Chapter 3

Time Skip (Two Years)

A figure stood on the edge of the cliff, a black cloak hanging off his shoulders, the hood pulled up, and a mask hiding his features. A rustle in the brush behind him drew his attention and he turned his head slightly.

A man, hardly memorable with his civilian clothes and generic brown hair, walked up to the hooded figure, suppressing a shiver as the figure turned, revealing the visage of a snarling feline, ice-blue eyes narrowed menacingly.

The man shifted and cleared his throat nervously, "Aah, are you the one I asked for?" A curt nod was his only answer. "What's your name?" he probed further, when the masked man showed no signs of speaking.

"Lynx," the hooded figure's answer was spoken in a monotone voice that did nothing to hide the youth's age.

The man's eyebrows raised, now that he looked closely, Lynx looked like a kid. He frowned, "Well, Lynx-san, I need an escort to Mist, and there's a war going on right now, think you can handle it?"

"I am perfectly capable of handling some leaf nin, I assure you. However, if that is a problem..." Lynx trailed off before raising his hand and making a sign.

Immediately, two others of similar stature appeared out of thin air. The man let out a startled shriek and backpedaled quickly, slamming into a tree as he did so. The one that had a mask depicting a vicious Wolf let out a loud cough that sounded suspiciously like a badly-muffled laugh. The other one, who's ceramic mask was a Bear, let out a scoff and crossed his arms, turning away from the recovering civie. (Civilian)

"Well," Wolf drawled, sounding highly amused, "if you're ready, you should get your merchandise and meet us at the village gates. By the way, I'm Wolf, and this is Bear," he said gesturing toward the other, who radiated an air of annoyance.

By now, the man had recovered and was scowling at them. He shot them a glare before turning and storming off, grumbling about arrogant shinobi.

There was silence between the three before Wolf burst out laughing, "Man, Did you see the look on his face!" Wolf, quite literally, howled at them. "It was hilarious! Come on, don't deny it~" he snickered as he reached up and took off his mask, sweeping off his hood as he did so, revealing spiky red hair and green-eyes shining with mirth.

Bear snorted before also pulling off his mask and letting the wind blow off his hood and rustle his hair, "Shut up Reiji," he growled, "you shouldn't anger the client, remember?" Reiji opened his mouth, but Bear quickly cut him off, "or maybe you do remember and you're just being an idiot, again!"

"Of course I remember, Daiki!" he snarled, "but I'm just having some fun, which you seem incapable of doing!"

Green eyes locked with hazel-brown as the two 9-year-olds glared at each other. A cough sounded from their third member, who had yet to take off his mask, and both their heads whipped towards the hooded figure.

"I'm captain on this mission," Lynx stated in a voice void of emotion, "we can't afford to quarrel when we head into the Land of Fire, which means, I expect nothing but professionalism from the both of you, understood?"

Both of them straightened, "Hai!" they said sharply, before Lynx leapt onto the trees and headed for the village gates. They slipped on their masks and pulled on their hoods, making sure that not even a strand of their fiery red hair was visible, before following their captain into the dark forest ahead.