Domesticated Pup

Chapter One

Hinata stared into the den hoping to remain clandestine as she watched the site before her unfold. Never before had she witnessed her father so enraged, heard him so demanding, or seen his cheeks so red. In short, she had never really seen anyone get under her father's skin. How could the woman, standing not two feet away from her father, be so calm while recieving such threats? The expression painted on her face shows not only calm rationale, but also pride. The woman, the clueless creature, is smirking!

"Pup, your barks worse than your bite. Your teeth and claws are too dull to puncture skin. In fact, they aren't even good enough to satisfy a women in bed." The women doggedly, daringly continued, "Oh, that's why your in such a growly mood this morning isn't it? You..."

"I don't see a man next to you. What happened? He chew through his leash? Now, if you're quite finished I have a lot of work to do. Hinata, show Tsume-sama to the door," Hiashi faced his daughter who had foolishly attempted to hide from the two.

"Y-yes, f-father. This way I-Inuzuka-sama," Hinata stammered from embarrassment. Hinata had realized from the beginning that this woman was an Inuzuka, but it wasn't until now that she knew that this brave woman was her teammate's mother. Hinata led Tsume down a dim lit hallway which led to another hallway, which led to the exit. The woman seemed for the first time since Hinata had seen her, uncertain. She opened her mouth just to close it a second later and frequently looked from side to side. When they reached the end of the hallway, she finally spoke.

"You're my boy's teammate right?" She asked in a bit of a crackly voice. Hinata knew the woman didn't smoke, but her voice had the roughness of an eighty year old that had been smoking since she were ten.

Hinata nodded, "K-kiba-kun is my teammate."

The woman smiled, her lips looking an extroadinary red when up against her white fangs.

"He talks a lot about you and... " She tapped a sharp finger nail, one might even call it a claw, against her chin.

"Shino," Hinata helped, smiling as Tsume's face lit up as she heard the name.

"Ah, yes! Those, Aburame men! Quite attractive, aren't they?" Tsume said, elbowing the girl.

Hinata giggled a little, and lightly nodded.

Tsume cleared her throat, and in a loud, clear voice (What happened to the scratchy, smoker voice?) said, "Hinata-chan, if you ever need someone rationalto talk to, know that you're welcome over anytime!" Her voice echoed, as she knew it would, down the hall and into the den where a very annoyed Hiashi sat.

"I will," she whispered even though she knew if she spoke normally her voice wouldn't carry.

The two finally reached the two, sliding doors that had seemed so far away at first. Hinata stared at the woman who had, in the last five minutes, became her hero. She wore a small smile, her bright red lips shining a little bit from lip stick. Her pupils are narrow, almost cat-like, yet her eyes are wide and friendly. The markings on her cheeks, red triangles that look eerily like fangs, are identical to Kiba's. She has short, brown, unkempt hair. In fact, she has to have the worst hair style Hinata has ever seen. Even with her flat stomach and curves, the woman isn't attractive. Her eyes and hair cause her to look more masculine than femine. Still, Hinata couldn't fathom why she wouldn't have a husband. She is certainly nice enough.

"See ya Hinata-chan," Tsume raised her voice so Hiashi could hear her from the den, "Good-bye Hiashi-kun."

As the door shut and Tsume disappeared to the outside world, Hinata felt impending doom coming as she stared down the hall that led to another hall that led to the den. She could feel the heat from the den all the way from where she stood near the door. Hinata pictured the hell of the den where the devil himself sat on his thrown, surrounded by fire.

Hinata took one step forward. The floor boars creeked, the temperature rose, and Hinata could swear she heard the screech of some demon from the pits of hell. She paused, taking a minute to study the red rug with it's gold designs on it for just a moment.

She had fought fiercer ninja's before. She had felt the cold metal from a kunai at her throat. She had seen people tortured, killed, and skinned alive. Nothing, absolutely nothing, compared to this.

With pain staking slowness she moved down the hall. She finally reached the end of the first hall, and thought she'd burn to death before she even reached the den. The screeching demons became louder.

One step. I could turn back!

Another step. Did I just hear footsteps? Who is it? Neji? Hinabi? Or him.

A third step. Maybe it was just my imagination.

A fourth step. A fifth step. A sixth step. How long will he be this angry? What will he do?

A seventh step. An eighth step. Half way there. Half way...

A ninth step. Why don't I just turn around and go to my room?

A tenth step. I don't hear any thing from inside the den. Nothings breaking. Papers are even being pushed around.

A eleventh step. Why did he get so angry? What happened before I got there?

An twelfth step. A thirteenth step. A fourteenth step. This is my last chance to turn around. I could! I'll just go to my room! Am I that much of a coward? Can I not face my own father?

Hinata put her hand on the doorway frame, but quickly removed it as if it were on fire. Slowly, she moved her body into the doorway and her eyes gazed into her final destination to find...

A normal den. A normal Hiashi-less den. Hinata let out a huge breath she had apparently been holding and let her tensed body relax while resting apon the door frame.

"Hinata-sama," The voice behind her was calm and emotionless. Father!

Hinata scurried up from her crouching position. She almost tripped as she twirled around to face the man behind her.

"F-fa...oh, Neji-nii-sama! How was your mission?" She said relaxing a bit.

"The mission was a success," he spoke in a monotone, his voice not portraying any hint of excitement from the success.

"That's good," Hinata mumbled.

"What," Neji paused, carefully deciding his words, "happened?" He ended lamely, deciding there no other way to word it.

"Why?...I-I mean, why do y-you think something happened?" Hinata stammered, making it even more obvious that something, did in fact happen.

Neji raised his left eyebrow, but didn't comment on her stuttering, "Hiashi-sama seems rather...tense."

"Uh...uhm..."Hinata didn't need to answer, because Hiashi was headed down the hall towards them.

"Neji, your mission was a success I take it?" Hiashi asked as he approached the two.

"Yes," Neji answered with a slight nod.

"Good," Hiashi replied quickly.

"Hinata, we'll finish discussing our training later on then?" You'll explain what happened later?

"Yes, of course." Hinata spoke a little too loudly and nodded a few too many times.

Neji nodded once and headed down the hall, leaving Hinata and Hiashi, father and daughter, alone.

"Leave." The command was clear, short and very easy to follow. Though, for some reason Hinata felt hisitant. Her father was troubled, more troubled than she'd ever seen him and deep, deep down she wanted to comfort him.

"Leave." He said again, a little louder.

Then again, maybe her father could comfort himself. Hinata scurried to the doorway, and turned to go down the hallway to her left. She paused out of sight, in the hall near the den where she could hear her father's deep sigh as he muttered three words.

Damn that woman.