Chapter 4

The years after the Battle of Ten-Towns saw things slowly return to normal. I look on those days with fondness as I took Naruto on a journey, it was two fold in that it kept him out of most of the trouble and it allowed us to work on his skill amidst the wilds.

We met up with Bruenor, Catti-Brie and Regis away from the mines and heard about Bruenor's latest project, a young barbarian called Wulfgar. The old dwarf had seen something in the lad and while he worked off his indentured servitude in the mines, I trained my adopted son to keep him out of trouble and away from the young barbarian. Seasons passed quickly and before I knew it the child I had taken in as my own was nearly the same height and build as me.

In his youth Naruto emulated me and had carried scimitars like mine. Now he's changed, and after spending time with Bruenor came up with a pair of bladed weapons called tonfa. I am eager to see how he makes them and I am proud he is finding his own way.

~ Drizzt Do'Urden

XX

Nineteen-year-old Naruto Uzumaki Do'Urden clung to the wall, cloaked in shadows. He and his father had traveled the frozen planes, the blond learning from his adoptive drow father, returning every so often to meet with their friends. Now Naruto was using his skills to infiltrate the mines he was to sneak up on Bruenor and let him know they were back fully and opening their home once more. Sadly Naruto had gotten distracted as he spotted his friend. He hadn't seen her since last summer and now even covered with soot, her red hair shined in the dim light of the torches.

What prevented him from approaching was she was with a tall muscled youth that Naruto figured was Wulfgar.

He watched the barbarian hammer iron and Cattie-Brie watch the barbarian. They had never met officially face to face, but as he watched the giant blond he didn't like him. He was too arrogant and Naruto did not like the way the barbarian youth kept looking at Cattie-Brie.

Shaking his head he was about to leave when Bruenor himself entered. The dwarf examined the metal. Even from there Naruto could tell it was barely adequate.

While lost in thought he had missed the barbarian say something and Cattie-Brie stormed off and Wulfgar had left as well.

Looking around Naruto noticed Bruenor was alone. With a smile he dropped down behind him and nudged his shoulder.

He laughed as the dwarf gave a yelp.

"Dang blasted brat!" Bruenor roared seeing Naruto grinning. "'tis bad enough when yer father the elf does it, ye don't need to be followin' in his bad habits!"

Still grinning Naruto gave a slight bow of his head. "Dad's coming later, he wanted to check out something he saw on our way back." Naruto told the dwarf who had become an uncle to him.

"Bah. Knowin' yer pa he went ta pick a fight." Bruenor grumbled. "I take it he got my message?"

Naruto nodded. "He wants to meet him and take his measure before he decides." The blond looked at the blade. "Hopefully he does better learning from dad than he is a blacksmith."

Bruenor looked at the crude blade and nodded his head. "The lad isn't a blacksmith to be certain." He looked at Naruto. "An what are ye gonna be doin'?"

The blond shrugged. "I thought I'd go and see Regis. After that who can say. Dad doesn't really want me around your foundling. Something about I might destroy his confidence or him."

Bruenor looked at the blond and chuckled. "Aye. That you would." The two started walking the various tunnels, some of the dwarves working called out their greetings to the blond and their leader.

"How the blades workin' out for yeh?" the dwarf asked.

"Perfect. I nearly beat dad in our last spar." Naruto said with a huge grin, which Bruenor chuckled at. "Keep tellin' yeh, an axe an' shield."

"Sadly Naruto is designed for more flexible weapons." A voice said and Naruto grinned as his father stepped out of the shadows.

"Scat." Drizzt said to his adopted son.

"I'll tell Regis you said hi." Naruto said heading down a tunnel.

"An' tell me girl yer back!" Bruenor yelled after him to which Naruto waved over his shoulder.

XX

(Luskan)

Some time later…

"NA-RU-TO!"

Naruto looked up from his fishing pole to share a grin with the halfling next to him.

"I take it you didn't let Cattie-brie know you were back?" Regis said looking at his partner in fishing.

"She was occupied. Figured I could do it later." Naruto said as he turned to see the red head stomp towards them. Trailing behind her was her escort. After the time she and Naruto had fought with members of Ten Towns, Bruenor had insisted that his only daughter have an escort of at least two dwarves any time she came into Ten Towns.

"You know, I saw Bruenor look like that once." Regis was saying as he leaned back against the tree. "I think it was right before he head butted one of the councilmen who was demanding Bruenor pay taxes for living in the mountain."

Naruto smirked. He was about to say something when a certain redhead reached them.

"Explain." She demanded putting her hands on her hips while behind her the two dwarves skidded to a stop and doubled over gasping for air.

"Shhh." Naruto said. "You'll scare the fish away."

Naruto saw her eyes smolder and knew he was going to pay for putting her off. "Scare the fish! Scare the FISH!" she roared and Naruto had to admit her anger was something to see.

She is beautiful. He thought and watched as she picked up his fishing pole, snapped it over her knee and tossed it into the lake. Regis looked like was going to say something, but at a look from the young woman before them he gathered up his pole. "I have some business to take care of. I'll see you later." Naruto shook his head as the halfling scurried away.

Naruto looked at her and smiled. "Hey Cat, how've you been?"

Cattie-brie glared at her long time friend, and seeing his warm smile couldn't hold onto her anger. She dragged him into a hug.

"I never could stay mad at ye." She said releasing him.

"Well there was that one time…" Naruto began and the red heads glare caused him to laugh.

"It took me a month to get rid of that dye! I nearly asked da to shave me head." The two laughed and sat back against the tree.

"Go on and relax guys." Naruto called to her escort and looked at his friend who he hadn't seen in some time.

Fidgeting under his scrutiny she glared instead getting Naruto to chuckle, which caused her to slug him in the arm.

"Haven't seen ye since before the winter an' all you can do is stare an' laugh." The red head said.

"Sorry, sorry." Naruto said. "Its just…"

"So, what did ye and your pa do?" Cattie-brie asked.

"Mostly he took me to Mooshie's Grove and we spent the winter cleaning out a nest of goblins. And he taught me different ways to track." Naruto said. "We met a druid who was passing through. He actually treated dad decently."

Cattie-brie smiled at that. She knew how hard Drizzt tried for acceptance here at Ten Towns and while some tolerated the drow, she knew that Naruto and his adopted father preferred to run the tundra or spend time with the dwarves in the tunnels.

"What about you?" the blond asked.

"Worked on some of the things yeh left me." Cattie-brie said. "An' me an' da went and slew a couple of those tundra yeti that wandered into the area near the other entrance."

"You finally got your dad to let you out of the safety of the tunnels?"

Cattie-brie laughed. "I did say he went with me."

The two friends reconnected and in the distance three pairs of eyes watched and two of them held a hint of happiness.

XX

Naruto stood on the ridge above and watched as his father built up the bonfire that was before the tents. They were waiting for Bruenor and the young barbarian that the dwarf asked his father to train.

He was practicing focusing his chakra as he used it to keep sliver of steel hovering over his palm. He remembered when he first tried it and sent the sliver of metal flying and watched it cut thru his father's mug. For a long time after that he managed to spin it like a compass. Now it was perfectly still on end facing up.

He heard the crunching of snow and spotted the familiar horned helm and behind the dwarf was the mass of muscle that for the past years had been in service to the exiled king.

"This is where the fun begins." Naruto muttered and watched as his father kicked the legs out of Wulfgar. He was too far to hear the words but he knew the mass of blond muscle was going to get trained even if it had to be beaten into his thick skull.

XX

AN: Found this on my flash drive. Decided to give it out. Those who know health and real life have been brutal. Enjoy and happy holidays.