KITSUNE
By
Keiko Mineko
Disclamer: I do not own Naruto, I just use it for my entertainment.
Prologue
"Hush little one," the soft whisper came and soon the sleeping child was taken away from the security of its crib.
--
Namikaze Kushina nee Uzumaki lay asleep by her husband, the Yondaime Hokage Namikaze Minato. Suddenly she awoke sitting straight up. She inhaled sharply and clutched her chest; perspiration falling down her brow.
'Natsumi.' She felt the sudden need to see her child. Quickly she pushed aside the blankets and grabbed her dressing gown. She ran out into the darkened halls and walked into the nursery. Flipping on the lights, she gasped as she found her nightmares confirmed. Blood was splattered across the walls and lay around the crib.
"Natsumi," she called out, panic beginning to flood her. Her eyes widened as she ran towards the crib.
'Please let this blood not be hers. Please,' Kushina willed herself to look into the crib. There was a pool of blood at the bottom of the crib. Her hand flew to her mouth, her eyes widening as she took in the sight of the bloodied empty crib.
"NATSUMI," she shouted as she searched around the crib, still fighting the hopelessness that had begun invade her heart. She felt the cold air and turned her head to its source. Her heart stopped as she realized that the side window was not closed properly.
"NATSUMI," she screamed as she ran towards the window and threw it open while gazing into the darkness.
"MY BABY," she cried out into the darkness.
The lady let out a shattering scream that seemed to echo throughout the entire continent making sure all knew of her loss.
--
The figure stared into the sky as though he heard the scream of his lady. He sighed deeply.
'Forgive me ojou-sama but this must be done, the fates have made it so,' the figure thought as he galloped into the darkness with the child clutched in his arms.
--
By now half of the palace was in an uproar as the royal guards and shinobi ran to their lady's aid. Minato was the first to arrive and saw the damage to the nursery and his love weeping on the ground. After piecing together what had happened he gave orders to seal off all the possible exits and to send out a search party. By then he knew that it was too late. He gripped his wife and held her as she wept bitterly.
"Natsumi!" She cried as she gripped her husbands shoulder as her body wracked with sobs for her child. The Fire Country was in mourning just after celebrating the birth of their princess. Word spread throughout the country of the lady's loss.
--
A figure stood still in the darkness. His presence had a soft glow around him. The hood he wore concealed his face and he stood with his hands at his sides waiting patiently for something or someone to arrive. The silence that hung in the air was shattered with the hoof beats and the hurried breaths of a black stallion. The hooded figure raised his head up and watched the rider and the precious bundle he carried in his arms.
The horse came to a stop.
"What took you so long?" The man asked softly.
"Uninvited guests," the man replied as he got off his horse.
"I see," the man smiled as the man approached him with the small bundle in his arms. He looked at him and he sensed his concern.
"She will be safe I promise you that," he said reassuringly. He hesitated and then gently proceeded to hand over the child to the man.
"My people are forever grateful to you. Should you need me you know how to find me," the man replied as he stepped back. He nodded his head in understanding. The glow that encompassed his body brightened and soon he disappeared in a plume of smoke leaving no trace of his existence behind.
"I pray that I've done the right thing," he said, as he looked at the empty space the man once occupied. He gazed up at the stars.
"May Kami protect you princess," he whispered into the night sky. Silently he got on top of his horse and then began his gallop back to the castle. This was going to be the hardest day of his life. Lying to his teacher was not going to be easy. Worse yet, his lady would need his presence more so now than ever, something that he would not be able to weasel out of without anyone else becoming suspicious.
--
Updated Sep. 11, 08