrance some yards back, furs awkwardly pushed aside to make room on the bare stone beneath, and the fat rodent piked directly over the flames. Most importantly, it was already practically brown!

"Careful now! Don't sit up too fast; you might faint like some ill noble maiden again," Karin mocked as he yanked himself upright. He'd wanted to check what was in the cooking pot she was stirring, a brown sludge with the texture of porridge, as it turns out. Not the stew his heart yearned for, but that was obviously not a complaint to be voiced.

"What is that?" he asked earnestly, wiping the sleep from his eyes as he looked down on the bowl.

"Ground tree bark. It's not much, especially without salt, but it's hot food! I thought you'd appreciate something more filling than a slab of rabbit,"

"Thank you, really. Did you do all this yourself? How long was I out?"

"Not long, not an hour, and you have Tsume to thank for the rabbit," she said, drawing his attention to the elder who was still there with them.

"Sorry necromancer ruined it," she quipped, shaking her head with disgust and disbelief as the juices continued leaking out of her catch worthlessly into the fire below. Naruto apparently had no such remorse, practically drooling as it was lifted and carefully carved up over a small wood plate. "Tall folk so strange,"

Both of the youngsters were far too busy eating the succulent meat to rebut. Karin opting to chomp straight from the stick after serving him a few slices, crunching small bones right along with the meat, enjoying the hot meal no less than her special fey friend. Even the bland brown sludge she'd gathered and prepared felt pleasant going down.

"Thank you again, um… did you two talk things out?"

"Yes yes! Great asset bone men, fangfolk weapons almost useless against them. Tunnels will be impenetrable with them standing guard!"

"And they will provide me with their dead, as well as food and knowledge of the surrounding area," Karin offered. "There's a good alcove where I can build my new home, and they've agreed to let me keep a watch over your feral spawn up there, so it seems we're all set,"

"No! Incorrect!" Tsume barked sharply, even struggling to pull herself up from the floor with the remark.

"Do you need something else from me? For the kid er, kids or uh…"

"What? No, nothing to do in winter!" she scoffed with a smile. "No, something for you,"

Naruto smiled at this, although the gift he received left it strained. There was something just a tad unnerving about walking through uncharted wilderness, alone, carrying a bowl of twenty-six severed ears. Not less so when the woods were definitely full of fangfolk that he never managed to lay eyes on. The young man still distinctly remembered what it was like to get a cut from one of those jagged little knives.

He didn't sleep much that night. So it was no small relief when he saw the northern road early the next evening, the path that told him he was close to Ironhold. More importantly, it told him he'd have a warm bed and a warm reunion tonight. The sun was just finishing its descent, and closing in, he saw a small orange glow outside of Tsunade's home, distinct from the large bonfire Sakura regularly built. The grill was working its magic, and the scent carried on the wind long before anyone heard his approach!

Our hero ran the last few hundred paces home.

"NARUTO!"

Tsunade had a new outfit. He noted this in the few seconds he had between spotting the lovely homeowner and having his face hugged tightly into her neck amidst the excited squeal. Her bussom smooshed delightfully against his chest, even through the thick, fluffy coat that adorned her like a queen of snow. A pristine snow white thing, fluffy and with ice-blue highlights to add color.

"This is nice," was all he managed to muffle out from his position, running a palm on the sleeve. She only laughed at that, squeezing him tighter. Then she pushed him back an arm length away, robbing him of her warmth and taking a slightly sterner expression. Naruto grew concerned.

"You seriously fucking stink," she explained, laughing again after a second pause. "Go take a bath, but first eat this!" she insisted, pulling a kebab of some sort from beside the grill. It smelled faintly orange-esc, a pleasant scent that paled in comparison to the taste; one bite and he about died of shock.

The roasted fruit was sweet.

The carefully cut slabs of meat savory and juicy.

Even the potatoes were half soaked in the juices and delicious because of it!

There was no doubt in the young man's mind that this was the single most delicious meal he had ever been offered in his brief life as a peasant. By far. Even the goddamn princess was so engrossed with her own serving that she barely acknowledged his arrival, only smiling reluctantly when he noticed her after the hug ended. It was heartbreaking when Tsunade became more forceful, pushing him away from the grill and its heavenly smell. Even with how nice a hot bath sounded.

Although that said, something about the cold air on his neck with the rising hot water covering his body made for a surprisingly pleasant contrast. Between the smell, the sound of a large cackling fire, and the physical sensation, his home felt like a paradise. Then a certain big-boobed angel appeared to further that image.

Tsunade dropped the last of her clothes carelessly and hopped down into the little metal box, raising the water level sharply and forcing his back against the cold metal with her presence. It was slightly flustering, suffice to say, especially when she opted to jump down facing him.

It was such a heavy relief to see him back and unharmed. Watching the boy squirm with literally no place to pull back or escape only furthered her giddiness. Of course, Sasuki had already told her the broadbeats of their journey; hence the little feast said young lady was currently looking over for them. It was different to actually have him here in her arms though. Or rather, pushed tightly in a little tub against her magnificent mammaries with limbs half wedged to her side. It was inevitable that they'd fall into kisses soon with their faces so close.

Naruto was just glad to be free from the silent staring. Somehow making out with her was less overpowering; it was comfortably familiar, just like the feel of her wonderfully soft skin under his roaming hands. He sighed into the kiss.

Gods it was good to be back.

What had he possibly done to enjoy such a spectacular reception? Whatever it was, it wasn't enough; there was no conceivable way he deserved all of this much less from the homeowner he was still mooching off of. That line of thought led to his hand weaseling his way between their bodies, rubbing up and down her soft womanhood in long, slow motions. Judging by the deepening of her groans, she approved.

In any case, it didn't take her long to take hold of his cock and slip it between her thighs, where she could wiggle him to orgasm while having it grind against the low end of her snatch. He had such a thick, girthy cock!

She loved it.

She especially loved when it started throbbing, even if she was still aways away from her own release. As if she had to worry about Naruto leaving her unfinished. The feel of his fingers tickling her insides and playing her clit would be more than enough to finish, especially with the deep, manly groans she was swallowing growing yet more intense as he thrust harder against her thick thighs!

Then a subtle little scent ruined everything.

"Oh, why the hell do I smell burning meat?" she broke the kiss to whisper with a scowl. Naruto pressed as tightly back as he could as she struggled to weasel her way out of the tight fit. They could always finish later; she didn't want what was left of dinner to be wasted.

Unfortunately, by the time she had thrown a coat over her still-soaked body and hurried back to the grill, it was too late. Sasuki just stared at it like a venomous snake, carefully reaching forward and turning one stick an inch to the left before Tsunade, none too gently, pushed her aside and lifted two of them.

Ruined.

Utterly ruined!

"What happened?" Naruto asked, lagging behind and trying his damnest to sound more concerned than disappointed.

"I was stupid enough to think your girlfriend would be able to watch a grill for five minutes; that's what happened!" Tsunade grumbled, hurling both sticks off into the snow for some lucky scavenger to find.

"I-I just didn't want to risk anyone eating undercooked meat!" Sasuki objected half-heartedly. Their host didn't answer, heading back inside to see what ingredients she had left to start over, leaving the younger woman utterly miserable and afraid to look at Naruto. Gods, why couldn't Tsuande just wait a little longer to go milk her idiot's stupid cock!?

The idiot pulled her into a reassuring side-hug.

"Hey, don't worry about it; I doubt anyone taught you to cook growing up," he assured with a genuie smile that made her fears and insecurities melt into famaliar embarrassment.

"Of course they didn't," she complained, her voice even and as normal as usual.

It felt so fulfilling to counsel her like that. The ability to banish those bad feelings. Hopefully, this power wouldn't die when he told her the truth.

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