A Fox Among Cats
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Naruto x Cheetara
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Story Start
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''W-Where...where am I?''

Naruto found himself walking through an unfamiliar forest. Trees extended to the sky, their tops far behind his visual spectrum and in the background a never ending darkness and foliage of plant life blocked his way.

'W-Why...why does this place feel so familiar?'

He continued the endless journey, hoping to find some end in sight but the forest continued on. The unnatural quiet of the forest only be broken up by the sound of his foot steps. Finally a dark chuckle broke through the forest. A dark presence caused Naruto to spin and come face to face with a familiar face.

(Intrigue - X Ray Dog)

''It's been a long time...'' the being of darkness said with a chuckle.

''W-Who...who are you?'' Naruto asked the fur less being.

''Who am I?'' he asked in amusement as the being's malevolent crimson eyes began to glow. ''Come now, tell me you haven't forgotten already? Weakness...you've fallen to it and allowed darkness into your heart. Jealousy, Envy, Lust, and Desire to name a few things. It's a shame, as the child of prophecy I thought we were above such things. ''

Naruto clutched his head in pain as a series of visions assaulted his psyche. "I am Naruto Uzumaki, ninja of Konoha. My dream is to become Hokage! One to surpass all the previous Hokages. To become a bigger badass than my father! To become stronger shinobi than my mother!"

''Who are you? W-Who am I?'' Naruto asked as he tried to make out what the hell was going on. Why did he have these memories, and why was the Uzumaki Naruto from the vision different from who he was.

''You always were a bit slow on the uptake.'' a vicious grin formed on the stranger's face. ''Thenlet me make it simple for you. I am the real Uzumaki Naruto, the one who you forced away with all of 'our' negatives memories and experiences. You are nothing more than a fake who has highjacked my body and taken my identity.''

''N-No,'' Naruto stammered. ''That's a lie!'' he argued with less than absolute conviction in his voice.

''How can the one who doesn't know himself claim anything.'' the dark Naruto argued back with a look of turmoil. ''YOU can't even remember this! Spiraling Sphere, Rasengan!'' a blue spiraling sphere formed in the doppelganger's hand. ''Fade quietly back into darkness!'' the doppelganger argued as he charged forward with the sphere. He was inches away from driving it into Naruto's skull when something latched around his wrist. The doppelganger snapped his head to the side in fury as he came face to face with the person who interrupted him. ''You...so, you still exist.''

(Song End)

Before Naruto could make out the mysterious face of his savior he was woken up by the side of a woman's voice. ''Sleeping on the job?'' Naruto's eyes opened, his vision dazed and his heart pounding his ear. He managed out a breathless 'what' as his mind tried to gather its thoughts. Upon seeing his close proximity with Cheetara, who was bent over and trying to shake him awake he jolted up and slightly away from her.

''What?'' he visibly repeated again and inwardly groaned. He was making such a fool out of himself. In fact it had always been like that. Ever since the first day he was accepted into the clerics.

He remembered the day Jaga led him through the doors of the Cleric's residence, informing him of his new duties now that he was part of the elite guard. The nervousness ate away at his stomach as he teetered between listening to Jaga and passing out. And that's when he saw her and he smiled. He couldn't help himself. And when she smiled back at him he knew she was the one for him.

''Are you alright? You've been acting jumping lately.'' she stated as her hands came to rest on her hips. ''Is there something you've been keeping from me? Has someone been seeing a she-cat?'' she playfully teased him.

''No, I, I'm just tired...'' he answered her as a look of concern formed on Cheetara's face.

''You should talk to Jaga if you're not up to guard duty tonight,'' she said as Naruto shook his head.

''I'll be fine, I just need some fresh air.'' Memories of his dream plaguing his mind still. ''I'll see you later.'' he said as he continued out the door. So consumed with his thoughts and feelings of confusion he didn't see Cheetara briefly reach out to stop him before stopping herself.

'A Cleric's duty is to the Kingdom. One must suppress their emotions and put the good of the kingdom first.' she reminded herself, briefly thinking back to one of the written laws of the Cleric. So instead she silently prayed that whatever was troubling Naruto he was strong enough to over come.