smiles and sand

chapter 2

And so came the morning of the mission. I had my bag packed with my every day clothes (a deep crimson squort, with a matching crimson tank top. And knee high black combat boots. All accessorized with thin silver chains.) and my weapons were cleaned, sharpend, and neatly packed, along with my wolf pelt, hawk feather, mouse pelt and horse hair. I would have to get some new samples so my beast forms would fit in around kohonan. I'm pretty sure if I took my any of my other pelts, they would know that something was up if they saw and animal that only lives on the desert. I did a quick walk threw, making sure the doors were locked and lights off. Then I walked out, locked the door one last time. Headed across the roof tops to the main gate.

*time skip: kohana gates*

I walked forward in I'm my wolf form, standing right next to gaara and kankuro. Temarie had taken off to inform the hokage of our arrival. But we all knew it was to go see shikamaru. Checking into the hotel we were going to call home for the next two weeks. The receptionist lady seemed very nervous about me. She Kept reminding gaara that all dogs must be kept on a leash at all times. I growled at that. I'm not a dog. First off this form is a wolf, not a dog. I was HUGE compared to you average mut. In this form I was big enough that gaara could ride me like a horse. The only reason she let me in the hotel was because I was the kazekage "pet". When he requested two rooms, each with two beds, she restated that dog weren't allowed on the beds. I finally let out a angry howl, before i change back, I growled at the lady. "Call me a dog one. More. time. I am a ninja of the sand village. And my name is  Ayane tatsu. " I walked up, snatched the room keys from her, and growled again, "And I'm not his pet." before grabbing my bag, and gaaras, and heading toward the rooms. It was in an empty hallway, which made security a little easier. I dropped my bags and gaaras in the hall and waited. Sure enough, those two were right behind me. "Kazekage sama, what are the sleeping arrangements?" I asked, expecting to be sharing with Temarie. "You will be sharing with me." Gaara said simply. "Uh.... Kazekage? Are you sure thats right?" I asked as kankuro yelped, "I have to share a room with temarie!" gaara ignored his older brother, and looked at me. "I made my decision because, you have been chosen to be my personal guard. Kankuro and temarie are technically, ambassadors for the sand village. Come on. Lets get our things put away, then we can meet the hokage." he stated with his normal, near blank expression. "Perhaps after words we can stop for BBQ?" kankuro asked, his stomach already growling. "Fine. Tatsu, you should stay in your current form to meet Lord Kakashi. He May not take kindly to one of my ninjas walking into His Office as a giant wolf." he said, not unkindly. That kinda stop me short. Not very many people talked about my abilities in a kind way. "Let's get settled in. Kankuro, just toss temarie bags on her bed. And please don't try to make her mad. You two are here to represent the sand village. Don't act like children." gaara said, just as tamari was making her way up the hallway towards , shikamaru following closely behind. As they made their way towards us it was almost impossible to NOT see how happy they were together. I glanced out of the corner of my eye to see gaara looking at them in an almost bored way, kankuro had his jaw set, and was clenching his fists slightly. I guess he didn't like the idea of temarie being smitten with shikamaru. I turned to gaara and grabbed the bags before swiftly throwing the door open, and stepping into the room flipping the lights. The room was plane, a bathroom just off to the right, bed with pale green covers, a desk, a shadowy figure outside the window. "Shit" I mumbled I flew across the room, and ripped open the window to see a figure bounding away. "Kankuro intruder. Stay with gaara." I shouted as I whipped out my hawk feather, and performed the jutsu. I was out The window, and on the guys ass faster than gaara could blink. When he made for a closing door about 1/2 a mile down the road, I knew I wasn't gonna catch him, so I pushed myself as fast as I could and snatched his head band, before he darted through the doorway and I slammed into it. I managed to hop back on my feet, but my wing, Or arm, was broke, so I released the jutsu,grabbed the headband with my good side and took off back in the direction of the hotel. When I made it back, I darted up the stairs to find gaara, tamari, and kankuro all sitting in mine and gaara's room. When I opened the door they all shot to their feet. Kankuro and tamari started bombarding me with questioned, before gaara told them to shut up. He walked up to me and gently touched my broken arm. It was starting to swell and turn an unsavory shade of purple. "Its broken, what happened?" he asked sounding a little angry. I flinched a little, remembering my father's tone right before he would beat me. Gaara's eyes seemed to soften, and he gently laid a hand on my shoulder. "Kankuro, find sakura tell her that one of your teammates have been hurt and that I personally request she Take a look and treat her wounds. Temarie, inform  Lord Kakashi of what has happened and that I will be at the hospital with our team mate." They both nodded before leaving, I turn to gaara to insist that I can walk myself, And that he should focus on meeting the hokage, but he just gives me a look that says "your not gonna win." So I decided to just accept the truth and headed for the door, gently cradling my arm with gaara walking closely behind me. About halfway there I noticed we were being followed. I tucked the headband In my weapons bag, and made a sharp right pulling gaara along in the process, belatedly I remembered stories of peoples who arms got crushed by gaara's sand. I glanced back to find my arm sand free, and it was gripping gaara's hand tightly.He pulled me to a stop and looked around. I groaned, "Shit." I should have studied that map of kohana Better, because I just blundered us into a dead end. I turned, putting myself between gaara and our follower. "You have given me quite the headache girly." the man growled as he pulled out his sword. "My job was simple, kill the guard protecting the kazekage, then kidnap him... But you know what sounds like even more fun? Killing you both! I mean you both have been such a pain." he said, as I dropped to the ground. "This is gonna hurt." I mumbled as I released one of the seals holding back my ten tails. I felt the chakra flow through me as I nearly screamed in pain. It hurt because I have to use my broken arm Forcing it to move to complete the complex hand signs. Gaara, surprisingly, put a sand wall between me and the man. " Tatsu. Stop. You'll only make your injury worse." he said softly, and I pulled back my ten tails. Before slowly climbing to my feet. "WHAT THE HELL? Were the hell did this sand come from?" the guy was panicking. I looked at gaara and nodded, before a whole, just big enough for me to go threw opened up in his sand. With in seconds I pounced on the man, and had a kunai buried in his shoulder. He managed to nail me in the ribs with his own kunai, my blood mixing with his as it splattered on the ground below. Only a second after I felt the blade sink into my side, Gaara got The man trapped in his coffin. "Sand coffin." I have seen this jutsu enough that it no longer made me feel ill. Knowing what was waiting what ever poor soul that got stuffed inside it. I turned to gaara and started sway, between broken arm throbbing pain in my ribs I was starting to have a hard time seeing. I glanced down in surprise as I felt the warm, wet sensation begin to soak into my shoes. Looking down I could see one side my body was coated in the red iron liquid. "Hey Gaara? I think... I need... to lay down..." I mumbled  As I started to black out. The last thing I remember seeing was  gaara reaching out to catch me, Arms outstretched. And, For just a second before everything went dark, I could swear he looked worried and scarred.