Living Nightmare

A/N: Here’s a very, very short epilogue thing.  Review!  Or at least a rating, please??  -Prpl Grl

 Sending Out the Hounds

 Tsunade sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose before she acknowledged the small group standing in her office, waiting for orders.  She folded her hands onto her desk and looked each one in the eye, making sure they knew the importance of the mission she was about to give them.

“You don’t have a lot of time,” she stated, staring hard at the team leader.  “Shikamaru was somehow able to escape yesterday evening from the Inuzuka compounds, and with the heavy rain that followed it was obviously conjured to cover his tracks.”

“You want us to try and track someone who has no trail,” Kakashi inquired, for once paying attention to the Hokage and not his book.  “That won’t be easy.”

“No, it won’t,” she agreed, eyes shifting toward the other two she had gathered.  “That’s why I wanted you to accompany them, Hinata.”

Said ninja stood a little straighter and nodded, determination shining in her eyes.  “I will not let you down, Lady Hokage.”

She moved her gaze to the final shinobi standing in the room.  “You’re along because I need someone who can take down a person fast and since you did so well last time, I’m leaving it up to you to be able to capture Shikamaru and bring him back… unharmed,” Tsunade added, stressing the word with a glare.

Shino merely pushed his glasses further up onto his face.  “That will solely depend on his cooperation,” he stated softly.

She nodded and looked over her assembled team.  In all reality, she would have preferred to have Neji in the Hyuga heir’s position, but he was rarely in the village now, ever since he proclaimed that he was in love with the Kazekage.  He spent most of his time in Suna with the man who returned his affection.  Sighing again, Tsunade stood.  “All right, I want Shikamaru brought back to the village as quickly as possible.  You should be able to pick up some kind of scent if you scatter your hounds, Kakashi.  Remember to bring him in with as little injury as possible; I want answers to this situation.  Go!”

The three nodded and quickly left the room.  The Hokage plopped back into her chair and pulled out the hidden bottle of sake, taking a few gulps straight from the container.  Hopefully they would bring the Nara in soon, she was quite curious as to who this “alpha” could be that the Inuzuka’s mentioned that their dogs cowered from.  From their expressions, even the dog clan had no idea what was meant by that.

She replaced the bottle and continued with her paperwork, praying that the bug tamer would stay in line and bring the escaped ninja-turned-dog back alive.