Torn
Chapter One: Ashes
Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto!
Authors' Note: This is a co-write by ninjadog and OTHERsideOFtheFORCE. We would both love to hear from you guys and reviews are greatly appreciated!
Full Summary: The countries are at war with each other. Even within the countries, civil wars are taking place. Friends become enemies and enemies become targets to one another. The only way to ensure your clan's survival is to form a bond with another clan, usually by marriage, so neither clan can betray the other. This is what the Inuzuka clan planned to do. But Kiba wasn't in love Temari, and Temari wasn't in love with anybody. Until both of them meet someone worth marrying. But will their clans understand, or even accept? After all, it was a matter of life or death. (Co-write! KibaXhinata. ShikamaruXtemari. R&R, please! Rated to be safe.)
Prologue
The countries of the world are at war with each other. Even in the individual villages there are wars between clans. The only people you can trust are your families. Friends become enemies and enemies are threats which must be destroyed before they decide to destroy you.
Your clan must find its own way to survive. The best way to ensure security and strength is to form a bond between other clans by marriage so neither side can betray the other. This is the idea the Inuzuka clan got.
Chapter One: Ashes
Konohagakure was not a village immune to the wars. Several civil wars broke out here amongst the clans, most of them rivalries that just happened to open during these hard times. Most of the houses and stores in the village burned, leaving hardly any food or shelter. Kiba Inuzuka walked solemnly through the ashes, on his way to meet an old friend whom he worried about all of the time. He wondered what had happened during these times.
The Hokage- Uzamaki Naruto- no longer had control over the citizens of Konoha. In fact, he himself was in mourning over the loss of a teammate, in turn, the loss of a clan. Uchiha Sasuke perished when the Hyuugas decided to settle their ancient brawl with the Uchihas over the Byakugan and the Sharingan. Rumors were flying that Sasuke's brother, Uchiha Itachi, was also dead. However, these rumors were still just merely rumors and had not been confirmed.
Kiba kicked a stone. He was now sixteen. His rank was still Genin, for the Chunin exams had been out of business due to the lack of security. He wasn't particularly upset about this, however. It was just that everybody seemed to give up too easily.
Suddenly the stone he kicked came back at his head, hitting him just above his left eyebrow. Kiba gritted his teeth as he felt a small stream of blood trickle slowly down his face.
He looked up to see who had done it.
"Hey!" he shouted. "Damn it!"
He was still like he always was: loud, bold, and rash. He believed he could beat everybody he came across. Well, almost everybody. There were a few he knew he couldn't beat.
"Kiba?" a familiar voice asked.
Nara Shikamaru stepped out from behind a fallen house. He had a bag of food in his hands. He still wore his Chunin vest, which was now cut, flimsy, blood-stained, old, and worn. He had similar marks on his face and arms. His eyes were tired, yet still longing for that peace that he had always sought.
"Shikamaru?!" Kiba yelled, picking up the rock. "You threw this?!"
Shikamaru gave him an amused look. Grinning, he replied:
"Yeah. Hey, you kicked it at me first. I thought it was somebody following me to get my food. Then I heard your voice and decided to say hey. Sorry about the cut."
Kiba sighed. Shikamaru was right. Usually if someone was dragging around a huge bag of food in the middle of the day they were in for some trouble. And although he had to admit the contents of the bag the Chunin was holding looked very appetizing, he wasn't going to try anything. Shikamaru was one of those people Kiba knew he couldn't beat.
"Oh, okay," Kiba said, turning to walk away.
"Hey, Kiba!" Shikamaru called. "Here."
Kiba turned back around and caught a loaf of bread that Shika threw to him.
"You looked hungry. Don't forget about Akamaru. That is, if you guys didn't eat him yet."
Kiba couldn't help but laugh. Both shinobi knew as well as the other that the Inuzuka clan would never eat their dogs, under any circumstances.
"Thanks, man," Kiba replied. "But…won't your parents mind?"
Shika smiled weakly. "I'm sure my mom will throw a fit."
"And your father?"
Shikamaru's head dropped and he clutched the bag tighter.
"Hey, I got to go," Shika replied. "Enjoy the bread."
Kiba's friend disappeared, leaving the Inuzuka to himself.
Kiba continued to stroll through the ash-ridden town. He didn't have Akamaru with him. He didn't bring Akamaru out anymore. Knowing some people, they would eat a dog. Survival became an extremely dangerous and tricky thing when one's own existence was in danger. That's why Kiba worried day in and day out about his friends and family.
He sighed and continued to go to his destination.
Kiba waited and waited for Hyuuga Hinata to show up, but she never did. He was at their old training ground. That's where they decided to meet. But she didn't show. Where was she? Was she okay? Did something happen? Kiba sighed and stood up. He began to make his way back home. His day ended with him worrying his ass off.