Chapter Three: Becoming a Wolf

The forest thins out the closer we got to the small town and wharf. My feet ache from the hard rocks sticking up and tree roots that trip us up on the long walk. Sandals are not made for long walks through the mountains and forests.

'We need to get to the sea and take a boat just like father no Otou-san said. But where are we supposed to go? This is the naruto world with ninja, murder, war and all those other bad things. Where is a safe place to take my baby brothers no the term is Ototo's. I need to remember that. I'm not american anymore I'm a samurai's daughter.' I think holding tightly to a two year old Kosuke. Thump! Spinning on my feet my eyes narrow as I look for danger, my wolves surround me as my eyes land on Naruko. He is sprawled on the ground on his stomach in the dirt, large tears drip from his eyes streaming down his cheeks as he sniffs trying to keep from crying. The smell of pennys fills the air and reaches my nose.

'He's hurt.' Putting Kosuke down by Tsume I hurry to his side.

"Naruko are you alright?" I ask laying a hand on his shoulder. Shaking his head no, his sniffles turn to whines.

"Onee-chan!" He cries grabbing at my torn crimson kimono holding tightly to the bottom. Closing my eyes tightly, I sigh before kneeling down and helping him to his feet.

"Naruko I know it hurts and it's not fair what has happened. But right now we don't have time for us to mourn. We need to leave Iron and get somewhere safe." I say looking him in his heartbroken eyes.

"We must be strong. You and I are the oldest members of our clan now, we can never let anyone hurt us or Kosuke like this again, Naruko." I say looking back and forth between his eyes.

"Do you understand?" His hand reaches up and whips his eyes as he nods his head.

"Hai, Onee-chan. We need to be strong like Otou-san and Okaa-san." He answers whipping the last of his tears from his eyes.

"I can do it Onee-chan! I can be strong." He says with a new fire burning in his eyes. Guilt fills my heart and makes me sick at forcing this tiny baby to stop being a six year old and act like an adult.

'I just hope this won't fuck up his mind like so many ninja children.' I think giving my brother a wide reassuring smile. Kneeling down I follow the scent of blood to his knee, a small scrape on his right knee leeks blood like a fountain. Pushing some of my chakra into my hand I ignore the weird feeling as I heal his scrap. Standing back up, I take his small hand in my own and lead him back over to Kosuke.

"Thank you, Onee-chan." Naruko whispers his hand holding tightly to my own as if I would disappear like the rest of our clan if he let go. Nearing Kosuke I take his hand in my left one and lead them to the small village. Entering the gates was easy but getting onto a boat was not. It took hours of me walking back and forth between boats until I meet a man that saved our lives.

"Excuse me sir! Where are you heading?" I ask walking up to a young man around twenty-two. Long crimson spiky hair fall over a thick dark blue bandana that covers his forehead. Bright colored beads hang from two strands of hair on either side of his oval shaped face. Emerald green eyes stare down at me from thick lashed almond shaped eyes with dark blue tiny triangles under them. Creamy flesh coats his sharp eye catching face that makes woman swoon. A large white puffy shirt hugs his chest just right with a thick blue sleeveless coat with golden clasps. Light green pants hug a perfectly round butt, a red scarf is tied around his waist with a belt holding a sword that falls over the top. Knee high black boots finish off his look.

'Hot damn! If I was my actual age I would definitely fall into this one's bed!' One red eyebrow raises at me as I gock at this god of a man.

"Little lady, I don't think it would concern you where this one is heading." He says in a thick accent I'm not familiar with. My eyes narrow as I see one bead in his hair that looks hauntingly like my Otou-sans.

"Sir, that bead looks like an okami hair piece." I say causing the man to narrow his own eyes down at me.

"And What pray tell would you do if it was?" He asks resting a hand on his sword.

"I would ask for your help." I say without flinching as he slowly lets go of his sword.

"Why would I help a brat like you, eh?" He asks squatting down to be eye level with me. In a flash I pump chakra to my finger nails like my father in this life, taught me giving them three inches of deadly wind on the tips and hold them to his throat. The blue of my eyes fades to burning amber while the sclera bleeds into black.

"Your his brat!" He whisper yells grabbing my wrist and pulling my hand away from his neck. Looking around to make sure no one has seen us he looks back down at me.

"Alright, you've made your point. Put the beast away." Releasing my chakra as well as my kekkei genkai is the weirdest feeling. Like seeing through clear glass to trying to make out shapes through warped milky plastic. Everything seems muffled, dull, and less colorful.

"Look kid, I'm heading to Mizu no Kuni. That's not really a place for a kid but if you want to disappear that's a good a place as any." He says with a shrug of his shoulders.

"That's fine, we need to disappear." I say waving over my two little brothers.

"I'm able to work, and have no problem earning our keep on the ship." I say as Naruko stands at my side and Kosuke hides behind my legs. The man looks us over then nods.

"I can take you three, but your wolves will have to stay-"

"They can't! Their part of us! Onee-chan tell him!" Naruko raises his voice shaking my arm.

"Naruko, Ani told us we would have to leave our wolves behind until we were strong enough to protect them." I Start only for tears to fall from his eyes as he lets go of me.

"You don't mean that. Tell me you don't mean that." He cries. Anger and sadness fill my chest at hurting this sweet child. Grabbing his shoulders I meet his eyes with my own pain filled ones.

"Listen Naruko, I don't want to leave them behind either-"

"Then don't!" He cries cutting me off.

"A boat is no place for them let alone islands. There are no wolves like them in Mizu no Kuni so we would just be bringing them to their deaths by bandits, and ninja. While here they can hide out with other wolf packs and find Ghost and maybe Frost if they survived." I force hope into my words as I wipe his tears from his face.

"We will be back for them Bro-Ototo. This I swear to you! We'll be back for them, our Okaa-san, Otou-san, and Ani's swords, armor, and bodys. I will not leave our family behind! Do you trust me?" I ask wiping more tears from his eyes. My father's eyes look up at me from my little brothers face filling me with sorrow.

"Hai, Ane. I trust you." He mutters past his sobs.

"Then dry those tears little soldier, and tell skull how much you'll love him and you'll be back for him." I order in a stronger voice patting his head, looking back over at the sailer I nod my head before turning to my two dire wolves. Falling to my knees I meet their blue eyes that match my own.

'Sister' I feel whisper in my mind as Tsume whines.

'You are leaving.' Toboe whines pressing his snout into my stomach begging for affection.

"Yes I am." I whisper to them choking back my tears.

"I need you two to stay together and take care of Skull." Kneeling down I wrap my arms around Toboe's neck. Tsume huffs before walking over and licking my cheek. My left arm snakes around his neck and pulls him close. Closing my eyes tight, I bury my face in their fur.

"I'll be back in eight years. So stay alive you two. No matter what it takes."

'We will Sister. You and the pups stay alive as well.' Tsume yips.

'Whatever it takes.' Toboe growls before he licks my face as well.

"I will, and when I come back I will be stronger than both my Okaa-San and Otou-San." Rubbing both of their heads right behind their ears one last time, I force myself up from my knees and take Kosuke's hand.

"Stay with Tsume and Toboe, Skull. I love you, boy." Nariko chokes out before running over to my side as throwing his arms around my waist and hiding his face in my side.

"They will be okay, Nari. I promise." I whisper kissing the top of his head.

"Okay Gaki. My name is Bo-Cheng. But you can call me Captain." He says waving us to follow after him as he walks to the docks.

"I'm from the Kachiku Empire across the Rimawari Ocean. Yes, I know not many people have heard of my homeland. And yes it is a long ways away, you have to either be brave, stupid, or a combination of both to sail that far across the ocean." He says lifting one hand into the air as we stop on a wharf.

"And that children is my ship. The HaiLong which translates to Sea Dragon in your language." He says pointing to a Junk ship pulling into the wharf. Its sails are a rich seafoam green, while the hall is dark brown wood with blue and green dragons painted on the sides. Once the ship is pulled up to dock we climb aboard while Captain Bo keeps talking.

"As you can see Children the sails have full-length battens which keep the sail flatter than ideal in all wind conditions and can make us travel faster than normal ships. This ship also has a flat bottom with no keel, we have a rutter that makes this ship so easy to steer your brat could do it." He says pointing to Kosuke before spinning on his boots and pointing to the masts.

"This ship has two masts made from bamboo, which is sturdy and lightweight making the HaiLong the fastest ship on this side of the world." He says raising both of his hands in the air, then spins around to poke the tip of my nose.

"And now little Gōngzhǔ you and your xiōngdì jiemèi will be apart of the HaiLong until we arrive at Mizu no Kuni." With that he turns around and starts yelling in his native tongue to the men and women on his ship leaving my brothers and I to look over the side of the ship back to our wolves. Slowly the sails are lowered as the planks are lifted off the docks. A movement in the brush catches my eyes. Relieved tears start to fall from my eyes as Ghost limps out of the brush, Tsume, Toboe, and Skull run to his side and support his weight as his jade eyes find mine. Leaning back his head he lets out a mighty howl to tell us goodbye and good luck. Cupping hands over my own mouth I howl back. Two more howls echo my own as my brothers copy me. A wide smile pulls at my lips as we watch our wolves disappear into the forest to hide until we return.

Once we were shown our quarters and my brothers fast asleep, tucked into their bunks, I opened our pack and started to go through them. Tears started to fall from my eyes as I held a hand written note from Hana.

"Little Okami's,

I hope this finds you in good health. I have packed everything I could for your journey. I was able to grab your mother's scrolls, it's a good thing us Uzumaki keep everything sealed in one large scroll after the fall of Uzushiogakure. I was also able to grab your Onii-san's armor, and the ancestral sword to the Okami clan. Your Otou-san wanted one of your four to weld it. It is called the Sōtō-jū, it was made by the same legendary swordsman that made the Swords for the seven swordsmen of Kirigakure. Please take care of yourselves.

Hana Uzumaki."

A small laugh escapes my lips as I finish the letter.

' So Hana was able to write a small letter and pack some of the most important things in this bag. She really was a ninja just like our Moth-Okaa-san.' I think as I put the letter back and rest my face in my hands.

'Now the next problem, am I Halle, Mika, or a mix of both? I don't feel like there is another person, soul, voice, whatever in my head. So does that mean I'm still me? I still feel things and have Mika's memories, yet I remember everything from my past life. All that collage, my friends, my mother, my father, my little sisters even though their voices and faces are kinda blurry. How I died.' I think as a shutter runs through my body.

'I don't ever want to die like that again.' Pausing I turn to look at my baby brothers.

'Ototo's not brothers, we have to use the right term. Sigh, what does it matter it's just us in our mind no one else. So what if we call them baby brother's in our mind. Oh shit! I'm talking like there is more than one of me.' I stand up and start to pace around the room.

'Calm down! Halle and Mika are the same person, they are me. A name is just a name as long as we no I keep my core beliefs I will always be me. Okay, I am Mika. Mika is Halle. We are me, and I am them. I am Mika Okami. '

-Months later-

My little brothers sit on the deck with the captain as I fight against Shen Tu. Shen Tu is the captain's first mates brother, from the country of Rong. He stands at six foot one, has jet black hair that is always in a tight knot on the back of his round head. Brown intelligent eye follow my every step only to hit me with each misstep. His normally kind face with a burn scar on the left half scowls at me. Shen Tu is a master of the Uzumaki fighting style which is a lot like shaolin kung fu and hard as hell to learn with an older mental age.

"Xīn yuè!" He shouts in his hard voice.

"Your form is a mess! Your center is all over the place! Your roots are weak! A strong breeze can knock you over!" He shouts coming over to me and hitting my legs with his open palms then sweeps my feet out from underneath me. My back hits the hard wood of the deck knocking the air out of my lungs.

"How are you the daughter of the bloody wave of Uzushiogakure? The sea demon!" He shouts in his native tongue.

"I am the daughter of the sea demon, and the wolf of Iron!" I shout back in his langue, pushing myself up from the deck.

"Oh? Then get up and prove it to me." He smirks taking the forward stance with his hands palms out towards me.

"Kick his ass Onee-Chan!" Naruko yells from his spot next to captain Bo. Shifting my feet into the horse stance I lower my center of gravity. In seconds Shen Tu moves sending a strong punch my way, hitting it with the palm of my hand I force it away from me and go in for a kick to his ribs. Shen Tu steps back and brings his elbow down on my leg. Kicking off my other foot I spin my body and leg away from his hit and kick at his head only for his hand to grab my ankle. Pulling on it, I brace my body to hit the deck, once my body hits I do another quick spin pulling my leg from his hand. Pulling both legs back I kick out with both feet at his legs, making contact for the first time. Planting my feet onto the ground I push off the ground with my back and land in a squatted position. Shen Tu smirks at me and nods his head at me.

"Good job, Xīn yuè. Maybe you will survive after all." He says walking forward and placing his hand on my shoulder.

"You have improved greatly, but you still have a lot to learn. Never forget that or your roots." He says with all seriousness.

"I won't Shīfù." I say with a wide smile on my face that makes my eyes crinkle in the corners.

"I'm glad you two are having your bonding moment, but we have a problem." Captain Bo shouts out.

"What is it?" I ask fearing the worst.

"Pirates!" Fen He the captains first mate and Shen Tu's identical twin sister shouts, sliding down a rope from the crows nest.

"Pirates? But I thought that's what you were?" Naruko asks as I run up the steps and grab both of my brothers hands.

"Gaki! We are merchants, that just so happen to take from the rich and give to the poor. We don't deal in blood and slave trading!" Captain Bo yells at Naruko before turning and shouting orders in his native tongue.

"You kids need to get under deck." Fen He commands as she grabs Naruko's arm and pulls him to the doors leading under deck. Grabbing Kosuke I follow behind them, stepping onto the steps leading below deck I turn to face Fen He.

"Be careful." I say only for a wild vicious smirk to pull at her full lips.

"Don't worry, Xiǎo láng. We know what we're doing." Grabbing my brothers hands I pulled them behind me until I found a room for us to hide in. Pulling them behind some crates that held dried goods. I listen to the sailors we've come to know as our new family make our ship go faster or prepare for a battle.

"Nee-Nee" Kosuke whines pulling at the bottom of my cheap orange top.

"Yes Ko-Kun?" I ask turning my eyes away from the wooden ceiling to meet his worried blue eyes.

"Will Bo-san and others be okay?" He asks in a small voice, his cheeks flush in shame as he looks away from me to the floor.

"Don't worry Ototo." Naruko cuts me off before I have a chance to start reassuring him.

"Captain Bo knows what he is doing. He has years of experience and you saw how the others fight. They will be fine." He says placing a hand on his aborn locks.

"But Otou-san and the others had experience and still lost." Kosuke whispers, his tears fall silently damping the floor under our feet stirring something dark and angry inside me. Looking over Kosuke's head I meet Naruko's broken eyes, their once lively jade color now looks more of a frozen, dark, forest green.

'These sweet little boys should have never gone through something like that. Look how bad this world has already hurt them. Naruko is barley six, Kosuke two, and this world has already made its mark on their minds.' I think as I pull my baby brothers into my arms and hold them close.

'I will not let this world destroy what I have left. I may have been selfless in my last life but in this one I will be Selfish and do everything for those I hold dear. Even if it means becoming something I do not wish to be.' I close my eye tightly as I hold them close and breath in there scents.

"I promise you both that I will change this world and make a place for us where you will never again have to worry about losing your family again." I whisper just loud enough for them to hear, kissing the tops of their heads I try to keep my tears from falling.

"What about you Onee-chan? Your our family too. We can't lose you like everyone else." Naruko says grabbing fist fulls of the back of my shirt.

"Yeah Nee-Nee! Okami's stick together because we pack! Like Otou-san says." Kosuke shouts out from my chest before turning his face to look up at me with wide blue eyes that match our mothers.

"That's right Ko-kun. Pack watches each others back and will do anything for the rest. Even if it is to lay down our lives so the others will survive." I whisper the last part to myself before wiping away his tears. Hours pass with us hiding in the hall, at one point the sounds of battle raged across the deck. Then silence. I kept my brothers in hiding before sneaking a peek out one of the windows to see we were nearing land. Lound, stumbling footfalls has me ducking back under cover and pulling a kunai from my pants. Fen He stumbles into the room her hand covered in blood.

"Fen He!" I whisper shout coming out from my hiding place, grabbing her upper arm and throwing it around my shoulders. I support her weight as we stumble over to the crates my brothers hide behind. Warm liquid soaks into my orange shirt staining it rust red. Sitting her down next to Naruko I ignore her grunt as I push my chakra to the surface. Liquid fire runs through my veins as my chakra starts to pool into my hands changing color from a light blue to soft green.

"Listen to me, Xiǎo láng." Fen He whispers out past her pain.

"The ship was over run. We were able to take it back but we don't know for how long. We are making a run close to one of the many islands of Mizu no Kuni." Her words become clearer as I continue to heal her.

"When we are close enough, you three will escape onto the main land while we draw the pirates attention." She says, my eyes snap up to meet hers.

"No! We can't just leave you behind." I growl out, Fen He's hand snaps out and grabs my ear with a sharp tug.

"Now you listen to me, Xīn yuè. You are children. You don't need to be in a war that could possibly kill you-"

"But you'll abandon us in an unknown land! With no allies! I think a fight on this ship with our family is better than us dying in a forest somewhere all alone!" I snap back only for Fen He to pull my face up to hers.

"You have two Ototo's that need you to get them to safety. We trained you in your peoples ways and helped you with your sword skills. You are more than capable of handling anyone that crosses your path. Your never alone Xīn yuè." She says before forcing herself to her feet.

"Now in thirty minutes we will close enough to land for you three to water walk or swim to shore-"

"But Kosuke doesn't know how to water walk, and I can barely walk for an hour." Naruko says with eyes wide in fear.

"I'll carry Kosuke on my back so we can run to shore ototo." I say grabbing his hand.

"And if we fall under the surface we'll just swim. Don't worry I won't let anything happen to you." I say my lips in a thin line, my eyes hard as stone.

'I have to keep my baby's safe and alive at all costs.' I think as I squeeze Naruko's small hand in my own. Standing up I grab our stuff and throw it all back into it packs. Stuffing everything I can into our mothers storage scrolls I have to leave behind a few unimportant things to get us down to two packs. Keeping a blanket out, I set it to the side. Grabbing my pack, I slide my arms through the straps and rest the pack across my chest.

"Okay time for you three to leave." Fen He says forcing herself to her feet and leading us to the deck. Grabbing Kosuke, I help him onto my back and wrap the blanket around him tying it to my chest I make sure he is held in place. Taking Naruko's hand I run after Fen He at the side of the ship. Shin Tu stands next to her at the ready. Turing I spot Captain Bo-Cheng at the helm, while the rest of the crew work hard to keep the ship going. Mist rolls in over the surface of the once clear ocean hiding it from our eyes. The wind starts to pick up as the air grows cold. The ocean slaps against the bow of the ship as waves start to rize. A storm is brewing.

"It's time to leave, Xiǎo láng." He says with a cheery smile.

"We'll meet again! Now Fen He, Shin Tu!" He shouts only for hands to grab us, slide one of our feet into a rope hoop and swing us down to the ocean. Pumping that liquid fire through my veins again I land on the surface of the ocean, water covers my toes as my feet sink about half an inch before staying afloat. Turing I watch as Naruko sinks an inch before staying on top of the water. Grabbing his hand, I tug him to the shore line. Our feet slap against the surface of the raging sea as we run trying to beat the storm. A wave grabs my foot trying to drag me under its surface, tugging my foot away I continue to push on pulling Naruko behind me and trying to ignore Kosuke's whines as his fingers dig into my ribs. A loud roaring fills the air along with Naruko's scream as his hand is pulled from mine and cold ocean water knocks me off my feet and starts to drag me under. Fighting the current I pull Kosuke and myself to the surface, pulling our bodies out of the ocean I look around for Naruko. Rain hits me like needles, blinding my eyes.

"NARUKO!" I scream looking around for my baby brother. Not seeing him on the surface fear grips me as I'm torn in half.

'I don't see Naruko! He has to still be under the water! Do I dive after him and risk Kosuke? Or risk Naruko and get Kosuke to the shore first?' Pain erupts from my chest at the desisson I'm being forced to make. A hand breaks the surface not far from me. Running across the waves I grab his hand just as it starts to go under again. Putting with all my weight behind it I pull my brother from the oceans mouth. Breaking the surface, he coughs up sea water.

"Naruko! We have to move!" I scream over the wind. Tugging him up and out of the water I pull him along behind me, we stumble across waves clutching each other's hands desperate not to lose one another under the crashing waves again. Our feet barely touch the sand of the shore as lightning crashes across the sky lighting up the gray sky and screaming it's displeasure.

-Two weeks later-

We've been traveling through the lands of Mizu no Kiri. Climbing steep mountains with sheer cliffs, hike through dense muggy forests that are somehow cold, sneak through small abandoned villages, and villages that wanted to kill us and take our things as we head to Kirigakure. In these weeks I learned that I could not trust anyone other than my brothers. Everyone else in this god forsaken nation would kill us, sell us, or worse. Camping in the forest with my brothers tucked under the thick furs from our homeland with a small fire to keep us warm, I watch the forest allowing my wolf eyes and scenes to take over. Every twitch in the forest or pop of the wood has me twiching my fingers ready to rip and tear anyone who comes close. Silence fills the air as the wild life stops making their noise, the hair on the back of my neck stands on end. Tilting my head a hair to the left I hear a soft sound of feet against mud. Then the forms of two men melt out of the darkness, slowly they creep forward until the light shows that they are ninja from Iwagakure with there bright red outfit and brown flank-jacket.

"Lookie what we found here." One of the men says in an alarmingly slithery voice that makes my skin crawl and mouth curl.

"It looks like a bunch of kids." The other one says his voice grating on my ears. His dark eyes glance from me to my baby brothers asleep behind me. The sound of their shuffling alerts me to them waking because of new voices.

"It looks like they have nice things. And we can't leave any witnesses." In the blink of an eye my fingers are coated in wind chakra, sharper than any claws or sword as I move and rip into the first man's chest. My claws dig deep as they go for his heart and lungs. Movement out of the corner of my eye has my feet planted on the mans chest, pushing off him I rip my claws out intentionally doing as much damage as possible. Moving as father taught me, my claws rip through the man's leg tendons. I watch as he falls in front of me with no emotion on my face.

"Naruko, Kosuke, close your eyes and cover your ears." I demand keeping my voice firm and my face blank as stone. Grabbing the mans feet I drag him away from my brothers only for him to grab a kunai and move to slash at me. Kicking his hand I feel the crunch of his fingers through my foot. Flipping him over onto his stomach I ignore his screams as he tries to weave hand signs, lifting my hand in a swift motion I bring my claws down on his spine paralyzing him. Ignoring the warm liquid drying on my hands and flesh beneath my nails. I force my nose to mistake the smell of iron blood for something, anything else. Crouching in front of the bleeding out man I ignore his teammate's wheezy, choking, short breaths as bloody foam coats his lips. I don't feel any regret for killing these people who would have killed my pack. Narrowed wolf eyes meet scared black.

"You should not have threaten my ototo's." I mutter in a voice colder than the winter winds of Iron.

"Please." The man mutters moving his head to look at me better. I notice I don't hear the other man's breaths anymore, his heart beat slows before stopping.

"I have a family." He begs with big fat tears in his eyes.

"I have one too, but you thought it was okay to kill children." I growl out grabbing the man by the back of his neck and forcing him to look at my ototo's.

"They are two and six but you had no problem murdering them." I growl throwing his body to the ground in anger and hatred.

"People like you are the reason good people, innocent people are butchered in their homes everyday!" I shout not caring if anyone else hears my voice. I spin around and squat in front of his face again pulling back my lips to reveal my sharpened canines.

"But you didn't count on meeting a wolf, did you." In a flash I reach out and slice his throat with my fingers. Crimson blood pours out of the wound soaking the ground around my feet. I watch as the light slowly fades from his eyes before standing up and looking towards the forest.

"Did you enjoy the show?" I shout in anger, silence answers me back. Growling I grab a small rock and throw it where I know a ninja sits. Only to be ignored again.

"Fucking ninjas." I mutter crouching down and going through the Iwanins packs.

"Kunai, Shuriken," I mutter dropping the stuff on the ground next to me.

"A scroll." I say louder turning it this way and that to see it has a wax seal on it. Tossing it towards the woods I continue through the packs.

"Food pills, Chakra pills, and food bars. Well thank you for contributing Bastard-san." I chirp in a overly happy voice that makes me sick. Grabbing the small pack of chakra pills I pull one out and pop it in my mouth before grabbing what I want and heading over to my brothers. Stopping in front of them I feel a presence behind me.

"Shit." I whisper turning around slowly I feel my heart stop. A man in his mid twenties with blue hair that is styled in a moused-up manner. Stands by the man that I dug my claws in to. His eyes are steel blue looks over me while something close to intrigue. Talismans hang from each ear with the kanji for to hear written on them on both each sides. The standard striped, grey suit of Kiri along with a green haori with white trimmings that stop halfway down, over them covers his tall, strong body. I feel sweat start to coat my forehead as I slowly inch myself closer to my brother.

'Fuck its that Ao guy! He doesn't have the byakugan yet? Oh shit he could still kill us in seconds. Fuck! Shit! Balls!' I scream in my mind only for small hands to grab the back of my torn and tattered shirt. He looks from the three of us to the men I just butchered, studying them before looking back up at us. Another man in a blank mask, a black triangle covers the bottom half of the mask where the lower half of his face would be up and over his nose. The kirigakure symbol is carved into the forehead of the mask. They wear black clothes with a gray flak jacket.

"Sir, we have the scroll." He say only for Ao to nod once while keeping his eyes on us.

"You have potential, and with eyes like that. Tell me is that a Kekkei Genkai?" Ao says taking a step towards us only for me and my siblings to take one back.

"Sir, those ninja were barely above Genin level. These three are week." Another voice from the shadows to my left says. Baring my teeth, I put myself between the danger and my babies.

"True, this brat may not be strong. But they showed me a fighting spirit worthy of Kirigakure. What do you think boss?" A masked woman says from above me on a tree branch.

"We have a mission and don't have time to watch brats. If they can follow us and make it to Kiri then I'll see about there worth." Ao says taking one last good look and me and my brothers before he and his team disappear in the night. The rest of that night only Kosuke slept. Days passed smoothly after that encounter with no issues, until two weeks later. Midday had just hit while I trekked forward keeping my baby brothers moving. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as something tingled at the edge of my senses. Silence filled the damp misty forest, then with no warning fire engulfed the forest as an explosion sent my brothers and I sailing through the air only for the trees to break our falls. The air is knocked out of my lungs as my shoulders connect with the hard bark. Falling to the muddy ground I blink the blinding white out of my eyes, ringing fills my ears as I shake my head trying to make it stop. Pushing myself off the ground I look over at my brothers to see them face down on the ground unmoving. The smell of pennies, iron, and gun powder fills my nose, my hands start to shake as sound starts to come back to me.

"Naruko? Kosuke?" I whisper as the clashing of metal fills the silence. I scream my brothers names as I push myself up off the ground and run to their sides. My hands hover over Kosuke and Naruko as a real bone chilling fear like nothing I have ever felt before fills me. Tears blur my eyes as I lay my hands on Naruko and slowly turn him on to his back. His chest moves up and down with each breath he takes calming some of my nerves. My eyes quickly scan over him, seeing only small scraps I turn to Kosuke and do the same. My heart fills with so much relife that I fall on my butt, small scrapes cover him as well. Grabbing his upper body I slowly drag him and Naruko behind some brush. White hot anger fills me causing the liquid fire to rush through my veins as they groan in pain. Grabbing the pack I carry I dig until I find the scroll that contains our ancestral sword, flipping it open I lay it onto the ground and press my hand palm down flat in the center of the circle made from intricate kanji. Pushing the fire into the scroll I whisper.

"Ancestors please! Help me protect my clan!" With a soft pop and a small puff of smoke our family's sword lays on the scroll. The blade is a large double headed broadsword. The blades are as long as a I am tall or about the size of half a full grown man. The blades are shaped like a butcher knife with two cutouts, a circle close to the top and a semi-circular about a foot away from the handle. The handle is in between the two blades giving it more of a large bladed staff look. Half of the handle is wrapped in red wrappings while the other half is blue. Grabbing the handle, I expect not to be able to lift it as I push myself to my feet only for it to be lighter than a feather. My sight and senses sharpen as I hold the handle tightly in my right hand. With a mighty roar I lose myself in the blood shed as I hack to pieces the people that almost killed my brothers. A warped sense of joy fills me as I swing the giant blade cutting a man double my size in half, his blood sprays dying my face crimson. My brown locks fall from their tie on the back of my head around my face and stick to my cheeks.

"D-Demon!" A man yells drawing the eyes of a predator to him. A snarl curls my lips as I spin in a circle, the man's head roles past my feet. Spinning, I fall to my knees and swing my blade up impaling a man. He coughs out blood splattering it in my hair. What feels like hours of this to me is not more than a few minutes. In the end I stand in the middle of a body covered, blood soaked, destroyed forest. Ignoring the blood and gore coating my skin I look up at the sky trying to keep my tears from falling. A sharp pain rips through my body, falling to my knees I gasp for breath in short pants. My hand tightens around the helt of my sword as another pulse wrecks my body down to my bones.

'We are Sōtō-jū.' A dull toned, young yet old rumble of a voice that almost sounds like thousands of voices speaking the same words at once fills my ears shaking me to my core. My ears start to ring as the voice continues.

'We will give you power little wolf.' It whispers as pain courses through my limbs weakening them.

'In exchange you will make the world remember us!' It demands as a cold sweat, and burning fever breaks out across my skin.

'Now we are hungry. Your chakra will feed us.' Blinding pain like nothing I have ever felt in this life or the last racks through my body causing me to fall face first onto the ground gritting my teeth. My body convulses while my hand never once lets go of the sword as my chakra is drained from my body.

'We claim half of your chakra to devour. The rest will keep you strong and alive. ' The Sōtō-jū says as a scream is ripped from my throat, iron coats my tongue as I bit the inside of my mouth. Small hands grab my body causing more pain to ripple through my body.

'Find a way to increase your chakra little wolf.' It demands.

'We want more.'

"Onee-Chan!" Naruko screams finally reach me through my pain, shaking me his small terrified face fills my sight. Finally the pain dulls and I'm able to pull myself off the ground. My eyes linger on his once jade eyes only to meet royal purple eyes with ripple circles.

"The Rinnegan." I whisper reaching out and holding my brothers cheek. Shock fills me as I watch his eyes slowly fade to the jade of our fathers.

Months later I am no longer the same person I was. I've killed many people all in the name of keeping my brothers safe. To me it did not matter who they where if they were a threat to my brothers they fell by my sword, claws, or teeth. I had no choice but to leave behind the code my father in this life raised me on and my morals from my last life, all in the name of survival. Standing just outside the concrete gates of Kirigakure I spot the very ninja that left us to fend for ourselves. His eyes meets mine before looking over us and heading into the village not once looking back.

'That cold hearted bastard! He left us out there to die!' Clenching my hands, I Iet my anger die as I watch ninja turn refuges away. Small hands find mine as we watch the ninja mistreat the very people they are supposed to protect.

"Ane what do we do?" Naruko asks as I spot a cart with fresh produce heading to the gate. Grabbing Kosuke into my arms I slowly make my way to the cart with Naruko following close behind me. Once behind it, I shove Kosuke and Naruko onto the cart and climb up on it.

"Hide under the produce." I whisper burying my brothers and myself under mellons, potatoes, and other hardy produce that can grow in this mist covered forsaken place. Holding my brothers hands I feel the slow rocking of the cart come to a halt. Voices but no definite words reach my ears as the farmer talks to the ninja. After a few minutes the cart starts its slow rocking again as we move. Keeping ahold of my brothers hands I wait until the rocking stops before pulling them from our hiding place. A startled shout of a elder man falls on deaf ears as I grab my brothers and run through the city. I run pulling my brothers along behind me until they find an old run down warehouse. Thick green vines grew up the walls and out of any opening they could find. The concrete used was starting to crack and it more than likely leaked. But beggars can't me choosers.

'At least it is a roof over our heads.' I think looking back at my brothers I motions for them to follow then press a finger to my lips for them to be silent. Taking slow deliberate steps into the old warehouse my eyes looked around taking in any and all details of the warehouse. Seeing a small movement to the right, my hand flew toward the kunai I confiscated from a dead ninja. Moving in a flash toward the shadow I move the blade forward my eyes cold like the icy storms in Iron, only to stop at the last moment as a small skeleton of a girl looks up at me with terrified black eyes, her blue skinned face with what looks like gills has me pausing. Dark blue hair falls around her face in a mess of knots and tangles. Sharp, white teeth that resemble a sharks are opened in fear. The blue girls face disappears only for another girls to replace it. Her fear turns my stomach and makes me feel things I don't want to. Slowly stepping back I put the kunai back into my pocket before pulling my pack from my back. Reaching inside I fumble around until I find the bread I stole a few days back from an ass of a villager. Ripping it into four pieces I hand both of my brothers a piece before taking one over to the girl. She flinches back at my approach, dark handprints cover her wrists and neck showing all the signs of abuse. Something that still even in this life I will not stand. Squatting down to her level I hand out the bread to her, her small hand snaches the peice out of my own in a flash of gray blue before she devours it. I wait until she has eaten half of the bread before sitting down and eating my own piece in silence.

Notes:

Meanings

Gōngzhǔ- Princess

xiōngdì jiemèi- Siblings

Xīn yuè- New Moon

Xiǎo láng- little wolf

Sōtō-jū - Twin headed beast