Naruto walked around the forest in his fox form, his fur was golden with dark red markings defining his face, ear, tail and paws. The fur around his neck and eyes was snow white making his eyes shine brighter as if they weren't already a bright blue.

He had an open pouch draped across his back that he was throwing bits of dry wood into, it was getting cold out and while is barrow shielded him from the wind it did nothing for the harsh chill. He would make a fire away from his barrow and get warm.

It wasn't a perfect life but he couldn't afford a house and this is how he had lived his whole life. He had no family, no friends, soon he would probably have to move from this patch of forest to somewhere where he wouldn't be recognised for a while.

As well as foxes being seen as evil entities, his birth origins made him even more discriminated against. While it had been a thousand years since the legend of the 9 Tails attacking every forest in the North people still saw his markings and hated him, he should be proud to be from the 9 tails breed but instead he was shunned for it. As if he was some beast that would attack anyone and everything.

"Itachi!" Said wolf's ears perked up as he heard his father shout his name, the alpha's roar made most other wolves around him cower. Itachi quickly made his way to his fathers office. Even in human form he had excellent hearing, his form also still clearly displayed he was a wolf from the Uchiha clan, the main family which included himself had black fur all over. Other strands of the family had patches of brown or grey depending on which strand they came from.

"I am here." He said, his voice deep and empty.

"Goddamn Takada has lost Riko!" His father was angry. "I can't have anyone killing or kidnapping him so I need you to find him quickly. He's been missing for 4 hours." His father said, Itachi saw Takada in the corner shaking and clearly concerned for his sons life.

"Yes, I'll handle it right away." He said smoothly and bowed before leaving. At the exit to the compound he gracefully jumped into his wolf form. His face held no expression as he searched the forest looking for the scent of Riko. The black wolf had become numb over the years, with all the weight of becoming next alpha and having responsibility after responsibility placed on him. He wasn't allowed friends outside the family and the ones he did have were social climbers except for Shisui. Still he felt an ache in his heart for the little wolf cub that was missing, he felt love for all his family members and knew as the next alpha it was his duty to protect them all for harm.

The problem with Riko is that he loved to explore, and deep into the forest he had explored. He was trying to hone his sense of smell and identify strange ones he came across. Before he knew it he was whining for his family in the dark and cold.

That's when Naruto heard it, the whine of a baby, he dropped his bag and gingerly walked towards the noise, all his instincts as a submissive screaming for him to comfort the cub. When he approached the pup looked at him with a lot of fear in his eyes. "Shhh shh it's okay, I won't hurt you." He had transformed into his human form now and had wrapped a deers pelt around him so that he could speak to the baby that couldn't be anymore that a couple months old. "Do you need help?" He asked gently.

Riko nodded his head and watched the stranger approach him. When Naruto placed a hand on him he transformed to his human form and began crying into the strangers arm. Naruto picking picked up another pelt and wrapped it around the cold child. "All right, now what's your name?" He asked.

An hour later it was completely dark, snow had begun to fall down heavily, making it next to impossible to find the pups scent in order to return him home. So Naruto took the pup whose name he learned was Riko Uchiha to his barrow. "Kyuubi I'm back, we have a visitor." Naruto said and the little wolfs ears perked up. "Riko this is Kyuubi." Naruto said gesturing to the little boy with bright red and black fox ears that emerged from inside the barrow.

"Papa why is there a wolf here." The boy said, his hair was long and red like his ears and he looked at the boy with hate.

"I want my Papa!" Cried Riko suddenly and Naruto didnt know what to do.

"Listen, tomorrow we're going get up at first light and find your Papa okay?" Naruto said. Riko nodded but continued to cry. Once inside the den Naruto brought pelts and food out for the three of them. Riko still cried though, so while Kyuubi cuddled up to Naruto Riko avoided contact with either of them The den was big enough that he could sit away from them. To calm him Naruto sung him a song that he knew Kyuubi liked.

"The fox went out on a chilly night,

He prayed for the moon to give him light,

For he'd many a mile to go that night,

Before he reached the town-o, town-o, town-o,

He'd many a mile to go that night,

Before he reached the town-o." Naruto looked down at the child who had made his way over to his side and saw he was listening intently, he continued the song, missing out the parts that involved the description of killing the birds. Soon Riko was laughing silently with him and Kyuubi at the song.

"That was good Mr Naruto." Riko said and sunk further down into the pelts.

"Thank you, and it's just Naruto, I'm not old enough to be called Mr." Naruto laughed. "C'mon, go to sleep, I'll keep you safe until morning then first thing we'll find your Papa." Naruto promised. Riko nodded and transformed into a tiny black and grey wolf. Naruto gave Kyuubi a look that said 'be nice' and Kyuubi nodded. Naruto found him completely adorable and shifted into his fox form along with Kyuubi, ready for sleep.