Home is where the cat is.
Naruto walked – well, stumbled really - into his apartment after a hard days training. They'd worked harder today than he could remember, but it was the usual for team seven none the less – Sakura flirted, Sasuke ignored her, and Kakashi read his book.
"Nadaaa?" He called out while walking to the kitchen.
Looking in the fridge, he located the can of cat food. Then he noticed there wasn't a fuzzy warmth around his ankles. Closing the fridge door, he looked around the room. This wasn't like Nada, he'd always come when Naruto called, especial when he had food. So, looking over the back of the couch, Naruto went looking for his cat.
Nada had been with Naruto longer than Iruka had. He'd found the pitiful excuse of an animal behind his building when he was five, almost ten years ago. Not knowing any better, Naruto decided to feed it. It was a good thing the creature had liked ramen. Duly named 'Nada', because he had even less than Naruto, the small black and white feline had found shelter with a boy who could hardly take care of himself. Luckily, Nada didn't seem to mind. After checking under the couch, Naruto headed to his bedroom. Nada had always liked sleeping in his cloths.
"There you are!" Naruto cried happily as he spotted his beloved pet in his dirty cloths. "C'mon! Its time to eat!"
Nada didn't answer.
"Nada?" he was starting to worry. Nada loved to eat, Naruto's food or his own – it didn't matter to Nada. Stepping closer, the fox-boy could see that the little cat wasn't breathing. "Nada?" the name was whispered as he reached out a hand to touch the cat's white-speckled head.
It was cold.
"NO! Nada! Please, don't do this, don't leave me…" Naruto pleaded with the shell that had once been his oldest friend. The limp body fell back into the pile of clothing from where it had been lifted. The Genin backed up, shaking his head. No, this couldn't be happening; it was a dream, yeah! A dream. That's what it was. He knew he was getting hysterical, but he didn't care. One of the few stable things had just died. Why would he be hysterical?
Backing into a corner on the other side of the room Naruto slid down the wall and curled into a ball. He pressed his face against his forearms, which were squished between his head and his thighs. The tears leaking out and over his arms, his hands limp on his knees. This couldn't be happening.
I'm writing this story in memory of my cat, Sebastian. Who died Wednesday July 13, 2005 around 10:30 PM. yep that was yesterday he was run over, and died in my garage. It looked like a very pain full death….