Kyuubi had been awake for exactly three days when everything went to hell in a hand-basket. He'd woken in a damp sewer behind the gilded bars of a cage with a massive headache and several years of missing memories. It had taken several hours of hard thought before the last night he could remember came back to him.
Sealed again. And in a kit as well. A little blonde that looked so like the Yondaime that for one terrifying minute he could feel rage well up inside him like some living thing before it petered out and he settled on to his belly in the thin layer of water. He hated humans, so much, but kits were blameless of the sins of their parents. And who knew, perhaps this container would be different from the two previous.
Yeah, he didn't believe that for a second.
Better to withhold judgement for now and then be disappointed later when his new container turned out like everyone else. And so he settled back to watch as best he could. The kit was young, less than decade, less than even half a decade, and he viewed everything through the milky innocence that only toddlers were capable of. From what little he had time to gather, the child was a being raised in one of the newer orphanages in Konoha that had likely popped up after the attack. While no one paid over much attention to him, neither were they cruel or neglectful to him. His needs were seen to, he was taught and comforted and allowed things all the orphans had.
Either no one knew that he was sealed in the kid or the caretakers didn't care and Kyuubi put good money on the first. He couldn't imagine this level of care so soon after the attack if they knew he was here.
The kit himself was easy-going and happy, content to babble and laugh his days away. He was trusting in that way that young ones always are and it was his trusting nature that got them into the mess he was witnessing right now.
They'd come to the playground, a man and a woman with easy smiles and candy and coaxing words. They reeked of deception, of anger and ill intent and Kyuubi wanted nothing more than to lash out with his chakra or shout something to this too young, too stupid child he was sealed in. But the seal was too new, too tight for his chakra to even begin leaking into the kid's system properly beyond the little trickle it currently was, never mind the level he would need to save his container.
The candy was laced, and the kid was out between one lick and the next, tossed over the man's shoulder as they sprinted away from the village and didn't stop until the sun had gone down and the moon was high in the sky, just over the border of Hi no Kuni. Both were muttering about revenge and Kyuubi could only guess they were after the kid because of his father. Whether they knew that the Yondaime was actually the kid's father was up for debate, but they seemed just the side of deranged required to kill a toddler for a mere resemblance to a hated enemy.
Kyuubi saw what was going to happen seconds before the man tossed his container to the floor, knelt down with kunai in hand and slit the boy's throat. Kyuubi's scream of rage and denial shook the very gates of his cage and life and color began to seep out of the sewer because of course, of course, the Yondaime's seal tied their lives together.
Desperately he lashed out with wave after wave of red chakra, over and over again. As life seeped out of his container's body, the seal loosened, allowing more and more chakra and it swirled out, rushing towards the gaping wound in the toddler's throat. All he could do was reattach all the important veins and arteries and his trachea, but that left the wound open to air and the boy was already in shock. For all that it had taken only perhaps fifteen seconds in the world beyond the rapidly fading plane of the seal, it was almost too much for his little body.
Any other toddler would be long dead but not many other toddlers had massive constructs of chakra sealed in their bellies. Briefly, the thought of letting his container die and escaping had crossed his mind, but their lives were so closely and tightly entwined that he would have been well on his way to death by the time the seals was loose enough to even think of escaping, let alone made a successful one.
But there was still the little matter of his container lying with an open neck wound in the middle of the woods. He had to think quickly, but he wasn't a centuries old being feared by all for nothing. On top of that, he was a fox. He was much smarter than any of his other brothers and sisters, especially his stupid youngest brother, the worthless tanuki.
The seal was still too weak for him to do much, but he could feel the pull on his chakra was already more substantial than just an hour ago and it was feeding into the little star that was his container's own chakra.
His idea came to him with a quick flick of his ears and he settled back down onto his belly, reaching one arm out so that a claw slid past the gates and sunk into the water on the other side. Carefully, carefully, he manipulated his chakra and swaddled the little star of the child and then flexed the tendril cradling the child's chakra, just enough for a pulse of pure chakra to roll out around his container.
A call for help, that this close to the border would hopefully be picked up by patrolling friendlies. One pulse, another and then another. Kyuubi was sure his power was fading now. They had maybe a few minutes before they would both slip away to the Pure Plane. Kyuubi only hoped his plan worked.
Han didn't leave the White Woods much any more, preferring the company of his summons where he lived with them in the main warren. Han was not the only person who chose to live among the wolf summons of the White Woods, and so most of his things came from the other resident summoners. Occasionally however the urge to wander struck him or he needed money to get something that the other summoners didn't have access to. And so he found himself on the border of Hi no Kuni, having wrapped up a few easy bounties, the form of his personal summons loping easily beside him when he felt it.
Shiroi's fur rose along his spine not in anger but in terror. The lash of chakra was unmistakably a child's, pure and bright and soaked in desperation, something heady and dark laced through it but it was most definitely a call for help that could not be ignored. They set off through the woods at a dead sprint, Shiroi pressing at him the impression of blood and fear.
Han found the child's crumpled form in the knotted roots of a tree, laid out in a puddle of blood that was his own, neck flayed open for all the world to see. Only Han's many years as a shinobi kept his food in his stomach as he ran forward, hands already flying through the seals for the summoning technique. The child was still obviously alive, if the chakra pulse was anything to go by, and Han had been taught the ways of the Pack and he had a duty to do everything he could.
In a puff of smoke there were three more wolves, two with black pelts shot through with gray and one with fur of white like his own Shiroi. The wolves were quicker on the uptake than Han had hoped and the air filled with warm healing chakra as the white wolf placed a delicate paw on the small chest. One of the black wolves met his gaze with milky emerald eyes.
"Han?" The great creature asked, settling onto his belly and watching the white wolf work, the other black wolf settled next to the little body, another wash of warm chakra filling the air as it pressed its nose to the small leg.
"He was like this when Shiroi and I found him. If his chakra hadn't been pulsing we'd have walked right by him, the wind is so still he was just out of scent range." The wolf sighed heavily and looked towards his companions. The white wolf was shaking her head, looking unhappy in the extreme. She'd managed to heal the gaping wound in his neck, leaving a thick line of ropy scar tissue but beyond that they weren't sure.
"Grandmother?" The aged creature asked and the other black wolf opened her eyes, heaving herself to her feet and looking weary.
"It's not good, Grandfather. Without intervention, he won't make it more than a few more hours, even with Petal's help. Something has kept him alive this long, something tucked into a seal on his stomach, but what exactly it is I can't tell. However, it can't support the boy much longer. The only conceivable way I can see of saving the boy is-"
"You can't mean the Life Bond!" Han choked as Shiroi's gasp cracked through the clearing like lightning. "He's just as likely to die from it as he is his wounds!" The wolf called Grandfather leveled him with a quelling look and Shiroi sank back.
"Better to attempt the bond and give the pup a chance at life. If not, better to snap his neck here as an act of mercy." Shiroi, cowed, settled on his belly at Han's side. The mere thought of taking the life of a child, even in an act of mercy, was antithesis of everything they'd ever been taught.
When no one else raised any objections, Grandfather raised himself to his paws with a sigh. "Then let us depart at once. I have just the wolf in mind."
Approx. 8 years later, age 10 years, 10 months
"Naruto! Seiji! It's time to come in for the night!" Han leaned out of the cabin's window, Malfuin puttering in the kitchen behind him as she wrapped up dinner's preparation before ducking back in to finish setting up the table and counting to 10 under his breath with no little amusement. Sure enough as he recited the last number the door burst open with the sound of scrabbling claws, deep chuckling and raspy laughter.
Han smiled as Shiroi gave the other room a long suffering sigh as Sakura, Malfuin's companion, smiled indulgently as boy and wolf tumbled over each other in a race to get inside. Naruto had successfully come through the ceremony that tied his life force to one of the wolf summons of the White Woods and had stayed with them since, playing and learning and, perhaps most importantly, healing. While much of the time had been light and happy, the first year or two had been hardest, as Naruto was adjusting to the new home, his new companion, his new biology and the loss of his voice.
Naruto had been a child used to talking, to filling the air with chatter and stories. To have that suddenly taken from him had been hard, and as a toddler he'd had very few faculties for dealing with the loss other than listlessness, rebellion and crying. In the end though, Naruto's bright, indomitable spirit had come through for him and he'd come into his own. Shortly after Naruto's fifth birthday, Seiji had gained the ability to speak as most wolf summons did and through his companion Naruto had regained his own voice. Through their bond Seiji was able to hear his companion and speak for his human and with that returned to him Naruto blossomed.
Speak of the devil. Naruto darted into the room, his raspy laughter ringing as Seiji bounded in after him. Seiji was on the larger side for a summons his age, standing at five and a half foot at the shoulder and seven foot from nose to tail, his timber colored pelt thick and soft. He shared his mismatched amber gold and blue gaze with his human companion.
Naruto, in direct contrast to his wolf, was on the small side for his age, almost alarmingly so and looked more like an eight year old than a boy going on eleven. Even with his training over the last four years he was slim and short and his shinobi pants and long sleeve would have hung on him if they'd not been tailor made for him, bound at the ankles and wrists with white bandages. The high collar of the long sleeve had the bonus of hiding the scar on his neck which, though it had lightened some with age, still stood as a stark reminder of his brush with death as a toddler.
His hair fell in silken blonde strands on his left side, curling just the slightest amount at his chin, while the right side of his head had been shaved close. The whisker marks he'd come to them with were slightly thicker and his teeth gleaming and powerful in his grin while claws adorned his hands and feet as he happily went barefoot.
"Table, you two. Those paws of yours had best be clean, Naruto-kun and Seiji if I see a single burr in your pelt you'll be helping Zekora harvest mouse bile to treat the tick infestation in the east warren." Malfuin's voice came from the kitchen and both boy and wolf shared a bright odd-eyed glance before they were off to the bathroom in a blur of claws and fur.
Sakura sighed and stretched out, her gray streaked tawny pelt glinting in the low lamp light as the sounds of scuffling and playful growling filtered down to them. Of course they'd turned hand washing into a competition, in the way only young boys could. "It's going to be far too quiet when they leave next week." Sakura's voice was creaky with age and Shiroi huffed in unhappy agreement.
Han sighed because it was true. While everyone lived in close proximity and they would never be alone, Han, Malfuin and their companions had grown used to the sounds of young ones constantly about. Grown used to furs and scarves and shinobi shirts scattered all over, the sound of claws clicking on wood and raspy laughter. Naruto had been with them since he was just a bit past three years old, Seiji with him every step of the way.
But in a week, Naruto was returning to Konoha, as per thier agreement with the the Sandaime Hokage. It had taken some negotiation, to convince the the village leader that Naruto was better off being raised by them, among the love and support of the White Woods wolves. The village wouldn't be prepared to teach him how to fight or utilize his bond with Seiji, that they wouldn't know how to handle Naruto's changed biology. The boy was essentially half wolf now, his life and chakra and spirit all tied up with his companion and his companion's with his.
Or, technically, companions. Grandmother had caught on instantly that Naruto had had something sealed in him, even before he was bonded, but it wasn't until Naruto was seven that they figured out what, or in this case, who was sealed in the boy's gut.
The Kyuubi.
It had taken some doing, some dire threats of tightening the seal so much he would never see the light of day ever again before they could hash out an agreement with the massive chakra construct. He could view the outside world and contact his container as he pleased and Naruto would be allowed to train to responsibly utilize the fox's power. So long as Naruto treated him with respect the fox wouldn't unduly influence his vessel in a bid for release. It wasn't necessarily when either party wanted but it was a tolerable compromise.
That had been one hell of a message to send to the old Hokage. They'd gotten a monkey summons back who'd borne an entirely unimpressed look and a scroll detailing why the older man thought that it was horrible idea but also hoped that it worked. Naruto's status as a Jinchuriki was a SSS-class secret in the village, known only to the Hokage and one living Anbu. Not having to worry about the fox vying for control of his vessel would make keeping the secret so much easier.
It had been at that point that Hokage had gotten more insistent that Naruto return to the village to join the ninja forces. Considering Naruto wanted to become a ninja, it wasn't a hardship but the timing had been argued over for months before it was decided that he would return shortly before his eleventh birthday for the year that would've been his final had he attended the academy from the very beginning. This would allow Naruto to integrate with peers his age before he enrolled in the ninja forces.
Naruto, while sad to be leaving the White Woods, was also excited to begin his journey and to meet more, human, kids. He loved the White Woods and its inhabitants dearly and knew he would always be welcome back with open arms, but part of him yearned for human company as well. Seiji was just happy to venturing forth with his human on what he viewed to be a very excellent adventure.
They came clattering to the table and Naruto launched himself into his seat, Seiji taking up his usual position right at his back, his massive head on the small shoulder and they both attempted to look piteous at their empty plates. Han laughed as he started dishing up meat and Malfuin ran a soft hand over thier heads on her way to her own seat.
God they really would miss them.