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Chapter eight
Snow, snake and death
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-Previously-
"I'm sorry but I don't think you'll be able to travel today." The woman said, putting down plates full of omelettes and grilled fishes with bowls of rice in front of them "There will be another storm, probably during the early afternoon."
"I noticed." Damaru agreed "Is it okay for us to stay another day? We can pay you."
"Of course you can. And I don't want your money. I'm glad to have a bit of company. It can be lonely here."
They finished breakfast, Damaru and the woman chatting animatedly, Yukimaru giving from time to time his opinion.
Finishing her tea, Damaru got up.
"If you'll excuse me." She said "I need to take the wolves outside if we're going to be stuck in most of the day."
"I'll go with you." Guren said, getting up too.
Damaru was surprised and shared a look with Itachi before tentatively nodding.
"Alright." She conceded "If that's what you want. Let's go."
-Now-
Yuki and Gin frolicked in the deep snow, jumping around and playfully fighting with each other.
Damaru and Guren were a few feet away, sitting on a rock protubing from the thick layer of white powder.
"I really don't like cold weather." Damaru grumbled, shivering violently before tightening her cloak against herself "What about you Guren-san?"
"Cold weather like that doesn't bother me." The girl replied "I've known worse."
They stayed silent for a while, observing Yuki and Gin.
"Can I ask you something?" Guren asked suddenly, sounding hesitant and slightly tense.
"Ask away." Damaru kindly answered.
The girl clenched her hands together, biting her bottom lip before gathering her wits.
"What…made you want to follow him?"
"Itachi you mean?" Damaru saw Guren nod "Because I love him. Simple as that."
"But…how did you know it was the right choice? Perhaps he could have…mistreated you."
Damaru blinked and looked longly at Guren before sighing.
"I have to tell you something. It wasn't Itachi's idea to run away. He wanted to go alone but I sort of forced him to take me with him."
Guren looked at her, surprised.
"Really?"
"Yes. He wanted what was best for me and thought a life with him wouldn't bring me happiness because it would be hard. But tell you what? I've never been happier. As for mistreating me, I have full faith he wouldn't intentionally hurt me."
"Why?" Guren asked curiously.
"Because loving someone means wanting his or her happiness. Itachi wants me to be happy even if it costs him his own. Same for me."
She looked up to Guren with a raised eyebrow.
"Can I ask you why you're asking me these questions?"
The girl hesitated before bringing her knees nearer, her arms surrounding them.
"Well." She said slowly, searching her words "I also followed a man when I was younger. He saved me from misery and death in the streets. He said he would take care of me. But recently…"
She couldn't continue, feeling tears building up.
Damaru silently observed her before asking:
"Has he abused your trust?"
Eyes widening, Guren turned to Damaru with a dumbstruck expression.
"So I'm right?" the white haired girl deduced.
It wasn't long before Guren was crying.
Damaru climbed up to her and hugged her, letting the girl cry on her shoulder.
"H-He." Guren hiccupped "He made me…he made me…"
"I won't judge you." Damaru assured "I promise."
"He made me kill people!" Guren finally yelled out, sobbing even harder "I didn't want to but I wanted so much to make him proud of me."
"He shouldn't have forced you to kill." Damaru soothed her, rubbing her back "If he said he would take care of you and then forced you to do things you didn't want to, he's a liar."
She waited until Guren's tears dried off before leading her inside, calling back Yuki and Gin.
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"Guren-nee-chan!" Yukimaru called, running to her when he saw her climbing down the stairs "Can you play with me?"
Damaru smiled, almost giggling at the confused, almost lost look on the girl's face.
"Yukimaru?" Guren asked, looking around "Where is your mom?"
"She went to fetch water." The little boy answered before insisting "So? Will you play with me?"
"Ah, yes." Guren tentatively agreed "Why not?"
The grey haired boy grabbed her hands and led her to his toys.
They began playing and soon enough the six years old managed to ensnare the sixteen years old girl into his game.
Smiling, Damaru leaned into Itachi's arms and scratched Yuki behind the ear, much to the boy's and canine's delight.
A peaceful atmosphere settled down. Guren continued to play with Yukimaru, the boy even managing to make her smile and relax a bit. Yuki eventually got up to cuddle with Gin, the two wolves quickly falling asleep.
Damaru stayed in Itachi's arms. The two teenagers settled on a couch and talked quietly to each other.
Suddenly Guren stopped playing with Yukimaru, tensing and looking outside.
"Guren-nee-chan?" asked the young boy.
"I…I need to go out."
Damaru and Itachi looked at her as she exited the house. Yuki and Gin also woke up.
The two teenagers looked at each other, conversing silently in a well-honed habit before getting up.
"Yukimaru-kun." Damaru said, kneeling next to the boy "We need to go out for a while. Yuki and Gin will stay with you. Can you promise me to behave?"
"Of course." The young boy smiled "I'll stay there and behave. Promise!"
Damaru smiled and ruffled his hair before getting up and following Itachi outside.
Gin and Yuki keened, pushing their heads against their torsos in a silent plea to let them go with them.
"No." Damaru said gently, scratching their muzzles "You need to stay here and look after Yukimaru. Just in case."
She whispered her last phrase, her gaze full of meaning.
The wolves understood and Yuki gave her a lick on the hand before going to lay beside the boy, followed closely by Gin.
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"Do it." He said for the third time, frowning, clearly irritated.
The woman was kneeling on the ground, at her mercy, and the girl still was hesitating.
"Guren-chan?" he asked, a sudden thought coming to mind "Do you care about this woman?"
The blue haired girl tensed, glancing up fearfully at him.
"Poor foolish child." He hissed "This woman doesn't care about you. No one loves you. You were rejected since you're young. Only I took you in and cared for you."
He pinned her with a cold glare and continued.
"And how do you repay my kindness? I did everything for you and when I give a simple, basic order, you can't execute it. Do it."
The girl gulped and looked back at the woman on the ground.
"Do it."
Tears sprung from her eyes as she let out a choked whimper.
"DO IT!"
Crystal spears sprung out, impaling the woman who gave out a raspy cry before collapsing on the ground, her blood tainting the white snow pink.
Orochimaru smirked and was about to reach for the girl when a black blur threw him back violently.
Coughing, he got up and recognised his opponent.
"Itachi-kun." He smirked "How…opportune to meet you here. Since I heard what happened back in Konoha, I've been dying to talk to you."
"I have nothing to talk to you about you filth." Itachi growled, his sharingan activating.
If possible Orochimaru's smirk widened and his serpent like tongue darted out to lick his lower lip.
They rushed into fight, and Guren could only observe, overwhelmed, as the two great forces collided together in a burst of chakra.
She only noticed Damaru when the girl called to her.
"Guren! What have you done?"
The blue haired teen turned to see the girl kneeling over a lifeless body, horror and grief coupled with shock in her peridot green eyes.
Guren's black eyes fell onto the woman who kindly took her in, even if she knew nothing about her, and gave her warmth and care like no one else had.
She felt tears gather in her eyes as her body trembled.
"I'm sorry." She half exclaimed, half choked out, falling down on her knees "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry."
Damaru blinked and threw her a pitying look before getting up.
She went to her and surrounded her frame with her arms.
Guren literally collapsed. She began crying as if there was no tomorrow and Damaru silently bore it, rubbing her back.
Ororchimaru noticed and he frowned.
"Guren." He called "Come and help me instead of crying like that."
Itachi threw him a punch, hitting him straight in the face.
"You should pay attention to what's in front of you snake." He coldly said before trying to encase him in a fireball.
Unfortunately the man dodged.
"Guren." Damaru said softly, taking the girl's shoulders in her hands "You aren't forced to obey him."
"B-But." The black eyed girl hiccupped "H-He's the only one I-I have. I can't…"
"Guren." Damaru insisted "The one who have taken care of you is the woman behind us. The ones who loved you the most was this woman and the little boy back there."
"Y-Yukimaru." Guren gasped "Oh no. I killed his mother."
More tears poured out of her eyes.
"Guren. Perhaps you killed her but you still can do something."
"W-What?"
"Leave Orochimaru Guren. And take care of Yukimaru. He only has you now."
"B-But where would we go? And I..I can't…"
"Yes you can. That's what his mother would want. The little guy loves you. And you can come with us if you want."
There was a little silence before Guren said:
"You aren't really civilians aren't you?"
"What I told you isn't a lie. Technically." Damaru smiled sheepishly "If you accept to go with us I can tell you more, but if you don't…"
"I…I understand."
"I won't force you to choose. And I think Yukimaru will prefer going with you. Guren I know it's a difficult decision but please think of Yukimaru."
Images of the grey haired, purple eyed little boy flashed in her mind and she choked back more tears.
"Guren!" yelled Ororchimaru "Kill the girl!"
He was in a delicate position. The boy was far stronger than he estimated, very near kage level. He had foiled every attempt he made with genjutsu, even returning some of them in a rather painful way. He even cut off his hand and he now could only do techniques that didn't require hand signs
He had really greatly underestimated the boy.
But he wasn't the snake sannin for nothing. He had noted the subtle signs of the boy's eyes each time he checked on the girl talking to Guren.
Obviously the girl was dear to him.
Damaru said nothing, only glanced at Guren whose eyes had widened when she heard the order.
The blue haired girl turned to Damaru and understood the teen wouldn't do anything to protect herself.
"Guren!" Orochimaru yelled, glaring at the shaking girl.
She looked at Damaru who smiled gently at her. She took a deep breath.
"No." the word was almost a whisper, but the snake sannin heard it nonetheless.
"What?" he hissed, pinning the girl down with a glare.
Guren trembled under it, but held her ground, her hand finding Damaru's and squeezing it.
"No." she repeated harder "I won't follow you anymore. And you won't have the boy. I'll personally make sure you don't lay a finger on him!"
"Orochimaru wants Yukimaru?" Damaru asked, frowning.
"He has a weird connection with Sanbi, the three tailed demon." Guren explained, now glaring at the sannin "But I refuse to let him use another innocent like he's done with me."
"We're with you." Damaru supported, squeezing her hand.
"Foolish girl!" Orochimaru hissed angrily "You'll pay!"
He lunged at them. The girls tensed but Itachi managed to intercept the man and the sannin was partly caught in his fire dragon.
He was once again forced to dodge, hissing in pain when his shoulder coloured a charred red.
"You should really concentrate more on your opponent." Itachi taunted, a hint of a smirk on is lips.
"We should bury the body." Damaru said, glancing at the woman still lying on the ground "After that we'll go back, alright Guren?"
Feeling what felt like the hundredth time tears mist her vision, Guren wordlessly nodded before getting up.
Seeing how the situation was, Orochimaru decided that it was time to strategically retreat and threw a poisonous gas at Itachi.
The boy was forced to avoid the purple cloud, stepping near the girls busy preparing a tomb just in case.
But when the gas dissipated the sannin was nowhere to be seen.
He scanned the surroundings with his sharingan but Orochimaru was really gone.
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"Guren!" called tearily Yukimaru when the group entered the house.
He got up from behind Yuki and ran to the blue haired girl, arms outstretched.
Guren, confused, kneeled to take him in her arms.
The wolves neared them and they noticed the pink surrounding their jaws and speckling their fur.
Damaru advanced into the living room and saw trails of blood with the bodies of four men littering the floor.
"You did well." She said, petting Yuki before turning to Itachi and Guren "Guren-san you should prepare Yukimaru's things. Itachi and I will wait for you."
"Why are w-we leaving?" The young boy hiccupped "Wh-where is mom?"
"Yukimaru-kun." Damaru said softly when she saw Guren didn't have the courage "Your mother is dead."
The news seemed to put the boy under shock, and he stayed frozen while Guren prepared his things and met with Itachi and Damaru.
It was only later, as they were travelling in the snow, that he exploded in tears.
Guren could only hold him tighter against herself, feeling tears trail down her own cheeks.
