CHAPTER 5: SURPRISE
The birth of Inuzuka Sachi was not an easy one.
Figuratively, of course.
Ashi had a throughout chat with the Hokage, because tipsy she might be, but not a moron. The old man had laid it neatly for her; Sachi was on probation, a test of sorts until they find a more permanent solution. Death, in clear terms. The Hokage had been lenient enough to give Sachi a chance, only because she behaved relatively well when she was with the Inuzuka alphas.
It wasn't as if Ashi hated the kid, Sachi could be sweet when she felt like it. Yet, she came with a lot of baggage.
"This is Sachi."
The Inuzuka clan stared at her, Sachi stiff as a board next to Haiiro and not even breathing. Ashi could tell that she was nervous and afraid, her eyes skittish as she glanced at every dog in the room. The glares were returned eagerly, as the clansmen awaited their alpha for orders; in the meantime, they assessed her.
One could choke on the tension, most coming from her sister. Tsume, as she always tended to do, had been drinking heavily with the others, giving her more of a sharp edge than usual. Her eyes were locked on Sachi's form, tiny under all the stares and obvious sharp teeth.
"From now on, she's gonna be one of us."
Tsume and Kuromaru bared their teeth silently, a challenge. She was angry, not because of Sachi, but because she hadn't told her anything. Her scent was all but a declaration for a fight, and Ashi stood tall and unyielding.
She was the alpha, and they would follow her orders.
Haiiro bared his fangs. Kuromaru was not pleased either, a new pup in the hierarchy, not only in the pack, but in the main family. It was a conflict of status, and it will come to bite their asses in the future.
Her partner had scented Sachi before they even got near the Nara Forest, acting as a buffer between them and the clan before they decided to attack the newcomer.
Inzuka's were loyal but territorial. Unari, Shiga's pup, had been welcomed easily. They recognized his parents and the scent of a newborn was mellow and sweet, since their chakra pathways aren't fully formed and their affinities not yet apparent. Inuzuka's went mostly by nose, an important source for clues when regarding another person.
Eyes were deceiving, noses were not.
The problem with Sachi was herself. Her scent was neutral in terms of chakra, Tsunade complaining about how her system consisted of only Yin and Yang. The big but in her case was that her chakra bled through her every pore, something that unsettled the raw senses of all gathered in the parlor. Sachi's emotions, very much like her chakra, were obvious in a room full of trackers.
Sachi had went from enthusiastically getting out of the hospital to plummeting into dispair. Haiiro was at her side, trying to shield her and ease her nerves but she kept on panicking and easing in a whirl of emotions that hung in the air. To her credit, Sachi showed none of it.
Which was even worse, because Inuzuka didn't like when people lied to them.
"She's officially my ward, and I hope I don't have to tell you how to behave."
It was a reassurance for Sachi. The clansmen had gotten the memo just by reading her body language and her scent, but Sachi was not familiar with their silent communication. She only saw nearly fifty people with even more dogs baring a hole through her soul. It must be jarring, considering that the only people she had come in contact with could be counted on four fingers.
Although, more surprising was for the Inuzuka. Noses crunched, tails still and ears pinned; their respective partners attentive and focused. Sachi's scent was buzzing around, agitated like a storm that unnerved the others in return.
"Understood?"
All of the Inuzuka, including the guests, bowed their heads with their eyes to the floor.
"Dismissed."
The parlor cleared quickly but silently, every person with heavy thoughts and heady impressions. It wasn't the end of it, she knew, but the night was late and they would never question her outright.
Hisumi and Kirasu were the last to leave, Elders in their own right and just below Ashi's position. They didn't say anything, as Haiiro made clear that they were not to approach. Hisumi, ever the cunning bitch, smiled slyly before making her way to the backyard and closing the sliding door.
The only ones that remained were Tsume and Kuromaru, second in command of both alphas and currently living under the same roof.
If Ashi had to describe their expressions, she would say murderous.
The woman got up from her cushion, Kuromaru with his head low on the ground. Ashi didn't move, letting the barest hint of chakra overpower the killer intent that Tsume was exuding. Her little sister was quick to anger, a dangerous trait considering their careers.
Even more so when she felt justified.
"Tomorrow."
And it was a promise, because if they fought now, there would be only broken egos and bones. Kuromaru, the smarter one, grabbed her by her jacket and dragged her away; Tsume never once breaking eye contact.
"You okay there, pup?"
Sachi snapped out of her daze, eyes wide and very pale. She opened her mouth a few times until she let out the words "... w-who was that?"
"My sister, and Haiiro's brother."
Sachi went grey.
"I… don't think they like me."
Haiiro put his nose on her cheek, easing some of the cloying chakra that spoke of the few moments before imminent death. "Give 'em time, pup. Let's show you your room."
The girl followed after the dog with unsure steps, Ashi keeping a hand on her shoulder to guide her. Tomorrow was not a day she was looking forward to, her clan probably demanding answers of why and how she had decided to adopt.
Knowing Tsume, she will ask with her fists.
"All yours."
It was one of the guest rooms, with a futon and a small table. The Inuzuka main house didn't have that many visitors staying over, despite the fact that it was spacious enough to host at least a dozen people.
Once upon a time, that very house had been filled with people and dogs, children and elders alike. Now, only Ashi and Tsume with their partners remained; grandparents and parents long dead, and Isamu cremated.
Sachi looked around, not quite daring to step in, before asking "Where's your room?"
"Left hallway, all the way to the end." Haiiro answered, "Tsume's to the right."
"If there's something you need you can fetch us, okay?"
"... okay."
"Hey, Sachi, look at me." Ashi kneeled to meet her eyes, taking her face gently in her hands to ground her. "It's gonna be alright. We're gonna help you as long as you want to, but you can't quit this fast."
She frowned. "I don't wanna quit." just like that, her stubbornness came back, and with it her strength. "I won't quit."
"Good. Get some rest, darlin', tomorrow is gonna be a long day."
Ashi really hoped she made the good decision.
.
Tomorrow went as expected.
Except for Sachi.
Her first night in the Inuzuka household was spent wide awake and contemplating her life. The Kanbayashi had been thousands, every House with three digits in terms of people and even more gathered when they counted those those that visited the Heart.
The Inuzuka was a small clan, composed of three small families. The clan was not old enough for them to keep the bloodline, depending on people outside the families to get introduced and keep the traits by thoroughly educating the children.
However, what made the Inuzuka unique were their partners. Willingly choosing to raise their young with infant death harbingers, they knew no fear. Sachi had seen wolves, enough for a lifetime, but never had she seen such colored coats.
The wolves of the Land of Snow were, obviously, white with a few streaks of grey. That's what made them so deadly, besides their silent stalk; you only knew they were there when you heard them howl.
There were more wolves than there were people, and despite how much Sachi tried convincing herself that she was safe with Ashi, she felt as if she was the main course for those beasts. Like Haiiro, they talked too.
"Tear her apart!"
"For the throat, for the throat!"
Had Sachi wondered what wolves would say had they been able to speak, that was exactly what they would say.
The morning had started nice and early, when all the Inuzuka awoke from their hangovers and decided that a brawl was better than medicine. Sachi had rushed through the maze of corridors to find Ashi's sister breaking doors and taking out knives.
Ninjas were a mystery to Sachi. She knew the basics, mercenaries, killers for hire or work hands when needed for dirty business. A sneaky bunch, dangerous to be near and, more often than not, too troublesome.
As she watched them fight, Sachi realized it was much more than that.
Ashi ducked in the last second, grabbing Tsume's arms and twisting it with the momentum, making her fall into the space she had been standing on. Then, just as fast, threw her over her shoulder and planted her on her back with a heavy thud. Ashi could kill her very easily, with that many knives lying around, or snap her neck in half; she had more than enough strength to do it.
But she didn't.
"Anyone else?"
A man stepped in, cracking his knuckles.
"Why are they fighting?" Sachi asked, distraught.
Haiiro was with her, watching from the stone benches with the other Inuzuka as their alpha beat the disobedience out of them. Ashi had a few scratches, inevitable as her sister was a maniac, favouring her right leg as she made her opponents wish they never stepped into the ring. The others weren't so lucky.
The Inuzuka had a ring for fights, as any normal clan did.
"They are sorting out their problems, pup." he answered, keeping a good eye on Kuromaru as Tsume sulked in her corner. "You good?"
Sachi had less than five hours to get accustomed to her new life, and so she couldn't quite tell. "Can't they… talk?"
Around them, a few chuckled.
"We like roughin', you'll get used to it. Word can do nothin' when pain speaks louder, ya'know?"
Sachi did not know.
Everytime Ashi landed a hit, the Inuzuka cheered; when the opponent did the same, they howled. The dogs were barking loudly, and some even fighting amongst themselves as the adrenaline and blood mixed together.
"... are they fighting because of me?"
The man collapsed in an awkward heap at Ashi's feet, Sachi considering how he will walk again with his legs bent like that.
"Another one?"
A woman was next.
"Kinda. You're a surprise, and we don't really like surprises. Bite her neck!"
"Oh."
"It's not like that." he laughed, encouraging Ashi to maul the poor woman. "Surprises for ninjas means bad business; pups are good surprises, and you are a pup."
Sachi doubted that. She had the coloring alright, with the red fangs and the same shade of hair as Ashi and half of the Inuzuka, but she lacked the personality, the charm, and the deadly companion. The youngsters, barely teenagers, were accompanied by a wolf their height and twice their weight, and had knives strapped to their thighs.
Everything spoke of danger and caution; Sachi, stripped of anything that gave her an advantage, was left with Haiiro.
She hated it.
"You can step in, if you wanna."
Yeah, sure.
"Why would I?"
Haiiro huffed. "Dunno, pup. Prove yourself?"
Ashi choked the woman until she fainted. Sachi imagined herself in her place, wiping the sandy ring with their faces until she left them raw and bloody and felt…
Unsettled.
Tsunade had bound her hands with bandages, hiding her Dark Release marks and very sternly reminding her that she wasn't allowed to use seals; the punishment clear in her snarl. She had proven herself, once, gaining freedom from her House and fleeing to the Archive training program. Her seals had given her a chance, the only thing that made her stand out enough for the Archive herself to overlook her faults and keep her.
Now, with no clan, no seals and no diamonds, Sachi was lost.
And yet, breaking bones was not her first option to accomplish it.
Ashi was doing that by herself well enough.
The fights went for two more hours, the Inuzuka eventually getting hungry or succumbing to their injuries. Ashi was not alpha because it had been a title she had been born with, but something she had earned by subduing everyone that dared go against her.
That made Sachi feel strangely proud.
Because when the last contestant lay unconscious on the ring, Ashi had come to her and ruffled her hair with bloody fingertips and a wide smile. Strange she was, but she had done much more than anyone in her life.
She had fought for her, and won.
It made the stares more bearable, as they made their way to the house for Ashi to patch herself up. Grinning victoriously, she asked "You hungry?"
"Are you okay?" she was limping, and her clothes were dustied and torn.
"Of course, pup, better than ever."
Sachi followed her and Haiiro to the kitchen, her nerves eased by how sunny she was considering the battle contest. Her suspicion was still high, although she decided to let it be as Ashi made breakfast.
"You need help?"
"Don't bother, darlin', it takes much more than a few punches to get me down. You like bacon? Nice. Did you see Obu? That bastard!"
Haiiro barked a laugh. "You could have kicked his ass harder, Ashi. That way he would stop trying to piss us off."
Ashi laughed too. "He has the mindset of a pup, poor Chairo. I don't know how she manages."
Sachi didn't know what was so funny. Obu, a young male Inuzuka with black hair and hazel eyes had been twisted like a braid to the point that he had to be dragged out by two other men. He hadn't lasted five minutes, which was enough for Ashi to punch him in the stomach, kick him with her leg in his ribs and then reshaping his entire skeleton. His partner, a golden medium sized wolf, had snickered with glee when they brought him back to her.
"Chairo's a good bitch when she wanna gain something, but a dumbass the rest of the time. They suit each other just fine. Do you have bones?"
"I'll take 'em out. Go ask the other two while I make the eggs." Haiiro did so, going deeper into the house while Sachi remained seated at the kitchen table, watching Ashi move quickly. "How did you like the fights, Sachi? Cool, hmm?"
"Um… kinda? You hurt them a lot."
She cackled in response. "Don't worry, darlin', they knew what they were getting into. We usually make up our problems with fights, so you don't need to be scared if you see someone going at it in the rings."
Of course they had more than one fight ring.
"What was the problem? I mean, why they were angry at you? Shouldn't they be fighting... me?"
"You aren't part of the fights, darlin'. Children and pups don't fight the adults and vice versa, to avoid angry parents killing those that hurt their own, ya'know? They weren't angry, but a little miffed because I haven't told them I wanted to adopt and kinda been absent for a while." she explained, putting more food into a giant frying pan "A weird surprise. They will warm up, but they are kinda worried if I snapped or something."
Ashi was being good natured, although Sachi was more worried. "I don't want to… um, trouble your clan?"
"Oh no, darlin'! You have only a few hours here, don't go apologizing for doing nothing wrong. I brought you here because I wanted to," and because she would have been already dead if she hadn't "and I can. I fought them, I won, so that's that. Welcome to the clan."
She didn't have time to be conflicted about the emotions that came from that greeting, Tsume and Kuromaru entering the kitchen. The former had a half healed black eye and bandages around her bare arms. They locked eyes for a moment, Sachi caught staring at her injuries as Tsume bared her teeth at her.
Very wisely, Sachi looked away.
"How's your lip, Tsume?"
"Fuckin' busted, thanks to you." was the seething reply, Tsume taking a seat right across Sachi. "Whatcha lookin' at?"
"Let the pup alone, Tsume. Ashi won right and fair." Haiiro said, diffusing her temper while he laid at Sachi's feet, waiting for Ashi to finish cooking.
"Fuck you Haiiro, and you too Kuromaru."
"What did I do?" the black wolf asked flatly, settling near her. "It was your fight, don't mess it up with me."
"Could have helped me!"
"Nu-uh, human business, not ours. She's got his scent all over her."
Both women stopped at that, pinning Haiiro who stuck his tongue at them. "Someone's gotta protect the pup."
"What does that mean?" Sachi asked, picking up the strange looks on the Inuzuka women. "Is it bad?"
"Nah, darlin'. Scenting is something we do to mark our own, like rubbing or petting, so others know who they belong to." she explained, finishing her task. "I didn't know he scented you, it does explain why the ninken didn't bark at you when we came here though."
Sachi had believed that the wolves were educated enough not to bite strangers; apparently, not quite. She owed Haiiro a thank you for his foresight.
"Of course he did, he has been wanting a pup for years now." Tsume hissed "Didn't think you would be cradle robbing for one."
"Careful how you speak, Tsume, you might choke on that envy someday."
"Envy? Why would I envy you, you furry fuck? I don't go bringing stray puppies into the clan because I feel like it."
Ow.
The young Archive didn't know how to feel by that jab. It was clear that Tsume didn't like her or didn't want her there, but because she was under Ashi and Haiiro's rank she had to listen. That didn't mean she held any thoughts to herself.
Haiiro snapped at her, almost tearing her calf underneath the table.
"Tsume, shut your mouth." Ashi intervened, pointing to a cupboard "Set the table."
"Shouldn't she do it?" she pointed to Sachi.
"I've asked you."
Tsume held her sister's gaze for only a second before rising and doing what she was told. It was clear who was the alpha, even in the house. Sachi, however, was wary of Tsume as one was wary of a wild animal.
Unpredictable, wild and feral.
(That was Tsume's opinion of her too.)
Soon enough the table was set, the tension placated by Ashi's calmness and no bullshit attitude, always available for physical reinforcement if not heeded. Truth be told, Sachi was famished. The food from the hospital hadn't been the greatest, and although her usual diet was exclusively tied to whatever the kitchens made that day, she was open for anything as long as it wasn't any kind of porridge.
Ashi filled her plate with bacon, eggs and some sort of cheesy bread that made Sachi's twist with want. She would have eaten it with her hands, had Ashi not stopped her.
"Wait."
She did.
"Why?"
"Because she fuckin' told you so."
Ashi sat at the end of the table, ignoring her sister snappy remarks and saying "We have a rule for eating, darlin'. You have to wait until everyone is ready, and then wait for your turn."
That didn't make any sense "Why?"
In the Heart the kitchens were always open. Every Kanbayashi had a routine, and couldn't be bothered to follow a schedule when life was so unpredictable. This was even more complicated when you were a traveler and came back at irregular intervals. Because of this, one could always go to the kitchens, grab a plate and let the cooks fill it with whatever they came up with for that workday. It didn't matter how high you were in the clan, or how young or annoying; you always had the kitchens open.
What was an eating order?
"Incredible." Tsume rolled her eyes, Kuromaru huffing a laugh.
"I'm the alpha, so I go first. Then, depending on your place in the hierarchy you go first or not."
"… that's weird."
Tsume growled. "Didn't ask for your opinion."
One look from Ashi was enough to make her go back to her seat; then she turned to Sachi, a careful expression on her face. "It can be, but it's important. Do you understand that?"
"Yes."
"Good. You're a child, but not young enough not to respect that. If you stay here with us you have to follow our customs, alright? I'm the alpha, and Tsume is my second, so you will have to eat after her."
"… okay." Tsume was looking especially smug in that moment, flashing her too sharp fangs at her.
If it wasn't enough, she asked. "Shouldn't she eat after you, nee-chan? If she's your daughter and all."
"Sachi's not my daughter." That much was clear. Sachi had no interest in having another mother, knowing what her first one did to her, but it stung just a tiny bit at being rejected so quickly. "She's my ward. Everyone has to gain their place, related or not."
After a moment of thought, right before Ashi began to eat, she asked "If I fight Tsume and win, then I can eat before her?"
The kitchen fell into a heavy silence, Haiiro rising from his seat near her chair and willingly put himself between her and Tsume's newfound interest. Realizing she might have done something wrong, she added "I'm just saying."
Tsume smiled devilishly "Oh, I know what're you sayin'." her teeth were sharper than any beast she had encountered in the Needle Forest, speaking in more pain and threats than they had "Wanna go for it?"
… maybe she had underestimated Tsume's desire for blood.
"Tsume, don't." Kuromaru chastised.
"Why's everyone looking at me funny like that?" she raucously laughed, "I won't kill her, nee-chan won't let me to. But," and she made sure to emphasize every word that came next with clear killing intent in her tone "if she keeps pokin', I'm gonna poke back."
Sachi's first instinct was to match Tsume's challenge. Her mother had condemned Sachi's pride ever since the beginning, arguing that someday, she will die at the hands of someone she had no business angering. In a foreign land and a strange clan, Sachi had no power, no influence and no leverage to even scratch that woman.
It was only a matter of time until she could.
Yet, he wasn't a Kanbayashi now, but an Inuzuka. Ashi hadn't stopped Tsume for sharing her opinions, and had no intention to, because it was a lesson.
That, Sachi understood. Her pride and her frustration of not knowing had no weight in her current state of affairs. It was survival, she needed to adapt.
Tsume was Ashi's second in command, and Sachi was below her.
Sachi lowered her head, just like she saw the Inuzuka do the previous night, although not as low as she would to Ashi. "Sorry."
The apology tasted like ash in her mouth, hungry and trapped, her conscience acted up before she crossed Ashi's kindness. Luckily, Tsume seemed satisfied with that, giving her a smug smirk before dismissing her existence.
Sachi had to be careful.
"You two done with the dick measuring contest?" Ashi commented, throwing daggers at her younger sister who was suddenly in a brighter mood.
The gods only knew how Sachi would survive the Inuzuka.
(Or how the Inuzuka would survive Sachi.)
.
Breakfast finished, Tsume and Kuromaru stayed in the kitchen to clean the plates. Another rule of the Inuzuka, that said that 'the one who made the food doesn't have to wash dishes'.
Sachi had been excused this time in favour of accompanying Ashi and Haiiro to the village, in order to buy her some clothes and whatever more she needed for her stay in the Inuzuka. She was nervous, because the only bits that she had glimpsed of Leaf where the streets below her hospital room and some alleys when she had escaped from it.
For some reason, it felt strange to be let out, even with chaperones, when she didn't belong there.
Haiiro, sensitive as always, slipped his big head under her hand to guide her. "We're gonna make you real pretty, pup."
"Tsume!" Ashi yelled in the doorway "you need something?!"
"No!"
"We're off!"
"'Kay!"
Sachi wondered why they needed to scream when they had so keen senses. When Ashi stepped out of the house, a chorus of howls erupted, echoing throughout the entire compound. She held onto Haiiro's fur, startled, before Ashi said "They're telling the clan we're leaving."
"You understand the howls?" it seemed strange, because to Sachi's ears, it sounded like death still.
Ashi ruffled her hair, saying "You will too."
The sun was high in the sky, heating the ground when it wasn't covered by the cool shade of the trees. Using the Hokage Tower as reference, the Inuzuka Compound was on the lower eastern block. Leaf had two levels to its village, the first one elevated by the mountain that supported the Hokage Monument and the rest at its feet.
"That's the Nara quarters, hella smart but too lazy to show it." Haiiro said once they passed the south-eastern gate.
"I know about them." Sachi replied, watching the dark fence and deep green gate, guarded by two Nara clansmen doubled over a board, shogi or chess.
"You do?" Ashi asked, interested.
"High intelligence, strategy oriented and capable of using binding jutsus." Sachi summarized.
The Inuzuka alphas seemed pensive for a moment before Ashi nodded "Yeah, sounds about right."
"Left out lazy, though."
At her left, the Nara clansmen glanced at her. Sachi held their eyes, noting their black hair and small dark eyes; their slouched posture and the disinterested aura around them. Liars, the lot of them.
("In terms of intelligence, one should look out for the Nara." Mother told her, pointing with a needle at the map. "Their Shadow Style can trap moving organisms, while they use the unmoving objects to enhance their range." then, sharply tapping the cloth, she added "Don't spark their interest, and if you do" her eyes were unforgiving and ruthless "kill them.")
Sachi quickly looked away.
They reached the grand Hashirama Trees, whose roots were the ground on which they stood. Serving as a natural barrier, their gargantuan size was able to create a wall and a tower a the same time. The Shodaime had been blessed with the power to bind nature to his will; where one would have used for destruction, Hashirama used to preserve and create life.
Sachi was reminded of the Mother Tree, although they were completely different species. Where the Mother Tree was similar to a dome, with thick branches ending in pointy needles and twisting roots that spanned miles in radius, the Hashirama Trees took to the skies. Sachi craned her neck to glimpse the canopies, finding it difficult to as the tree appeared as an endless pillar. Branches that fused with its neighbours', creating bridges so wide that three oxen carts could pass and not brush against each other.
Ashii saluted the guards on duty, who gave her a nod of acknowledgement. They were busy, with fall hanging in the air and the fairs coming to the village. The entrance was at the very base of the tree, hollow as the Mother Tree was. Sachi felt a pang of familiarity once they passed the carved hole in the bark, people milling around, shinobi in uniform guiding the newcomers...
Climbing the wooden slope, they gained altitude. The Hashirama Trees lacked the dormitories, or the hanging bridges so typical of the Heart. Instead, there was a skeleton of wooden platforms, mostly for the civilians, criss-crossing the walls. Ninja didn't bother, as they walked on the walls and slipped by the narrow windows, coming and going as they pleased.
"Careful there." Haiiro commented, putting himself between her and the railings. "Those things are hella rotten."
Sachi took the wolf's advice, keeping near Ashi as they passed carts and people. All the way to the second level, Sachi swallowed down the vertigo. Before she had the security of her chakra, not quite honed as a ninja's, but enough not to skid and drop to her death.
They exited the tree, feet once more on land despite having climbed quite a few hundred feet in height. Here, the oldest and most influential clans were located. The Hokage Tower was right at the end of the village, backed up by the Hokage Monument whose faces were shouldered by the same Hashirama Trees that protected the inner part of the settlement. Yet, those trees continued upwards, casting less shadow than on the lower level, but keeping the still glaring sun away.
"About the Nara…" Ashi began, "Did they teach you that?"
"Sometimes." Sachi recalled Mother's lessons, as House of Chitina she had all the travelers under her thumb. As her daughter, Sachi had been spared nothing. "But most were for the travelers, to know what to look out for and what to keep an eye on."
Like ninja.
"Why the Nara, out of all clans?" Haiiro asked, his cold nose tickling her fingers.
"Competition." she clarified. Ninja and Kanbayashi often sought the same while using identical methods; information was gold for both of them, fights were inevitable. "There's also the Uchiha and the Hyūga."
Both alphas grimaced, not fond of those two either. Hyūga, besides sentinels, were also trackers; meaning that they butted heads quite often. It didn't help that the Hyūga were one of the noble clans, and the Inuzuka one of the lower clans.
"Did ya compete a lot with them?"
( "The best way to dispose of a Hyūga is to paralyze their limbs." Mother would share the memories of her youth, doing just that. "The Byakugan is vexing, but their techniques are menacing." in the rare instances that Mother showed emotion, her smile was more frightening than torture episodes "Their eyes are useless when they cannot move.")
"Their bloodline limits are dangerous."
( "The Uchiha…" Mother sighed out loud "They will destroy themselves. You won't catch one unaware, but their trust is useful. Poison and pride." Images of crimson eyes and flames appeared in their shared mindspace, the swelling corpse at her mother's feet even more grotesque than the betrayal.)
"Annoying as well." Haiiro snarked, gaining a reproachful tap on his snout. "Anyone else?"
They passed a clearing, the midday sun scorching even with the brief contact. Sachi saw a few police officers, holding onto Haiiro's fur just in case. Everywhere she looked, Sachi recognized something she should be running away from. Mother had been… thorough with her education on wordly dangers. Her words echoing at the back of her mind, the phantom pain and fear of her voice enough to make her shiver in spite of the warm weather.
The second level had the Main Market, a giant plaza at the center of the elevated slope that held a prairifire tree. Sachi knew this because the shocking red flowers had been a favourite of Sumi's, found also in Uzushio. Its size, much like the rest of the flora, was gigantic, but not quite as its fellow trees.
The Hashirama Trees had left a clearing for the prairifire to enjoy the sun, giving the shadow a rosy tint once you crossed below it. Sachi held her breath, more impressed than anything; the air around that tree was sweet, the fruit already ripe and ready for harvest.
Hashirama had gifted the prairifire to his bride, Uzumaki Mito.
( "He was so struck by Mito-sama's beauty that he couldn't help but sprout that tree the moment she set foot in the village." Sumi told her with a grin, sharing a few snaps of the memories from Mito-sama's point of view. Hashirama's blush, the stammer and how he tripped over the roots he had grown without his consent.
"Mito-sama's and Hashirama-sama's marriage had been one of convenience. Mito-sama embracing it as her duty towards her clan, willing to accept anything from her betrothed in exchange for the safety of her people. However," and Sumi would always, always tickle her before he continued, laughing until both of them were breathless. "Mito-sama upon seeing such display, said to one of her sisters 'Spring came early just for me'.")
"The Yamanaka." Sachi said in a whisper, the streets more crowded.
"Yamanaka?" Ashi said, confused "Why them?"
"Too alike."
(Mother would always remind her of the Yamanaka, Sumi nodding in understanding. "The Yamanaka are a plague and should be eradicated." Sachi would bow her head low, afraid of her mother in her fury "The reason why we have the mental barriers are because of them, and you should always remember this," and she would grab her by the chin, and lock eyes with her to make sure she understood. "your father died because of them.")
Haiiro must have felt her chakra shift, because he pressed against her gently. "You're talking about their techniques, right?"
"Their mind transfer jutsu," Sachi said carefully, swallowing down the bile "is a bastardized version of the," she waved her hands, not daring to say the name out loud "you know? But it's wrong, because it doesn't allow to share, only take."
Chika-sama had been pressured by Sachi's mother to put an end to the Yamanaka; after her husband's death, the danger of being discovered had grown exponentially. The clan sided with Shinju, since they had lost many travelers to Yamanaka shinobi, and the others didn't a copycat clan that could interfere with the Kanbayashi interests. She had been two when that happened, Sumi and Keiichi sneaking her in during the hearing after the funeral.
In the end, Chika-sama refused to go with it.
Mother nearly rioted, the clan following her rage.
"They use chakra to access the mind, a controlled burst that allows for a sweep of the psyche." Sachi recalled her Mother's ramblings, deciphering the Yamanaka's secret to come up with countermeasures "This happens because of a joint effort of opening the first two gates, which is why they need a visible target to focus on instead of activating it at any time like the Hyūga, and have unique hand seals to carefully control the chakra. They hijack the brainwaves, accessing the mindspace and memories." Haiiro stiffened under her touch, wary of eavesdroppers but Sachi's tone was private, only heard by Inuzuka ears.
"The temporal seals are very delicate," it went without saying, Tsunade warning Ashi for any sudden changes in Sachi's behaviour in case they went unstable "they need constant chakra, and any sudden spike can cause… a collapse."
(Father had been brought by another Chitina member, unresponsive and dying. They tried everything to restore his temporal seals, and the mental barriers to bring him back; it was useless.
Nori, formerly of Isonash and married to Shinju of Chitina, died after a Yamanaka got too curious. Mother never forgave them, nor the Archive for allowing those monsters to remain alive.
Sachi remembered too.)
"So… you die if they try to do what you do?"
"Haiiro!"
"We both die." she said simply, recalling the image of her father bleeding from his ears because of the damage. Mother had shown her what happened to the Yamanaka that did that to him, and she didn't know whose fate was worse. "Our seals are only for us, and those that try to impose will remain trapped."
Like any other Kanbayashi, Sachi had studied the seals that had been etched into her brain. Besides the typical design, they had implemented extra matrixes for protection. Any unwanted chakra link will cause a mirror effect; if the Yamanaka pushed, the Kanbayashi pushed back. Chakra bursts were dangerous even in the mildest forms, and when it was directed to the brain, even more so.
The end was always the same; death.
Ashi remained silent, Sachi following her through the stalls and streets. Sachi could see the tourist traps and the most expensive inns; the voices of the crowd, children running around, and the carts transporting the climbed paved hills, deeper into the entrails of the upper level, and finally getting to the ninja district.
Theoretically, Leaf was a ninja village, and every district was a ninja one. The majority of its population made of shinobi or related to them. Nevertheless, Leaf was also the largest hidden village, and with it came a lot of civilians.
Leaf lacked the eye-catching attractions of the cities, instead keeping their edge as a military force in the details. They passed Uchiha Patrols every four minutes, and Sachi caught glimpses of ninja everywhere.
High above their heads, or into the shadows, there wasn't a corner in which they weren't present. In the ninja district, where the unaffiliated shinobi lived and thrived, it was even more blatantly clear.
"Easy there."
Here, the buildings lacked the warm and cozy aesthetic of neat wood and stone typical of Leaf. Instead, they were massive blocks of cement, haphazardly arranged but impressive nonetheless. They blended well in the shadows of the trees, a sort of loud quietness present in the streets.
You could hear the murmur of conversation, somewhere and nowhere at the same time. On the rooftops and the thick wires there was a blur of movement every so often. Flak jackets and regular issue navy clothes were the main trend, contrasting with the bright and colorful yukatas of the rich merchants from the Main Market.
And yet, you could also find brimming life inside the darkness.
"Ah, Ashi-sama." said the clerk of an inconspicuous shop with no windows, no sign "Another mission?"
The man was old and scarred, of thick build and sporting the same quietness of a ninja. He barely looked at them, Haiiro barking a greeting but keeping close to her.
"Not us this time."
He didn't comment on how odd was for a widowed Clan Head to suddenly have a child with them, sporting said clan's marks and obviously not from Fire Country. Sachi had no doubt that rumours got out already, inevitable when Inuzuka were so loud in their surprise and so intense in their curiosity. The clerk didn't say anything, too deeply into conditioning to break from his façade.
"The young lady? I might have something for her." his smile was honest, a small mercy when she was so uncomfortable.
"Thanks, Takeshi-san."
Takeshi gave a half-hearted wave and went inside the room behind the counter. The shop wasn't decorated or given any personality besides the row of dark clothing and different garbs and layers. There were a few mannequins, towards the end of the store, with belts, pouches and various garters for weapons.
When Haiiro said that they were going to make her pretty, she hadn't realized they were gonna dress her up as a ninja.
"She can step to the dressing room!" he called from the back.
"Takeshi-san is one of the best tailors," Ashi assured, directing her to a side room with a full sized mirror and a curtain for privacy. "come on, try some."
Sachi was lost for a moment, Ashi drawing the curtain and leaving her relatively alone with the clothes hanging from the little hooks on the walls. The mirror reflected her form, and Sachi felt dizzy looking at it.
Because instead of white hair and smooth skin, she had dark hair and red fangs.
Tying up her anxieties, Sachi took the first item — a short sleeved shirt— and put it on. Tsunade had given her a long sleeved one and long pants before she left the hospital because she had come to Leaf without clothes and the uniform she had stolen was five sizes too big.
The short minute she spent discarding her previous shirt and trying the new one, she saw her scars. Tsunade had tried her best to heal her, but her body was testament of what she was and what had happened.
Sachi would have done anything to erase them.
The neck of the shirt was too broad, showing the little arms of the scars of her third and eighth gate. Sachi couldn't stand looking at them, going for the other shirt. It was black and long necked, Sachi raising the collar just under her jaw to make sure nothing of that purple and red tissue was to be seen.
Given that this was a ninja shop, the pants were the same deep shades as the shirts. Sachi choose a pair of black fitted pants, covering as much as she could to hide what she had underneath.
It was silly, because it didn't matter how many layers she put on herself, the scars wouldn't go away. She tried anyway.
Stepping out, Haiiro laughed. "Whose funeral are you going to?"
As if they had a more brighter palette to choose from.
"You like the feel?"
It was smooth and respirable. The fabric stretched when she moved and it was padded on the knees and elbows. All in all, it was work clothing, meant to withstand rather than flatter. Sachi wanted just that, to blend in and be overlooked; being the center of attention would do her no good, at least not until the rumors died down.
"Yes."
"Don't you want something yellow?" Ashi asked, taking more of what Takeshi had brought over. "It's your favourite color, right?"
"No." she said briskly "I mean, I don't want yellow. Black's fine."
The Kanbayashi colors were white, black, blue and gold. Depending in which branch of the clan you were in, you had a combination of two of them. Isonash had been black and gold, whereas Chitina had been white and gold. Their clothes were provided by the Asir Rera House, tailors by trade and experts in their field, since they needed a specific kind of knowledge to make garbs to withstand the biting cold of Snow.
There was no fur on her clothes, thin instead of thick and single layered instead of the customary ten. Of course, the fur cloaks or the heavy boots weren't on display, and so she tried fingerless sandals. Out in the planes, it was difficult to recognize one another with the hoods on; that's why the colors were important.
Now, Sachi picked black to blend with the darkness.
She had been also a trainee for the Archive, meaning she had to leave her usual crest behind and pick up all four colors to show her rank in the clan. Trainees and assistants to the Archive were on a different plane than the Houses, with no affiliation and neutral to avoid claims of favoritism.
But she wasn't in the Heart anymore.
"The sleeves are a little long, let me measure you so—"
Takeshi approached her, Sachi immediately stepping back. She was wearing flowing sleeves, and if he touched her skin. Just a little bit of chakra. A tiny bit and her tattoos would pop up like blisters. She couldn't let anyone touch her skin.
Ashi, picking up on her distress, said "That's okay, Takeshi-san. I think she will grow into 'em."
The man nodded once and went to charge her. Sachi had ended up with black, navy and dark brown shirts, most long sleeved (fitted or loose) and same kind of pants. A dark hooded grey haori with red edges because Ashi said it fitted the clan's colors; grey and red. Also, a pair of closed and open sandals, straps to fit the sleeves and two pairs of fingerless gloves.
More adequately dressed, they exited the store. It was hot outside, and wearing all black was already making her sweat, but with the danger of being discovered still fresh in her mind, she pushed through.
"Thank you, for the clothes." Sachi said once they were in the streets, careful of those that watched them closely.
"No problem." she chirped. The Hokage had paid her handsomely for her retrieval, and he had promised incentives if she found more information about her; or so she supposed. It was still nice though, to not leave her naked. "Clothes we got, what do we need next?"
Sachi thought about her room in the trainee's dorms. "Stationery?"
They went towards the center, keeping still in the ninja district. Sachi had the slight suspicion that all ninja preferred their little alleys instead of the open avenues filled with civilians. The streets were narrow and barely circulated, most of them taking the high ground and jumping from branch to branch instead of walking like a normal person.
How lucky they were to have kind trees, Sachi bitterly thought. Grandfather and Sumi had made her learn how to use the bow, having to climb the needle trees to get a good view. She could still remember being stabbed several times and having to stand in her position with the bow drawn back for hours until she managed to bring down a reindeer. To just jump and run made her instinctively flinch, only imagining what kind of damage she would get if she tried to do just that in the Needle Forest.
However, the Hashirama trees, just as grand as he had been, were also gentle. Sachi could sense it better, now that she wasn't running like a madwoman; the chakra was in the trees, and whereas all living creatures had some sort of chakra embedded into them, it felt as if they were human.
Hashirama had grown them himself, forgoing time and fueling the seeds with his own life force. That's why the trees had outlasted their creator, and why they would do so with everyone else.
Leaf was a special village, not in the sense that it was a hidden one, but one that had been created in a fortnight. Sumi would show her bits and pieces of that process, Hashirama never stopping chiseling his beloved village right up until the end. He would build foundations in minutes, nudging wood to expand and twist just like he wanted them too.
The Main Market was a clear example of that. All the buildings were made out of wood, but not chopped or cut down like one might think. No, those buildings were rooted and alive, a shell of tree with no stray branches or leaves.
And yet, there was care and thought in every and each one of them. No house was the same, and no other was greater than the other. Hashirama had clear views on equality and equity, a man too optimistic for his time that somehow had managed to see his dream come true.
Hashirama was long dead though, and that too, showed.
The upper level of Leaf was what Hashirama had envisioned for every citizen of his village; but they were simply too many.
War and desperation had brought many to Leaf's doorstep, and without Hashirama to will the village to grow, they had adapted however they could. That was Leaf's lower level, and although they weren't inherently worse, it was concepted differently.
They passed by the edge, Sachi glimpsing some of the layout from above. The streets weren't organized like the upper level, into a semicircle with a clear way to the Hokage Tower and blooming outwards with round and curving paved roads that had some instinctive direction. They were mostly dirt roads, only the main ones paved because of the carts, and completely chaotical.
"Sightseeing?"
"To not get lost." Sachi answered Haiiro.
They wound up in another tiny street, with yet another indistinctive shop. Little did she know, that it would soon be her favourite.
Sachi recognized the scent before anything else. The glue used to stick the paper to the knobs of the scroll comforting her. The smell of unused books, inks and brushes bringing her memories of the supply storage of the Library.
Similarly to storage, the shop was crowded and disorganized at first glance. Sachi strayed immediately to the left, slipping by a narrow path between shelves and baskets, taking in every scroll and paper she could find.
"Sachi?" Ashi asked, peaking through the gapes while she continued to touch and feel. "You good?"
"Yes!"
The paper was good, not quite like the one they had but good enough. To make good ink seals you needed a good medium. Paper was perfect for it, soaking the pigment and allowing to ebb the matrixes and set the flow for the chakra. Depending on what you needed them for, the paper made all the difference.
Sachi had spent her entire life haunting the supply storages underneath the Library, testing and experimenting on every kind they had. Nothing but the Needle Tree grew in Snow, but they didn't need anything else when they had the whole world at their disposal.
In that little store of Fire Country, Sachi found her heaven.
"Can I help you with something?" a voice said.
The young Archive had already filled her arms with everything she could carry to the counter. There was a teenage boy at the other end, frowning at the haul she had chosen while grinning.
"... you want everything?"
There were a dozen scrolls, from medium to slightly large. Sealing sheet paper of various dimensions, a set of brushes and premade ink, vegetable and animal alike. Twenty or so notebooks, even more empty flat books, a handful of pens, pencils and erasers.
If she could get her way, Sachi would siege the entire shop for herself. But, because she had to stay low, she said yes and let Ashi pay.
"I hope you use all of this." she said, giving her the bags to carry. "Sealing stuff is expensive."
The bad thing about the rest of the world was that it worked with money, rather than how useful you were. In the Kanbayashi, your credit covered more or less depending on what you gave to the clan.
Sachi had been a trainee, and so she had free access to whatever her heart desired. She had abused that system all she could, Michiko often reprimanding her for being greedy or a hoarder. Chika-sama let it happen as long as Sachi shared with the Archive everything she came up with, a small price to pay considering the materials.
"I will."
With her mood lifted, they finished their shopping trip shortly after. Ashi had bought a few groceries, mainly meat, and called it a day.
To get to the lower level this time they took the lift. Ashi saluted two sturdy men at the entrance, Akimichi, Haiiro told her, and they let them step onto the platform. The lift was rudimentary, a rectangular stone that had weels on the sides connecting with the vertical railings. The Akimichi manned the chains, either pulling or letting down the platform with their incredible strength and the marvelous help of polleys.
The way back to the Inuzuka Compound miffs her mood just a little. She, for the love of the gods, cannot get used to seeing so many wolves gathered in one place. A matter of time, she reminds herself, but she has eight years of prickly encounters to get over first.
They hear a bark on the other side of the street, Ashi and Haiiro perking up instantly and the former saying "I'll check the clinic, you go back." she gave the grocery bags to Sachi and vanished quickly into the white building.
"What happened?" she asks the wolf, confused.
"The clinic, probably." he says, nodding to the guards and entering the compound. "This time of year we have a lot of people come in."
"... the clinic?" she knew that Ashi had medical knowledge, obvious on how she treated her back when they first met. But it was strange to find a lonesome clinic so far away from the hospital in the upper level.
"Veterinary clinic, for animals."
"Oh." that was new. "The Inuzuka treats animals?"
"Yep, it's kinda necessary when regular medics don't know how to treat us." meaning the wolves. The clan greeted them with howls, and this time Sachi didn't flinch. "You surprised?"
"I thought you were a ninja clan."
"That we are, yes, but we can't just kill people, pup." Sachi opened the sliding door the best she could with all the bags, letting Haiiro enter while he continued "Back in the day when civilians weren't here, we had to take care of things. Animals we know of, so... the clinic."
It made sense, in a way. The Kanbayashi didn't have civilians and every role was fulfilled by the clan. Chitina were travelers, Asir Rera tailors, Ekashiba protectors, Resunotek teachers, Isonash hunters… They hadn't needed a veterinary clinic, since the only animals they came in contact with where to either kill or eat.
"Is that why Ashi was called? Because she's a veterinary doctor?"
Haiiro barked a laugh "Make sure you call her that when she comes in. Ashi went because she knows how to deal with the difficult cases. Horses, probably."
"Horses?"
"Yep. You know 'bout those? Big, kinda petty?"
There weren't horses in Snow, but she had seen the animals he spoke of in the shared memories of her mother and Sumi, sometimes Grandfather. "Yes. I ate one, the meat is salty."
Haiiro made a strangled sound, asking "You eat horses?"
"Grandfather brought the meat once. Why? Isn't what you do once they grow old?"
Grandfather had shown her how those beasts were put to work. Drawing carts, helping the farmers lay the seeds and then harvesting them… they even used them for traveling, Sumi racing them in his journeys. When they got injured or they were too old, their meat was butchered and served.
Such was the way of life.
"Well, people normally see 'em more than just meat. Horses are good for many things, but they bring them here so we can treat 'em and care for 'em. Not eat 'em."
"So they can work more?"
"No, pup," and he said the next words gently, so she could understand "because they love them."
Love an animal?
"Most of our clients are farmers yes, but some are regular people that have an animal companion. And, just like any other being, they get sick, or they need a checkup, and our job is to help 'em with that."
"Animal companion… like you and Ashi?"
Haiiro tilted his head, curious. "Not quite. Ashi and I are equals, partners… do you know what a pet is?"
Should she?
"No."
"A pet is, how to say it, like a child that's never gonna grow up." they went to her room, Sachi taking out the clothes and paper and setting it onto her bed. "You feed 'em, care for 'em, love 'em; and they love you back, sometimes. That's a pet."
Sachi was missing something. The language of the Sage was still a work in progress, picking up whatever she could from those around her until she got her hands on a book to learn it. The name 'pet' didn't sound right to her, unknown and strange in concept.
Haiiro wasn't judging her lack of knowledge, despite being a Kanbayashi. "Why would they… have a pet? If it's like a child, but will never grow up or serve a purpose…. then why have it in the first place?"
He hummed. "It depends on the person, I believe, but the reason's the same." he nudged her hands with his nose, Sachi letting her gloves hand over his fur carefully. "Loneliness."
Loneliness.
Sachi understood that very well.
"You didn't have a pet? Not even a cat?"
"What's a cat?"
Haiiro's fur stood on end. "... you don't know what a cat is?" she waited for him to go on, clearly lost. "Like a loaf of bread in size, furry, big ears and long tail. Little pieces of shit, and spiteful?"
"I don't think so? We had wolves, and lynx, foxes, mink… is one of those?"
"Oh pup," he sounded mournful, "where have you been?"
.
"You don't know what a cat is?"
Sachi groaned. Haiiro had been laughing at her all afternoon, crying himself out of mirth until Ashi came back from the clinic. Thankfully, she hadn't started cackling once Haiiro explained his newfound joy.
"Haiiro didn't tell me!"
"Like, for real?"
"Ashi!"
"Okay, okay." she sat down in front of her desk, saying "A cat's a feline, do you know what that means?"
"Yes, it's part of the mammals branch." somehow, that didn't seem like the right answer by Ashi's dumbfounded expression. "Lynx, tigers, lions…"
"You know what a tiger is and not a cat?"
"There aren't cats where I came from." she defended herself. Not even mice crossed the threshold of the Heart, and certainly not as companions. "Are they that important?"
"Cats are cats. Sorry, Sachi, I know you're upset but bear with me." and after a moment of suspense, she asked "Do you know what a dog is?"
Ashi was dead serious but Sachi failed to recognize that term. Haiiro was expectantly looking at her, and for a moment, Sachi believed herself to be deeply stupid.
"... what's a dog?"
Haiiro sputtered, choking on his tongue before erupting in howls of laughter. Ashi, who had been composed until then, started laughing as well.
What was going on?
"What's so funny?" a voice asked behind her. Turning around, Tsume and Kuromaru had entered Ashi's office, a frown on their faces. "Nee-chan?"
Ashi was doubled over her desk, shaking uncontrollably and concerning Sachi.
"Oi, what happened?"
"I don't know!" she answered truthfully. "I asked them something and they are like this!"
"What did you ask 'em?"
"What's a dog?"
Tsume froze, blinking slowly before snarling. "Are you messing with me?"
Haiiro and Ashi were too busy hacking up their lungs to help her against Tsume, so she bowed her head and said "I don't know what a dog is."
And then, Tsume started laughing too.
Sachi felt her blood boil, flustered at the situation. Why was it so funny? Why were they laughing at her? Why didn't she know what a damned dog was?
Ashi, getting her bearings, said "Oh, Sachi… sorry, darlin', you took us by surprise. What do you think Haiiro, or Kuromaru, are?"
"They're wolves."
She shook her head. "They're dogs, darlin'. Dogs."
"That's not true." she argued. "They're wolves."
"Nu-uh, pup, we're dogs through and through."
"You travel in packs, have canine features, carnivore, fur covered… that's a wolf."
Haiiro came to her, snickering. "We're like cousins, but we aren't wolves."
"What's the difference? Between a dog and a wolf?"
The only canine she knew were wolves. Every teacher, and every Kanbayashi would insist on not drawing near one of those. Lynx one could manage, solitary predators that only attacked when desperate. Wolves, packs so large that covered the plains, intelligent enough to have hunting strategies, and vicious to carry them out, were a threat.
When she looked at Haiiro, who was too alike to the death harbingers, where did she draw a line?
"Fuck me!" Tsume barked, grinning "And here I thought you were a smart one." she slapped a hand on her back, almost causing her to topple down because of the force. "It doesn't matter, the Inuzuka have dogs and the Hatake have wolves. You only need to know that ours are better."
Tsume and Kuromaru left, laughing still down the hall while Sachi went over that strange happening. "There's another clan that has wolves?"
Ashi sobered quickly after that. "Yes, or had been. The clan didn't survive the war."
"And they had wolves?"
"Wolf summons, yes."
And she left it at that.
Haiiro didn't come up with a snarky remark, or a joke. It must have been sensitive subject, Sachi reading the grief in the air before keeping it for later thought. Now, she had more prying matters. "Do you have a library?"
"What for?"
Why would you need a library?
"I wanna learn. Haiiro said you know veterinary medicine, you must have information about it."
One would believe that the Inuzuka, violent and brash, would spend their time playing around and filing their claws. Partially true, they had much more. Ashi, as alpha, had used the cover of their reputation to hide the history of her clan.
It was very easy to overlook the fact that the Inuzuka were centuries old too, not quite ancient like the Hyūga or Uchiha, but old all the same. Haiiro hadn't been lying that their ways with medical jutsus were a loud secret, raw and instinctual, immensely useful in emergencies.
"Are you interested in medicine?"
"I want to know." simple and straightforward, there was another motive than to learn and to know. Sachi might look like an Inuzuka, but she was still a Kanbayashi. "I don't want people to laugh at me because I don't know."
"Sorry there, darlin'." Ashi smiled at her, sheepish. "We do have a library, we don't really show it to anyone."
The girl frowned deeply, just about to say that it didn't make sense until Haiiro chipped in.
"Sachi is our pup, she can go if she wants." the dog intervened before Ashi said anything more. "Come on, pup, I'll show ya."
Sachi left with the him, Haiiro nodding to Ashi before leaving and guiding her through the hallways. The Inuzuka library was at the very end of the house, a small, dusty room with a few shelves filled with thick books and a small table for study. It was almost miserably small, though Sachi knew better than to judge a source of knowledge.
She picked the first row gingerly, setting it on the table and opening the first book.
Before she began to study, she said. "Ashi thinks I want to spy on you." that's why he was with her, keeping an eye on her so he could report it later.
Haiiro settled his head on her lap, lazy and happy. "Isn't it what we all do?"
It didn't matter. Sachi was trapped until she found a way out, and that started with gathering knowledge.
(It would be a long time until she found a way out.)