🦊Naruto Hatake🦊

Chapter 11

Friends

Friendship needs no words -

It is the solitude delivered from the anguish of loneliness

~Dag Hammarskjold~

A week after Jiraiya departed came the BIG day. It was the day before Naruto's fourth birthday. He woke up several times during the night because of his excitement. All of his friends said they would stop by to bring him a present. His Daddy was actually taking him out of the village for his birthday to go camping. As he lay in his bed trying to go back to sleep again, he could not help but feel a little apprehensive as well. Sometimes he did not want to go outside, but he didn't know why he felt that way.

The boy drifted off to sleep thinking of deep dark woods and eyes in the night; eyes full of hate watching him, wanting to hurt him. Then he saw silver light shining ahead in the distance; he ran towards it. For the first time, he caught up to it and grasped it in his small hands. His dream suddenly changed and there was his daddy standing before him.

In a rush of color and sound, he stood in a bright beautiful meadow. The midmorning sun warmed his skin while the cool breeze teased his hair. The sound of crickets filled his ears. He stood in a horse stance going through a new kata with his father. He felt the muscles in his arms and legs stretching as he extended his reach a little more without losing his balance. He repeated the motions several times then fell down. Kakashi smiled and held out his hand, "In order to truly learn, we must fall son. You can do it. You just have to..."

"...get up pup. You have a big day today." Naruto opened his eyes to see the silver-haired nin sitting on his bed, gently shaking him.

"Daddy," he said, rubbing his eyes and yawning, "I had the bad dream gain, then I did what you tole me too. I found you then we trained together. It was a nice dream."

Kakashi smiled, "That's really good to hear pup. Since it's almost your birthday, you can have anything you want for breakfast."

Naruto let out a shout, leaped up from the bed, and began to jump up and down. "Ramen and cookies. Lots of cookies." He started to sing a do a booty dance, "Ramen, uh huh, uh huh, ramen ramen ramen, yeah baby, woo hoo!"

"Ramen it is," said Kakashi with a roll of his eyes as he left the boy's room to make him a big pot of his favorite food. "Are you sure you don't want eggplant?" he joked then laughed at the gagging sound his little pup made.

Not long after, two figures made their way toward the Hatake home. "Do you think he will be up yet father?" Sai asked, holding wrapped gift in his hands and walking serenely beside Ibiki. "Do you think he will enjoy this? Why are we doing this again?" There was a subtle inflection in his voice that had not been there not long ago. It made the scarred nin smile.

"Well Sai, if he's anything like you, then I would say, yes he is awake," he replied, "He has probably been up since the crack of dawn. And You are giving him a present because that is what friends do, and yes, I am sure he will love it." He had been bringing the Sai to visit the Hatake boy at the park at least once a week. He hoped Naruto's cheerful disposition would somehow have an impact on his indifferent son and it seemed to be working. It seemed so unnatural for a child so young to never smile. As Ibiki thought of naruto, he reminded Sai, "Do not forget your manners. Remember what we discussed about nicknames too."

Sai bowed his head then knocked quietly on the door. Ibiki stood next to him and waited until the silver-haired man wearing a mask opened the door. Between his legs stood a small blond boy; dressed in footed pajamas with ninjas on them, looking fearfully around. As soon as he recognized the guests, his face transformed with exhilaration. "Daddy, its Sai. See, its Sai. Sai came to see me at my house!"