The Twin Fangs

Chapter 1

There in the flames buried by the rubble, everyone wanted to be saved. Ry ignored them and kept walking, only caring about saving himself. There was nothing he could do to help them… so he didn't he just kept going. Running as he ignored the cries of the dying, considering what he'd done he thought 'I must live'. He was the only one that got his wish granted that day, the rest of his clan had died. That's why he fought his way for three days through scorching deserts and dark woods trying to find somewhere safe, because if he didn't then he felt his clan would never forgive him. Just as he was going to collapse from hunger he ran into a masked figure who caught him as he fell, the man calmly tended to his wounds using what little medical jutsu he knew and brought Ry back to the Hidden Leaf Village. Ry was swiftly carried back to the Konoha by the mysterious masked man so he could receive proper medical care at the hospital. Medical ninja rushed back and forth as he was rushed into the operating theatre and begin serious treatment. He hadn't felt the pain from his wounds as his body had went into shock; he had 2nd and 3rd degree burns over 50% of his body, the bones in both his forearms had been shattered causing massive internal hemorrhaging, his biceps worn torn completely apart. The masked man and a blonde women in her mid-thirties stood in the observation room watching the whole ordeal unfold.

"Where did you find this kid? His injuries are to gruesome to have been an accident, the doctors say they've never seen a man with these kind of injuries survive more than a day; let alone a child, and you say he was walking towards the village from the direction of the land of wind?," said the woman who studied the Ry's chart with a mixture of great surprise and terror at the sight of him lying on the table.

"I could see it in his eyes. The will live, the will to survive….the will to avenge. I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen those eyes, I looked through his things and couldn't find any kind of identification other than this," the man pulled out a necklace with one silver charm; a symbol of a mirror on one side and a full moon on the other. The women studied the charm for a good long time, trying to pull the memory of where she'd seen it before but no answer came. Reluctantly she handed it back to the man who turned and walked to the exit, he stopped just as he was heading out the door and stopped to say something.

"I'm heading out with Kiba to track this kid's path back to where he came from, I'm going to find out what happened to him, Believe It! If he survives, send me a message okay? Thanks again Tsunade," and just like that he sprinted out the hospital to find Kiba. The man always did have a soft spot for those who have gone through rough times and Ry was going to be the next person he helped out. He was going to need to bring that spirit with him in the future, as he was in training to be the next hokage after Tsunade retired.

A flash of yellow hair was all Tsunade saw before he was gone, but her mind quickly flipped back to the surgery. And the night went on like that for more than 12 hours they worked on him, eventually the staff need to change and Tsunade took over personally to finish off the surgery.

Ry awoke with a start early that morning, sweat pouring down his neck as the sun was just about to come up on the horizon. He'd been losing more and more sleep lately because of this dream, he rolled out of bed and began to do his morning stretches. He was supposed to go to the hospital later for his annual checkup and see how his scars were healing, he quickly threw on his shirt before looking at himself in the mirror.

"Ry get up you're gonna be late for the last day of the exams," a light and annoyed voice called out to him from somewhere downstairs, he knew it was his mother Hinata. Despite her shy demeanor she could get tough when the situation demanded, and his gut remembered the punishments she could dole out. Wasting no time he rushed off downstairs and slid into the seat at the kitchen table. Before he could say anything a big bowl of ramen with extra pork was slid in front of him and couldn't help but smile. He began eating and as the broth went past his lips he was thrown back to the first day he met Hinata and the very same meal was placed before him.

A month had passed since his surgery was finished, he'd been put in a medically induced coma to protect him from the pain as the shock wore off. He'd only been awake for about a week and he was ready to get out of the hospital, Tsunade had come around when he'd asked where he was and when he could leave the hospital.

"Please I need to get out of here and tell the hokage about what happened. Someone needs to send help right away before whoever did it gets to far away," he yelled at the medical ninja that came to check on him every day. Suddenly in strode Tsunade to tell him what had been found when the man and Kiba returned.

"I don't know how to tell you this but… your village is gone. By the time that the two had gotten there following your trail there was nothing left but ashes and embers, but it might help them to find the cowards who did this if you can tell us anything about them," Tsunade watched Ry as he slowly sat up and sipped some tea before turning his attention to her.

"Two things… two things I'll not forget, the sounds I heard while my village burned and the cloaks they were wearing. Long and black covering the lower half of their faces, each marked with blood red clouds, all wearing a single ring upon one finger."

Before Ry could formulate another thought he saw a flash of remembrance run across her face, he was going to ask her what she remembered but was stopped by a knock at the door that surprised both of them.

"Oh, that's right. I've arranged for you to stay with a couple here in the village, at least until you want to leave. They are two of the best ninja we have here, they've wanted to come say hi when you gained enough strength to talk. Would you like to meet them?"

Ry went quiet for a moment before nodding as Tsunade turned to the nurse standing at the door who let in the couple she spoke about. Ry was instantly enraptured by the two people who strode into the room; one was a tall man with broad shoulders, his golden yellow hair spiked up on his head, showing off his face that had three marks on both cheeks that looked like cat whiskers. The other was a woman who not only was gorgeous but by looking in her eyes one could see she had a beautiful soul. She had deep black hair that fell about mid-back, and strange yet enticing white eyes. As the couple came in Ry couldn't help but giggle slightly at the woman who apologized to the nurse who let them in and to Tsunade for being late.

"Ry this is the couple I was just telling you about. I believe introductions are in order," she walked over to the yellow haired man first. "This is Naruto, the leaf village's number one knuckleheaded ninja. And this beautiful lady here is Hinata, she's from the Hyuga clan in the village. Oh and it looks like she's brought you a little gift," Hinata and Naruto walked over and took seats at his bedside and smiled as they reintroduced themselves to him. Hinata placed a picnic basket beside him and pulled out a big bowl of ramen placing it on the table that slid over the bed.

"Umm I know it's not much and a weird present to give to someone upon meeting someone but I made you some food to help you regain a little strength," she'd spent all of yesterday preparing this food just for him but she wouldn't say that for embarrassment. Naruto just sat there looking like he wanted to say something but held himself back as best he could smiling instead.

"Thanks a lot….. I heard that the two of you are going to be taking care of me while I'm here. Also thanks for the food it smells amazing," Ry was trying his best to put on a brave front for the nice people who were taking him in on such short notice, but as he began to eat the ramen and tasted it's broth the wall that was holding back his tears just came crashing down and he began to cry more than he'd ever had before. He ate the entire bowl without saying another word in between crying all the way and as he finished turned back to the couple with a smile. "Thank you so much it was the most delicious thing I've ever had," Hinata took a tissue and wiped his eyes before leaning over; kissing him lightly on the forehead like a mother does for her child and smiled warmly at him as if to say 'Hush now you're home'.