Max and Naruto

## (Credit goes to Inbloom66 for the image)

(https://www.deviantart.com/inbloom66/art/Max-licks-Naruto-812647917)

Max was walking around in the forest, his tail wagging as he explored the woods. It was rather peaceful when suddenly he picked up on a new delicious scent he’d never smelled before. Rather salty... Like the kind used in a broth...

The big white sheepdog put his nose to the ground and followed the delectable smell.

~

Naruto grinned with satisfaction as stepped out from the bushes where he hid his usual orange jumpsuit, clad in only a pair of navy blue swim trunks with orange swirl patterns.

He was glad that Shizune had told him about this private spot, otherwise he wasn't sure he'd ever get some peace and quiet. Plus, considering the amount of training and missions, he needed a way to blow off some steam.

”Oh man! It’s been forever since I’ve gotten some time to myself. Today’s gonna be a breeze!” Naruto said energetically as he stretched his arms, and basked In the glow of the warm sun. Then, the little genin ran over towards the beautiful blue ocean and dove in with a loud SPLASH! That was Naruto’s first mistake though...

His playful thrashing about in the salty ocean water scattered the familiar salty scent further through the wind directly into a certain someone’s direction. Max the sheepdog‘s trail was fading away until Naruto caused such an uproar, basically putting a huge target right on the poor kid's back. With his long floppy tongue outstretched, Max bounded through the forest until he reached the beach, immediately catching wind of the blonde haired ninja swimming in the water. The dogs eyes lit up when he saw him. Then, he began to run over with Naruto still unaware of him. Naruto’s splashing was muffling Max’s loud paw steps through the sand, allowing him a sneaky entrance to the ocean. Max hopped in with a familiar SPLASH, immediately getting Naruto’s attention.

The boy turned his head back towards the sound, but saw nothing.

"Who’s there!” Naruto said curiously, not getting a response. So naturally, he assumed it was just his imagination. “Huh... oh well, back to rela-"

He felt something strong tug on his trunks, pulling him back towards the coast. No matter how hard he had tried to swim away from whatever was pulling him by the trunks, it was fairly futile. Didn't exactly help that he was underwater the whole time he was pulled back, so he couldn't yell his protests.

Soon enough, he was now back on the shore, dangling by the seat of his trunks from whatever had pulled him back, coughing up water and sputtering with his wet blonde bangs in his eyes.

After a couple of minutes of being trotted along the shore, the boy yelped in surprise as found himself being tossed a fairly good distance, and face planting in the sand. Naruto pushed his head up, wiping some wet sand off of his face.

"What in-" Naruto stopped in mid sentence when he heard the sound of something barking behind him. After shaking his head to rid himself of both the dizziness and few bits of sand still on his face, Naruto shakily got to his feet, turning around and using a hand to brush the bangs back.

His eyes widened, blinking from surprise as he saw quite possibly one of the largest, hairiest dogs he'd ever seen! With how wet the dog's fur was, along with how strong he looked underneath all that fur, it didn't take long for Naruto realize who had pulled him back by his trunks.

"What's the big idea doing that?!" Naruto exclaimed with annoyance on his face. "I-"

Naruto was interrupted by the sheepdog's barking once again, and proceeded with running towards him, as if to answer Naruto's question. This of course, had the understandable result of the blonde turning tail and running. Surprisingly enough, as Naruto was now realizing, the sheepdog was keeping pace with him quite effectively inspite of how bulky he looked, getting closer and closer with each paw-step. With a panicked look on his face, the blonde looked around for a way he could escape while urging his legs to keep moving with everything they had.

He eventually found salvation in the form of a rather large rock, running around it in the hope that he'd lose his pursuer. Only for the sheepdog in question to see through this plan, moving in the other direction of the rock and cutting the boy off so he was in front of him.

"Crap!" Naruto pressed his hand against the rock as he turned around and ran back the way he came, with the dog still in hot pursuit. After wracking his brain for an idea, a lightbulb went off in his head as he turned to the face of the rock. After placing a bare foot against the rock, he pushed his body upward and started climbing just as the canine was catching up. The dog barked happily as he watched the boy climb up, his stubby tail wagging as he ran to the front of the rock.

Naruto managed to soon make it to the top, looking down at the pooch from atop the rock nervously, not helped by the fact that he got a good idea of how much bigger the dog was compared to him when the dog actually jumped forward right at him, making the boy jerk back defensively.

"Down boy! Heel!" Naruto commanded, which the sheepdog ignored while barking happily nonstop.

Just as Naruto was about to feel safe on the rock though, Max suddenly stopped barking, simply looking up at the blonde for a moment before he suddenly placed his front paws on the rock, both immediately and easily pushing his huge frame upwards so his large head was next to Naruto's smaller head.

"No, wait-!"

**Smack**

Naruto closed his eyes, wrinkling his nose from the feeling of the sheepdog's huge tongue pressed against his whisker marked cheek.

”Mmpphh! Bleh! Yuck!” Naruto whined, reaching up to wipe his face just as Max smacked a juicy slobbery lick up Naruto’s chin, lips and forehead yet again, getting all the salty sweat he could off of him. Naruto felt a chill run down his spine as Max’s tongue seemed to stick to his face, repeatedly dragging up and down the poor ninja’s face. Naruto felt like he was stuck under Shikamaru’s shadow possesion jutsu but didnt sense any chakra coming from the dog. Just ridiculous amounts of the thickest, slimiest slobber he’d ever had to endure. Finally, Naruto was able to pull his face away after a couple more drenching slurps, gasping for air.

“Dammit! \*pant\* I thought that was the end for me. I think I’d rather fight enemy ninja’s then this,” Naruto said, wiping a few phlegmy wads of drool from his face as Max panted at him, letting out a few happy \*woofs\*.

”What’s the big idea dummy? You can’t just attack a ninja like that. What if I wound up hurting you?” Naruto said as he did his best to look intimidating towards max, who never quit panting the entire time. “Oh whatever, just forge... woah!” Naruto said, slipping on a wet portion of the rock and landing back onto the wet sand. Max just trotted over, staring at the kid as he was sitting up, dazed and embarrassed.

”Don’t gimmie that look! I could be an enemy ninja that could kill yo...!” Naruto said as he saw Max’s long pink drenched tongue coming at him and smacking him square in the face. Naruto’s body froze yet again as Max slowly licked upwards to his forehead from his neck. The big fluffy burly dogs tongue curled around every crevice of Naruto’s face with ease. His fingers curled as drool gushed down the sides of his face in long stringy strands, and his hearing was muffled by the grotesque squishy \*SHLUURRRPPP\*ing sounds of the dogs saliva being mopped around. Naruto was at the mercy of this slobbery mutt. You could say Max was just defending himself from the “Enemy Ninja” who threatened him.