Tobirama tried to concentrate on the nature around him and the chakra of everyone and everything.

But no matter how much he tried, he just couldn't get it!

Somehow it seems, the rapid change and death had messed with his senses.

His sensor abilities specifically.

He can't get himself to feel more than what's seven feet away from him.

He huffed, he needs to fix that and quickly.

He felt almost blind and vulnerable without his sensory abilities.

He will practice more, later.

At that moment Mito walked into the living room, seeing his troubled expression she raised one red eyebrow.

"Trying your sensory again?"

He nodded and she sighted.

"You need to let it be, for now at least. I imagine that not all of your abilities will respond immediately. The Hiraishin and the Suiton jutsu must have been luck or something similar."

He sighted at that himself.

Hiraishin.

Another thing he tried ever since that incident three weeks ago.

No matter how hard he tried he just couldn't teleport again.

He tried to remember what he had done then, feel what he felt.

But the only think he can remember is the despaired need to protect.

It must have been done on impulse, pure instinct.

It's frustrating.

Suddenly coming from one of the most powerful men in the world, to vulnerable animal.

He felt blind, weak.

And he hated it.

Mito gave him a sad look and came over to him, sitting beside him on the floor and wrapping one arm around his semi-small form.

"Don't worry I am sure you'll get it in time."

She gave him a small smile which he returned with one of his own.

He then looked at the headband Kagami gave him then.

With new determination he promised himself and everyone he'll get stronger.

He may have fallen but he will climb back up and will never fall again.

Mito saw the look and grinned, here was that look. The look he had on every time a new powerful enemy appeared, that stubborn look of determination that screams that he won't ever give up.

><><><><><><

The next day Tobirama went out to try some water jutsu. He could do that before, so there is a possibility he will still be able to use at least lower ranked ones.

He stood in the clearing of his old private training ground.

No one was here, not that he expected anyone to be.

They seemed to avoid it actually.

Good, he needs his privacy.

Not that anyone else expect for him used it anyway.

People knew better then to come there when he was testing out a new jutsu.

Which was almost all the time.

The field was big, good four kilometers large clearing surrounded by forest.

There was a river, a waterfall he liked to meditate in. The water fall spilling into a small lake from which a small water fall is spilling water into the river.

He needs to see if he can still draw water out of thin air.

He sits down and evens his breathing, this was never a problem for him, unlike his laud, anxious brother he can keep still for hours and hours. Maybe even days.

He concentrates on the feeling of water, the gentle flow of the small river, or the strong current of wild rivers and the waterfall.

The feeling he always has when he manipulates it, the calm yet wild flow of his chakra.

He did it, water materializes out of thin air around him.

He still keeps his focus as he makes the water droplets shift around him, creating one giant bubble which floats in front of him.

He then lets it drop gently onto the grass which becomes wet at its contact.

It's now or never.

He stands up, thinks about the hand signs and clearly calls out in his mind, "Suiton! Mizu no Muchi!"

The Water Whip forms quickly and perfectly.

A D rank jutsu, but a jutsu none the less.

He allows himself a small grin, it may not be the Suiryuudan no jutsu, but at least he knows he isn't completely powerless.

Suddenly he felt something, a flicker of chakra, but as soon as it came it was gone.

He twirled in direction where he felt it, brows furrowing in confusion.

It felt familiar, but from where?

Even tho it disappeared soon after, he still felt the chill it sent down his spine.

So familiar, yet he just couldn't place it.

He felt another chill go down his spine and suppressed a shiver.

What the hell was that?

He shakes his head and once again glances in the direction, seeing nothing he turned around and started walking back towards Mito's house.

May as well call it home now...

The whole way there he felt eyes burning into his back, glancing behind every now and then but seeing nothing he tries to ignore the ever lingering paranoia.

He sped his pace slightly and felt the nonexistent gaze disappear the moment he stepped into the village.

He passed it as paranoia against his better judgement.

><><><><><><

Madara was delighted, he watched the overgrown feline from safe distance the whole time, the moment the cat didn't sense him he wanted to turn away, that however changed the moment he felt the familiar wild yet gente flow of chakra in the air. The bastard's chakra.

He looked back at the feline, watched as water appeared out of thin air in small droplets, watched as the cat made it all come together then let it descend down and letting go.

He saw the cat grin slightly before standing up and calling forth the Mizu no muchi.

So he stopped suppressing his chakra, just for a tiny second, stepping just a tad bit closer.

He grinned as the feline's head snapped towards his direction, not allowing any more of his chakra to leak out. This was all he needed to know.

It was him.

He couldn't see him but Madara had clear view of his strange new form.

He felt his breath hitch when he looked into those red eyes.

He almost forgot how red they were.

They were full of concentration, focus, calm and yet there was a slight flicker of recognition.

He haven't let his chakra loose long enough for him to know that it was him.

But it was obvious that even that little speck of his chakra made the albino nervous.

Good, he should be.

He watched as he looked towards the direction of the village then back at his location and walked away.

The alarm in his movements making Madara grin.

So he followed him, no one in the village was good enough in sensing to know he's there.

He keeps his distance from Tobirama tho.

The bastard was the only one who was ever able to sense him.

It was obvious that whatever happened to him made his skill weaker significantly.

That was good for Madara.

The weaker he is the easier he is to kill.

But he won't make his move anytime soon.

He won't make in for a long, long while.

For now he'll just watch, then go back to his traveling.

He noted with sick delight how the now feline albino kept glancing behind, feeling his eyes on his back.

Now was also perfect time to look over the albino's new form.

He was bigger than a cat, slightly bigger than the snow leopard cubs he had summoned sometimes to play with his students when they were still small brats, they are still brats just not so tiny anymore.

He looked like a mix of two.

He was slim, the shape of an ocelot.

Yes, a white ocelot.

His fur was white with single light silver thin stripe going from his nose, thickening as it travels from there on his back, then thinning again on his tail. He had markings similar to a snow leopard but lighter in color. Instead of black they were just a shade darker then the stripe, adoring his back, the top part of his legs, his tail and scattered here and there on top of his head.

His eyes were out lined with black. His nose was also black.

His ears were the same shape as of an ocelot, leopard or any tropical feline, same color as the stripe, connecting to it on top of his head.

The inner parts of his ears were white and the lower part was outlined with black fur.

The tip of his tail was also black with

3 thin black stripes under it.

Circling it like inky black rings.

The rest of him was simply stark white.

Easy to track in the greenery of the forests and darkness of shadows.

His posture was alarmed right now.

Not at ease, not calm.

Ready to bolt.

This made Madara grin even more widely.

He will watch him for a while.

He then let his eyes narrow at the headband tied around his neck.

As loyal as ever.

Once they were close to the village Madara gave him last glance over and shunshined away.

He will watch him for a while then continue with his plan.

It's not the time yet.

It won't be for a good while.

But once it comes.

He will finally get his hands on his brother's killer.