Madara was talking to the Eldest Uchiha blacksmith when the screams began:
“TOBIRAMA SENJU IS COMING THIS WAY!!”
Madara began running for the main gate. Fortunately, he had on most of his armor since he’d been training with Hikaku but one of the shoulder pieces had cracked under a sword strike which was why he’d been talking with the blacksmiths.
“TOBIRAMA IS AT THE GATE!!!”
Madara ran faster.
“TOBIRAMA HAS A DEMON CAT WITH HIM!!!!”
Madara slowed for a moment trying to figure out what the hell was meant by the last scream. But he mentally shrugged it off and charged through his highly agitated and well-armed Clan members who were gathered at the main gate and ready to fight off Tobirama Senju.
He bulled his way through the last of his kin and was able to see the gate.
There, just before the line that would bring him inside the compound was Tobirama Senju.
Alone.
Except for a black cat that he held by the scruff of the neck. A black cat with red eyes that was yowling, hissing, and violently struggling in the clearly irritated man’s grip.
Tobirama scowled as Madara cautiously approached. “There you are.” He flung the cat at Madara. “You can have him back!”
Madara ducked the furry missile who landed with a thud on the ground behind him. The yowling became even louder and shrill. To Madara’s shock the cat actually bounded back towards Tobirama. With the obvious intent to attack.
“Stupid moron!” Tobirama made a single hand movement and water came from the ground and engulfed the body of the cat, leaving the head free. With another hand movement, the ball of water (and cat) rose and hovered in front of Madara. “Take him and the next time your idiot brother sneaks into my laboratory, I’m going to treat your idiot brother the same way I treat my idiot brother when he touches things that he’s not supposed to.”
“Izuna?” Madara blinked. He knew he wasn’t understanding something. He looked at the cat then at Tobirama. “Where is Izuna?”
Tobirama huffed angrily and rolled his red eyes up to the heavens. He looked back down and pointed at the cat still floating in front of Madara. “That is YOUR idiot brother. YOUR idiot brother somehow got into our compound and found his way to my laboratory. Where YOUR idiot brother TOUCHED things that he shouldn’t have. YOUR idiot brother touched a seal that I was working on and because Izuna is as big an idiot as MY brother, he pushed chakra into the seal. And now YOUR idiot brother is a cat!”
Madara could feel his clan members actually starting to relax. He even had heard a couple of giggles during Tobirama’s rant. He looked at the furious, red-eyed black cat. “Izuna, meow twice if that’s really you.”
The cat snarled then meowed. Twice.
Behind him, Madara heard Hikaku mutter “Blessed Amaterasu, please reverse whatever it is Izuna did to himself, I don’t wanna become Heir! Please, please, please!”
The cat also clearly heard Hikaku’s prayer because it glared, hissed, and tried to claw at Hikaku despite the water surrounding it.
Madara could feel the headache forming behind his eyes. He looked at Tobirama “How long before this wears off?”
Tobirama shrugged one shoulder. “I’m not really sure. No more than twenty-four hours though.”
Madara nodded then spoke grudgingly “Thank you for returning him.” He reached into the water globe and grabbed Izuna the cat by the scruff.
Tobirama dissipated the water globe and exchanged glares with Izuna. “Just keep your idiot brother out of my lab!” He turned on the heel of one sandal and sprinted off into the forest.
“Do you want a squad to follow him?” asked Hikaku.
“No. Shut the gates.” Madara began walking towards his home. Izuna began to struggle to get free. Madara raised his arm until the black cat was level with his face. “Do. Not. Try. My. Patience. You will have a lot of explaining to do.”
Izuna drooped, gave Madara a pitiful look and a pathetic meow.
Madara knew his brother and wasn’t falling for it. “When you’re back to yourself, I’m throwing you in the koi pond!”
Izuna yowled in protest, but Madara ignored him as he threw the cat into the house before taking off his sandals. “Go to your room and stay there!” Madara slumped to the floor “Blessed Amaterasu, why me? Why do I have an idiot for a brother and another idiot for a frenemy?”
Amaterasu didn’t answer. She was too busy laughing.