Hey all, Pretty short chapter here, but it was important set up for the next chapter. That and i kinda wanted to get at least one new chapter up fairly fast for all those who waited so long. he next chapter will be a lot longe as it's going to include the ending of the wave arc and the return trip to Konoha. (excuses aside, consider this a filler chapter just so you guys know im not blowing my fans off and im still writing, i just seem to have incredibly bad luck --")

Naruto let out a long sigh after he sipped some of the green tea Tsunami had made them. He had been sitting at this table for two hours, trying to explain to his teammates, Tazuna, and Tsunami that he was a full fledged wolf demon, but that he wasn't about to try to kill them all in there sleep. Kakashi, having already heard the entire story, just sat back and watched how his student handled the predicament.

"Okay Naruto, so let me see if I have this straight, You're a wolf demon, who became a ninja in order to earn a living and not have an excuse to horribly maim people, and you hid your tail and ears to avoid persecution, you hadn't planned on telling anyone yet aside from Kakashi-sensei because he saw the ears and tail, but when your wolf bit your tail it broke your genjutsu and allowed everyone see it, is that right?" Sakura asked, breathing deeply.

'Well, he broke SOME of my genjutsu, but they don't need to know about that yet.'

"That's about the size of it Sakura, though, just for the record Aturu isn't my wolf, he's my partner and very touchy about people thinking of him as my property, he does understand English, though he lacks a few muscles to actually speak it. Naruto said.

Sakura shot an apologetic look at the wolf who nodded his acceptance.

"Then what would you call your race?" Sasuke asked, somewhat interested.

'We didn't really have a name for our race, per se. Instead, you would usually address who your talking to by the sub-species. Such as if you were talking to an Ookami that you didn't know, you would call them "Ookami-san" After you learned there name you just called them by that. Simari explained.

'Thanks Sim-chan.'

"Well, from what I understand, we didn't really have a name for our race, you just called us by our type, such as Ookami or Kitsune, and then once you knew our name you just called us by that." Naruto replied.

"So...even though your not technically human...your still Naruto, right?" Tsunami asked from the kitchen. Naruto smiled at the woman and nodded.

"That's right Tsunami-chan." Naruto replied.

"Do you have any other secrets?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, but none that you need to know, you can even be put to death for one in Konoha if you knew about it." Naruto replied.

"Put to death over a secret? I'm glad I never lived in a shinobi village, im not sure I could have put up with it." Tazuna stated.

Naruto shrugged. "You get used to it. However, are we all done delving into my personal life?" Naruto asked.

"Why did you save us back when we fought Zabuza?" Sasuke asked. The question had been driving him up a wall. Mainly because he didn't know if he would have done it or not. He needed to live to kill Itachi and restore his clan, he couldn't die yet. But that didn't mean he necessarily wanted any of his friends to die either.

"Wouldn't you have done the same thing?" Naruto asked. Sasuke looked down for a minute before answering.

"Honestly, I'm not sure. If I knew I wasn't going to die, I know I would, but if there was a chance I would die and Itachi lived...I'm not sure I could do it." Sasuke replied honestly.

"Naruto frowned somewhat before answering. "I did it cause I consider you, Sakura and Kakashi-sensei family. I would do the same for any of my friends and probably even strangers because I don't like to see people get hurt." Naruto answered.

"You consider us family? Like actual family?" Sakura asked, disbelieving somewhat. Naruto smiled once again and nodded.

"Why? What have we done for you?" Sasuke asked.

"You accepted me for who and what I am, when I saved you from Zazuba, we were friends, when you accepted me for me, even though you still don't know everything, you became family." Naruto answered with a happy smile on his face, his tail swaying behind him merrily.

The three other ninja were touched. Sasuke would never have thought Naruto would think of him like that, or anyone for that matter. Maybe it was time for him to put Itachi behind him and move on with life? With a new brother.

'And possibly a new woman.' Sasuke thought to himself as he gazed at Sakura. He quickly caught what he was doing and shook himself out of it before anyone could notice.

Sakura was much the same as Sasuke, particularly since she had been somewhat crude to Naruto before because her mother had said it was all right to mistreat him. Maybe she should stop putting so much thought into what others do and think. Kakashi just sat there with a smile on his face thinking it was nice to have friends.

"However, if you think that mean's I'll let you touch my tail, your sorely mistaken." Naruto said in a serious voice. The others sweat dropped slightly at the mood breaker, but let it pass as Tsunami came out of the kitchen with food.

Tsunami put the food on the table and everyone began to eat in enjoyable silence. A few minutes later Inari came into the room. The boy seemed to have a serious problem with happy moods in general. Naruto had noticed him skulking around the past few days. Glaring at everyone and everything, particularly the ninja. Inari seemed to struggle with himself for a moment before shouting at the ninja.

"Why!? Why are you helping us?! Your all just going to die!" The boy yelled.

Naruto and Aturu visibly blanched as the loud yell assaulted they're ears. "We're helping because for one, Its what we're paid to do. And secondly, It's the right thing to do." Naruto answered.

"The right thing to do? What would you know about it? About how much we suffered? I bet you just live some babied, comforted life back where you came from!" Inari yelled at him.

Kakashi visibly tensed as Naruto stopped eating. He had seen only a little of what Naruto had to put up with, and it had nearly made him sick. Kakashi raised an eyebrow as Naruto started to chuckle, then laugh in a manner much like Zabuza.

"Even if you were right about me leading a babied life, at least im trying to help people who need it. What are you doing? Your sitting there and crying like a little baby while those precious to you are risking they're lives to fix they're home, your home. And if you have decided it's impossible to stop Gato, to complete the bridge, to protect your family, then sit back and cry like a little baby, I'll protect them, so no one has to put up with what I have"Naruto finished, leaving a crying Inari and stunned room. He grabbed his hooded jacket and walked out the door, Aturu following shortly after.

Everyone unleashed a breath they didn't notice they were holding as Naruto left. Inari numbly turned around and walked up to his room. Kakashi followed shortly after and set Inari straight on Naruto's life, and why he had snapped.

- - - - - - - - - - with Naruto

"Pessimistic little piss ant..." Naruto mumbled, walking through the woods.

'Oh come on Naru-kun, cheer up, he's just a little kid.' Simari said.

'I know, but it still makes me mad.' Naruto answered. Sighing in frustration, he plopped down on the ground and tried to clear his head. Naruto had stormed his way through the forest and into an unfamiliar clearing. A lot of tall trees stood around the clearing, a small pond was situated where the ground ran lower, reflecting the waxing moon and illuminating the area. The wolf boy looked up as he heard Aturu enter the clearing he had stormed into.

"Are you all right Naruto?" Aturu asked. Naruto sighed and nodded his head. Thinking for a moment, Aturu seemed to brighten as he had an idea.

"Come on, why don't we go for a hunt, the moon's three quarters full, more than enough light with which to hunt." Aturu said. Naruto frowned slightly.

"That's right, I forgot to tell Aturu..."

"I forgot to tell you this before Aturu, but im blind." Naruto replied.

Aturu blinked before asking. "Your blind? How did that happen?" Naruto grimaced and replied.

"You'll see when we return to my home village." Aturu nodded, seeing he had picked up a sore subject.

"Then I have good news, there is a certain technique within the Ookami clan that allows partners to see from each other's eyes. It is not permanent, usually used as a scouting technique." Aturu explained. The offer needless to say, intrigued Naruto.

"Interesting..." Naruto said.

Aturu nodded. "So how about that hunt?" The wolf asked. Naruto sighed before answering.

"I'd like to Aturu, but I didn't come out here just to blow off steam, I really need to train in case we run into trouble on the mission again." Naruto said.

"Hmm...what are you training? Speed, strength, stamina...?" Aturu asked.

"Judging from my last battle, I need to build up my strength." Naruto replied

"Hmm, strength training eh? I have an idea that might help with that, but you shouldn't do it to often for risk of permanently damaging your muscles. Have you unlocked your regenerative properties yet?" Aturu asked. Naruto shook his head and the wolf continued.

"Hmm, are you sure?" Aturu asked

"Positive, thus far i've been relying on my partner, Simari-chan for that." Naruto replied. The wolf gave Naruto an inquisitive look.

"Simari-chan?" Aturu asked.

Naruto sighed. Telling Aturu the story was going to be a real pain in the ass, so he settled in for a long story and had the wolf do the same.

"It all started roughly two-hundred years ago during the false demon war..."

As Naruto wove his, and simari's life into a grand tale, Aturu remained quiet and let the wolf boy talk. To say it was anything short of astonishing would have been a crime. At least that's how Aturu saw it. To see how people's lives twisted and turned to take the most wildest and unexpected directions truly amazed Aturu as he thought about the over all scheme of how The false demon war affected the Kitsune and Ookami clan. Leading to Simari and Naruto's mother's flight to simari's aunt. How the old Kitsune used the ancient sleeping Jutsu to forestall Naruto's birth and how Simari watched over the child and mother for over two centuries, all leading to how Simari was sealed into her own husband's Stomach.

"And that's the story, So, what was that training you had in mind?" Naruto asked, wanting to get off the subject of his life. Shaken out of his thoughts, Aturu took a moment to remember what exactly it was he was going to teach Naruto.

"Have you gotten your first kill yet?" The wolf asked. Naruto nodded and the wolf gave a grin.

"Good, I can teach you a little about how to use ice, as for my strength gaining technique, what your going to do, is basically train like hell, then use Simari-san's regenerative properties to mend your ripped muscles quickly, then repeat the process." Aturu explained. Naruto gave a thoughtful look and shrugged, getting up and stretching.

"All right, sounds like that's a good idea, any specific way to go about this?" Naruto asked. The wolf nodded.

" Your going to do 20 repetitions of each exercise as fast as you can, and your going to keep doing that until you can't move, now snap to!" Aturu said in a commanding voice. Naruto nodded and started doing squats as fast as he could.

- - - - - - - - 2 hours later...

Naruto was drenched in sweat, his entire body quivering with the strain of remaining upright to finish the squats he was doing. Normally when he did exercises, he did them at a normal pace and took breaks in between sets. Now as soon as he finished one, he hopped straight to the other, and the strain was showing with no breaks. His muscles felt like they were on fire every time he moved. His actual movements had slowed down quite a bit as he was finishing each repetition by sheer force of will. Pushing against the ground with the last of his energy, Naruto exhaled and then collapsed after finishing the push-up, his eyes closing as he hit the ground.

"That was pretty good, now let Simari-san heal you, if she would." Aturu said.

'Naru-kun? Do you have a minute?' Simari asked, somewhat timidly.

'What's up Sim-chan, ' Naruto asked.

'Well, I was wondering we might be able to spend some time together here soon?' Simari asked.

Naruto was confused slightly. So he voiced his confusion.

'Sim-chan, what do you mean? We talk to each other all the time, I mean, you live in my naval, how can we spend more time together?' Naruto asked.

' Well, that's true, but you've barely been paying me any attention the past few days. I want to spend some time with you that doesn't involve near-death situations and training.' Simari replied, hugging herself.

Naruto fidgeted guiltily at that, he hadn't been paying her any attention, he'd just been so busy.

I'm sorry Simari, I've just been busy, I promise when I go to sleep tonight we'll spend some time together, ok?' Naruto asked. Simari seemed to think for a moment before nodding happily.

- - - - - - - - Outside Naruto's mind

"Are you all right Naruto?" The wolf asked. Naruto snapped out of his daydream and nodded at Aturu.

"I'm fine, what's next?" Naruto asked. Aturu gave an evil grin that would have set Naruto on edge if he could see it.

"Your going to repeat what you just did, however, your going to double your repetitions." Aturu answered. Naruto visibly paled.

"You want me to do Forty of everything?!" Naruto cried.

"In the same amount of time to. So, you've got two hours, might want to get to work lest you face the consequences of failing." Aturu said.

"What consequences? Naruto asked.

"If you don't finish on time, you'll find out." Aturu replied slyly. Naruto was a blur as he ran through his exercises as fast as he could after that.

- - - - - - - - - - - The next morning

Naruto woke up from a wonderful dream that included a certain arctic fox to the smell of raw meat. Taking another sniff of the air, Naruto found Aturu was near, and had apparently caught breakfast.

"Good morning Naruto, eat your breakfast quickly, then we're going to go over ice techniques." Aturu said. Naruto nodded and started to set up a fire. However, halfway through setting up a pit, he caught wind of he dead rabbits again, and had the sudden urge to just eat them raw. Shaking off the feeling he quickly fixed and ate his breakfast, joining Aturu over by the pond in the clearing after he finished.

"Thanks for breakfast Aturu." Naruto said.

"Bah, no problem Naruto, let's just get started." Aturu replied. Naruto nodded and took a seat in front of the wolf. After Naruto got comfortable, Aturu began speaking.

"Okay Naruto, As you know, you can also use hyton. However, that doesn't mean you can use Hyton ninjutsu." Aturu said. Naruto frowned slightly as he spoke.

"What's the difference between the two?" Naruto asked. Aturu gave a knowing smile and started to explain.

"The difference between being able to use hyton, and using hyton ninjutsu is quite big. You see, when one uses hyton ninjutsu, they are actually combining wind and water ninjutsu to form hyton techniques . When one uses hyton, they are actually manipulating the hyton element. Aturu explained.

"I still don't see the difference, aren't you still just forming Hyton regardless of which way you do it?" Naruto asked.

Aturu shook his head and spoke again.

"No, when you use hyton jutsu, you are basically just mixing a wind and water jutsu together to form a new jutsu which you can't manipulate and waste quite a bit of chakra to pull off, since your essentially doing three jutsu at once. When you use the element hyton, you have actual control over the element, capable of manipulating it into shapes, forms, all kinds of things and it takes no where near as much chakra or concentration as using three jutsu at once." Aturu explained.

An enlightened look came over Naruto's face as he finally grasped the concept of what Aturu was saying.

"So, for example, I could manipulate the hyton element to create ice sickles to impale enemies without using hand seals?" Naruto asked. Aturu grinned and nodded. Naruto's mouth was open as if it were on a hinge.

"TEACH ME TEACH ME TEACH ME!" Naruto cried out, bowing to Aturu. The wolf chuckled at his antics and got to work.

"Ok, first thing's first, your going to have to learn how to manipulate wind and possibly water. We should probably start with wind, since were here in wave country and everything." Aturu said. Naruto gave the wolf a confused look.

"I thought I just needed to learn how to manipulate ice? Not learn how to make ice Jutsu with wind and water jutsu." Naruto questioned.

Aturu nodded before speaking. " Normally, that would be the case when. However, we have to do things differently. When Ookami clan members were taught how to manipulate ice, we were in our homeland, which was constantly covered in snow and ice, thus eliminating the need to learn how to manipulate wind and possibly water to create ice. However, since we currently are nowhere near any ice, your going to have to use wind chakra to form ice out of the water around here so you have something to manipulate." Aturu explained.

"Ah, that makes sense, so how do I learn to manipulate wind chakra?" Naruto asked. In answer to the wolf-boy's question, Aturu picked a leaf up in his mouth and spit it into Naruto's hand.

"What you need to do, is try to force your chakra to take an edge and cut the leaf in half." Aturu said. Naruto looked confused as he pondered the reason for the exercise.

"Regardless of the answer, im still going to do it, but why do I need to cut the leaf? Wouldn't I need to try and make it float on wind or something?" Naruto asked.

"Good question, I can see where your coming from with having it float on wind, which is something, if given enough time and practice, you could do. However, that isn't the only property the wind element has. What wind users are most known for is they're mid, to short range combat because of wind chakra's cutting ability." The wolf explained

"Cutting ability?" Naruto asked. Aturu nodded.

"Wind chakra is sharper than the most expensive kunai or Katana, capable of cutting through things the sharpest steel can't." Aturu said. The look on Naruto's face was one of awe as he thought about the capabilities of what he could do with wind chakra.Before Naruto could delve too far into the possibilities Aturu brought him back to earth with a light nip on the hand.

"Before you go spacing out on me about all the wondrous things you could do, let's take this one step at a time, so get to work on that leaf, I'll be back in a little bit." Aturu said before he turned around and dashed into the woods. Naruto frowned slightly as he started forcing chakra into the leaf to find... that nothing happened.

"Something tells me this may take a while..." Naruto thought to himself.

And this was how Naruto spent the rest of his week. In the morning he would wake up and begin working on mastering the use of wind chakra. When the afternoon rolled around, he'd go back to the house for lunch and to replace his shadow clones. And a strenuous evening of intense strength training would follow. Often time he wouldn't even move from where he dropped and just sleep th night in the woods, which is how he was found as a young woman found her way into the clearing looking for more herbs...

Hmm, I just can't seem to find that herb..." Said the young woman known as Haku. She bent down to the trunk of a tree and started sorting through all the herbs she saw.

'...to leafy...to long...jeeze, this one looks almost like a string bean, wrong!...to furry...wait, furry?' Haku suddenly stopped to take a closer look at what she found. It was long, probably a little over a foot, if not a foot and a half. And it had grey silver fur all along it's length. As her tunnel vision cleared, she saw two legs on either side of the tail that were covered in black cargo pants. This led her to a muscled abdomen covered by a grey muscle shirt. Then she saw a head. It had three whisker like marks on either cheek, eyes covered by a headband and spiky silver hair. And at the very top were a pair of..."

'Oh...my...Kami...SO CUTE!' Haku mentally cried as she saw the ears. She was about to dive closer to get a better feel when suddenly, (and to her slight disappointment) a full picture formed in her mind. Showing the young man who was with the group of Konoha ninja who were protecting the old man.

'This is the one Zabuza-sama was interested in...oooh, what do I do? Would Zabuzasmam won't me to bring him back? Kill him, leave him alone? Oooooh...'

Haku's hand shook indecisively as it creeped down to her side where she kept a hidden senbon needle...

-to be continued...