Cats and Dogs (Naruto)

Chapter Eight

Shiro and Kuro were settling into their new life in The Hidden Leaf Village. On days they didn't have missions or assignments, they trained with Genma in the morning, took long naps in the afternoon, after naps they found new fishing spots or explored the village and in the evenings, they went stargazing before turning in for the night. They had a semi-lazy solitary routine and stuck to it when they weren't on missions.

Genma was starting to worry the cat like girl wasn't making friends with any of the other genin her age. He decided to tail her on their day off. She woke early in the morning and Genma chuckled to himself as he heard her talking to Kuro.

"Kuro, let's go, time for training."

The cat must have protested.

"Aw, come on, don't be a grumpy old man, I wanted to try a complete transformation today, you promised you'd help me." Shiro whined.

After a long moment he heard Shiro stomp her foot and head for the door. Apparently, she hadn't persuaded her feline friend.

"Okay, then I'm heading out on my own." Her door clicked shut quietly and Genma concealed himself and trailed after her careful to keep his distance.

She was wearing another one of her cutesy cat themed outfits. She had on a pair of white spandex shorts with a long loose fitting lavender tank top and a sleeveless white hooded jacket over top the hood was pulled up and had two cute little cat ears poking up at the top. Her forehead protector was around her neck, where she usually wore it.

Shiro stretched as she walked and concealed a yawn. She paused and looked around curiously. Genma hurriedly hid behind a building careful not to make a sound. He wasn't entirely sure how good her hearing was, but he had a suspicion and if his suspicion was correct, it wouldn't matter if he was hidden or silent, she'd be able to hear him.

"Good morning, Shiro." He heard Kakashi's voice and peered around the corner of the building. When did Kakashi get there?

"Good morning, Kakashi-sensei." Shiro smiled politely.

"Where's your little shadow?" He pointed to her shoulder where the black cat usually perched.

"He's being a grump today." Shiro grumbled.

Kakashi chuckled as he fell in step beside her, "Are you settling in okay?"

Shiro smiled, "Yeah, I really like it here. There's lots of great napping spots and plenty of tasty fishies." Her bright violet eyes scanned the surrounding area curiously, like she was looking for something.

Genma panicked and was about to step out of hiding when a soft "mer" came from behind him. He turned to find the black cat sitting behind him staring at him intently. "I'm not spying." Genma mouthed before shaking his head, why was he trying to defend himself to a cat?

"Mer." Kuro's response sounded somewhat disdainful. It was amazing how expressive he could find the grumpy black cat at times.

"I'm just worried about her." He mouthed again.

This gave the cat pause. His bright green eyes bore into the jonin searching the depths of his soul trying to find a lie or any kind of deceit. Satisfied with what he found, Kuro stretched to his feet and hopped onto the jonin's shoulder.

Genma turned to the grumpy cat with wide eyes, "What are you doing? Never mind cats can't talk. I'm going crazy." He muttered under his breath before peering around the corner of the building he'd stashed himself behind. Shiro and Kakashi were gone. "I don't suppose you could point us in the right direction?"

Kuro's tail flicked and pointed in the direction Shiro and Kakashi had gone. Genma kept to the shadows and trailed after them. He spotted them after a while near the sweet dumpling shop. Kakashi appeared to be somewhat tense and on high alert. After a few moments the pair were approached by two more jonin. Kurenai the leader of team 8 and Asuma the leader of team 10.

"Hey guys. You two seem to be getting along." Kakashi commented casually.

Kurenai's cheeks flushed scarlet and she averted her gaze, "Idiot. Anko just asked me to pick up some rice dumplings for her."

"What are you doing here?" Asuma asked him curiously before looking down at the cat like girl curiously.

Kakashi lightly placed his hand atop Shiro's head as he noticed her body tense keeping her from turning her head as she picked up on the threat sitting within the dumpling shop. "I needed to buy something to put on a grave and bumped into Shiro. Plus, I'm meeting somebody here. I'm just waiting on Sasuke."

Shiro's ears twitched as she heard the slightest movement within the shop, the tensing of muscles, the slight twitch of a finger holding a cup of steaming hot tea. Her violet eyes flicked toward the shop, but the table she'd sensed the threat at was now empty, its inhabitants gone. She noticed Kurenai's gaze flit toward the shop as Asuma continued to play oblivious keeping the conversation flowing naturally.

"Huh, it's not like you to be waiting on someone. Is it for Obito?" Asuma asked.

Shiro heard a change in Kakashi's heartbeat at the mention of the name Obito. She looked to him curiously at the melancholy note to his heartbeat.

"Obito?" Kurenai didn't seem to recognize the name.

"Yeah, kind of." Kakashi responded as he glanced into the shop and realized the threats had vanished.

"Kakashi, it's not like you to be early." Sasuke, a boy with unruly dark hair and a hard gaze shuffled toward the group, his gaze fell on the cat like girl and narrowed momentarily as he noted Kakashi's hand sitting atop her head. "What gives?" He shot a look at the cat like girl.

Shiro frowned once more, she didn't like the sound of Sasuke's heartbeat it was violent and filled with rage, malice and a thirst for vengeance and power. She swiftly ducked away from the group before bowing politely. Her violet gaze latched onto Genma and Kuro's hiding spot, "Genma-sensei are you and Kuro done stalking me?"

Kakashi, Asuma and Kurenai chuckled as Genma stepped out of hiding his face red, looking flustered, "I wasn't stalking you! Don't say it like that!" He groaned as he joined the group.

Genma and Shiro noticed a silent exchange between Kakashi and the other two jonin before Kurenai and Asuma took off in a hurry. Kakashi turned to Genma, "Would you two like to join us for something to eat?"

Shiro lightly tugged on Genma's hand, "No thanks, Kakashi-sensei." She smiled politely as she attempted to drag her bemused sensei away.

"What are you doing, Shiro?" Genma chuckled as Kuro leapt off his shoulder and landed atop the cat girl's head as she dragged him away.

"I have a bad feeling...they're going to need help..."

Genma frowned as he pieced together what had happened in the short span of time during their exchange. It made sense to him now why Kakashi had made physical contact with her, to keep her from engaging a stronger target. Whoever the intruders were, they were too strong to involve genin. He lightly pulled back halting the cat like girl.

"I'll get help, I don't want you involved."

"But-."

"No buts." Genma said somewhat sternly but instantly regretted it as he saw sorrow cloud her violet eyes. "It's for your safety."

"What should I do?" Shiro frowned.

"Why don't you go find Kiba?"

"Ick." Shiro grimaced, "I'd rather go swimming." She folded her arms across her chest and turned her nose up in disdain causing Genma to chuckle.

"Then go swimming, just stay away for a bit so I know you're safe." Genma ruffled her snow-white hair affectionately before sending her away. Shiro sighed and reluctantly obeyed his orders. 

Video- Out of Time By RAIGN