CHAPTER 2 - Return Home

Naruto scented the air, they was getting close. He put on an extra burst of speed and could see the village gate ahead of him. It wouldn't take long at all, and he soon found himself at his destination. Naruto looked up at the towering wall and he prepared for the jump but stopped short as the tall doors began to slowly creek open.

"Naruto? Naruto! It is you!"

It was all he heard as a flash of pink shot through the gates as soon as there was enough room to fit through. The blur of pink slowed as his mind registered what is was and his body relaxed out of the attack mode he'd entered at the sudden screech and rushing motion.

"Naruto you idiot what did you think you were doing leaving like that!"

Its movement stopped completely and the fist that was coming toward him froze in midair.

"Y-You brought Sasuke back.." by this time a few more blurs approached as well, only their familiar scents stopping him from going back into attack mode.

"N-Naruto? What's wrong? How come your eyes are all red like that?" a hand reached toward him again but this time it reached for the still unconscious Uchiha. A growl ripped from his throat and he glared at the offending hand.

"Sakura NO!" the hand was immediately snatched from the air, by a larger gloved hand, and returned to her side.

"Kakashi-sensei what-I don't understand. Why?"

"He's not in his right mind, its best you not get too close, he's likely to attack anyone of us if he feels threatened."

"Threatened? Why would he be threatened, and why would that change anything?" Kakashi sighs.

"I told you he's not in his right mind. He's being influenced by something he can't control and it seems to have taken over. He probably can't even understand what we're saying." Sakura's brow frowned at her sensei's explanation.

"I still don't understand Kakashi-sensei." Another sigh escaped the jounin as he ran a hand through his silver hair and looked back over at the still beastlike Naruto. He watched for a moment as the other jounin that had accompanied him, tried to draw closer to the boy. Naruto's reaction to this was no better then the one he gave Sakura.

"Kakashi-sensei I-" He looked sharply back at her cutting her off.

"Look Sakura I'm sorry but I'm not at liberty to discuss this with you, its classified information." Sakura was struck dumb by this. 'What could possibly be such a big secret that he couldn't tell her even when it involved her teammates?'

Kakashi walked closer to the other ninja scratching his head as he went.

'How exactly where they supposed to get Sasuke away from Naruto when he was like this?' It was obvious that Sasuke would probably need medical attention, especially if he'd fought against this Naruto.

Just then Naruto dropped into a crouch, laying Sasuke's limp body on the ground, his growling deepened and the black of his slitted pupils could barely be seen in the sea of red that surrounded them, as they contracted further.

Thinking fast Kakashi stepped in front of the others in a flash, holding his arms out to keep them back.

"Don't get any closer he obviously sees us as a threat, and you all known as well as I do that he won't think twice about retaliating if he thinks we're trying to hurt him…or Sasuke." Everyone standing behind him nodded in understanding and backed off a few steps. 'Damn, what they really needed was someone who would be able to get through to him.'

Kakashi turned his head to the side looking at the ninja behind him before barking out a few quick orders. "One of you go get the Hokage! The rest of you stay close but make sure the gate is well guarded while it's open, and that no civilians wander near it, we don't need them seeing this." The other nin nodded once again before splitting off and going on about following the orders. Kakashi straitened and held his hands up in a sign of peace. Naruto seemed to calm slightly as the numbers thinned out but he stayed in his crouch as his growling subsided. All they could do now was wait and hope for the best.