The sun was setting low, painting the sky in colorful hue of orange and pink. Wind was playing with her brown hair, making them a mess. "Time to head home...", she thought sighing, not that she hated home. The sigh just marked tiredness. She had climbed the nearby hill to see the sunset, on a whim, thinking the climb will give Adzuki, her brown-red fur dog(pup) enough to call it a day.

Kishi Inuzuka and Adzuki both had raced to the top of hill, with her winning. She glanced over to the canine who was now lazily looking over the sky and birds. A ghost of a smile crossed her face.

She had first met Adzuki when he was just a puppy, age not more than one week. She was walking home from ninja academy as usual when she heard a whimpering sound. She searched the nearby bushes only to find a red and white fur mama dog lying on the grass with her three pups. One of the pup was brown while the other two had white patches on red fur. She was hesitant at first, but being an Inuzuka she just could not stand the pathetic yells. She caressed the dog's head gently and stroked her ears. After careful observation she noticed the mama dog was hurt on both of her font knees. "Must have tripped and hurt herself...", the little Inuzuka thought. She tried to lift the dog up but it was too heavy for her. She somehow finally draped the dog around her neck , picked up her puppies and started walking towards her house to ask her aunt Tsume to treat the dog.

She had walked for few minutes through village when a small, silver haired boy, about her age came running towards her. "Are those puppies yours? I can help you carry them.", the boy said. He looked a little weird with a green scarf covering his face so that only his eyes and up was visible. His hair looked like fur of a white dog. She was about to answer when a man with similar silver hair sat down to her level beside the boy. "Looks like the mama dog can't walk. I will carry the dog and let's take them somewhere to treat their injuries. Shall we do that?", the man offered her a gentle smile, waiting for her answer. Kishi simply nodded. He handed one puppy to the little boy, told her to carry the other two and picked mama dog off her shoulder. The man then said, "Don't worry about them, they are going to be just fine… So no need to cry now! I am Sakumo Hatake. What is your name?" She felt shy for a second then answered, "Kishi... My name is Inuzuka Kishi.""I am Hatake Kakashi. Nice to meet you", the boy said, offering her a closed eye smile. Kishi smiled wiping her tears, "I was taking the mama dog to aunt Tsume, she could make her better." The man agreed and the three of them had walked to her aunt's house and treated the dogs. The dogs were treated in no time. Both the men had waited till the dogs were treated. The mama dog was gratefully licking Hatake san's fingers and the boy sat with all the three puppies before leaving.

Even after the dogs got better Hatake san would visit her house to meet the dogs stating Kakashi was fond of the three pups. She would play with the dogs along with Kakashi while Sakumo san sat watching them. They would play and chat a bit before leaving. This wasn't a fixed routine but she liked it. She liked it when the father-son would fill in the usual silence of her house. Kishi got to know Kakashi a little, he was gentle with pups but he was a quiet kid and loved his dad. She told him about her parents and that they were killed in some Anbu mission of which details were unknown.

He didn't say anything for a few seconds, but when he spoke she saw a serious look of respect in his eyes. "Your mom and dad must be pretty amazing ninja to work in Anbu. I would have liked to meet them. My dad also says he was an Anbu once but I am not sure if he is telling the truth. Besides he didn't even show me his mask" Kakashi had said, glancing over to his dad.

Their conversation was broken when Sakumo san started laughing loudly at Kakashi's response." Now now, Kakashi enough of your talk. Kishi-chan will think of me as some kind of bad person for lying to you..."

"NOO!", Kishi had stated firmly,"I don't think you are a bad person Hatake san. You are a very nice person and I like you a lot. No matter who says what, I will never think of you as a bad person".

Sakumo had picked her up after hearing her and hugged her tightly. He then put her down and pat her head saying," I like you a lot too Kishi chan. You can always come to me whenever you want. Don't think of yourself as alone." He then gave her a gentle smile and decided to get going.

That was the White Fang of Konoha, Sakumo Hatake. Hatake san had died a few months later. She attended the funeral hoping that she would console Kakashi, but it was bad. She had heard people say bad things about Hatake san. She just couldn't take it, she felt hurt and anger had bubbled through her. She found Kakashi standing in the front silently listening what others were saying. The scene just fuelled her rage. She gripped Kakashi by his shoulders and shook him hard and yelled "How could you silently listen to these cruel people? Its Sakumo san-"

"Its the truth... he failed the mission... Let the funeral be done quietly. You should head home now." He had said looking at her feet. She had wanted nothing more than slapping him hard in the face but she just left the funeral crying like a lunatic.

Two years had passed since then. The white fang had left her a lot of memories. It surprised her how over a year a strong connection had formed between her and Sakumo san. Then there was Kakashi who was left more vulnerable than anyone else. She had tried to talk to him once or twice but he avoided her. She then didn't pursue topic any further.

The sound of barking and Adzuki nudging her broke her chain of thoughts. "Yeah yeah ...lets head back. You lost the race today Adzuki... You are not getting any treats later. Don't get pumped up for nothing", she smirked at the dog who responded with a angry bark. She chuckled and got up to get going.

Kishi started downhill with Adzuki by her side.

"Hey Adzuki... Let's visit Sakumo san tomorrow...Its been a while..."