Konoha fox

Chapter 13

Naruto sat up with a yawn and stretched. It had been roughly a week and a half since their encounter with Zabuza, and he'd be back any time now. Because of that they had changed their routine two days ago: instead of training together all the day, one team would always be with Tazuna, one would stay with his family, and the last one would train in a place that was halfway between the two ready to help either one if need be.

Today it was team Kakashi turn to guard Tazuna and team Kurenai turn to train. That left Naruto and his teammates and sensei at home with Tsunami and Inari. He liked it because it meant that he could oversleep. Rubbing his eyes, Naruto slowly made his way downstairs and into the kitchen to eat breakfast.

"Naruto, Kurenai has just sent a message. Kakashi and his team are under attack and need support. I, Shikamaru and Ino are going to help; you stay here and guard Tsunami and Inari."

Before the boy could say anything or even raise his head to look at his sensei, he and his teammates were already gone. Naruto blinked, letting Asuma's words sink in. After a couple of seconds of utter silence, he scratched his head, shrugged, and sat down to eat breakfast.

Tsunami stared. Inari glared fiercely, shaking in anger. "What are you doing?" he demanded.

Naruto looked at him with his head tilted to the side, "Breakfast?"

The dark haired boy seemed ready to jump on him and Naruto had no idea why.

He still couldn't understand the way some people thought.

Deciding that he could try to figure the boy out later, Naruto finished to eat and went back upstairs to take off his pajamas and get some clothes.

Both the other genins and jounin senseis had looked at him strangely when he had changed into it before going to sleep, but he had paid them no mind.

Naruto stifled another yawn and was putting on his orange jacket when there was a crash downstairs.

He was really starting to think that he shouldn't have got up this morning.

As he came into the kitchen, what he saw was Inari leaning on a wall crying, and two... thugs... with swords holding Tsunami, who was yelling them to leave her son alone.

Naruto felt a pang of irritation, he liked Tsunami, she had that aura around her that he associated to all those women who had children, she was always kind to him in a motherly way, and those two simply looked too smug and arrogant for their own good. They reminded him of those thieves that attacked his mother and sister years ago. Taking a deep breath he tried to solve the situation diplomatically.

"I suppose you two are Gato's...employees. I'd really appreciate if you could let Tsunami-san go and leave peacefully, so that no one gets hurt."

Zouri pulled Tsunami towards himself and wrapped his left arm around her waist pressing his body against her back, "Don't make me laugh kid, who do you think you are, hm?"

The dark haired woman paled as she felt him subtly rubbing his crotch against her butt, fearing what she knew he and his comrade would do to her if they managed to bring her to one of Gato's places.

Naruto noticed the gesture too, and that, together with the tears he saw forming in Tsunami's eyes, made his expression darken.

"I asked that kindly, but judging from your behavior, you seem to be what my mother calls 'a lost cause'. As such I'm afraid I'll have to use force." Naruto said seriously.

"Oh, really? Well, then it's a pity your mommy isn't here herself, I definitely wouldn't have mind teaching her a lesson too." Waraji mocked while the other mercenary chuckled.