The Wolf Inside - A Naruto Fanfic - Watty Award Winner 2013

Chapter 79

Third Person's POV

The next ten months go by somewhat quickly for Ashley, the girl's time filled with the same harsh training organised by Kyoku, as well as her own personal practice to try and perfect her new Jutsu. Ashley had managed to create other Jutsu during this time, however, that one particular attack seemed to be the one that tripped her up the most. She was almost a little scared of it if she was honest with herself, considering how many times she had been injured whilst attempting to use it.

Any time not spent training, Ashley found herself in the hospital, becoming somewhat of a regular, much to her chagrin. She still hated the hospital, possibly even more so than she used to, after being forced to spend so much time there.

Being healed by Sakura had been somewhat of a novelty in the beginning, Ashley fascinated to see how well her teammate had been going with her training. Nowadays however, Sakura would only roll her eyes whenever she saw a bloodied Ashley lying in a hospital bed, snapping that she was wasting the staff's time and that she should learn to avoid getting herself so injured.

Ashley's attitude wouldn't be much better though, goading Sakura into arguments with her smart comments and constant escape attempts.

It wasn't Ashley's fault that she would get so many injuries, something that Sakura didn't seem to understand. Kyoku's training had never gotten any easier, and as Ashley's skills improved, the ANBU would hold back less and less.

It seemed that in the whole eighteen months that Ashley had trained with Kyoku, the words I'm going to die had lost all meaning......

Between her long days of training and her stints in the hospital, Ashley was still a Ninja of the Leaf, which meant that she would often be sent out on missions. Whether it be in four man cells with her fellow Genin, or the occasional privilege of joining a squad of higher ranked Ninja, Ashley had been working hard to complete her duties when required.

On rare days though, those precious days so few and far between, where Ashley had neither training nor missions, she would spend her time with Kiba and her other friends. While Ashley still sparred with Team Eight on occasion, none of them seemed to have the availability that they had in the beginning anymore.

Despite everyone seeming to be so busy these days, Ashley had managed to grow even closer with her friends, something that filled her with a sense of joy that she would never admit out loud. She would have rather taken that secret to the grave, than ever admit it out loud to anyone.

Ashley's friends were her source of strength, and to be able to form stronger bonds with them, made her feel strangely fulfilled. How one could not feel that way, with friends as good as hers, Ashley didn't know.

While her thoughts did often drift towards Naruto, wondering how the energetic blonde was faring with his own training, Ashley's sadness at not having seen him for so long was often comforted by the thought that he was doing something that made him happy. And in time, he would be returning, as he had promised.

While Ashley had spent much time with her female friends, mostly Ino and Hinata, plus Sakura, whenever Lady Tsunade would spare her, the Minami enjoyed her time with Kiba most of all.

Despite his cheeky attitude and constant ego building, he had proven to be Ashley's greatest source of comfort and safety. Having spent so much time with him, Ashley no longer grew flustered over every small action, though this wasn't to say that he didn't often make her nervous.

She had grown used to being his girlfriend over time, something that still seemed to excite the Inuzuka despite having been dating Ashley for over a year. Secretly, the blonde thought it was adorable, but again, it was not something she could ever bring herself to say out loud. Kiba would probably never let her forget it.