QUICK AUTHOR'S NOTE: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO. I ONLY OWN MY OC'S AND MAYBE THE GODS OOC-NESS, IF THAT'S EVEN POSSIBLE. THERE WILL NOT BE ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT FOR A DISCLAIMER SINCE I KEEP FORGETTING TO PUT THIS LITTLE 'DON'T SUE ME' SIGN UP.

One

Welcome Phoenix

"Ash, we're never going to make it out of here." A child-like voice whimpered. Tan arms came up to hug the speaker.

"Shh, we will get out of this place 'Ury. I promise. They can't keep us here forever. Not after what that man said." Ash whispered into his little sister's hair. Arms that weren't as tan as her brother's wrapped around his stomach.

"But they don't like us. They're afraid of us." Ash sighed.

"It's just because of who and what we are. They've never had any before. Not like the bigger cities."

"…Will we ever see momma again?" Ash grimaced at the pain in his sister's voice.

"No. But that's okay, we don't need anyone else. We have each other. I promise I'll always be there for you Fury." Bright reddish orange eyes peered up at him with a level of seriousness that belied her age.

"No you won't. Nothing lasts forever." Ash's black gaze turned hot with anger and determination.

"Family does. And I promise I will never leave you." Fury's hands tightened in his shirt. "Phoenix live forever, I'll always be here."

"Can you really promise that?"

"… I'll try."

Breathe in, breathe out… Concentrate on the sounds of nature. Breathe as the wind brushes past, feel the earth below tremble. My lungs opened allowing the scent of damp earth, bark and pine hit like a sledgehammer. The sound of birds chirping was annoying but easy to block since I expected them and knew where the birds flew. They were not my prey.

My eyes opened as the ground rumbled slightly. There was a herd a mile to the east right on the edge of my property. I tensed my muscles before my body moved of its own accord. I didn't allow my mind to intrude with thoughts or distractions. I needed food and the next shipment of food scheduled for pick-up was in 36 hours. Normally I'd be able to make it, but I'd been going without meat for a while already. Phoenix weren't exactly lovers of rabbit food. And since the Mayor of the closest town hated me, I wasn't going to ask for more food after they'd cut my normal rations in half. Bad enough my time tables were screwed up from being in this stupid dome.

I slowed when I crested the ridge that surrounded my fifteen miles of land. I peeked over the edge to see the herd right on the edge of my territory. On the other side beyond the wide field in the trees, I caught a flash of something shiny.

"Fuck." I grit my teeth. Sons of bitches were already lying in wait for me. I glared at the forest where I knew the Wolves waited, before slumping back against the nearest tree trunk. I closed my eyes and hummed thinking this through. One the one hand I could survive on the ramen packages I had saved up, though they weren't exactly fulfilling they'd keep me alive until real food came. On the other hand I feared if I didn't eat meat sometime soon I was going to give in to my Phoenix and go into town with my money and demand meat from the butcher. Not exactly a win-win situation considering if I did shoot a deer now then the wolves would descend which would start a chain reaction to my food supply and my peaceful life here.

"I'm screwed either way." I mumbled opening my eyes to see the blue sky above me. "But if I do kill a deer they'll use that as an excuse… this is not my finest hour." Not that I had many of those. "Any titans up there with good hunting skills? I really would like some help down here. Lord Helios? Please help me with a deer." I prayed before getting up to head home. I wasn't going to tempt fate or anything with my healing factors all screwed up with no meat.

I stopped moving as a buck grazed a few hundred meters in front of me. Thank you whoever saw fit to end my suffering! I crouched low pulling my bow over my head along with an arrow. I cut off my thoughts and focused on breathing as I aimed. The deer's head shot up the same instant I let the arrow go.

It cried out as the arrow lodged into it. I waited until the deer fell to the ground before I ran up to it. He was panting when I reached him with my hunting knife already out. I crouched over him as he let out a low groan.

"I'm sorry." I breathed meaning it as I slid the knife into his heart killing him instantly. "Thank you." I said as I pulled my weapons back, cleaned them, and put them away. One yank of a canvas tarp and I was pulling the deer carcass after me just as the rain started with a loud boom. "Thirty years of rain, snow and clouds and you'f think I'd be used to this forsaken weather." I groaned as the tarp pulled at my shoulders.

Oh well, I'll be home soon. Then I can cut up the meat, put it away and get to sleep. Oh wonderful sleep. Dreams were so much better after a trying day like this.

I hummed a happy little song as I walked through the forest. I stopped as a breeze of wind surrounded me causing the trees to sway with groans. An unnatural sense of foreboding hit me as I slowly looked all around me. The meat I held was nearly dropped when I saw two golden gleams in the distance. I stared at the gleam as it winked once, twice then left with a blink of the eye.

"Damn creatures." I muttered swinging the dear meat over my shoulder again and started walking. I wasn't the baddest thing out here but at least I could claim its territory and protections as mine. Although it was rare for other magnificent creatures such as myself to encroach on another's territory. I'd have to look into that tomorrow, it was probably an imp or pixie. I could give my unannounced guest some peace for tonight. Tomorrow was another story.

"Master, the Phoenix is still here." The creature whimpered into the small plastic contraption humans used. It had run as fast as possible to the nearest telephone it found to report.

"It's been three decades. Why has she not moved on yet?" The dark and imposing voice growled. The creature whimpered in fear. His master was only a human but they, especially his kind, were far more brutal than any other human.

"I-I don't k-know Master. The P-Phoenix seems to be r-restricted by the t-town full of humans w-who l-live here."

"Mph, a caged bird huh? Seems too easy." A female voice sounded letting the creature know his Master wasn't alone.

"Nevertheless, keep an eye on her. She's here for a reason and I doubt it's for the weather."

"Y-Yes sir. But-"

"No more but's. Get to watching." The creature winced as the telephone seemed to bang.

"M-Master?!" The creature wailed. The dial tone was its only answer. "Oh not g-good. H-How will I tell M-Master?" The creature looked back at the forest he had run out of to see a rippling purple dome over the forest. Whatever it was, it resembled a snarling wolf whenever the ripples grew agitated.

GM NASAI: For whatever reason I decided to write another story. I have high hopes for this one as unlike TBAG most of the creatures will be from a wide- and I do mean WIDE- variety of cultures. For more information please keep reading and maybe I'll answer whatever questions you have. I hope to anyway. And don't worry, I'll try to make this story a bit more believable and smoother. Review Ja'ne~

Edited on: 5/4/16