The soft rustle of leaves broke the stillness of the night as Uchiha Hiro's summoning beast, Yukimaru, completed his report.
"That's everything, meow," the small white kitten yawned, stretching its paws lazily.
"Thank you for going out of your way to tell me," said Uchiha Kiyoshi with a soft laugh. He reached out to rub the kitten's chin, his touch gentle. "Your name is Yukimaru, right? You're Hiro's summoning partner."
"Meow, that's me. I don't work overtime for just anyone, meow!" Yukimaru purred, rolling onto his back and hugging Kiyoshi's hand with tiny paws. "You should have come to the Cat Realm earlier, meow. I'd have signed a contract with you!"
"Haha, I'll consider it," Kiyoshi chuckled. "Would you like something to eat before you rest?"
"No, meow. I'll stick with Hiro for now. But bring me dried shrimp later, meow." Yukimaru stretched once more before disappearing in a puff of white smoke.
Kiyoshi sat quietly, running his fingers over where the kitten had rested. A wistful smile tugged at his lips. *If only I'd gone to the Cat Realm before all this... Perhaps tomorrow at Yugū I'll find a summoning partner.*
Before he could dwell further, the sound of approaching footsteps drew his attention. Three figures, battered and bandaged, stepped forward—Uchiha Akihiko, Uchiha Masaki, and Uchiha Hiro.
"It looks like last night's mission didn't go too smoothly," Kiyoshi noted, waving to his younger brother, Madara, who stood nearby. "Madara, I'll be heading to Yugū with these three. You focus on training today."
Madara hesitated, his sharp eyes narrowing at the injured group. After a moment, he nodded reluctantly. "Be careful, brother."
"See that?" Masaki smirked, ignoring Madara's glare. "Little Madara only softens up for you, Kiyoshi. I'd never believe it otherwise!"
Kiyoshi chuckled. "Madara's a good boy. If he causes trouble, it's because someone provoked him. Isn't that right, Masaki? Didn't you challenge Yashu for something silly when we were younger?"
Masaki froze mid-step, covering his embarrassment with a forced cough. "I was pursuing Chiho back then—young and reckless!"
"You mean Chiho liked Kiyoshi, and you couldn't handle it," Hiro teased with a smirk. "So you challenged her, got beaten to a pulp, and couldn't walk for three days."
"You little—Hiro! Fight me right now!" Masaki roared, his voice echoing through the clearing.
Kiyoshi smiled faintly as the two bickered. "You three are just the same. Always ready to fight each other. But tell me—how did the mission really go?"
Akihiko's expression darkened. "It was intense," he said. "We ran into a stronghold, but the Senju set up a trap—an underground array of explosive tags. It was tied to the lives of their own men. If we hadn't gotten the warning out, we would've lost even more people."
Hiro's face turned grim. "We managed to avoid total disaster, but their sacrifices left us with only minor gains. The Senju may be reckless, but they're not fools. They've been holding their own against us for decades for a reason."
"True," Kiyoshi said. "They excel at strategy, and their sensory and medical ninjas are unparalleled. We need to train more sensory ninja ourselves, though I know it's easier said than done."
Akihiko nodded. "We brought it up with the elders, but don't expect much. Becoming a sensory ninja is harder than being a medic. Even in our generation, we have so few qualified individuals—yourself and Hiro included."
Masaki limped over, clutching his bruised ribs. "Let's face it, the Senju are monsters of stamina and strength. We Uchiha are better at illusions and ninjutsu."
Hiro winced, massaging his sore back. "I agree. Fighting them in the forest wasn't a battle—it was punishment."
Kiyoshi's calm smile didn't falter. "I don't think it's so bad."
"That's because you're *you,* Kiyoshi," Akihiko muttered, crossing his arms. "Anyway, you'll be glad to know I took care of the credit for this mission."
"You did well," Kiyoshi said, his tone light. "I can't exactly claim credit for anything these days. I'll leave it to you."
"That's settled then," Akihiko said with relief. "Now, let's move on—Hiro's been fidgeting like he wants something. What is it, Hiro?"
The normally stoic Hiro flushed, looking anywhere but at Kiyoshi. "It's nothing urgent. Just... I'll speak after they're done."
Masaki clapped Akihiko on the shoulder. "Let's get going then. I'll leave you to Hiro's mysterious request."
As the two walked off, Hiro hesitated before speaking, his voice unusually soft. "Kiyoshi..."
"Yes?" Kiyoshi tilted his head, his blindfold obscuring his scarred eyes.
"I... could you teach me..." Hiro's voice dropped to a whisper.
Kiyoshi sighed, shaking his head with an amused smile. "I can't hear you, Hiro. Speak louder."
Hiro's face flushed a deep red. He clenched his fists and stammered, "Can you teach me how to... pet a cat?"
For a moment, there was silence. Then, Kiyoshi chuckled softly, his smile gentle. "Of course, Hiro. Come, let me show you."