The Patrol and the Chase

The patrol had begun in silence.

Ahead of us, Serene walked with a sure, precise step.

She only spoke to indicate directions or a checkpoint.

Not a single unnecessary word.

Cold and proud.

I sighed inwardly.

Typical Uchiha.

I passed the time by observing the surroundings.

The village was alive. Markets bustled. Children ran, laughing.

But there were also more wary glances when they noticed our forehead protectors, or rather the Uchiha crest on Serene's arm.

You'd have to be blind not to see the invisible rift widening.

And yet, when we entered a certain district, everything changed.

Some villagers beamed at Serene, greeting her warmly.

"Serene-chan! Good work today, as always!"

She only nodded in reply.

But they seemed content, even delighted with that.

An old merchant chuckled as he waved.

"Ah! Always so serious, huh!"

She barely stiffened before muttering a quiet "hm."

I narrowed my eyes.

What was that? I was starting to get it.

It also shed light on the typical Uchiha's stone-faced habits.

I stared at her for a moment. She must have felt my gaze because she turned and squinted at me.

I just looked away.

The patrol continued smoothly.

I watched as Serene helped several people, explaining details about patrol shifts and team rotations.

Itachi stayed focused, noting every detail.

Given how quiet it all was, I started getting bored.

We met other teams occasionally at sector boundaries.

Polite greetings. Quick exchanges.

Serene never said more than she needed to.

I mentally labeled her "reliable but boring."

But the villagers who knew her beyond the Uchiha crest clearly liked her.

The morning passed without trouble.

Around midday, she stopped in front of a busy little shop.

"Break. Let's get something to eat."

My stomach growled at the smell of rice and grilled meat.

I didn't need to be told twice.

It was a barbecue place. From what I remembered from the anime, that meant it wasn't cheap. She was generous.

Once Serene and Itachi sat at a small table, I jumped onto the black grill beside them.

Finally, a perk to this job.

As soon as Serene saw me there, she picked me up quickly.

I let out a surprised yowl but she ignored it and began checking my paw pads.

"You're okay?"

That question confused me. Was she expecting me to pay?

"What do you mean, Serene-san?" asked Itachi.

Without answering, Serene grabbed a piece of meat, dipped it in the oily sauce, and placed it on the grill.

"It's not lit, but it's still hot," she explained.

Now Itachi was staring at me, eyes wide. Curious, I licked my paw pads and realized they were warm. I hadn't even noticed.

I looked at Serene. She was watching me intently, her eyes practically sparkling.

The intensity of her stare made me back up a step.

She finally looked away, placing more meat on the grill, then held out the first piece to me.

I hesitated. Was she seriously trying to feed me by hand? Absolutely not.

I grabbed the meat quickly and scampered back.

To my surprise, I heard a small laugh from her.

That was new, coming from someone whose expression hadn't changed all day.

Itachi was laughing too. What was so funny?

The rest of the meal passed peacefully, with Serene occasionally trying to feed me again.

A certain calm settled over us.

Suddenly, a customer near another table snatched up a bag and bolted.

… Seriously? The cliché bag-snatcher?

The woman who owned it tried to stand but stumbled.

I noticed she was missing a leg.

We hurried outside, and just as Itachi was about to chase the thief, Serene stopped him.

"Kitty, get him!" she ordered, looking straight at me.

Kitty?

I glanced at Itachi. He gave me a tiny nod.

I took a deep breath and activated Odor Sleuth.

My sense of smell sharpened instantly as dozens of scents flooded my nose.

I focused, filtering them one by one.

Grilled meat. Coins. Burning oil. The people around me. Then...

... There you are.

With Quick Attack, I launched myself after the scent, weaving between people's legs in the crowd.

I closed the distance steadily. The more I focused on that scent, the more complex it became. I could sense different layers: excitement, adrenaline, thrill… and fear.

That last one fascinated me. Everything else fell away.

I leapt, landing against a wall and sprinting along it, bouncing between buildings.

The thief had slipped into the alleys to avoid the crowd.

But I knew exactly where he was. I could catch him... but for some reason, I didn't push myself to my limits.

Heat flowed from my paws up my spine and into my head, blending with the scent to send a strange euphoria through me.

This was... the thrill of the hunt.

I felt my muscles tense, almost like I could grow larger... but something held me back.

Using Acrobatics, I twisted through the air and landed squarely in front of the thief.

I cut him off completely.

When he saw me, he screamed in terror, dropped the bag, and scrambled backward.

I advanced slowly. He kept scooting back until he hit the wall.

That's when I heard Itachi's voice.

"That's enough, Hinoko."

I turned to see him behind me with Serene.

She was staring at me, eyes brighter than ever.

Her gaze made my fur bristle.

Why was she looking at me like that?

She walked forward silently.

Then she reached out and scooped me up in one swift motion.

Her hold was firm but not harsh.

I squirmed, trying to swipe at her, but she pinned me against her chest and scratched the back of my neck.

Stop that immediately.

She looked down at me.

"Good girl."

Itachi cleared his throat. I turned my head to see him looking vaguely amused, a small crease at the corner of his mouth.

Traitor.

My tail lashed. I tried to growl, but a soft purr betrayed me instead.

The thief could only stare in shock at the terrifying beast that had hunted him... now reduced to a purring kitten.