A/N: So, this is probably going to be one of my only author's notes in this story, so forgive me if it's slightly long. I just wanted to say that if you(the viewer) have come to this story in hopes that they will be treated to detailed lemon and yaoi, then you have come with the wrong impression. This story isn't about sex; it's about love and adventure. I'm not saying that this story is going to be family-friendly, but it isn't going to be for those who just want to read raunchy and tactless stories. That's really all I have to say for this. I hope you enjoy, and leave a review if you like/dislike something :)
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, no matter how hard I wish I did. I only own the story line and the OC's.
-The Slyness of the Fox-
The sounds of war and animal suffering assaulted his quivering ears, forever scarring him with the horror that he was experiencing. Dirt and grime covered his bright golden fur, turning it into a filthy brown. He felt the sharp teeth of his mother dig harder into his scruff as she desperately raced away from the battlegrounds. The ground shivered as energy from the Human weapons exploded into the earth, dispersing it's lethal blow. He let out a whimper, but it was lost in the cries of the wounded and dying.
He felt helpless and small as he was carried away from the fight, and terror made him as limp as a rag doll. His mother was headed towards the Forest of Eve, where he saw his Uncle hiding behind a tree. A sudden blast from behind sent them flying through the air, and he heard his mother let out a yelp as she landed awkwardly on one of her paws. He cried out for her, but she didn't slow her pace. She made it to the edge of the trees and set him gently down.
"Iruka, take Naruto and run! Go to the Valley of Glass and hide yourselves, and wait at least a fortnight until leaving. I'll find Minato and meet you there."
Iruka widened his eyes with surprise, then let out a snarl.
"No, Kushina! I won't leave you here to die! You take Naruto, and I'll look for-"
"Iruka, there is no time for arguing!" Kushina interrupted. "I won't make it to the Valley, not in my condition. Naruto's best chance is for you to take him. I will NOT allow him to fall into the hands of the enemy." She looked down at Naruto's frightened and dirty face, and gently licked him from ear to ear.
"Be brave my little kitsune. Uncle Iruka is going to take you somewhere safe, so I need you to be strong for just a little while."
Naruto mewled softly, rubbing his head against his mother's soft chest.
"Mommy, I don't want you to go. What if you don't come back?" He whimpered. Kushina let out an affectionate growl, and nudged him towards his uncle.
"I need to find your Daddy and make sure that he's safe. I'll see you again soon, I promise. I love you Naruto." She looked down at his wide blue eyes one last time, then turned to Iruka.
"Be swift. Don't let the enemy follow you. Remember, a fortnight!" With that, Kushina turned and ran. Her glorious red coat flashed as she darted through the war zone. Her 9 tails whipped around her, shielding her from flying dirt and mud.
Naruto let out a cry, and started to run after her. Before he had taken more than 2 steps he felt his uncle's teeth sink into his scruff, and he let out a wail.
"Mommy! Mommy, don't leave me! MOMMY-!"
A loud explosion ripped through the field, and Naruto's vision went black.
[15 years later, Naruto was 3 years old at the time of the flashback]
Naruto's ears twitched as the sound of birds roused him from his sleep. His cerulean eyes opened slightly, still sensitive to the morning light. He stretched his jaws wide as he gave in to an urge to yawn. He picked himself up from the floor and stretched his wakening muscles.
He dreamed of his mother almost every night, wishing that he could have stopped her from running away. No matter how hard he called, she just never came back. He had stopped crying when he turned 6, and had faced the reality that his parents were gone. They were never coming back to him, and his pathetic crying wouldn't get him anywhere.
[A/N: I apologize for this filler/plot-break, but I feel like I need to give background information that I otherwise wouldn't be able to fit]
His mother had been killed in the Great Demon War, just another casualty among millions. Demons were hated creatures, for if given the chance to grow they could fell a mountain with one sweep of their tail; or, tails, in some cases. Demons had originally left the Humans alone, choosing instead to live in the vast untamed wilderness of the world. Little was known about them, and the few who had seen a demon rarely lived to tell the tale. They were considered extremely dangerous, even against the magic of the Gifted Humans. The Gifted were those who possessed magic-like powers, able to summon an element at will and control it. There were 9 elements; Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, Metal, Wood, Ice, Lightning, and Life.
The Great Demon War had been triggered by the lucky discovery of the connection between the power of Demons and the Gifted. Demons ranged from having a single tail to having 9, each tail number seemingly corresponding with a certain element. Water for 1 tail, Wind for 2, Life for 3, Earth for 4, Wood for 5, Metal for 6, Ice for 7, Fire for 8, and Lightning for 9. If a Gifted Human were to consume the blood of their corresponding Demon, their powers would be greatly amplified. A man named Orochimaru had made this discovery after capturing and studying the blood of a Demon.
The greater the number of tails, the more powerful the Demon could become. The more powerful the demon, the more powerful the Gifted that fed upon his blood. But the more powerful the demon, the harder it was to catch. A Demon possesses enhanced senses, speed, stamina, strength, and power. They can live for thousands of years if left to their own devices. But the discovery by Orochimaru made that impossible.
Consuming the blood of a Demon only a single time would only give a Gifted enhanced powers for 2 or 3 days before they dropped back to normal levels. In order to sustain such great powers, a Demon needed to be captured and kept alive. If killed, the blood lost its magical properties and became useless.
At the time of the War, there were 5 Great Lands; The Land of Leaves, Mist, Sand, Clouds, and Rocks. The Land of Mist made an alliance with the Lands of Rocks and Clouds to fight against the 2 most powerful Lands of Leaves and Sand, who controlled the majority of the geography of the world. 2 Clans emerged as Leaders: The Uchiha and the Senju. The Uchiha headed the Lands of Mist, Rocks, and Clouds while the Senju lead the Lands of Leaves and Sand. Both wanted control of the World Government, and both were headed by very powerful Gifted. General Hashirama Senju was Gifted with Fire, and General Madara Uchiha was Gifted with Lightning.
Both sides desperately needed more power, and both knew what they had to do. Demons immediately became very valuable, and were hunted down by the thousands. The weaker Demons, usually those with 5 tails or less, were easily gained. They went to the soldiers, as most of the Commanding Officers had more powerful Gifts. The stronger Demons, with 6 tails or more, were exceedingly rare and difficult to catch. If one was found, both sides tried as hard as they could to claim it as their own.
It was then that the Great Demon War began. Armed with enough firepower to destroy all 5 lands, the Uchiha and the Senju marched into battle. For 5 years the struggle for dominance raged on, with neither side able to gain the upper hand. Finally, after each side had exhausted their manpower and resources, a delicate balance of power was reached. A treaty was signed, and the 2 sides split again, returning to their respective Lands. But while the War may have been slowed, the damage had already been done. Demons had been rare to begin with, but 90% had been captured and killed while being used for their power. Even the weaker Demons were amazing finds, and any Demon with 6 tails or more meant that the scales of power could potentially be tipped.
A 6 or 7 tailed Demon meant that most Commanding Officers had a source of power. But an 8 or 9 tailed Demon were things of Legend(1), and could completely topple the Power Scales, triggering another devastating war.
[Back to the Present! I hope that wasn't too boring, and if you skipped, you'll probably be ok. I recommend reading it, but anyhow. On with the story!]
At the time, Naruto didn't understand why his mother had been so desperate to save him. He had been too young to understand that he was a young 9 Tailed Demon, and therefore very valuable. His mother was a 9 Tailed as well, and his father had been an 8 Tailed. His family had been one of the lucky few to find salvation from the war, going to the farthest corners of the wilderness to escape. They had been discovered by a hunting party from the Uchiha Clan, and before long they found their home under attack.
The Senju arrived soon after the Uchiha, and the battle suddenly became more about fighting than capturing the Demons. Naruto's father, Minato, had been separated from Kushina and Naruto soon after the fighting started, and Kushina was torn between helping fight or saving her son. Naruto was too young to protect himself, so Kushina had to flee and leave Minato to fight alone. The death of his mother and father were Naruto's earliest memories, and ones he wished he could forget. Iruka had been true to his word, and had run away to the Valley of Glass to hide. Naruto had been unconscious for the entire journey, only awakening 2 days after they had arrived. His memory of that time was blurry and patchy, but he did remember the feeling of utter despair when his parents never came.
Uncle Iruka knew of another safehaven for Demons, and as soon as Naruto was fit to travel set out to find it. Their journey took longer than expected as they had to make sure they went unnoticed by the Clans, but they eventually reached their destination. The Mountains of Ore were notoriously difficult to navigate, and Humans generally stayed away from them. While the harsh landscape may have been uninhabitable for Humans, it was perfect for Demons. Lush forests provided ample cover, and steep mountains allowed escape routes that only Demons could cross. Naruto had been living there since he was 4 years old, sheltered from the reality of the world around him.
Forcing himself back to the present, Naruto proceeded to groom himself, his soft tongue clearing away the dust from his golden fur. He kept his ears on alert for sounds of his Uncle, who was not present in the cave. He was probably out hunting, like Naruto should be. He finished licking himself, and rose up yet again. His tails rippled as they spread out behind him, emanating power and lethality. He padded out of the cave, his blue eyes taking in the forest. He let out a howl, and began his hunt.
[1]Maybe only 5 or 6 left in the world.
[A/N: Ok, so maybe I lied when I said I didn't do a lot of notes :P But anyways, I hope that you(the reader) enjoyed this somewhat filler chapter, and and constructive critique is welcome in the form of a review! Point out any and all mistakes you see, and tell me if I spelled any names wrong. I know that this is a VERY loose interpretation of the Naruto story, so I hope you can bear with me. Don't worry, the action picks up from here on out and I probably won't be giving another history lesson. I'll try to update as soon as I can :) ]