"If you are going through hell, keep going."

- Winston Churchill

<>

"I, for one, would just like to say that I'm really happy Naruto's not here right now." Kakashi broke the silence. "Because this is one of those, 'are we there yet' moments."

Sakura barked a laugh, moving a branch so it didn't hit her face when she passed it. Sasuke snorted. "That's so true."

They loved their blonde friend, but he just loved getting on their nerves. And by that, I mean the incessant asking of the one question that drives every single parent just a little bit insane. He was born impatient, just like his mother, and traveling with him was honestly a chore.

"We're almost there." Kakashi, the only one who really remembered how to get to Kumo, said. Sakura and Sasuke had each been to Kumo on numerous occasions. For Sasuke, once to take the Eight Tails Jinchuriki, Killer B, and for Sakura, well... she ran numerous errands for Lady Tsunade in her time. The female Sannin died later on in the war, during the fight with the Ten Tails. Sakura took over as head medic, and Kakashi was put in as Hokage. A week after her death, they finally figured out how to seal Kaguya. But the point of that rant was, though they'd been there before, neither of the kids really remembered how to get to Kumo.

"Okay. Good." Sakura sped up a little bit to match Kakashi's pace. Their five year old bodies weren't taking this well, but neither Sasuke nor Sakura were planning on mentioning it. This was making the two of them stronger physically, in a way.

As she was running next to him, Kakashi turned his head to look at her. "Are you ready to get your new summon?" He asked. There were multiple underlying questions with that. Are you ready to fight a bunch of overgrown cats if need be? Why do you need a new summoning contract? Isn't Katsuyu enough? Are you okay?

"As ready as I'll ever be." Sakura ignored the other questions, putting her head down and running. She didn't want to talk about her choice. Sasuke had two summoning animals- hawks and snakes. That was okay. Sakura needed two summoning animals, too, preferably one that is good for the offense and defense. She believed Katsuyu would work better under pressure if she was being protected. It would be easier to heal this way.

Sakura had a reason for this choice, and that's all they needed to know.

<>

Kumo is the kind of place that you never really get over how pretty it is. The city was hidden in between mountains protruding from the sea, which made it very easily defendable. Plus, some of the other columns of rock had towers built into them for the offensive. The clouds were a brilliant white, and sky was a beautiful blue. The water matched it. It was so clear, if they held still for long enough, Sakura could see very far down. Wreaths of green climbed up the gray walls of the thin rock mountain islands they passed by, on their way to the main island.

Kakashi, Sakura and Sasuke were sitting in a rowboat, the three of them switching on and off for a turn with the oars. Naturally, Kakashi took the brunt of the rowing, he just allowed Sakura and Sasuke to try it a couple of times for the sake of building endurance.

"We're here." Kakashi told his students as they pulled up on the shore. Sakura and Sasuke pulled the boat up far enough that it wasn't going to drift off, and Kakashi led them up onto the beach.

The city was further down, the giant gates were opened to tourists as they walked up. Kakashi removed his Konoha headband, and he grabbed Sasuke and Sakura each by the hand. The three of them had backpacks slung over their shoulders, and they masked their chakra so that they fit in perfectly with the civilians.

Walking in, they followed the tour guide, but the minute they were inside, they were split off from the group. They each decided on fake names for if they were caught, and went on their way.

"What are we looking for?" Sasuke said, swinging on Kakashi's hand like a normal five year old would do. Sakura was holding onto Kakashi'a pant leg, and his hand was placed atop her head. She was playing the shy girl this time.

"We're looking for the mountains on the other side of the village." She pointed. Those were the highest, fullest mountains Sasuke had seen yet. They weren't skinny and short like the rock island mountains. "Meaning we have to go through this place undetected."

Kakashi sighed, roughly holding Sasuke against him so he could stop wiggling. Sasuke pretended to whine. "You are more of a handful than Naruto when you want to be," Kakashi said, making Sasuke stop being a brat immediately, cover be damned.

<>

"She's gotten so secretive so quickly, we don't know what to do." Kizashi and Mebuki Haruno sat in front of the Hokage. "We really don't know what else to do with her but put her in the Academy."

"Are you sure, Mebuki-san, Kizashi-san?" Minato asked, leaning his chin into his hands. "She's so young. Just five years old, you say?"

"Yes, my lord." Mebuki said, nodding. "I don't want her to be in the Academy, but it looks like she wants to. She leaves us behind with a shadow clone - how did she learn the shadow clone jutsu anyway? - and goes out training every day. When she comes back, she is quiet. She gives us a tight hug, then eats a little bit of dinner, and goes to sleep. She's worrying us, but we can't stop her, Lord Hokage."

Minato lifted an eyebrow. "Is she a prodigy?" So young... she's Naruto's age... speaking of Naruto, he knew his son was listening in outside the window.

"We don't know, my lord. She never trains in front of us. But she doesn't sleep much, either, we know that, and she's smart." Kizashi told him.

Naruto chose that moment to step in. Apparently, he had walked around and gone through the door. "Hey! I couldn't help but overhear, I was coming to see my dad. My name's Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze, and I'm gonna be best friends with your daughter."

The three adults looked at him like he had grown two heads.

"Naruto-chan... what?" Mebuki asked, looking confused. Of course she knew he was the son of the Hokage, but other than that, this outburst was completely random.

"You said your daughter needed help, right? Well, how 'bout this. I'm five, and I'll join the Academy at seven. If we start bein' friends, will you hold off on putting her in until I get to enroll?" Naruto asked, in his cute little five year old voice.

Mebuki and Kizashi exchanged a glance, not really knowing what to say, or how to resist Naruto's big blues. "Sure," Kizashi said. "Thank you, Naruto-chan."

Naruto's eyes sparkled as he left the Hokage's office. He'd just established a way for himself and Sasuke to see Sakura-chan more, and solved things with Itachi-nii-chan over the course of two days. He was good at this. Minato beamed in pride at his adorable, friendly son. He just hoped the little girl would be open to his son's vibrant personality.

<>

"Yo."

Sakura bumped nose first into the man in front of her, gasping in pain. She looked up to apologize to the man and noticed him already looking down at her. He wasn't that much older than Kakashi, maybe in his twenties. Sakura's mind was currently aged at twenty-two since she had been 17 when she was born into this new body and was now five years old. Sakura recognized him immediately as Killer B, Naruto's jinchuriki friend and mentor in their last life. Sakura didn't know what to say, so she just gaped at Killer B. Kakashi noticed her gasp, and walked over slowly, bringing Sasuke with him.

"I'm so sorry, B-sama, she didn't mean to hit you," Kakashi said, taking control of the situation. He was, of course, older. He was twenty-two years old, physically, only a few years younger than Killer B. "I'm babysitting these two for their parents, and this one got lost. I suppose I should be taking her home before she causes more trouble for you. Again, I am terribly sorry," he said, grabbing Sakura's hand and beginning to turn the other way.

"Wait." Killer Bee commanded. Kakashi stopped in his tracks and slowly turned around, knowing he was caught. His ruse of being of this village was clearly failing, as the three of them now had Killer Bee's attention.

"I've lived in this village since I was born." Bee said to them, looking at all three, but his eyes stopped on Kakashi's. "But I've never met you, and if you were from here I woulda met you before."

"B!" A thundering voice shouted, catching all of their attention. There he was- the Raikage, thundering over to them. A was upset. Extremely upset, by the looks of it. "What are you doing? Who are these people?"

"They're tourists, brother," B said. "This little girl ran into me on accident, and I was making sure she wasn't smothered, bakayaro konoyaro." He said. The familiar verbal tic made both Sakura and Kakashi crack a smile, while Sasuke just winced. He'd once tried to capture Killer B and now regretted it. The Jinchuriki was a good guy, and now was covering for them, even when he didn't have to.

"Tourists, huh?" The Raikage's scathing eyes landed on each of them, and the three of them smiled sheepishly under the pressure-filled gaze. "Hm. Well, either way, you're late. Yugito is-"

"Right here." A silken voice said from behind them. Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi turned around to see the Jinchuriki of the Two Tails right behind them. Kakashi sweatdropped at being surrounded by these powerful people. "I'm right here, Lord Fourth. Who are these charming young ones here, hmm?" Nii Yugito looked at them, leaning down to ruffle Sakura and Sasuke's hair. She planted one padded hand into Sakura's hair, and the other into Sasuke's, and gently rubbed their scalp. "How cute you two are."

"Arigato, onee-chan," Sakura and Sasuke chorused politely.

"Well, B, if you're ready now, we have a meeting to get to." A said, sort of sarcastically. Kakashi tried to avoid narrowing his eyes, tampering down his dislike of A. A nodded at Kakashi and the children, and just like that, Killer B, Nii Yugito, and A were gone.

<>

The three Konoha nin left after exploring for a little while, checking into a hotel for the night. It was too late to travel up the mountain, so they decided they'd get an early start tomorrow.

"How long do you think we'll be staying here?" Sasuke asked, picking up his pillow and letting it rest on his face.

Sakura shook her head, sitting on her own bed. Kakashi did the same with his bed. The three were sharing a room, because Sakura and Sasuke were in five year old bodies, and neither could be left alone. "Not very long. Sunset today starts the 3 day window to get up there."

"Why do we only have a three day window?" Kakashi asked. He knew a lot, but he didn't know much about the panthers. They tended to be very mysterious.

"The Mountain is only accessible once every decade. That is usually right around now." Sakura said. "Why, I don't know."

"That would be because the panthers are incredible at hiding themselves using genjutsu and barriers. They have a barrier that is so strong, it only falters for three days. Those three days are the only time you can get in." That same silken voice was slipping in the window, with Killer Bee following her.

"What are you guys doing here?" Sasuke asked before he could stop himself.

"We tend to investigate foreign ninja on our land." Nii Yugito said.

"Yeah, bakayaro konoyaro." B said, grinning sheepishly at them and moving his hands to a beat that only he heard. "We have all the names of the tourists, but you didn't come with the tourists. And you aren't from here, you know."

"Meaning you must be foreign." Yugito clarified. "It didn't take long to figure out where you were from, since you have Kakashi the Copy nin with you. And the boy is an Uchiha, plain as day. You come from Konoha. And if you tell us what we want to know, we won't kill you."

"We aren't here to spy, Yugito-san, I swear." Sakura spoke up, looking the older girl in the eyes. "I'm just here to sign a summoning contract with the panther species that lives in the mountains."

B looked down at her, and frowned at her particularly small size. "Aren't you a little... young for a decision like that one?"

"Maybe. But I need a summon, and I might as well start now." Sakura said, a determined look coming onto her face. She looked at Kakashi and nudged Sasuke playfully. "I have to catch up with these guys somehow."

Yugito nodded at this, looking at the strange party of three. She considered it for a minute, then looked at Killer B. She looked back at Sakura again, and noticed everything about the little girl in front of her. "You're so young..."

"I'm a shinobi, Yugito-san." Sakura said with an air of respect. "I need to learn how to hold my own. I need to work really hard to make something of myself. I think you understand what I'm talking about, don't you?"

Yugito was silent for another few minutes, closing her eyes to think. Matatabi, in her head, was encouraging her to give these people a  chance. She smelled dog on the older one, but the younger two seemed okay. "Okay. We'll leave tomorrow. B, do you think you can distract the Raikage for me while I'm gone?" A grin slowly spread over Sakura's face.

"Sure I can." B said. "If my brother suspects something, I'll hit him in the head with a pan."

"What- you're coming?" Sasuke asked, shocked. Kakashi also looked weirded out, his eyebrows raised and his mouth agape.

"Yes. I am. You're going to need me, trust me." Yugito said, standing up straighter. She crossed her arms. "I'll pick you guys up tomorrow morning, lead you there, and I'll lead you up the mountain, since I'm the only one who's been there before."

She and B turned around, walking over to the door. She opened it for Killer B, and allowed him to leave using it. She turned around slightly, looking at the shocked group. "I'll be here early tomorrow, make you're you're ready."

The two boys said nothing, but Sakura saluted the older girl. "Yes, ma'am." 

<>

She was true to her word, and picked them up early in the morning. They snuck out of the village before most of the people woke up, and started the climb up the mountain. As they climbed, they talked.

"I'm sorry, but I'm the only one out of the loop here, and I have a few questions. Where is Tsukinoyo, and why are we going there?" Sasuke asked. Yugito turned to look at him, and Sakura did as well.

"Tsukinoyo is the legendary home of the panthers. It's said that the panthers are one of the wisest creatures on earth." Kakashi said, informing his student. "Very few shinobi know if its existence, much less where it's located. Legend has it that Lord Tobirama found out about Tsukinoyo. He found a map to it, but never went there himself. He died without ever going or telling anyone about it."

Sasuke's brows furrowed in confusion. "So how does Sakura know?"

"That is for me to know, and you to not." Sakura said from where she was leading them. "The point is, I memorized the map. Tsukinoyo is located in the mountains of Kumogakure. That is why we're going there. Any more questions?"

"Yeah. What's so legendary about it?" Sasuke asked, taking up the Naruto position of asking too many questions.

"Tsukinoyo is the home of the panthers, as Kakashi said." Sakura told him. "It's a safe haven for them."

"What does that mean?"

Sakura sighed. Why can't Sasuke just know these things, so I don't have to get stuck explaining? "They used to wander the world with the humans, and were peaceful creatures except for when they were threatened. A few befriended humans, and lived with them, protecting them and their houses. That all changed when Lord Hagoromo separated the Juubi into the Biju. As you may recall, the Two Tails is a great cat. Since the panthers resembled the Nibi in appearance, they were chased away, hunted, and viewed as a bad omen. The Queen of the species at the time, Hitojichi, made the panthers retreat into the mountains of Kumo where they wouldn't be persecuted, and made that place their hunting grounds." Sakura explained, hiking behind Nii Yugito. Mountains were taxing to climb, so Killer B gave them a lot of extra water.

"A few years ago, I was made aware of the panthers by Two Tails, who felt for them since they were fellow cats. She lead me there, so I didn't need the less precise map of Lord Second Hokage." Yugito added. "There, the Two Tails and I made amends with the Queen and her people. The queen rather likes me, too, if I do say so myself. If little Sakura-chan wants to make a summoning contract with them, I would be a good person to have around at that time. They're dangerous to strangers."

"Wow." Sasuke said, kicking a rock out of the way. He walked faster, keeping a sharp eye out for anything. Kakashi was on edge as well.

The more they climbed, the more the observed the scenery. It was pretty, and they could see the sun rise over the village. It made the water behind it sparkle, making the village look like a jewel in the crown of the island area. The green land of the mountain was beautiful, the sparkling morning dew reminding them of something like snow. It was a very pleasant trip. Definitely worth it, although it was very exhausting while they were moving.

The first time they stopped for a break, they noticed how cold it was getting.

"That's normal. We are on a mountain, after all." Yugito said. "It's summer now, so it shouldn't be too cold up by the top."

"That's good, because we didn't bring coats." Sakura said. She looked around again, pausing in her hike to examine and enjoy her surroundings. "It's so beautiful up here."

Yugito hummed in agreement. "I wish we could come up here more often. I came up here once, ten years ago. I was seven, I think. So young. Still pretty hated back then, too, but Killer Bee was helping me control Two Tails. This trip was one of the things that helped us bond."

"That's good." Sakura said, rubbing her arms. "My friend Naruto is a jinchiriki too, he had the Nine Tails."

Yugito's eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a claw swiping at the air where she had just been. The two girls jumped up, each getting into defensive positions.

There one was- a panther, standing right in front of them. It was long, lean, and sleek, panting heavily. It's fangs were bared in a snarl, and it lowered onto its haunches to leap towards them again.

Sakura noticed Sasuke and Kakashi, sneaking up behind it, weapons drawn. Sakura gave a small, almost imperceptible shake of the head.

But it was too late, the animal was already lunging at them.