Naruto: Paws and Whiskers

Kushimaru dragged himself from the churning sea, the Rasenshuriken's tsunami having nearly claimed him. He collapsed on the shore, gazing at the devastation. Hundreds of Kiri ninja were gone, swallowed by a single jutsu. More were wounded, washed up like debris.

'Konoha...' His lips trembled. 'That cat...'

How could a creature like that even exist? He was Kushimaru, one of the Seven Swordsmen, ruthless, cold-blooded. But the thought of facing that black cat alone now sent a spike of pure fear through him. He'd run. He knew he would.

"Jinpachi is dead."

Senjin Hozuki stood nearby, holding the recovered Explosive Blade, Shibuki. The blade was fine. Its wielder was not. (E/N: For those wondering why it isn't Mangetsu, it's because he is far too young at this point in time. He is Mangetsu's older cousin.)

Kushimaru stared at him, a grim silence passing between them.

Just half a year ago, they'd been burning with ambition, ready to carve their names into history as the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Now? Their legend was dead before it had even begun. From seven, they were down to two.

At least Shibuki wasn't lost. They could train a successor. As long as the Third Mizukage was alive, the Kiri could always cultivate new swordsmen.

But...

"Where is the Mizukage-sama?" Senjin asked, turning from the blade to a bewildered Anbu. He stowed Shibuki alongside his own Hiramekarei.

"The Mizukage-sama... he... he was captured."

The two remaining swordsmen stared, their expressions saying it all: 'You have to be kidding me.'

But the shamefaced nods from the other Kiri ninja confirmed it. It was a humiliating truth to admit. With so many guards, and the Mizukage's own strength, the enemy had plucked him from their very midst. And now, no one even knew where to begin looking. They'd had a chance to pursue, but that Rasenshuriken...

They were terrified.

There was no telling if that cat could fire another one. If an attack like that came again, the Kiri would be truly finished. As long as some of them survived, the village could survive.

"What about the Mizukage's personal guard?" Kushimaru's voice was laced with killing intent. "What were they doing?"

In response, the ninja simply pointed toward the bombed-out stretch of sea.

The guard? They'd be lucky to find enough of them left to bury.

"We make peace," Senjin said, a wave of exhaustion washing over him. He wanted to curse, to rage, but he didn't even know where to start. Their Kage was captured and five of the seven swords were lost. What else was there to do?

There was no other path.

"Shouldn't we return to the village and ask the Elder?" someone ventured.

"Ask him what?" Senjin snapped, his patience gone. "We get the Mizukage back first! What time do we have to consult with that old man? What if he refuses? Are we supposed to fight Konoha until every last one of us is dead?"

Every village had its politics. The Kiri was isolated, a nest of schemers and factions. If they took this back for debate, a decision wouldn't be reached for days.

--**--**

On the other side of the island, Duy collapsed out of the Sixth Gate, his body screaming in protest. A Root ninja immediately moved to support him.

This was the first time he'd ever opened it. Though he was proficient with the Eight Gates in training, he'd never dared to use them in a real fight. If Takeshi hadn't assured the village the lower gates were safe to open, he wouldn't have even dared to open the Sixth Gate. But the power... it was truly immense.

"Duy, are you all right?" Hiashi asked, his voice laced with concern. He watched him, astonished. To think someone could actually master that forbidden technique...

'And he lived,' Hiashi thought, his professional calm rattled. 'He actually used the Eight Gates and lived.'

"No... no problem, thank-"

"Meow~ Save your strength," Takeshi interrupted from his perch on Minato's shoulder. "You're coming with us to see Tsunade-sama for a checkup when we get back."

Duy, already looking stretched to his limit, paused and then gave a weak nod, allowing himself to go limp on the Root ninja's back.

Before today, none of other teammates would have believed Duy capable of such power. Now, he had everyone's respect. To reach that level with taijutsu alone was truly remarkable.

'He's strong,' Takeshi thought, 'but he suffers from a lack of techniques. If he could learn Guy's moves, the power he could draw from the Gates would be on another level entirely.'

'I'll teach him when we get back.'

It wasn't charity. Guy was a friend, and this was a simple matter of instruction. Besides, a stronger Duy meant Konoha had another powerhouse to rely on. Why wouldn't he?

Following the black cat's lead, the group made their way to a small island to rendezvous with Minato.

"Is everyone okay?" Minato asked, his eyes scanning the group anxiously. His gaze fell on the near-unconscious Duy.

"He'll be fine," Hiashi said with a small smile. "Just needs a good medical-nin." He then turned his attention to their captive.

The Third Mizukage.

Of the Five Kage, his name carried the least weight. He had fought in wars alongside the First and Second Mizukage, but if you asked anyone outside the Kiri to name one of his great deeds... you'd be met with silence.

"Hiashi Hyuga," the Third Mizukage said, his eyes narrowed to slits. "I never expected the head of the main house to take to the field in a squad like this. And with two masters of the Flying Thunder God, no less. I miscalculated." His gaze swept over them, finally landing on the black cat.

This cat was the anomaly. Against Minato alone, he was confident he could have escaped, perhaps even turned the tables. But the cat's presence had shattered his plans. Two Flying Thunder God users... the synergy was devastating.

'As expected of a jutsu from Tobirama Senju,' he thought.

"Meow~ You can save the pleasantries for later," Takeshi said, leaping onto the Mizukage's shoulder and peering at him up close. 'They say men with squinted eyes are monsters. Can't tell with this one.'

Minato had been about to ask Takeshi to say something a bit more diplomatic, but on second thought, the cat was right. They could talk later. If they delayed, the Kiri ninja might track them down. Takeshi's last attack had done serious damage, but it wasn't enough to cripple the entire village. They could rally. His own team, however, was running on fumes.

They had their prize. It was time to go.

"Forgive me," Hiashi said with a slight bow, before his Byakugan flared and his fingers jabbed a series of the man's tenketsu.

"Rest assured," the Third Mizukage said, surprisingly cooperative. "I hear the Third Raikage is your guest as well. I'm quite curious to see the situation for myself."

He was an intelligent man. He knew if Konoha had wanted him dead, they wouldn't have gone to such trouble. Sealing his chakra was a precaution. Their goal was to force the Kiri into a truce. With Kumo already surrendered, what did one more village matter?

Despite his cooperation, the Konoha ninja remained on edge. No Kage could be trusted completely. Scratch the surface of any village leader and you'd find a core of ruthless pragmatism. Caution was the only thing that kept a shinobi alive.

It wasn't until they saw the coastline and met one of Konoha's patrol teams that the tension finally began to ease. They were safe once they were home.

The Third Mizukage glanced around, taking in the layout of the forward camp. He'd seen it's descriptions before from surviving ninja's from their repetitive skirmishes. There was nothing new here.

'The main camp, however...' His eyes narrowed slightly. He'd always had a nagging suspicion. Tsunade was not the type to sit back and command from a tent. If she was on the front lines, she would be fighting. There was something else going on here. If only his forces had managed to draw her out, he might have confirmed it. Then, perhaps, Konoha wouldn't have won so easily.

But it was too late for what-ifs.

"The main camp is just ahead," Hiashi announced. "I'll be returning to my post."

"Alright. Thank you, Hiashi," Minato said with a grateful nod. The Mizukage was in their hands, but there was no guarantee the Kiri wouldn't launch a desperate rescue attempt. Defenses had to be maintained.

"Now then," the Third Mizukage said with a smile. "Take me to see Tsunade. Whether we're here for peace talks or a transaction, it's best we meet face-to-face."

"Meow~" Takeshi's paw landed on his shoulder, and Minato's hand rested on the other.

*Swoosh*

In an instant, the three of them were standing inside the command tent.

Fortunately, Tsunade wasn't drinking or gambling, but uncharacteristically hunched over a pile of documents. Her reputation was safe, for now. She looked up, and a smirk spread across her face when she saw the Third Mizukage.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in. Have a seat. Make yourself at home."

"Thank you," the Mizukage said, sitting down with perfect composure as he scanned the tent. So, she really was handling logistics. But on her desk, was that...

"Meow! What are you looking at? This is confidential." Takeshi pressed a paw down on the Mizukage's head.

For a Kage, the gesture was deeply insulting, but the Mizukage didn't react, simply tilting his head to avoid the paw.

Tsunade, however, just chuckled. "It's nothing, really. Just the Third Raikage's treatment plan."

"Treatment plan?" the Mizukage repeated, his smile unwavering while shock rippled through him.

'The Third Raikage... injured? And badly enough that Tsunade herself is overseeing his treatment.' A few names flashed through his mind, Konoha's most dangerous jonin. Finally, he landed on the two most likely candidates.

Takeshi and Minato.

Their S-Rank classification was no exaggeration. Those two were a threat on the level of a village-ending catastrophe.

'To injure the Third Raikage... it had to have been a powerful Wind Release jutsu, right?' the Mizukage mused.

He had no way of knowing that his own forces had just been decimated by that very same power, and that another of his Seven Swordsmen was now gone.

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