a village with(out) me ━ naruto fanfic

5.

Sakura gives another grin and scrambles up the stairs. She tidies her room, fixes the covers on her bed and mumbles under her breath about how much she loves Sasuke-kun and oh, when will he fall back in love with her? 

Her headband catches her attention, light reflecting off the metal and into her eyes. There's another click and a distant echo in Sakura's ears. She blinks, takes the headband and smoothes her thumb against the metal. The girl moves to stand in front of her full body mirror and ties the headband around her head, pushing it from her forehead so it sits atop her hair instead. 

A glance at the clock shows her it's a little after six am. She purses her lips. Kakashi hadn't said anything about training last night… but she's a ninja now and she wants to, no, needs to get stronger. Preferably as fast as possible. Slipping into her spare sandals ━ Sakura does not want to go back downstairs right now ━ she jumps out the window and lands safely onto her hands and feet with practised ease. 

She blends into the cluster of civilians on their morning shopping trips, children making their way to the academy and ninja walking to and fro, keeping track of everyone and everything. Sakura is soon joined by Shiro who brushes her white tail along her back, her large form blocking the sun's rays. 

"Take me to Kakashi-Sensei," Sakura says. 

Shiro inclines her head. "If that is what you wish for." 

The white wolf leads Sakura to Kakashi's apartment in silence. Her sensei lives all the way on the other side of the village, close to Jounin headquarters. There's a dango shop on the way there, along with a library and a small corner shop selling daily necessities and produce. The area is filled with jounin who openly stare at Sakura and her summon, gazes suspicious.

"Look," Shiro says, nudging Sakura's shoulder with her cold snout, "your teammates are already here." 

True to the wolf's words, Sasuke is sitting at the bottom of a stairwell, fingers steepled underneath his chin, looking annoyed. Laid in front of him, evidently asleep, is his summon; the brown wolf. 

"Chairo,'' Shiro scolds, moving to flick her tail at her younger brother's snout, "of all the times to sleep, you chose now?" 

There's a grumble as the brown wolf ━ Chairo ━ moves his paws over his snout to protect himself. 

"Hey," Sakura greets, stopping a few paces in front of Sasuke. The boy nods at her, his own version of greeting, and then shifts ever so slightly, motioning upwards with a jut of his chin. 

Sakura raises her gaze along the stairwell and to the balcony where she finds Naruto leaning against the railings. The sun is shining brightly behind him, casting him in a dark shadow. Sakura squints, raising her hand to protect her eyes from the sunshine. "Morning, Naruto,'' she says. 

"Morning, Sakura," Naruto turns, moving slightly to the left and now it's easier to see him, the sunlight no longer shining behind him like a large halo.

Sakura drops her hand. "What's the matter?'' She asks. "Can't wake up our good for nothing Sensei?" 

Someone snorts. Sasuke's gaze moves to the side and Sakura follows, finding a jounin with a senbon held between his lips, who at being caught, instantly vanishes in a swirl of leaves. 

Naruto shakes his head. "He's not home. I sent Kuro after him, they should be back soon." 

Soon turns out to be half an hour later. Many jounin pass by Kakashi's apartment, glancing at the three of them with furrowed brows and exasperated expressions, some of them even down right glaring at them. Whenever that happens, Shiro and a now awake Chairo show off their very sharp teeth in warning.