(Nine Days Left)

When the sun came up, Gaara didn't want me to go, he was afraid Shukaku would take over again.

I promised him he would be fine and that I would come back.

"Besides," I added, "you have a home to defend."

Gaara nodded and we went our separate ways for the day.

Yurei met me in the kitchen.

"Hey, Katsumi..." Yurei looked like he was about to pass out.

"How is he?" I asked worriedly.

Yurei smiled weakly, "It's all about Tamashi now is it?"

I leaned over and kissed his forehead, "Well you look ready to pass out, maybe I should pay attention to you too."

"I'm fine!" Yurei went to stand up and his leg instantly gave out.

"I though Sakura healed that thing!"

"She must not have fully healed it. That sand thing really stressed her out. Below my knee is fine but above it still hurts..."

"True," I put Yurei's arm around my back so I could support him.

I helped him up the stairs. Tamashi was still in bed. I froze at the sight of him.

"Yurei?" My voice quivered.

"He's not dead, Kage," Yurei pulled on my hand.

He led me to Tamashi's bed. I pulled back, I was convinced Tamashi was dead. Yurei put my hand on his neck... A pulse!

"T-Tamashi?"

"The kunai only grazed him, and not his neck," Yurei explained.

"What..." I collapsed to my knees.

I laid my head on Tamashi's chest and cried. I felt a hand on my back.

"Tamashi?" My head flew up.

"No, just me," Yurei said.

"Oh..." I slowly put my head back down.

Yurei rubbed my back. I focused on the slow rise and fall of Tamashi's sleeping chest. My tears soaked his shirt.

"Please come back to me, Tamashi."

"Hey, wake up, lazy bones!" Yurei tried to hold back his tears, but one fell onto the back of my hand.

I sat back, wiping my eyes, "Come on, Yurei, I'll make you breakfast."

That made Yurei happy. He was always eager to eat.

"So you wanna tell me about this Gaara kid?"

"Not really," I admitted, "but I can tell you won't let it go."

"You know me so well, little sis," Yurei grinned proudly.

"Well I first met Gaara when I was just a kid. I saw him at a playground. He was alone and my ball rolled over to him. I asked him if I could have the ball back and he asked me why I wasn't afraid of him. Then he had to leave. I hadn't seen him since until we went on that mission for Father. Temari, his older sister, she was the one that kidnapped me. Once Gaara figured out who I was, he never wanted to let me go. So now I visit him every night."

Yurei took in my story, "So how long ago was this first encounter?"

"Mother was still alive," Yurei flinched at those words.

"And why do you go see this kid? Everyone else is afraid of him."

"He needs someone. Someone who isn't afraid and can help him. There is a demon controlling that boy and I have until the full moon to show him Gaara is capable of emotions other than hate and blood lust."

"Why does it have to be you? You could get hurt, or worse!"

I smiled, "Gaara would never hurt me. I know he's really in control despite what that demon Shukaku says."

Yurei frowned, he wasn't so sure. I put his breakfast in front of him and took mine up to my room. I needed to sleep.

The day repeated as usual, make food, clean Tamashi, sleep or train until night time.

I ran laps around the very top of the mountain where the air was thinnest. I ran as both a human and a kitten to keep both forms fit.

I decided to watch the sunset in a natural hot spring nearby. I grabbed a fluffy towel from the bathroom and told Yurei where I was going.

I let out a long sigh as the steaming hot water met my bare skin. I let my hair down as well. I sank down into the water, letting it consume me and wash away my worries.

Out there I was the battle hardened Kage no Akumu. In the water I was Katsumi Uchiha, little neko sister of Itachi and Sasuke. But I also had a third side. When I was with Gaara, I was Kuri the adorable kitten.

I promised myself I would help Gaara or die trying, but I still had someone else to worry about. I desperately wanted Tamashi to wake up. Tamashi was always the brains of the group, Yurei was the muscle, and I was the heart. Together we were a team, but separate we were useless to our Father and to each other.

I sighed again and allowed my head to slip under the water. I practiced holding my breath for as long as possible. I floated in the hot spring, daydreaming. The water on my back mixed with the setting sun on my chest felt amazingly warm.

I let out my whiskers to view my surroundings. I watched a family of bunnies hop along on the other side of a large rock. A little bird was hard at work making a nest. A frog lazily sat by the hot springs.

The sun looked bloated as it sank beneath the horizon. Clouds of varying reds, yellows, and oranges raced over my head. Behind me, a storm was brewing over one of the mountains.

My ear twitched as a branch broke. I pointed my whiskers. I hissed and snapped to attention as I felt a human presence. In order to keep from being seen naked, I morphed and jumped up to a rock.

I crouched over my clothes and growled in the direction I felt a human. More branches broke and some leaves rustled. My pupils dilated to slits.

Someone stepped out of the trees and I threw myself at them.