Vision of Truth I: Cat and Fox (Naruto)

Gaara of the Sand

Chapter 18: Gaara of the Sand

I hated the Forest of Death. Every time I tried to navigate to the area I last saw my teammates, enemy ninja or some wild enemy popped out of nowhere and pushed me further away. Eventually, I found myself completely lost. There were too many living creatures around for my senses to be of any use except to ensure my survival. If only there were some way to contact my friends.

Frustrated I leaned against a tree and groaned. I needed a plan. Before I could even start to think, I sensed the presence of another. I swiped my kunai and nearly struck the creature that fell out of the tree and landed before me. My eyes widened in surprise when I recognized the little white dog as belonging to my former classmate Kiba. "Akamaru?" I said.

Kiba, Hinata, and Shino appeared before him. "Oh, it's only the lame cat," Kiba said.

I glared at him. "What do you want, you mangy mutt?" Then I remembered we were opponents in the middle of a test. "I don't have a scroll."

Kiba puffed out his chest. "We don't need one. We've already got two."

"K-Katsumi," Hinata said, "where-where's your team?"

If if had not been her who asked, I would have given a snarky comment. We never really talked, but I liked Hinata. She was quiet, didn't bother anyone, and was the only person I noticed who did not pick on Naruto at least once while at the academy. If anything, she seemed to kind of admire him. Her question likely came from genuine concern. I rubbed the back of my neck and smiled sheepishly. "I don't know. We all got separated. Hopefully they all found each other, and now I just have to find them..."

Kiba smirked. "Don't think I'm going to help you just because we're from the same village."

I scoffed. "I wasn't asking for your help." Even though I had to admit his abilities would be more useful than my own in my current situation.

"Kiba, we can't leave her alone," Hinata said.

"It's getting dark," said Shino.

"That's not our problem," said Kiba. "We have to get to the- Hey! Akamaru, what are you doing? She doesn't like dogs!"

Akamaru had placed his little paws on my legs and barked. I smiled as I scratched his head. "I never said that. I don't like you. This dog has good sense." The pup rolled over so I could rub his belly.

Kiba groaned. "Fine. You better keep up."

Akamaru yipped excitedly before taking off, the rest of us following. We had only been running through the trees for several minutes when Kiba stopped on a large branch and spread out his arms, forcing us to halt. Immediately, I understood the problem. There was no mistaking the chakra up ahead. "It's Gaara," I said. Curiosity overcame my cautiousness, and I continued forward.

"Hey!" Kiba called. "Where are you going?" I did not respond but heard him and the others follow me. We landed in the nearby bushed and peered out at the scene. Akamaru suddenly started shaking and climbed into Kiba's coat. I knew the pup must have sensed the same chakra I had.

"You guys don't have to stay with me." I knew I was acting too recklessly. It was not like me, but something that I did not quite understand compelled me to stay.

Gaara and his team faced after against another team of larger, older ninja. One of the opposing ninja targeted Gaara with a barrage of needles, but a strange cocoon of sand from his gourd surrounded Gaara, defending him from the attack. Then the very same sand surrounded Gaara's opponent, immobilizing him. Gaara stretched out his arm, and the man was lifted into the air. When he clenched his fist, the sand rammed into the ninja, sending blood shooting everywhere.