Mission: Missing Pets

Mission Name:Missing pets.
Rank:D-Rank
Type:Capture
Character Requirements:N/A
Mission Location:Kumogakure, Village.
Word Count Requirements:500
Repeatable?Yes.
NPC?N/A
Reward:500

Task: 
A few cats belonging to an old lady have ran away, she requested help on getting them back. Your job is to find the five missing cats and bring them home.

"Time spent with cats is never wasted." - Sigmund Freud

A few was supposed to be more than a couple, and less than a lot. That didn't make a difference to Azuma, who, frankly, wanted nothing to do with cats or anything cat related. He wasn't allergic to them, and they didn't really go out of their way to bother him, but cats just weren't his thing. Some people liked bugs, some were scared of them. Not to imply that Ryoushi Azuma was afraid of cats. Why, a shinboi of the Hidden Cloud knows no fear! He, instead, is fear incarnate! He inspires terror in all who behold him!

Well, except for a ginger tabby cat, looking down at the pale-eyed genin from a tree branch. Emerald eyes winked back at his white orbs, a scowl marring Azuma's face. "Come down here."

The cat didn't budge, it's tail swaying lazily in the air.

"Come down here, now."

Increased volume and a harsher tone didn't seem to faze the feline. It just stared at him lazily, feet folded under it's large, fluffy mass.

Azuma failed to find amusement in this. It hadn't taken him long to find this first cat, but finding it and getting it down would be tricky. He didn't work with animals often, but he knew cats were far from the most agreeable. Obstinate and arrogant critters to a one, apparently.

A mewling came from near Azuma's feet. He looked down, pale eyes widening in surprise. A small black cat, a white patch over one eye, looked back up at him. How had he not heard the small creature approaching? Ryoushi ears were tuned to pick up even the mutest of motions and subtlest of sounds, but the cat hadn't made a peep until it was by his ankles, rubbing them affectionately.

Cats. Honestly.

This black cat, after Azuma looked at it's collar, raised the count to three. This one seemed more than agreeable; in fact, it seemed happy to follow Azuma when he stepped aside, the small blue eyes of the feline staring up at him, following him closely. It was almost unnerving.

"See?" Azuma said to the large ginger cat, "Your little friend is fine with me. What's your problem?"

The words had barely left his mouth before the tabby alighted from the branch, landing smack on the top of Azuma's head, before hopping down his shoulder to the ground below, joining the small black cat. It gave another mewl, and turned away, the tabby following.

Oh, Azuma wasn't losing them again. The plan came to mind to lunge at them, but when he didn't step after them, the small black cat turned to look up at him expectantly. "What, you want me to follow you?"

The cat said nothing, only staring at him, the emerald eyes of the squashy tabby joining it's imperious gaze.

Sighing, Azuma followed after them. The pair led him around the back of one of the houses. Chirping and mewling suddenly began to filter into his ears, and Azuma began to look for the source. The third cat, perhaps?

As it happened, it was: and then some. The small black cat led it's fellow and Azuma to a small porch, peeking under it. The other cat joined the smaller one before slipping under it. The small sounds seemed to be coming from in here. Azuma knelt, looking down, and his heart melted a bit. There was the third cat, grey eyes staring back at him from the shade of the porch, where it was nursing a small littler of kittens. One, stumbling slightly, walked to Azuma, looking up at the genin with wonder and curiosity in it's small eyes.

Azuma smiled slightly, and silently thanked the small black cat for leading him to the now reunited parents. It took him some time, but, after finding a basket, some squashy pillows, and a warm blanket, Azuma was able to convince the mother to lay down inside, her kittens bumbling in after her. With them in his arms, Azuma turned back towards their home, proud father and the small black cat right behind him.

Okay, he supposed, watching the woman's eyes light up at the sight of the fresh faces of the kittens, maybe cats aren't so bad after all.

[773 Words]

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