Sorry about the wait. I have to get back into my stride and work on these stories. I have a million oneshot ideas floating about my head, so I have to push them aside so I can get back to work on some of my older stories. Read and review!! XxhugsxX

Cougar

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Hinata POV

'Oh my Kami…'

I was sitting at Ichiraku's with Naruto. It was taking everything in me not to faint. For the sake of appearances, Akamaru was with us, sitting at the bottom of my stool. I picked at my bowl of beef ramen while Naruto finished his fifth Miso. I tried not to stare.

"What's wrong, Kiba? Normally you can keep up until the fourth bowl!"

I eeped. Think of something!!

"Oh… I'm not hungry today. I had a huge breakfast."

I could have pat myself on the back. I didn't stutter once in front of Naruto. Hey… if he thinks I'm Kiba…

I resisted the urge to fidget my fingers. Picking up my bowl, I slurped down the contents, wiping my mouth on my sleeve. I knocked Naruto on the back.

"Come on! Let's go do something fun!"

Akamaru was at my heel. I left the bill for Naruto.

"H-hey!! Kiba!! I wasn't finished…"

He quickly finished his bowl and slammed the money down, following after me.

Shino POV

I couldn't help it. The situation was priceless. Yes, I was deeply sorry for her, but I couldn't help but laugh with Kiba. Kiba was laughing at the look on Hinata's face, but I was laughing at the cruel irony of the situation. Nothing could be done to help her. She would have to handle it on her own.

"Nice shades." I heard my own voice quip.

I turned to look at Kiba. Like he had room to talk. Just look at what he has me wearing! Although, I hadn't been aware that my hair could do that. It looked almost manageable in that state. I sidled my way closer to him.

"Thanks. Nice hair."

My low, sarcastic tone did not match the feminine voice that expressed it. It would still be a while until I got used to it. Once I was in front of Kiba, I grabbed his shoulder, yanking him down to my pitifully short level, and touched the hair. Just how did he do that? I was fascinated.

"Err… Sh- Hinata? What're you doing?"

The confusion was evident.

"Just shut up for a minute."

My hair is naturally a bit curly, which is why it poofs like that, spiky at the ends. It was bone straight. Perplexing; I found myself not only wondering how he did it, but why he even knows how to do that… And then I found myself wondering why I was so fascinated. Probably because it was my own body.

"How did you get your hair to do that?"

If only slightly, the habit was getting easier to fall into for sense of self. I was me and he was he. That's just the way it would have to be for the moment.

"Shino?"

Kiba POV

"What?"

"What?"

Shino and I both spoke in unison when his name was called. We both turned to see Kurenai.

"Where's Hinata?"

I snickered.

"Naruto got a hold of her. He had apparently remembered what he needed me for, and dragged her off."

I saw a laugh make its way to her throat, and she covered the smile with her hand.

"Oh!." she laughed once.

Shino cleared his throat next to me.

"Any news, Sensei?"

She regained her composure.

"Yes, actually. I got Shikamaru involved. He suggested the Yamanakas. But…"

"ALRIGHT!" I whooped, straining my vocal chords. An elbow nudged into my side, and Hinata's voice followed.

"…But, if I recall correctly, Ino and her father are off on a mission."

My smile dropped. Say wha…?

"That's right, Shino. They'll be gone for two weeks at the very least. You three will have to make due until they get back. Tell Hinata when she gets back from her date."

I growled. That was MY body she was in! What would people think!?

"Hey!!"

I heard a quiet snort from beside me. Kurenai left us then, probably to go off and laugh it up. I turned back to Shino.

"So… the hair…"

Hinata POV

So, really, it wasn't like we were on a date or anything. It was more like… training. Apparently, Kiba and Naruto find it a barrel of laughs to roughhouse with each other. I growled as I narrowly missed a kick to the head… from twelve different directions. At least, that's what it seemed like. The three clones collided above my head, poofing out of existence. I decided to put my minimal training as an Inuzuka to the test.

"Come on, Hinata! Don't let him push you around! Use the pill!"

I nodded.

"Good idea, boy."

"Arf!"

Diving to the side to avoid a frontal tackle, I shot my hand to my hip pouch, digging through the unfamiliar contents for a soldier pill. Upon finding one, I tossed it, and Akamaru leapt, catching it and swallowing it. In moments, the boost of chakra caused his fur to redden.

"NOW!" came the feral voice.

I crouched quickly, and he jumped on my back as I used the Four-Legged jutsu, and then I called out the name of the clone jutsu. The dog transformed into a perfect feral copy. Hopefully these clothes wouldn't get mussed too bad. I had already removed the jacket and the hat. We darted forward. Naruto's blue eyes hardened as he prepared to block. Ah… but he was used to fighting Kiba. I was sure I could take him in this fight. Akamaru circled in behind, and we stopped short, instead of going into the Fang Over Fang technique as he had expected. My counterpart and I fell into loose versions of the Jyuuken stance, which evidently confused Naruto. The puzzlement dominated his features, and we took the moment to strike, darting forward. Instead of striking, however, we acrobatically jumped over him and crossed paths. Using my partner's body as a surface, I launched higher in the air.

Naruto POV

"Dattebayo?"

I was at a loss for words. What the hell, man? Kiba's moves were confusing me. Both him and his dog. He looked as if he was trying, badly I might add, to imitate Neji. Wait, Hinata is on his team, isn't she? Maybe he was mimicking her? Weirdo- Oh!

The pair soared over my head, and I ducked, and ready forming the hand seal for a Shadow Clone. One of them jumped higher in the air, and the other skidded in the dirt. Then, they both twisted into a drill, headed straight for me. I made a few clones to take the impact, but both drills missed considerably. Was he… toying with me?

The very thought made me growl. Toy with me and I'll play back. So, the dog wants to play a little game? Well, he might just enjoy a game of fetch-the-ball. The chakra sparked in my palm as my clone jabbed the energy.

Ino POV

"Dad!!"

Ino threw a trio a shuriken, hitting the aggressive man in the face and effectively removing him from her father. The blonde man had been caught off-guard, and the two had been attacked. Inoichi had been disarmed and attacked heavily; his daughter having been thought to be none too much of a threat. Were they ever wrong. The Father and daughter slammed together, back-to-back, kunais drawn. A new slew of the bandits emerged, and the pair worked simultaneously, forming the handsigns.

"Mind Destruction Jutsu!"

The clamor turned away from them, as the assaulting party turned on each other. The Yamanakas fled; they still had not arrived at their destination. Things like this continually popped out at them as they traipsed across unfamiliar and hostile territory.

So… about the absence…. This chapter would have been published about two weeks ago, but my laptop took a crap. However, I just got it back from the shop and finished typing the last bit of this baby up ;D Enjoy. Read, relax, and review.