Summary: "We like it in the mountains," the shinobi stepped into his personal space again and Tobirama forced himself to keep rooted.
"My people are happy. We've been at peace for centuries." She licked her lips and leaned closer. "It's your people who've been dying. Your children lost. Your blood spilt. Why should I ask my people to join an inevitable blood bath?"
Tobirama tries to convince the Inuzuka that Konoha is worth their time. However, the Inuzuka are nothing he's prepared for.
Tobirama forced himself not to take a step back as the Inuzuka clan head approached.
He was almost sure they were a woman, although she could likely pass for a pretty man as well. Her hair was wild, spiked in all different directions and there was a glint of something untamed - almost feral in her gaze as it roamed over Tobirama's body.
The two red, upside down triangles tattooed onto her face blended into her dark skin and her bare feet made no noise on the ground as she walked. The sharp twigs and prickles that Tobirama had developed a strong hate for on his way to meet the head of the Inuzuka clan went unnoticed.
The canine that would easily reach Tobirama's waist, stood behind her and watched Tobirama with patient, yet hungry eyes. Its black fur blended it into the ever darkening forest, but it's presence was just as demanding as the human's.
Something about them made Tobirama's hair stand on end, and he didn't like it at all.
The woman walked right up to Tobirama, inches from his face and he could see the unusual slit of her eyes and the powerful canines and smell her tangy breath.
The Inuzuka leaned forward even closer and before Tobirama could pull back, she sniffed.
Tobirama froze and thought of his brother's words before his departure that morning. "They're a strange bunch. From what I've heard and seen they're not a clan we want to make an enemy of. I don't know what kind of ally they'll be either though. They keep to themselves mostly."
Hashirama had stumbled upon the Inuzuka by fluke while he was trying to find the medicinal herb that Mito wanted.
They weren't afraid of him, but they certainly weren't admiring him either.
Apparently a young Inuzuka with a tiny puppy tucked under his arm had loudly proclaimed that Hashirama smelled like a forest, and the children had taken to literally calling him 'strange flower man'.
The adults hadn't tried to stop them, and had even laughed when they felt appropriate. The Inuzuka didn't interrupt their lives for Hashirama Senju and Tobirama supposed that that was what had lured his brother in so effectively.
The Inuzuka got on with life and held no time for anyone who they didn't know or didn't think was worth it.
Tobirama's appearance would still be strange, even if they did know he was coming. It spoke volumes that the clan head had told him to meet out here and not in her village. They didn't know him and obviously weren't taking any chances.
The Inuzuka reeled back unexpectedly and clasped her powerful and calloused hands on Tobirama's shoulders, giving him full view of the powerful muscles in her arms, more muscle than Tobirama had.
"Hashirama's brother?" she asked, her voice gravelly and very fitting to her appearance.
The dog behind her moved then, shaking itself like a big lion waking from its slumber. It approached, it's massive paws purposefully crunching against the earth. It regarded Tobirama with a sour look as it leaned against the hip of the woman with enough force to knock a normal shinobi right over, but the woman only seemed to see it as endearing, grinning down at it with unconcealed happiness.
"Yes," Tobirama said, regarding the dog with a nod. Clearly it was more than a summons, unlike the Hatake. Even the Hatake bristled when their summons were treated with anything less than utmost respect that one would give a fellow shinobi.
"He sent me, in regards to the village we have created called Konoha."
The Inuzuka let out an indifferent hum, licking her lips and staring at Tobirama expectantly with arms folded across her chest.
Obviously not interested in contributing to the conversation, Tobirama forged on. "We would be honoured if your clan joins us - the Senju, Uchiha, Nara, Yamanaka, Akimichi, Hyuuga and Aburame - to live together. To bring an end to this terrible period."
The Inuzuka had stayed out of the major conflicts to the point where not many knew they actually existed. They lived in the mountains, and that was all anyone knew of them.
The Inuzuka ran a hand along the canine's fur, untamed hair obscuring his face.
"Maybe," she said, ignoring Tobirama almost entirely.
She leaned down and the dog licked her face and she whispered something back to the dog in a different tongue.
The canine gave Tobirama another condescending look as though he wasn't one of the strongest shinobi alive and let out a sigh.
"That depends," the dog said, an even thicker, heavier accent marred the dog's words and Tobirama forced himself not to look surprised.
His efforts seemed to be wasted as both the human and the dog tilted their heads at him with puzzled expressions.
"I'm not uncommon," the dog licked one powerful paw and rubbed behind its ear.
"We like it in the mountains," the shinobi stepped into his personal space again and Tobirama forced himself to keep rooted.
"My people are happy. We've been at peace for centuries." She licked her lips and leaned closer. "It's your people who've been dying. Your children lost. Your blood spilt. Why should I ask my people to join an inevitable blood bath?"
Tobirama opened his mouth to reply and found he had no answer for her.
The shinobi's chakra wasn't as potent as Tobirama's, she wasn't as powerful as Tobirama, she wasn't even as tall as Tobirama. But there was a feral glint in her eye, daring Tobirama on. There was a distinct feel about her, a promise of painful consequence if he were to kill her.
These people have been hiding away in the mountains for centuries. They have their own politics Their own laws.
Tobirama didn't mean anything to the Inuzuka.
The Inuzuka had achieved peace, while the rest of the world bathed in destruction.
"We'll think about it," she said, and the danger evaporated from the air. The Inuzuka smiled pleasantly at him as though she didn't just ridicule the entire shinobi world in front of one of its strongest.
The shinobi turned, gliding up the side of the mountain and disappearing into the trees with her canine at her side.
Tobirama stared at the trees that held no trace of anyone ever being there in the first place and considered how ironic the same of the Senju was. They were known for their forests, but the Inuzuka knew the forests better than the Senju ever could.
Tobirama still knew nothing of the Inuzuka that his brother didn't already know and he didn't even have a definitive answer.
He reached his senses out for that crisp and smooth, cold and yet warm charka of the woman and found nothing. Tobirama was not going to try his luck and follow her, especially since she obviously didn't want him to follow.
He turned and began the trek home.
Formidable enemies indeed, but, if they did this right, the Inuzuka could be the best thing that ever happened to them.
well.
Idk what this is I just want to know more about the Inuzuka! (sorry for any errors!)
Please comment, they keep me motivated to write!