When Vernon Dursley left the basket at the orphanage, he had no idea that he was changing the fate of both the hidden community of magic users and the nearby shinobi community of Konoha. Nor would he have cared. He only wanted his freak of a nephew gone.

So when he went on a business trip to Konohagakure, he didn't think twice. He took the brat with him and dropped him at the first orphanage he found.

And left without a nephew, a chance to make any money, and a lifetime ban from the village under pain of death.

No one realized what having the boy who lived would do to the village's future.

Naruto and Okami raced down the street, avoiding irate shinobi bent on catching and spanking the two four year olds for the prank they just played on the ANBU.

"Ne, Naru-kun, you don't think that the feathers were a bit much do you?" asked Okami.

"Come on Okami, they're just old geezers who can't take a joke!"

Okami flashed a look behind him, and said "Good point."

They ducked and dodged until they reached the forest. It was kept off limits to normal people, but that never stopped them before. Not since the day Okami realized he could talk to snakes. Ever since the boys had found sanctuary in the forbidden forest whenever they pranked someone.

The large snakes were always willing to shelter the boys until they could escape to the orphanage they lived in. Usually.

But something was different this time. This time one of the ANBU who hadn't been pranked followed them in. She had a Tengu mask on, and had the most unusual outfit that usually caused nosebleeds in the male population.

She followed them with ease, amazed at how comfortable two boys who hadn't even entered the academy were in the Forest of Death. Most shinobi only entered it under pain of death...or during the Chunin Exam.

Her amazement turned to complete shock as the black haired one stopped without warning and...was that hissing?

It was. The black haired kid was hissing...and out of nowhere one of the bigger snakes that dwelled in the forest came out. It looked at the boys and hissed back. It appeared amused...

The black one hissed back, and he was grinning. The snake let them climb on and she followed, in shock. The snake was curling up with both boys completely at ease with it around. And this thing was big enough to eat both and they would only be a snack!

She marked their faces, and left.

The next day she went looking for the kids. And found them in an orphanage. The black one was defending the other boy. So the blond was the Kyuubi container. She casually walked up to the watcher and said "What's the name of the black haired kid? The one with the emerald eyes?"

"Hm? Oh that's Okami. Everyone calls them the Uzamaki brothers. I wish they would tone down the pranks. It's bad enough that the Uchiha clan has come here seven times trying to catch them."

Her interest was perked. So these kids had eluded the famous Uchihas?

She went around the place, learning more about the one called Okami. If she could adopt him, she could turn him into a real powerhouse. Too bad she couldn't afford the blond one too. Maybe if the Hokage gave her the promotion to Jounin.

She went into the main office, and asked about Okami Uzamaki. He took one look at her headband and said "You can adopt him if you want. He's a known troublemaker."

She decided to think it over first, best not to rush into such things. Maybe she should talk to her friend Ibiki. The shock alone would be worth it.

"What's up Anko?" asked Ibiki. He had just sat down at the bar.

"Hmm? Oh, I was just thinking."

"You? Thinking? Don't hurt yourself."

He began to pour the sake into his cup, and was about to take a drink when she decided to tell him.

"I was thinking of adopting a kid."

Loud choking could be heard. A friendly drunk beat against him, helping to clear the passageway. Ibiki turned to Anko, incredulous.

"You...WHAT?"

"I was thinking of adopting a kid. A brat named Okami Uzamaki."

Ibiki took a good look at Anko, who was definitely not drunk. Then he took a long look at the sake bottle before checking for anything out of the ordinary. When he failed to find anything other than sake, he cleaned out his ears.

"I must be hearing things. I could have sworn I heard you say you were planning to adopt a kid."

"I didn't stutter did I?"

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why would you adopt some kid? More importantly what the hell brought this on?"

"I was following these two kids into Area forty four, and saw one talking to one of the largest ones. It let them curl up against it without even once acting agressive."

"Wait, did these kids happen to be blond with sapphire blue eyes and ebony with emerald?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Which one are you planning to adopt?"

"Green eyes. Why do you ask?"

"I have a score to settle with those brats."

Anko turned to him, highly amused.

"What did they hit you with?"

"They turned all my favorite instruments a bright neon pink and orange."

Anko laughed. Now she HAD to adopt one of them. If only to find out how the hell they pulled that one off.

Okami was disturbed. Some random ninja had come asking about him...and he was worried that they planned to adopt him. He wouldn't normally worry about that except that he was afraid for his brother. Naruto had no one else who even showed the slightest kindness towards him.

The next week someone came and filled out all the paperwork. Then he had to pack his things to leave the orphanage for good. The woman had blank eyes and gravity defying hair. He turned, and waved to Naruto.

When he entered the house she lived in, she showed him his new room. He was told to pick a color to paint it, and that they would get some new things later. Then she said something that made this new life a little more bearable.

"Look, I'm sorry I couldn't get both of you. I couldn't afford two kids. But that doesn't mean you can't invite him to spend a few nights here."

He beamed at her, relieved.

The next year he entered the academy...and found his brother.

"Naruto!"

The blond was tackled from behind, and he gaped at Okami.

"I thought you forgot about me..."

"How would I forget my own brother? Okaa-san said you can spend the night with us whenever you want!"

Which is how Naruto could often be found staying in Anko's house, even when the Hokage gave him his own place. Because he no longer lived in the orphanage, Naruto spent a lot of time with the crazed kunoichi and his brother. So much time in fact that he began to call her Anko-nee-chan whenever he saw her.

He never could figure out why Okami liked an Uchiha as an older brother. Still, Itachi at least trianed them when he had time off...and they could tolerate the brat known as Sasuke.

Three years had passed since Okami was adopted and became Okami Mitarashi. He was still considered Naruto's brother...and Anko was officially considered their mother, despite having adopted only one of the brothers. Surprisingly enough, most people were shocked that Anko turned out to be a great parent, despite being a complete and utter psycho. Though the number of pranks never went down...but they did go up.

Okami went to see Itachi one night, and saw something something disturbing. A man with an orange swirl mask was talking to Itachi. Itachi...was looking very upset about something, though only he could see it from this angle. Okami did something that most children his age would never even think of doing.

He stopped what he was doing and Listened. Not an easy trick for an almost eight year old. Particularly one who has a penchant for pranks and is just shy of people thinking he has ADHD. (Which is what everyone believed of his brother.) Listening involved stopping and focusing on one point and remembering each sound made.

("Are you sure you will not reconsider, Itachi-kun?"

"No. I will not kill my own clan...no matter how irritating my clan is."

"Are you certian you won't consider helping me?"

"I won't join in a massacre."

Then Itachi left in a poof, and Okami stayed absolutely still, masking his prescence like his mother showed him. That's why he heard what the man did next.

"So my dear descendant refuses to cooperate. I suppose I should take matters into my own hands..."

The man in the orange swirl mask put his hands in a familiar form, and silently henged into Itachi. Okami got a good look at the lone eye. It was swirling with a familiar red and black tomoe pattern. The same pattern he sometimes saw in Itachi's eyes.)

Okami promptly ran to find Sasuke, who would be leaving the academy by now. He heard the first scream as the man began killing people...

"Sasuke wait!"

Okami tackled his friend to the ground.

"What in the nine hells do you think you're doing, Okami?"

Iruka came up and pulled them apart.

"Someone is killing people in the Uchiha compound. Someone henged to look like Itachi!"

Iruka looked at Okami. He was a born prankster, but he would never lie about something like this. Especially since everyone knew Okami had open eyes. Anko had tried to train it out of him, even going so far as to show him and Naruto the Torture and Interrogation department.

Nothing worked. Okami had the abilities of a ninja...and kept the luxury of a civilian's compassion. Sure he was a bad liar most days, but when he had too, he could pull it off with ease. His eyes became as hard as the gems they resembled when he had to lie perfectly. Only the T and I department knew this.

Okami's emerald eyes were wide open books, and right now he was telling the truth. Which meant someone was killing the Uchiha right now.

"Someone send an ANBU to the Uchiha compound. If you're lying Okami you're in serious trouble."

"Hai, Iruka-sensei!"

Okami was right, as they found out. Because he stopped Sasuke from leaving the academy, he kept the boy from finding someone henged as Itachi killing his parents. Itachi was at a bar with witnesses during the attack, and was dragged into T and I for questioning. Until Okami told the ANBU he overheard Itachi arguing with the killer and refusing to go along with it.

Which is why Itachi was allowed to remain a Konoha shinobi. After extensive questioning by Ibiki.

During a random bout against the Hyuga clan against Sasuke, who was now best friends with Okami and Naruto, something interesting happened. Okami was helping Sasuke fend off one of the branch members...and suddenly he got a lot better within minutes of getting his ass kicked.

And the branch member gasped as he took in Okami's eyes flashed red.

Suddenly Naruto charged in, and the branch members fled. Sasuke was gasping for breath, and went to thank the two...then stopped.

"Okami...your eyes."

"What about them?"

"They..."

He went into his bag and grabbed a mirror. Naruto was staring at him too. His face was shocked. Sasuke handed the mirror to Okami, and he went to see why they had that odd look. And nearly dropped the mirror.

"Sharingan? But how?"

"I don't know. Last I checked you weren't an Uchiha."

Which is why Okami was now with his mother, asking about an inheritance test. Once he explained she brought it to the Hokage...and now a mage was in Konoha for the first time in fifty years.

A good sized drop of blood and a ominous potion later...

**Harry James Potter Uchiha (Okami Mitarashi)**

Father: James Potter Uchiha

Mother: Lily Potter Pendragon (Anko Mitarashi)

Brother: *Naruto Uzamaki*

Aunt: (Shizune Mitarashi)

Uncle: *Sirius Orion Black* (Remus J. Lupin, Severus Snape)

Cousin: Sasuke Uchiha, Itachi Uchiha

Anko looked at the different colors, and asked what they meant.

"Basically, the red indicates blood relation. Blue means magical adoption into the bloodline. Purple means that the person is part of the family by blood adoption."

Then he took a good look at the name listed.

"Harry Potter? As in the boy who lived?"

Which drew the attention of everyone. The mage explained the supposed legend of how a child survived a European instant-death jutsu. Okami listened in disbelief. The Hokage then learned about magic, and reluctantly agreed to let Okami become a mage. He was a bit relieved that Okami still planned to be a ninja.

Even if over a week before he turned eleven an owl showed up.

Okami handed the letter to his mother, who looked at it.

"We're taking this to the pros. We need someone to decode this."

"I think it's in romanji."

"Do you read romanji?"

"No."

"Didn't think so."

Anko took the letter to the ones who specialize in decoding, who read it aloud to the Hokage and them.

"Dear Mr. H. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry..."

"What the hell. I thought wolf boy was already getting magic trianing?" asked Itachi.

"He is, and this is highly suspicious."

The Hokage sent a letter back with the owl:

"To whomever has sent this letter, I am here to inform you that the child you seek does not exist. Please do not contact this village again via owl, unless you want to be short one messenger bird.

Signed Lord Sandaime Hokage, of Konohagakure."

A full week later a foriegner came, dressed in the oddest outfit anyone had ever seen. He was wearing a long black cloak, along with a short sleeved black shirt and dark blue jeans. His hair hung limply, as if he had not washed it in a long while. His cool black eyes seemed to catch everything. Kiba happened to run past him and nearly fell from disgust. Naruto asked what was wrong and he said, "That dude reaks of bad fumes and poison ingredients."

Naruto went to see Okami later, and checked the date. He had something behind his back, and Okami looked at him.

"What are you hiding?" asked Okami suspiciously.

Naruto grinned, "You'll have to wait until Sasuke and the others come."

Five minutes later Itachi, Sasuke, Shikamaru and Chouji arrived. Each had a suspicious looking package.

It took him a moment to figure out what was going on. And he figured it out when Ibiki, Anko and Iruka arrived saying "Happy Birthday Okami!"

Okami grinned, and soon the party began. Ichiraku Ramen delivered the food for everyone, and sake for the adults.

Okami was as happy as a lark. This was the best day ever!

Once the party ended, Okami looked over the things he got from his friends and family. Naruto and Sasuke were staying the night, since Itachi had a mission later.

Itachi had given him a special scroll, and once he explained the purpose of it, was signed quickly. He had found it in the unused library of the Uchiha. Sasuke had given him a new sword which he had found in the armoury. Naruto got him a new book to read, since he knew Okami loved books. Shikamaru and Chouji brought him some new trianing scrolls for him to keep. Ibiki and Anko got him some armor for when he graduated, while Iruka got him a new pack to keep all his gifts in.

Now Okami could live up to his name, since the scroll Itachi gave him was a summoning scroll for wolves. His mother promised to teach him the signs for summoning later. Meanwhile he went to bed while his mother did the dishes for a change. Naruto filled the other two in on the odd man they saw entering the village earlier.

He was on a mission from the old man. Find, grab and return with the boy who lived. Now if only he had a clue as to what the brat called himself. While he was stuck in a village in the middle of nowhere, he was unable to brew his beloved potions or even perform magic.

He was so giving the old goat stomach problems when he got back. This was ridiculous!

Since the boy was eleven now, he decided to check the local schools. Then the orphanages.

He was in luck. A boy with black hair and green eyes was in the playground with a blond boy with blue eyes and a black haired boy with dark eyes. He went to approach them, when suddenly the blond one noticed him.

('Wolf, look! It's the foreigner I mentioned!') he mentally translated. Really, who names a kid wolf?

The boy looked at him, and he paused. There in front of him was a younger version of James Potter with emerald eyes. He couldn't see the infamous scar, but that was probably because the boy had long hair covering it up.

The boy looked at his watch and said ('I have to go. Mom said she'd teach me how to summon today!')

The kid poofed in a whirl of leaves, and the other two continued what they had been doing. So now he at least had a name. Wolf...which meant his name was Okami in Japanese. Time to see the village leader. Maybe he could help.

The Hokage looked at him shrewdly. Something told him that this old man was by far more dangerous than even Dumbledore had ever been.

"Let me see if I understand you correctly. Your master wants you to kidnap one of our academy cadets to become his pawn in a war that is about to begin again?"

"I wouldn't even be here if the man hadn't blackmailed me into coming. I was the only one he could force to come that could speak a language similiar enough to yours."

The Hokage pinched the bridge of his nose. He did not want to deal with this. He had enough on his plate with the village elders and the academy exam which was about to start next week. And a week after that the Chunin exam was going to be held in Suna, which meant he had to make sure all the candidates had their passports ready to go.

The man had a sympathetic look on his face. He didn't want to be here, and the Hokage didn't need this headache right now.

Then the solution hit him. He could kill two birds with one stone, and still have a loyal shinobi under his command.

"Does your master require Okami to enter this school this year? Or can he wait for a few years?"

Snape straightened. Clearly the man had a plan to deal with this headache.

"I believe I could convince him to wait before taking the boy. Why?"

"Okami Mitarashi is still an academy student, and would be unable to leave the village before he graduates. If your master can wait until he becomes at least a Genin and has a team to back him up, then I will allow him to go to this school. But not until then."

Snape agreed completely. This would essentially prevent Dumbledore from fully controlling the boy and still allow him to grow up normally for this village.

"I'll see what I can do. But if I am unable to convince him, he will probably try to kidnap him his own way. Which means you should keep 'Okami' away from any balls of fire. Fawkes can kidnap him before you have a chance to stop it."

The Hokage nodded. And watched as Snape activated an odd device which took him away with a pop.

Okami performed the handsigns, and watched as a wolf puppy appeared in the smoke. It barked at him, and he grinned.

"Ohayo! Watashi wa Mitarashi Okami. Yoroshiku!"

The wolf growled at him, "They call me Howl. Nice to meet ya Okami."

His grin widened.

"So Howl, until I get this summoning thing down, you mind sticking around?"

"Sure. Always wanted to know what the human world looked like."

So Okami spent several weeks at summoning his new animals. Howl even gave him an interesting fact...the four tailed wolf Bijuu was awake and could be summoned by anyone with sufficient chakra available.

Eventually Okami was able to summon the Alpha wolf, second strongest of all Wolf summons. Alpha was pleased that Okami was not only named after his kin, but interested in learning more about wolves. Which is why he was able to command Alpha and any other wolf he summoned afterwards.

Okami, age twelve...

This was it. The day he had been waiting for. The day he was able to take the academy exam and graduate.

Itachi had promised to be back in time in case he passed with Naruto and Sasuke. It didn't hurt that once Anko and Itachi had realized that Naruto was unable to perform a simple clone jutsu because of the low amount of chakra needed, they proceeded to teach him the shadow clone. And had to teach the other two after they wouldn't quit bugging them about it.

Now they were about to graduate if they passed. Anko had signed up for the Jounin roster just in case. The Hokage assured her that if they passed they would be given to her immedaitely.

So here he was, standing in front of the door.

"Mitarashi, Okami!"

Iruka sat there with Mizuki, one of the rare teachers Okami did not get along with. Something about the man just grated on his nerves.

"Alright, your test is to perform a clone jutsu and a replacement jutsu."

That was it? All that anticipation just for that?

He made the appropriate hand signs, then said "Kage Bushin no Jutsu!"

Five Okami stood there in front of the shocked chunin. One of the clones looked like Iruka, and Okami swapped with that one.

"Pass!"

Okami walked out proudly with his new headband around his forehead, hiding the odd scar that he hated so much. He saw Naruto and gave him a victorious "V" sign with his hand. Then he whispered "Clone jutsu."

Naruto grinned and passed it to Sasuke. When they were called up, both boys had evil smirks on their faces as they performed a shadow clone jutsu. Iruka was silently cursing Okami for telling them about the exam before they came in.

To celebrate, Itachi took them all out for ramen.

A week later they had their ninja photos done...and each brother of the dreaded Uzachiha pack were wearing a different animal headband along with their ninja one.

Okami had worn (you guessed it) wolf ears, Naruto wore blond fox ears and Sasuke (surprising both the brothers) had worn a very amusing pair of black cat ears complete with tail. Itachi had laughed himself hoarse when he saw the outfit his younger brother had worn.

For some odd reason the Hokage didn't force them to retake the photo. Rumor had it that the Okami/Sasuke fanclub had banded together and told him not to change it.

The truth was that the old man was well aware that the three could have done something a lot worse...like painted their faces with something ridiculous complete with pose.

Besides...any enemy nin who saw those pictures would immediately underestimate them.

He only hoped they survived Anko's test...she was planning on making them run to the center of Area forty four.

Anko met up with her new team. Which in fact was really her kid, his brother and best friend. Since they already got along so well (enough to pull pranks on the village) there was really no point in the bell test this time. So she decided to test their ability to survive alone.

"Alright, listen up. The final genin exam consists of two bells and you trying to get them. Unfortunately for your three the usual test is pointless. So your new assignment is to make it to the center of Area 44 alone. You may use any tool at your disposal, and you have two days to get through it. When you reach the tower, you are to wait for me. Am I clear?"

"Hai, sensei!"

Okami entered the gate furthest from his mother. Naruto took the one closest, and Sasuke entered five gates away.

The first thing Okami encountered in the forest was his favorite snake. Once he told the serpent what he was doing, the snake was all for helping him pass. And had something for him once it was over.

It took him ten hours, but Okami reached the center first. It didn't hurt that the snake had kept all the more dangerous predators (also known as Fire Country tigers, which would eat him for a snack) from even getting close.

Two hours later Sasuke arrived, looking like he had been through hell. According to him he ran into not only a tiger, but five boars, and one very large snow tiger.

Half an hour after he came, Naruto jumped out of the canopy...with the biggest tiger they had ever seen chasing him!

Anko appeared and sent the large predator packing. Then turned to them, with a large grin on her face.

"Congratulations Team four! You pass the secondary Genin exam. Tomorrow we start our mission rotation."

Okami looked at her nervously.

"What's wrong Midori-me?"

"Um...I heard from Onii-chan that Genins are only allowed the D ranks. And that those are the most boring and mind numbing missions available."

Anko gave them an unreadable look.

"Itachi wasn't joking. D ranks are the most asinine missions available. Mostly Jounin use them to improve the team dynamic. In our case however, we will be doing four D ranks a day until we hit the required number for a C rank. Once we hit that number, we finally get to escape the boring tasks and get to real trianing."

The three newly minted Genin grinned. At least with Anko as their sensei the D ranks would be mildly interesting. No way would she allow them to whine from boredom!

Okami reentered the Forest of Death to see the snake again. When he left, he was slightly shocked and Okami was more than a little excited.

The snake had given him a scroll which could summon forth an unlimited arsenal of weapons and snakes from the forest. Since he had long mastered the art of summoning, Okami couldn't wait to leave the village and try out his new trick!

Okami was bored out of his mind. Even with his crazy mother teaching them, D Ranks sucked. Well...almost all of them sucked. Catching Tora the escaped cat of the Fire Daimyo's wife was actually their favorite. Though the people in charge of missions were honestly shocked about that fact, as every other genin dreaded getting that one.

Every other genin wasn't allowed to torture the damn cat as long as they left no physical trace of the deed.

Naruto and Sasuke loved having Anko as their teacher. With her showing them new techniques, they quickly finished at least five D ranks a day now. By the end of the week they had done more missions than most newly minted Genin did in a month.

Finally they were allowed a C rank. Anko had picked this one specifically, though Okami wondered why she glared at the Hokage about one of the scrolls on the table.

So now they were on their way to Wave country to help out some old geezer building a bridge. There was only one tiny problem. He had underrated the mission, which was easily a B rank.

Lucky for him Anko didn't want to return to Konoha just yet. Her team earned this mission dammit!

The mist parted to reveal the under construction bridge. Naruto whistled, impressed. Once they reached land however, they immediately began scanning the surrounding for more enemy nin. Which is why they were prepared for the Mist ninja Zabusa Momochi.

Anko immedaitely took a stance, and then launched herself at the rogue ninja. Ducking, dodging and even retaliating with her own attacks, she was still caught in a rather large ball of water.

Okami noticed something out of the corner of his eye and smirked. He could save his mother and still beat this nin.

He hissed lowly.

Zabusa looked at him, then figured he was just trying to spook him. So imagine his shock when the largest water moccasin attacked him out of nowhere!

Anko broke free, and kept battling him until Zabusa was hit with senbon from beyond their sight. A masked kid about their age picked up the man with ease, and escaped. Anko snorted.

"So the Demon of the Bloody Mist has an accomplice. We won't see him for at least a week now."

They headed to the house, and once they rested for the night, Anko had them up by dawn to train. She had Sasuke working on his summoning technique, since Itachi had found a scroll for summoning that suited his little brother perfectly. Sasuke could now bring out ravens and crows to a battle...the only problem he seemed to have was the size of the birds.

Naruto worked on his water walking so he could get better at a wind based jutsu that Okami had found for him. So far he had managed to keep it stable for about five minutes. The jutsu allowed him to use specially made shuriken to hit his opponent repeatedly and return using air currents.

Okami, on the other hand, was working on his grand fireball technique. Itachi at least had taken pity on him and lent him the scroll. In return for helping him with summoning, Sasuke helped Okami with his fireball.

Anko watched over the bridge builder for the week as the boys trained.

Zabusa appeared, and much to their surprise, Naruto was late. He had been up all night practicing his water walking and didn't realize until Anko dragged him back to the house that he had used up almost all of his chakra. He was still asleep when they left.

Okami elected to destroy the clones, and Sasuke let him. Then he let loose a grand fireball at the enemy nin.

Clearly Sasuke's advice had done some good, because it looked like a proper fireball. Sasuke waited for Anko's signal to use his new summons. When the smoke cleared, a murder of crows fly around Sasuke. Each of the crows was at least the size of a fuuma shuriken, fully extended.

"Strike."

The crows flew in a V formation, then dive bombed the masked kid. The kid bolted, and they missed. They kept at him until faster than they could see, the kid dispersed them with senbon. Okami was going after Zabusa while Anko protected the bridge builder. (She is a sadist after all. Her methods pretty much equal sink-or-swim when it comes to battles.)

Okami soon brought out the wolf pack, and felt himself going into his 'other' state. Unlike werewolves, which were well known to the ninja villages, Okami didn't become a wolf during the full moon. Instead he reverted into a wolf like state, and gained their sense of smell and predator instincts.

It was why he was named Okami in the orphanage and how he met Naruto.

(Flashback)

The three year old managed to enter the playground unchallanged. Then he saw one of the adult ninja beating up another kid, and wondered why. The kid was crying, and they were hitting him harder. Something inside him snapped.

He growled, much like a man in his memories did when he was angry. The man had tawny hair and warm amber eyes. He went on all fours, and tackled the ninja.

The man took one look at his eyes and shivered. The child had the look of a born predator. They were almost wolf like in their intensity.

"Wolf..."

He fled.

Ever since then the boys had stayed together, and he earned the name Okami for the way he would turn into a human wolf whenever someone threatened the other boy.

(Flashback end)

Okami struck, and struck hard with his pack. Zabusa flinched when he saw the red eyes of the Sharingan swirl in the brat's face.

Suddenly Haku brought out his ice mirrors, and Sasuke went on the defensive.

Then Naruto appeared, and all hell broke loose.

Okami could feel it. The other power inside him, waiting to be used. He focused on his pack, and suddenly he was looking from all fours instead of two.

He howled, an ominous sound. The pack howled with him, ready to follow their alpha wolf. It took him a moment to realize what had happened.

He had found his animagus form. Without potion or training. He grinned, and struck the chunin again. Soon Zabusa was on the defensive, and his mist technique was useless. He was already bloody from the earlier strikes.

Naruto used his new technique to block the senbon while Sasuke was on the offensive. Meanwhile Anko pulled out a tea set and began eating lunch with Tazuna, who was a bit surprised at the cavalier attitude she had for her students.

Haku was taken out by Naruto and the nine tailed fox coming out. Zabusa was bleeding heavily when it happened.

Then the mist cleared, and revealed a large host of samurai, bandits...and Gato, the one who ordered the attack on Tazuna.

Zabusa laughed coldly.

"It seems you and I have no more reason to fight."

The wolf gave a cruel grin, and howled. The pack surrounded Okami, and he turned to the mass of mercenaries. Sasuke appeared next to him, and summoned his ravens and crows. Flying around him ominously, they were prepared to really let them have it. Naruto, after snapping out of his feral state, glared at them.

Anko finally got up and said "Alright gaki. It's time for me to actually do something fun."

"And who might you be, wench?" asked Gato, smug.

"Second in command of the Konoha Torture and Interrogation department and ANBU special ops leader Anko Mitarashi. Also known as the Snake Bitch of the Dango stands."

Okami turned back into a human, and sent his wolves home. His mother could handle a pack of fools like these. Sasuke and Naruto did the same, then looked at the two rogue ninja they had been fighting.

"You have three options."

Zabusa and Haku looked at each other, then said "We're listening."

"One, you leave now and we never cross paths again," said Sasuke.

"Two, you come with us and join the Leaf village and become strong enough to accomplish your goal," said Naruto.

"Or three, you leave after we heal you and then we chose whether to kill you when your backs are turned," said Okami.

They exchanged looks.

"What would we have to do to join the Leaf?"

Okami grinned. His canine fangs were extended, and would be for at least a week.

"You'll have to ask Okaa-san when she's done playing."

Zabusa stared at the kid.

"That crazy bitch is your mother?"

Okami laughed, "I get that a lot."

Anko finished with over half of the mercenaries, and the townspeople came with weapons...lead by the same kid Naruto snapped at. Inari, Tazuna's grandson. Apparently Naruto had inspired him to be brave for a change.

Gato was already dead from the poison inside Anko's snakes.

Once everything calmed down and the bridge was built, Anko talked to Zabusa. He obviously passed the usual inspection of new nin, since Anko had Sasuke send a coded letter to the Hokage the next day.

(Itachi had Sasuke working with the shinobi who took care of the messenger birds so he would know what to do if his summons got sick.)

It was sent back with two new headbands.

Tazuna named the new bridge 'The great Naruto bridge'.

Okami tried not to laugh.

Since it was the by now infamous Uzuchiha brothers who suggested that Zabusa and Haku join the Leaf, Sasuke asked Itachi if it was alright for them to stay at the currently vacant mansion. Itachi agreed, since Anko approved them for the village.

It took them less than a week to get back, even in Haku's wounded state.