An intense forest being covered by the darkness of the night hid a man and a woman with a bulging belly. Both sweaty and tired.
Jumping over a fallen tree, the man turned to the woman and helped her, catching her in his arm before she could fall to the ground after stumbling. The barking of dogs could be heard in the distance, and the man lifted the torch he was holding, his eyes widening as he saw several flashes of light, several torches approaching quickly.
- Kushina, dear, get up, come on!
His tired and slightly trembling voice with a drawn out intonation as he helped the woman showed all the fear he felt, the fear that dominated his body as they fled from the men chasing them.
He put one of Kushina's arms around his neck and continued on his way, his heart beating faster and faster and stronger as he heard the footsteps, the dogs and the shouts approaching.
A small mistake, a crack in a plan planned for weeks, collapsed because of a small slip. Perhaps he was too naïve that the escape of two slaves would not lead to disastrous consequences.
Or that he would have to kill his lord in order to escape with his wife. Sure, it was not in the plans, but he did what was necessary. His lord was not supposed to be in that place, at that time.
- Minato... Minato... I can't...
Kushina's tired voice brought him a worried look, and the anxiety in his eyes caused his gaze to scan his wife's body.
She was not injured, but exhausted, and her hand was constantly on her belly. Their son could be born at any moment, and if it weren't for the fact that Kushina would be separated from him as soon as she gave birth, they would still be in the house they were in, living their slave lives.
- I know, baby, I know, hang in there, okay? Just for now.
Squeezing her waist tighter, Minato began to drag them both through the forest, despair overwhelming his chest.
Deep inside, he knew he couldn't get very far.
His throat closed up and time around him seemed to slow down. All noises were muffled except for the growl of a dog that was approaching just beside him.
Letting go of Kushina, Minato turns quickly and puts the torch in front of the animal that jumped towards him trying to bite him. His body is thrown to the ground, and he begins a contest of strength with the dog that bites hard into the wood of the torch, its claws dragging along Minato's chest.
But it wasn't the dog just above him that worried him, that made his chest hurt, but the man who approached just behind Kushina, and in a single movement, stuck a knife in her back.
Minato's world again went into slow motion, and a mute scream escaped his throat. His hands closed, still holding the torch, and his eyes followed Kushina's body as it fell to the ground, with the knife still stuck in her back.
Gritting his teeth, Minato stuck his finger in the dog's eye and kicked him away, ignoring the blood splashing on his face and getting up immediately afterwards, throwing the torch towards the man.
Minato ran towards him, furious and with tears already streaming down his cheeks, and punched him in the face, sending him to the ground.
He picked up a rock, his eyes raging without turning away from the man who raised his arms and shouted a few muffled words. With quick, accurate and merciless movements, Minato smashes the man's skull with the stone, and then throws it aside, turning and running towards Kushina.
- Kushina! Honey, hey!
He shakes her a few times, but with no response. His blue eyes in agony stared into his wife's lifeless blue ones after the knife had struck her heart.
- No... no, no, no, hey, Kushina... get up, please, get up!
he begged, louder now, his voice choked and his vision already obstructed by tears.
An arrow hit the ground just beside his leg, and Minato looked away from his wife. They were coming, one of the pursuing men shouted his name as another rain of arrows flew towards him.
Minato threw himself backwards, hiding behind a tree, still trying to find a way to get closer to Kushina. But he couldn't. The arrows didn't stop being shot in his direction, and some of them hit the woman's lifeless body, sticking in her abdomen and even in her head.
A scream of agony escaped Minato's throat, and kicking one of the dogs that approached him, he turned and began to run away, allowing himself to be swallowed by the darkness of the dense forest.
The men chased after him, but three of them stopped at Kushina's body, running their eyes over her wounds.
One of them bent down and picked up the knife stuck in her back, wiping the blood on the woman's clothes.
- Argh, look what Minato did.
The man who picked up the knife said, a rather gloomy tone, and an even sad look to more attentive eyes.
- Tsc, they were going to be separated, but she and the baby would be alive, at least. Although, I can't say I blame him... I would do the same.
Another one said, arms crossed and a faraway look on his face.
- It's really a shame... come on, the sooner we find Minato, the better. Hopefully, he won't be dead by the time we get there.
Another said, this one holding the torch, and without waiting for the others to respond, he started running.
The two men stared at Kushina's body for a while longer, until they both sighed and went their way as well.
Hours later, predators of the night and creatures surrounded the woman's body and devoured part of her flesh. They opened her stomach and ate her entrails, until they were satisfied and left, not even noticing the small shrunken body covered in blood that fell to the ground.
Hours later, perhaps days, the cry of a baby was heard by deaf ears, and it permeated for some time, in which no predator approached that already rotting body.
The red ground exuded the smell of blood. The earth stained by dried blood being shaped by the footsteps of men walking in the opposite direction from which Minato had fled.
- Christ... what happened here?
One of them asked, sword in hand and a pouch on his back as he calmly approached the arrows stuck in the ground.
- From the tracks... someone was being pursued a few days ago... unfortunately, the woman did not survive.
Another one said, this one with a bow on his back, and some rabbits tied together over his shoulder, crouched just in front of Kushina's body.
- My God... she was pregnant... the baby-
- It didn't survive.
The man, apparently the hunter, interrupted the previous one, watching the still baby near the woman's bloodstained legs. The baby was too thin, next to the few visible maggots that were already crawling all over her body.
-... She was a slave... perhaps she was killed for trying to escape.
The hunter said after seeing the mark on the woman's neck, made by hot iron, branded into her flesh.
- And then the mercenaries are the merciless ones.
The man with the sword said, putting it back into its sheath and crossing his arms.
- Well... and we are merciless. - The hunter said.
- Yes, in battle. I know I would never kill a pregnant woman... after she has given birth, however, that is another story. - The man replied, sighing with some regret, and turned and began to walk away.
The other men followed him, but the hunter remained in his place for a while longer, his eyes still watchful of the scene that would give many a nightmare.
A sigh also escapes his lips, and he stands up. But before he could move away, he heard a low cough, and soon, everyone there heard the crying of the little blond boy who had just woken up.
- What the... this boy is alive!?
one of them exclaimed in disbelief, walking briskly towards them.
The hunter's dark eyes seemed to glow as he watched the child, and in a few moments he took a cloth from the small pouch attached to his belt and took the boy in his arms, after wrapping him up in the cloth.
- Whoa, hey, boss, are you going to take him with us?
one of them asked, and he arched an eyebrow.
- Why not?
- Because... well... this... ah, come on, boss, this isn't normal. - he tried to say, but no words could get out of his throat. He didn't really know what to think about that situation, and he doubted that a few simple words would explain all his thoughts.
- You're afraid of a dying baby, eh? I am not doing this to keep him, but so that when he dies, he will have a burial, something his mother unfortunately did not have.
The hunter said, covering some more parts of the baby in his arms and tucking him in, before starting to walk out of the forest.
The hunters looked at each other, but said nothing, and soon began to follow their leader.
The little golden-haired boy was looking at the tadpoles in the crystal clear water of the small lake. His intense blue eyes followed each of the little animals, while next to him was a frog that he affectionately nicknamed "Gamakichi". It had been a while since they had set up camp there, and since the little boy did not have many friends, the orange-colored frog made good company.
He had met Gamakichi when he was still young, about two years ago, and now at the age of six, the little boy could say that the little frog was the closest thing to him.
With a twig, the boy began to draw on the wet dirt, making strokes and strokes over and over again, and making a perfect drawing of him, his father, and of course, Gamakichi.
Soon, children's voices were heard, and raising his head, the boy followed with his eyes some boys walking ahead, talking amiably among themselves.
The little Blondie watched them and realized that they were going to enter the forest alone. Throwing the branch aside, he takes Gamikichi in his arms and runs towards the group of boys.
- Sota!
he shouts, and the big boy turns around. A disgruntled look and a disgusted grumble escapes his lips, but something the little blonde boy was used to ignoring.
- Ah, Naruto, what are you doing here? Come on, get back to camp.
Sota said with a tone of disinterest, scratching the back of his neck and sighing soon after.
- Where are you going? Let me go too.
Naruto asked, his hopeful blue eyes staring at the larger boy in front of him. No matter how many times he asked and was refused, that small hope in his chest refused to die.
Sota sighed once more, but a strange gleam ran through his caramel eyes.
-... Okay, wait a minute.
He said, turning around and whispering something that Naruto couldn't hear, but that didn't stop him from continuing to stare at them as he gently squeezed Gamakichi in his arms.
- Okay, Naruto, we'll let you come with us.
Sota said some time later, and the boy's blue eyes sparkled with joy.
- Really!?
- Sure, we're friends, right? But you will have to do something to prove that you deserve to hang out with us. If you succeed, whenever we go out, we will call you.
Sota said with a "friendly" smile, putting his hand on Naruto's shoulder, who could hardly believe what he had heard.
- Are you really serious!?
- Yes, I promise. Come on, let's go, I'll explain what you have to do.
Naruto smiled broadly as he felt Sota's hand on his back, and giving Gamakichi a gentle caress, he began to walk along with the group of boys, who surrounded him and chatted amiably with him.
- I always see you with that frog.
One of them said, patting Gamakichi on the head a little.
- He is my friend, his name is Gamakichi. He had a brother, Gamatatsu, but... I haven't seen Gamatatsu in a while.
Naruto replied, happy to have a friendly conversation with them for a change, and not just cold or ignorant looks.
They walked together for a while, and Naruto ran his eyes around as he saw that the forest grew darker, it had never gotten very far from the camp. His father (who wasn't really his father) wouldn't let him, but since he and his group of mercenaries were away on a mission that day, he could enjoy it a little more.
After a while, they came to a small hill, with a very steep descent to a small cave below.
- So, Naruto, ready to show your worth?
Sota asked, and the blond blinked in confusion, squeezing Gamakichi a little tighter in his arms, getting a bad feeling in his chest.
- How?
- Oh, it's quite easy. - Sota squeezed Naruto's back lightly. - All you have to do is go down that lair, pick up some rock, and climb back up here. A test of courage.
Naruto stared at the cave, the bad feeling in his chest grew stronger, and he took a few short steps back.
- I... do I really have to do this?
His voice trembled slightly, as did his arms.
- Oe, of course, we all did. Naruto, this is not just a test of courage, it is a test to see how far you are willing to go for your friends. - Sota said, grabbing him lightly by the arm. - We are friends, right?
Naruto stared into Sota's caramel eyes for a while, blinking in fear. He didn't want to go, the bad feeling in his chest kept him from going any closer to the edge of that hill.
But when he went to refuse, he felt two hands on his back, and a small frightened scream escaped his throat as he felt his body being pushed forward.
Naruto closed his eyes tightly and hugged Gamakichi as he felt his body roll downhill, until it finally stopped rolling.
He groaned slightly as he felt his body aching, and heard the laughter of the boys at the top of the hill getting further and further away.
As he stood up, he let go of Gamakichi and looked up... they were gone. They had pushed him off and left him there.
Beginning to despair, Naruto tries to climb the hill again, but the damp earth and steep climb always made him slip down again. And he didn't have enough strength to propel himself to a small tree ahead and try to climb up from there.
- Sota! - he shouted for the boy, backing away slightly as he squeezed his wrist, looking up the hill with teary eyes. - Guys!
A noise behind him silenced him, and a chill ran down his spine. He unconsciously held his breath and began to turn slowly, feeling the fear in his body grow more intense as the sound of footsteps approached.
From the cave, a predator was calmly approaching. Yellow beastly eyes staring unblinkingly in his direction.
His father had told him... a wounded mountain lion prowled the area, or something like that, which was one of the reasons he warned him not to go too far from camp.
Naruto felt his body lock up, his hands began to sweat and his arms to shake as he forced his body backwards, although, his legs could only take a few shaky steps backwards due to fear.
The predator walked slowly, stepping somewhat carefully on his injured paw, but showing no discomfort.
A blink of an eye, that's what prompted the mountain lion to attack. Naruto yelped and scrambled away, trying to run as the predator gobbled up Gamakichi.
The little frog managed to buy Naruto a little time to run, but it wasn't enough, it wasn't long before he was almost completely devoured and the mountain lion started running towards Naruto.
The boy screamed amidst his panting, hearing the animal's footsteps getting closer and closer and feeling the desperation in his chest increase.
Soon, he screamed once more as he felt his back hit and a weight on him, as well as a sharp pain in his shoulder that made him scream at the top of his lungs.
His small hands were trying to drag his body along the ground, and the cries of pain became louder and more frequent not only from his shoulder but as the animal's claws occasionally tore at his back.
Picking up a rock, Naruto hits the sharp part of the rock on the animal's head, luckily, or maybe not, hitting it near the eye.
Adrenaline coursed through the little boy's body, making it possible for him to ignore the pain and start running again after getting up.
However, the mountain lion still ran at him, and just before it attacked, Naruto turned around.
In pure reflex he put his arms in front of his body, squeezing the neck of the animal that fell on top of him. But it was clear that the mountain lion was stronger, and his small arms couldn't keep the beast's teeth away for long.
Not to mention that the animal tried to attack him with its claws, and at one point, it managed to hit Naruto's face, who screamed once more and threw his head to the opposite side of the lion's paws, feeling his cheek burn and blood run down the side of his face.
Three claw marks on his right cheek.
Crying in pure desperation, Naruto begins to run his eyes around, until he finds a sharp, somewhat thick branch not far from there.
Using his knees to hold the mountain lion above him, he tries to grab the branch, but couldn't, it was still too far away.
His mind was racing, and screaming once more, Naruto throws his torso to the side and removes his hands from the neck of the mountain lion, which once again bites his already wounded shoulder.
A high-pitched scream escapes Naruto's throat, and despite the enormous pain, Naruto manages to grab the branch. In a quick movement of pure desperation, he stabs the branch into the mountain lion's neck several times, ignoring the enormous amount of blood that stained his face.
The animal growled several times, getting off Naruto after being attacked. However, the boy didn't let the lion get too far away, viciously attacking the animal with the sharp piece of branch.
Piercing its body, slamming it against its head. The adrenaline was doing a good job at inhibiting the pain, but the more he moved, the more the pain increased.
Both tired, bloodied beings stared at each other. Naruto's eyes burned in a blue flame, and the mountain lion's yellow ones didn't blink as it stared at him.
Until the animal fell to the side, and Naruto watched its torso rise and fall for some time, until it was completely still.
The branch he was holding slipped from his small hands, his vision blurred, and his legs became weak. He fell, but before the darkness completely covered him, he still heard his father's voice calling his name.
His body ached. His cheek and shoulder felt like they were on fire, and some small parts on his back were burning in minor intensities, but enough to make him regret moving at all.
Groaning slightly, Naruto opens his eyes. His still blurred vision takes a while to come into focus, and his brain recognizes the place he was in,
The medical tent they used in the camp... hard to mistake that old roof and that characteristic smell of death.
- Our little warrior awakes.
His father's deep voice made his body shiver, and trying to ignore the pain in his body, Naruto turns his face towards him.
-... Dad...
The man's dark eyes twinkle for a while, until he sighs with some irritation and relief.
- I already told you I'm not your dad... - They remain silent for a while, until he sighs again. - You disobeyed me... I warned you that there was a wounded predator prowling the area, and still you... you realize that you could have been killed?
His voice was calm, but there were emotions behind his words. Each sentence, a slap in the blond's already sore face.
- I know... I know what you said, but... I wanted to have fun, you know... enjoy, explore the forest-
- And you think it was a good idea to do this alone?
Naruto widened his eyes, and stared at his father's face for a while.
"Alone... they didn't tell."
The boy took a sharp breath and bit his lower lip, hard to the point where blood dripped, and tightened the sheet of the bed he was lying on, controlling the anger and frustration that surged in his chest.
- If you had gone with an adult, I wouldn't have been so angry... I would understand, you are a curious and active child. But it was stupid of you to go alone... you could have been fucking killed!
The man scolded, and Naruto squeezed his eyes shut tightly. His father rarely got angry, but when he did, it was in extreme or important situations, for extreme and important reasons.
- I... I'm sorry... I won't do it again.
He said in a breathy voice, settling down on the bed and hiding part of his face with the sheet that covered him. His father stared at him for a while, watching him with those dark eyes that seemed to watch his soul, until he stood up and turned away. Not before he left a necklace made of the mountain lion's claws on Naruto's body.
- Get well soon... when you get moving, we'll start your training. Let's make sure this doesn't happen again.
He said now with a calmer, even cold voice, before leaving the tent he was in.
Naruto turned over on the bed and closed his eyes, clenching the necklace with the claws in his hand, remembering those tense moments with that ferocious animal.
Remembering Gamakichi, who despite not speaking and being only a frog, was a great friend.
-... Sota... Yume... Akai... Yuke...
He whispered the names of those who tried to kill him and who hid that fact. Also orphans, but older than him, more independent... Sota could already go to the battlefield as a support, or just a cargo boy.
If they disappeared... no one would really care... he would not forget.
Ducking, Naruto attempts a low cut on his father, who defends with his sword and kicks him in the face. But the boy throws his torso back and strikes again, trying to pierce the man's abdomen, who deflects and tries to cut the side of his body, but Naruto defends with his sword.
Soon, his father punches him in the face, followed by a kick to the stomach and again attacks with the sword. Naruto recovers and deflects, counterattacking. But once again, his father defends with his own sword and kicks the side of Naruto's abdomen, who bends over and groans in pain.
- Your reflexes have improved, but they are still very slow. You don't put all your strength into your sword and this is a fatal mistake on the battlefield. Although, your low attacks are good considering your size. Go get something to eat, we leave in an hour and a half to go hunting.
His father said, turning and propping his sword on a nearby table, walking away soon after.
Naruto followed the man with his eyes, trying to ignore the malicious comments of the boys not far away. Ever since he started with that training, they hadn't missed a chance to mock him for his failures... just because they were older.
Or maybe it was the fact that he hid that they were the ones who took him into the forest and pushed him down that hill.
Sighing, Naruto props up his sword next to his father's and walks toward one of the tents.
In his tent, Naruto looks down at his calloused hand, trembling from swinging that sword around so much. Every day at dusk he would go away from the camp and swing his sword until his hands bled, until he could no longer hold his own instrument of battle.
His father also trained him in archery, and even in throwing knives, but he only felt safe, complete, with a sword in hand.
Sighing, he looks at his reflection in the dirty mirror in front of him. His hair was long, the scars on his cheek made him look... different.
He never really cared about that, those scars, as well as those mountain lion claws stuck on a necklace around his neck, were reminders of the hardest battle of his life.
Taking the claws, he gently passes them over his scars, imitating the movement that animal had made when it had wounded his face. Now ten years old, he still kept that memory in his mind, and often rubbed his fingers over his cheek.
He still remembered the reaction of the others when he came out of that tent... looking at him as if he were Christ reborn. Such a young boy against such a fierce, though wounded, beast.
He hated those looks before... and he hated those looks now.
Sighing, he shakes his head and begins to cut his hair, leaving it short and with a simple hairstyle. He never cared much about his appearance, his routine didn't allow it and even if it did, he probably wouldn't do it.
After undressing, he blew out the candle that was on the table beside him and lay down on his makeshift bed. He would leave in the morning the next day, accompanying his father for the first time to the battlefield, only as a support or cargo boy, but that was enough. It was already an experience of what a battlefield was like. And who knows, if he was lucky, he might even get to pick up the weapons of dead soldiers.
It was not uncommon for mercenaries to be hired to take part in wars between two kingdoms, or simply city against city.
Closing his eyes, the boy struggled to sleep, something he rarely managed to do without spending some time concentrating.
Nightmares plagued him... perhaps not nightmares, but strange dreams that made no sense. Various animals, wolf-like perhaps, appeared devouring him... or rather, devouring the flesh around him, but never touching a single tooth to his skin. He saw entrails, flesh, bones being torn out all around him, but never from his own body.
Shrinking from the cold, he looks once more at his sword, just in front of his body, and again closes his eyes.
He didn't know how long he had been lying there, or whether he was asleep or awake, but the characteristic smell of smoke invaded his nose, something that bothered him at first, but was not enough to wake him.
However, screams followed soon after. "Attack," "Enemy," muffled cries barely audible because of the excessive noise, but they had these two words in common.
Opening his eyes suddenly, the first thing Naruto does is to pick up his sword, and then to stand up.
He widened his eyes when he saw an unknown man in his tent, with a mace in hand.
He had dark brown hair and a beard, face covered by a helmet. Light armor over parts of his body, but a lot of exposed skin.
The man tries to attack Naruto, however, the boy deflects and throws a chair aside towards the man, giving him enough time to attack him with his sword.
Training was one thing, but the actual situation was extremely different. Naruto hit the armor, and almost fell when his sword was deflected.
The man recovers and punches the boy in the face, trying to attack him again soon after. However, Naruto picked up the lamp beside him and threw it at the man's head. Grabbing the hilt of his sword with both hands, Naruto drives his blade into one of the man's legs and throws his body against him, knocking him down.
Grabbing alcohol, Naruto pours it over the man and sparks it with his own sword. The fire spreads quickly, and the screams of horrors would be heard throughout the camp if not for other screams and sounds of battle coming from outside.
Naruto stares at the man's burning body for some time. The sensation of piercing the flesh of a man was... different from that of piercing the flesh of an animal.
It was uncomfortable... strange, to say the least.
No chance he could beat that man with just his sword, that armor, although it covered few parts of his body, covered enough for him to be able to react in time to kill him.
Swallowing hard, Naruto left his tent before he was engulfed in flames.
The first thing he saw were a few bodies lying on the ground. Bodies of people he knew, and people he had no idea who they were.
Some tents were also on fire, and amidst the sounds of sword against sword, screams of man against man, there were the screams of women being killed alongside the combatants.
A surprise attack by the enemy army, perhaps?
Naruto's mind didn't focus on that for long, his legs moved, and he started to run towards the tent of his father, the leader of that band.
On the way, he stopped when he saw Sota fighting two men. The boy was doing well for someone so young.
Deflecting the attack of one of his enemies, he throws his body to the side and with his sword cuts off the other man's arm, followed by a piercing attack on his neck.
The first man recovered and attacked him, cutting the side of his abdomen and hitting him with the hilt of his sword.
Sota staggered backwards but recovered quickly, ducking the next attack and counterattacking with a piercing blow from his sword, killing his enemy.
Sota was panting, with cuts all over his body and sweat dripping down his back.
He leaned on his sword as he watched the bodies below him. However, he could do no more than this.
Blood began to drip from his mouth, and trembling, he turned his face back.
- Na... ruto... you... bastard!
Naruto stared at him with cold eyes, removing his sword from his back with one swift movement and watching as the boy fell to the ground.
He never forgot the day he threw him down that hill.
His beautiful blue eyes looked at the blood on his sword, his whole being focused on the dripping blood on the ground.
He took his first life... his father always told him that this would mark him. The first life he took would follow him forever, as if a weight had been placed on his back.
But... he felt nothing.
Shaking his head, he turns and starts running again, passing through the destroyed and burning tents.
Further ahead, the general of the enemy army, more men approaching.
Gritting his teeth, Naruto runs his eyes around and focuses them on a fallen barrel beside one of the few tents not yet on fire. Quickly, he grabs the lid of the barrel and crawls inside, hiding.
He heard the sound of horses, more and more shouting, muffled voices around him, until the only noise he could hear was the sound of flames burning the surrounding tents.
He didn't know how long he had been in that barrel, but when he came out, it was already daylight. A few tents were still burning, low flames, and most were just emitting smoke.
There was no one around... no one alive, at least. Not that he could see.
Desperation pounded in his chest, his legs were running as fast as they could through the ruined camp, screaming for his father, for anyone who was alive.
Nothing, nobody, just bodies and bodies lying on the ground.
Until he arrived at his father's tent, destroyed, perhaps even more than the rest of the camp. Bodies of armed and fully-armored soldiers were lying on the ground, among them his father's body, with two swords stuck in his chest.
Naruto's knees nearly gave way, and he was stunned, bewildered as tears began to stream down his face.
With staggering, trembling steps, he approached his father's body, kneeling beside him and gently touching his face, hiding his own face in the curve of the dead man's neck.
On the ground, his hand touched the black handle in silver detail of his father's sword. And his mind wondered what he should do now. Where he should go.
He was alone... for the first time.
Well, here I am. This story is from my sister (she had this idea from a dream and as soon as she woke up, instead of doing her college activities, she started writing this story), she asked me to post it on my account. At first I was like, "hell no", but she offered me thirty bucks and I was like, "hell yeah". Write there if you would like me to translate this story, what you think, (she will post it on her account, on a different site made in our own country, since she doesn't know English). Well, that's it, I'm going back to my college activities or I won't deliver on time, thank you very much for reading, see you later.