Sakumo Hatake leaned over his young son, his hand resting lightly on the boys soft silver hair as he lay back on his bed and looked up at his father. Today had been rough for Kakashi. Between training his eight year old son in hand to hand combat, weapons combat, teaching him how to spot poisonous plants, and dangerous animals, their day had been a bit overwhelming for the child. Not that Sakumo could blame the boy for being tired, or for being sore. Sakumo had'nt bothered to hold back during their sparring matches and had given the boy more than a few painful scratches, bruises and sprains.

"Did I do okay, dad?" Kakashi asked as he siffled a yawn behind one tiny hand. Sakumo smiled at his son and grasped his small hand and ran his thumb over Kakashi's knuckles. Thy were bruises, the skin broken and covered in dry blood.

"You did perfect Kakashi." Just like he always did. Despite Kakashi's young age, the boy had learned the lessons that Sakumo had been teaching him perfectly. It would'nt be much longer before he would have to teach Kakashi how to do more than just hunt, fight and farm.

"Do you think I'll be any help when the bad men come?" Kakashi asked innocently and Sakumo's fingers gripped his son's hair for a second before he forced himself to relax, not wanting Kakashi to know that he would most likely be killed if he interfered in the upcoming fight.

Sakumo had been a black ops, a soldier on an extremly sensitive mission for the US government when he and his team had been betrayed by their own leader and all of them but him had been killed. Knowing that he was living with a propetual death sentance hanging over his head he had returned home, grabbed his son and run like hell.

The two of them had ended up in the remote mountain region of Maine.

Sakumo had destroyed their car, hiked up to the highest place on one of the mountains, built a log cabin and had started to teach Kakashi what he could to help him survive while he had the chance too. He knew that it was only a matter of time before his time was up, and a few sweepers were sent to kill him. That had been two years ago, and though things seemed peaceful enough, he was parinoid enough to know that they were coming. He was'nt so stupid as to believe that they would give up so soon.

"Yes, son. I think you'll do great in a fight with them." Sakumo lied as he ran his fingers through Kakashi's hair. His heart aching in his chest as he forced himself to smile at his son. He hated his job. Hated that things had come to this. Hated that his son, the only family he had left was going to go through part of his life without his father.

Kakashi smiled and sank deeper under the covers and gave his dad a crooked smile, apparently pleased with his father's answer. "Cool. What am I learning tomorrow?" Kakashi asked curiously as his eyes drooped a bit. Sakumo smiled at his son again, this time the motion was more relaxed and less forced.

"Wolf and lynx mating habits. You need to know what to look for in behaivor, and action so that you'll know what to look for and when to avoid them and their territory."

Kakashi made a face. "Sounds fun..." Not. Kakashi thought as he snuggled deeper under the covers. Sakumo snorted. He knew sarcasim when he heard it from his son, and that was definately sarcasim.

"Yeah...you'll thank me later."

Kakashi closed his eyes and felt himself drifting as his father unstrapped the knife that he kept strapped to his upper leg and put it next to the bed, on the bed side table and switched out the light. "Night Kashi."

"Nigh...t...dad..." Sakumo smiled and walked out of the room not knowing that he would never see his son again.