Chapter 10 The State of the World
"So you side with the humans." said a wolf as the pack turned from attacking the humans to going after Naruto.
"Believe it." said Naruto with a grin as he began to put chakra into his hand, to his surprise it came out just as easy as normal it wasn't hard like Sakura had told Ino last night before they had to run away from Hinata, Kiba and Kakashi. Also his chakra was red now like the Kyuubi.
"Get him!" yelled the new alpha as he charged forward only to get hit by Naruto's claws with the red chakra now uncasing them they ripped though them like a hot knife though butter.
"You have killed two of us but we outnumber you and your humans can't help you." said the alpha
"I don't need them." said Naruto as suddenly another creature appeared behind them. The turned around just in time to see Sakura's fist come flying into their gut. She was hitting with a force a lot bigger then even her best punch as a human. The wolf felt his rids breaking as Sakura's fist reached his heart breaking it.
"Sakura?" asked Temari as she noticed the pink hair on the other fox
"I have to think so." said Shikamaru "If they have turned then why are they not going after us?"
"I am more worried about the fact that they have turned then what has happened to the village." said Jiraiya as Naruto took down another wolf. Suddenly two more creatures appeared this time lions.
"Little boy, I think those are your teammates." said Temari
"Ya." said Shikamaru as he looked at his transformed teammate.
"Fall back." said one of the few remaining wolves as they fall back.
"Should we go after them?" asked Ino
"They are faster then you and Choji. I don't want to take on with just myself and Sakura." said Naruto as they nodded in agreement. "Besides looks like we will have some explaining to do."
"Ya." said Sakura as she looked at the group of ninjas who still had their weapons out.
"Choji go get the kids."
"Alright." said Choji as he disappeared into the tree line. Slowly Naruto and them raised their hands and walked toward the gathering of ninjas.
"Long time no see." said Naruto as they walked closer all the while the ninjas kept their weapons out.
"Naruto, Sakura and Ino right?" asked Shikamaru "And the other Lion was Choji."
"I am hurt that you wouldn't know it was me Shikamaru." Said Ino
"I did I am just making sure I am right." said Shikamaru "So now we have to decide what to do with you."
"Well we are heading toward sound to find a cure." said Sakura
"You are animals now, so you are our enemy." said Temari as she prepared to attack.
"Wait…wait." said Naruto as he raised his hand "Yes, we may of turned but Ino found a way to keep our human mind so we want to find a cure just like you."
"What?" asked Shikamaru
"I found a way to keep our human minds, now we may look like them and in fact if we touched you, you would probably get infected but we want a cure just like you." Said Ino as Choji came back the two kids in toe.
"Who are the other two?" asked Jiraiya
"Katara and Saito we found them in the Leaf, their parents were dead and you know what they do to young kids with no parents." said Naruto "So what happens now?"
"Well you are on our side." said Jiraiya "You find a cure."
"Wait…Maybe you should take this back to the sand maybe your doctors can find something." said Ino as she pulled out her medical scroll and placed it on the ground, Jiraiya picked it up with his gloved hands before sealing it.
"Our doctors are second rate compared to the leaf so why bother?" asked Temari as she put away her fan.
"If something happens to us, Tsunade sent Kakashi, Hinata and Kiba after us last night." Said Naruto as Jiraiya's eyes widened
"Tsunade turned?"
"Yes, I haven't seen her but Kiba told us when he though we were like them." said Sakura
"What kind?" asked Shikamaru
"A wolf just like Neji, Tenten and Kakashi. Kiba and Hinata are dogs, Shizune is a cat of some kind." said Choji
"What of the other people in the village, like Shino, Gai, Lee, Anko, my parents and the others?" asked Shikamaru
"Well we heard that Shino, Gai and Lee were killed as for the others we have no idea." said Choji "Sorry Shikamaru I don't know anything about your parents or anyone else for the matter."
"I see deaths?" asked Jiraiya
"Unknown we were ungrounded during the battle looking for a cure." said Ino "But maybe taking into account the refuges from the other villages in fire nation who came to the leaf maybe 1/8 of the village dead is a safe bet."
"That is like over 2000 people." said Naruto
"There is no like about it, it is over 2000." said Shikamaru
"Any reports from Waterfall did they contain it?" asked Sakura
"No, they fell and when we left Sand they had just gotten reports of them in Earth, Grass, Rain and Tree country." said Jiraiya
"My God." said Ino as she learned how far they had spread
"That was two days ago." said Temari "The sands only saving grace is the fact that most of the animals need a lot of water and that is hard to find in the desert."
"Still they will come, they still have humans minds they can think of someway to get to you." said Sakura
"Ya, when we were crossing the river yesterday we saw a few of the cat types using a boat." said Temari "So ya they can think so things."
"A boat?" asked Naruto
"Yes." said Shikamaru
"That means Wave, Water and the other island nations are no longer safe." said Naruto as he remember how the island nations had cut all ship traffic with the main land and Wave had blown up the Great Naruto Bridge all to stop the virus from getting to them.
"Yep, there is no safe place anymore." Said Temari "Cloud went salient the same day as you and if you had fallen then they could of too."
"That would mean that the only nations who haven't been infected yet is the Sand and the two nations to your south Spirit and Treasure." said Sakura
"Ya, and two of those nations are not ninja nations." said Temari "So at the moment it seams that humanity is up against the ropes."
"We will find a cure." said Ino "Once we find the lab in the Sound we will understand this thing a lot better and then we can defeat it?"
"Ino, have you considered how you will do research in a bombed out remains of a village?" asked Jiraiya
"We will find a way." Said Ino
"Come to the Sand." Said Temari as everyone's eyes widened
"What?" asked Naruto
"That is if it is still around after you find the lab." said Temari "We need the cure too and we are a safe haven for the moment."
"What about Gaara would he allow it?" asked Naruto
"Let me worry about my brother." said Temari "You worry about a cure."
"Still how will Sand ninjas know that we are their friends?" asked Sakura "We found if we were cloths then they know we have human minds."
"I was wondering why you were naked. Hell apart from the fur it looks like you belong in one of my books" said Jiraiya with a small laugh Naruto glared at him barring his teeth a bit.
"Sorry." said Jiraiya as he noticed how Naruto moved between him and Sakura. "There must be some animal instinct in him, he is acting like a male animal protecting his mate. However he still seams mostly human."
"Good." said Naruto as he backed up to his normal spot.
"Did you see that Naruto-kun defended us." said Inner Sakura "Is that not so romantic?"
"I can defend myself." Said Sakura before smiling "But yes, it did feel nice. Wait a second why are you still human?"
"Your right." said Inner Sakura as she looked at herself she was still human even though the outer Sakura was fox "I didn't notice that I was still human, maybe it has to do with the fact that deep down our minds are still human."
"I guess." Said Sakura
"Now can we go back to Naruto-kun?" asked Inner Sakura
"Sakura? Sakura?" asked Naruto as Sakura jumped back to reality.
"Sorry lost my thoughts." Said Sakura
"You have thoughts Forehead?" asked Ino as Sakura jumped into a stance her claws at the ready and her teeth out.
"What did you say Piggy?" snapped Sakura as Ino jumped back bringing her claws out from her fingers and showing her teeth.
"Oh, no they are losing their human minds." Said Katara
"We are doomed to a life as half human half monster aren't we?" asked Saito
"No…that is how they normally are." said Naruto with a laugh as both women turned their evil glares toward him. His ears dropped and his tail stopped moving as he realized what sort of trouble he was in.
"I would run if I were you." said Choji
"Yep." said Naruto as he made a break for the trees with two angry women behind him with claws and fangs at the ready.
"Well if there were any concerns about them still having their human minds it is settled." said Shikamaru
"You wanted to see me?" said a voice as Tsunade stood in her new office
"Yes, Shizune." said Tsunade as she turned to face her long time friend now semi enemy. Unlike her Shizune hadn't been turned into a wolf, dog or fox type. Well the fox kinds were very…very rare apart from Naruto, Sakura and the kids who were on the run only about a dozen of them were in the new leaf village. Shizune had turned into a tiger woman. Tiger stripes ran across her whole body except for under the arms, the inner legs and her stomach and chest area which were now white.
"Why, me and my kind will be leaving soon." said Shizune "We heard that the Village hidden in the cloud is becoming our home since you claimed the Leaf for the wolves."
"Well the Kage up there did turn into a panther correct?" asked Tsunade as Shizune nodded her head. "The both of us are only trying to build a world for our expected packs."
"What do you want?" asked Shizune
"Your help." said Tsunade
"For what?"
"See, you and I both know that out there a four foxes and a pair of lions are on the lose." Said Tsunade
"Yes. They are looking for a cure for this." said Shizune as she jested to her tiger body.
"Yes, and we need to cure them." said Tsunade "And together we are the best medical minds in the world."
"Apart from Ino and Sakura." said Shizune "You always said you were better then one individual but together they were the best."
"Yes, but they are on the run from my packs I have sent out with orders to bring them back." Said Tsunade
"You mean bring your foxes back you don't care much about Ino now that she is a lion just like you don't care much about me now that I am a tiger." Said Shizune
"I changed my orders they are to bring everyone back." said Tsunade "Then once we cure them Ino, Choji and yourself can go toward your new lives in the cloud village and Naruto, Sakura and the two kids they picked up can come back here."
"That sounds fair." said Shizune "But how do I know you won't just kill us once we are done."
"Because even though we are now enemies I still consider you and Ino part of my pack, I wouldn't hurt you or Ino." said Tsunade
"What of Choji?" asked Shizune
"Hurting Choji would be hurting Ino." said Tsunade "So do we have a deal?"
"Yes." said Shizune "But only if some of the cats can enter the hunt for them."
"Of course." said Tsunade
Well I hope you liked this chapter. I had to update earlier then normal because I am going to be out of town this coming weekend so I will be unable to update on Friday. Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I would ask that you keep on reading and reviewing. Thanks Wilkins75.