Lost, Found and Hellhounds
Sakura receives a letter from Tsume that simply says "Don't kill my brat and his friends". She considers activating the barrier seals around her home, but ultimately decides against it. She knows that Tsume is using this situation as a teaching moment for her pup and his friends, and as much as she resents being used in this way, she also respects Tsume. So she waits, with her pack spread out in the woods, ready for whatever may come. Shortly after Kiku, a red Kai Ken, joined Sakura on the porch, he laid down and let her know that their visitors would be arriving soon.
Sakura closed her eyes and lifted her nose to scent the air. Then she looked down at the canine and asked herself if it was a good idea. However, she didn't have an answer.
In silence they waited.
"That is literally what a coward is?"
"I will bite you."
"Why did I agree to do this?"
"You're all bark and no bite, dogboy."
*Growl* "Keep talking, you iceberg, 'cause my fangs ain't for show!"
Sakura felt a headache coming on even though they hadn't left the woods yet. Sharp green eyes locked with equally sharp dark brown ones.
"Dear Tsume said no killing, so anything below that is fair game," Sakura said, a smirk spreading across her face.
"I would have to agree. Shall I call the pack?" Kiku asked.
Sakura held her hand up and waited until their prey was just coming into sight. The moment she dropped her hand, a howl bellowed from her side, and the answering howls shook the trees. Sakura held back from laughing; she could see the fear clear as day on the kid's face as they froze in place.
"You've come this far, don't chicken out now. Best hurry before they catch you!" She called out to them, knowing the park was growing closer.
"Have... gasp... I told... gasp... you how... gasp... much I hate you right... gasp... now?"
"Shikaku didn't have to go making a carbon copy." Sakura thought.
"Dogboy... gasp... I hope... gasp... you get fleas."
"Uchiha? Definitely not." Sakura thought.
"Shut... gasp... up, not like I forced... gasp... ya to come!"
"Certainly Tsume's kid, but where is his pup?" Sakura thought.
Sakura let out a grumble as she remarked, "Well, you managed to survive." She then added, "But none of you noticed one important thing." Confusion spread across the faces of the boys as Sakura pointed at each one of them, counting. "There were four of you, and now there are only three." She waited for her words to sink in, trying her best not to burst into laughter as Tsume's kid's eyes widened and he started frantically looking around. Meanwhile, Mini Shikaku was gazing up at the sky and muttering "troublesome," while Uchiha seemed unfazed.
"Way to go dogboy, we almost got eaten by hellhounds and you lost your own hellhound."
"SHIT, MA'S GONNA KILL ME! THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME I'VE LOST AKAMARU THIS WEEK!" the boy yelled, pulling at his hair. "AND YOU, I'LL SHOW YOU A HELLHOUND, YOU PALE SHIT STAIN!"
As tension mounted and a confrontation seemed imminent, Sakura took swift action by delivering sharp slaps to the heads of both boys. Disregarding their pained protests, she strode past them and crouched down. With a silent plea to any deities that might be listening, she summoned her pack. A deep, ominous rumble ensued, causing the entire forest to hush. Meanwhile, the boys muttered to each other in subdued tones behind her.
"I didn't know a human could make that kind of sound," remarked Non-Uchiha.
"Did you forget to mention she was an Inuzuka?" inquired Mini-Shikaku.
"She isn't. I thought Naras were smart," retorted Tsume's kid.
An argument erupted between the three boys, while Sakura remained unmoving.
"What a drag," Mini-Shikaku sighed. "Do you know what she did, or not?"
"No? The closest thing I know would be like a recall?" Tsume's kid replied, looking a bit puzzled.
"And what is a recall?" Non-Uchiha asked.
"It's a specific signal that members of my clan use to call their ninken back, but each person has their own unique recall signal. My mother makes a pitched whistle to call her ninken back, while Hana has four different signals since she has three ninken. She has one signal for each individual ninken, one to call them all back together, and in case you were wondering, you can't mimic someone else's recall signal because the ninken will be able to tell the difference."
The air was heavy with silence, punctuated only by the hushed whispers of the group. Time seemed to stretch on endlessly as they waited, until the tranquility was shattered by the unmistakable sound of approaching footsteps, accompanied by the menacing growls of an unseen creature.
Despite the tension, Sakura remained perfectly still, her unwavering gaze fixed on a distant tree, her attention only partially engaged in the conversation behind her.
"Should we try to escape?" Non-Uchiha inquired, his voice tinged with concern.
"I value my life, troublesome as it may be," Mini-Shikaku replied with a hint of resignation.
"We'd never make it far, especially with Akamaru among them," Tsume's kid added with a note of urgency.
"Why didn't you recall him then?" Mini-Shikaku pressed, his confusion evident.
"I haven't come up with one yet," was the response, just before a pack of dogs burst into view, led by a formidable canine carrying Akamaru on its back. The ensuing scene left two members of the group bewildered, as they anticipated a boisterous Inuzuka rushing to greet his companion, only to be met with a surprisingly subdued and motionless figure.
"Come here, pup," Sakura said in a low tone, her green eyes trained on the white and brown puppy that had been placed on the ground by the large dog. Hesitantly, Akamaru walked up to her with his head down and tail between his legs. She spoke in a soft tone, asking him to look at her and assuring him that he wasn't in trouble. Hearing that, Akamaru lifted his head to look at her. The boys behind her were silent, unsure of what was going to happen.
Sakura reached her hand out slowly toward Akamaru, smiling when his wet nose hesitantly touched her hand. With a sigh, she placed her hand on his head, petting him. "Listen to me carefully, all of you," Sakura said as she glanced behind her, looking at each of their faces. "You are all on the path of being Shinobi - protectors, soldiers."
Sakura stood up with Akamaru huddled in her arm, her back still facing the boys, while looking at her Ninken. The five Ninken moved to stand at her side as she turned to face the boys. "No matter what happens, never put anything before you or your comrades - not your squad leader, not the village elders, not even the Hokage." Sakura walked over to the boys and handed Akamaru to Tsume's kid. "Now, life lessons are over. You came here for a reason, and due to that reason, I can't run you off, and I can't keep calling you 'Mini-Shikaku,' 'Tsume's pup,' and 'Non-Uchiha.'"
"Nara Shikamaru," Shikamaru bowed, wondering if she was close to his dad.
"Inuzuka Kiba and Akamaru," Kiba said, bowing his head to the side, with Akamaru doing the same.
"Uchiha Sai," Sai said hesitantly, bowing his head slightly.
Green eyes sparkled mischievously as she thought to herself, "So he's an Uchiha, how interesting." A toothy grin spread across her face as she spoke. "Well then, what do you brats want?"