Dreamers Chapter 111: Frozen Tundra, a naruto fanfic

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Author's Notes: Hello, lovelies! I hope you all are still enjoying the series so far. I know it's super long. But I promise that it's coming to an end, hopefully, sooner than I planned. Anyway, as promised, we're officially back to canon chapters with our OTP: NaruSasu. And we're actually at one of my favorite parts of the story! I'm excited to see how you all take to it!

By the way, you have absolutely no idea how long it took me to become inspired enough and find some time to finally write this. But I'm glad it's finally out for your entertainment.

Enjoy!

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Chapter 111: Frozen Tundra

Normal P.O.V.

It was a cold winter's day. Christmas had passed, the Sand Siblings returned to Suna, and the Hidden Leaf officially welcomed their new Hokage during a New Year's festival. Things were starting to look up for the villagers as they tried to find a sense of normalcy. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for the Uchiha-Uzumaki household, especially for an Uchiha omega.

A compassionate alpha sighed as he went into the kitchen to grab his mate a glass of water. Sounds of vomiting and painful moaning and groaning could be heard from the bathroom. The person who made the sounds was none other than Sasuke Uchiha. His head was shoved into the toilet bowl as he threw up last night's dinner. His loving mate, Naruto, entered the room and grabbed some medicine to help with the stomach pain. Even though the bathroom was somewhat small, the larger male managed to maneuver himself around his sick mate and sat on the edge of the tub. A few minutes later, and after making sure that nothing else was coming up, Sasuke groaned as he fell backward. Naruto quickly caught him with a strong arm and moved him so that Sasuke sat between his legs.

"Here, drink this. It should make you feel better."

"Thanks," Sasuke whispered as he took the medicine and glass of water.

A large, tanned hand moved dark hair out of his mate's eyes to feel his sweaty forehead. "What's going on with you? You're burning up." He asked concerned.

"Don't know. It might have been that takeout you brought home last night. That's the last time we're eating there again." Sasuke grumbled as he leaned more into a muscled thigh.

"Maybe, but this isn't the first time you were sick either. In fact, you were pretty sick last week too."

"I wasn't that sick. Besides, I told you it was from the weather changing. You can't expect me not to get a cold when it's warm for two days and then blistering cold the next five."

"I guess, but you're rarely sick. I'm starting to get worried. Maybe we should get you checked out by Granny."

"There's no need. You're overreacting. The other times I wasn't feeling well were random isolated incidents, and this time it was just food poisoning. All I have to do is break my fever, not continuously throw up, let it work itself out of my system, and I'll be just fine."

Knowing he wasn't going to win, Naruto sighed as he adjusted himself and Sasuke. "Fine. But if you're not better by tomorrow, I'm carrying you to Granny's hospital office. No ifs, and, or buts about it."

"Fine. Now, help me to bed. I want to lay down."

Without hesitation, the blond fox reached down and helped his mate to his feet as he stood up. Due to the sudden movement, Sasuke's head spun, and his vision faded for a moment. Naruto sensed this and immediately scooped the omega into his arms. Frustrated with the princess treatment, the angry feline kicked, hit, and yelled at the tall blond to put him down. Unfortunately, his cries fell on deaf ears. Thanks to his tantrum, the remaining strength Sasuke had was gone and he started to drift to sleep as Naruto tucked him into bed. The did his best to make sure that his mate was comfortable and grabbed a trashcan to place by Sasuke's side of the bed, before plopping down onto the mattress. Worried blue eyes stared at his mate's sleeping form before he summoned a toad to let Lord Kakashi know that he would be absent… again.

…

The rest of the day was spent watching over a sick Sasuke. Luckily, most of the day, he slept. The rare times he did wake up was to either read or throw up into the trash can. Eventually, Naruto convinced his stubborn mate into the bath to help soothe some of his aches and discomfort. The cool water and some aspirin helped break his fever, but Naruto didn't want to take any more chances.

While Sasuke slept, Naruto went out to find Sakura at the hospital. He told her about Sasuke's condition, and she gave him a prescription. They both agreed that if he was not better by the next day, then the blond would drag him to the hospital. After he snuck back into their apartment, Naruto woke Sasuke up and gave him the medicine. Sakura said it would cause him to sleep, but it would work faster if he continued to rest. A smile graced tanned lips as he watched his mate finally sleep comfortably while some of the natural colors returned to pale cheeks. Feeling better knowing that his mate would be ok, Naruto left to shower and ready himself for bed.

…

The next morning, the winter sun brightly shined into their bedroom. Surprisingly, Naruto was the first one up. He laid on his side and had Sasuke cuddled close to his body for comfort. The pale male continued to peacefully rest in firm, tanned arms. The blond smiled as he kissed his mate's crown before he rolled onto his back. He gave a somewhat silent yawn and stretched out his muscles. Next, he threw his legs over the side of the bed, slid into a pair of sweatpants, and went into the kitchen. He filled a kettle with water and turned the stove on. He got two cups out of the cabinet and placed them on the countertop. It would take a few minutes for the water to be ready, so Naruto took the time to water his plants and open the patio door.

Although it was still winter, and snow covered the ground, it was a slightly warmer, brighter day. Maybe Sasuke was right, he only got sick because of the dramatic changes in the weather, which still was odd, but he didn't want to question it anymore. The sudden whistle of the tea kettle caught his attention. Naruto sighed as he closed the door and took the kettle off the stove. It didn't take him long to make the tea, so by the time he finished and brought it into their room, Sasuke was awake.

"Hey, sleepyhead. How's my patient?" He smiled as he sat down and handed the raven his cup.

"Much better. See, I told you that all I needed to do was let it work itself out of my system."

"Hm." The blond smirked into his cup as he side-eyed his mate.

Suddenly, a knock at their door made them halt their movements. Both sniffed the air and somewhat relaxed when they realized who it was.

"Why is an ANBU here?" Sasuke asked.

"I don't know, but I'll find out. Stay here." Naruto said as he left their room.

The raven-haired feline felt anxious as he waited for his mate to come back. The sound of his fingertips nervously tapping the side of his cup filled the emptied room. Luckily, before Sasuke had enough, the blond returned.

"What did they say?"

"Kakashi-sensei wants us to come to his office. Says he needed to talk with us about something important. I think he might have a mission for us to do."

"Well then, we better not keep him waiting," Sasuke said as he got out of bed.

"Oh no, you don't. I just spent the last day and a half making sure you got better. I'm sorry Sasuke, but I think you should~ Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" The blond shouted as he watched his mate get dressed.

"I'm getting dressed. Isn't it obvious?"

"I can see that, teme. But didn't you hear what I said?! I said you weren't going!"

"And I said I am. I'm not someone who needs to be taken care of or watched over all the time. I appreciate you being there for me while I was sick, but I'm fine now. So, stop your gawking like an idiot, and let's move out." Sasuke sighed as he finished getting dressed and shoved past the shocked blond.

Appalled by the raven's audacity, the fox alpha ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "I'm not winning this with you, am I?"

"You never do." Sasuke smirked as he grabbed his sword off the wall. "You coming?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming." Naruto grumbled before he finished getting dressed and followed his mate out of their apartment.

…

"Ah! There are my golden boys."

"Cut the shit, Kakashi, and tell us why you called us here." Naruto grumbled with his hands in his pockets.

"Oh, did someone wake up on the wrong side of Sasuke this morning?" The silver wolf smirked, earning a growl from the fox. "But on a serious note, I have a mission for you all. I need you to go to the Land of Iron and speak with General Mifune. Almost a month ago, Lady Tsunade sent Sakura and Rock Lee to retrieve the Golden Lily. However, when they arrived, there was a ninja who used puppetry to control the villagers after he slaughtered them. Now usually, we do not get involved with the Land of Iron's politics, hence the reason it's used as neutral ground. But General Mifune requested our aid for further investigation."

"But I thought when Sakura and Lee went on that mission, they killed the man. Is that not true?" Sasuke asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You are correct. However, it seems that more reports of similar shinobi are treading too close to their territory. For decades, the Five Nations agreed to stay out of the Land of Iron, minus the yearly Kage conferences, the Continental Summit, and the Shinobi Union. In the past, there were brave shinobi souls that tried to sneak into their country and disrupt their ways of peace. But, under the conditions of our treaty, we leave them to the Land of Iron's judgment. However, according to the reports, it doesn't seem to be your average run-of-the-mill shinobi either. Hence the reason I want you all to investigate. Report anything suspicious to General Mifune before returning home."

"Understood." Both males nodded.

"And remember Naruto, you are supposed to be next in line for Hokage. While you are there, I would use this as an opportunity to build a relationship with General Mifune and his countrymen. You are a representation of the Hidden Leaf in my place. I expect you to behave that way."

"Don't worry. We'll be fine and back here before you know it." The blond smiled and waved as they exited the room.

For a while, Kakashi didn't say anything as he stared at his office door. An unshakeable feeling of worry settled in his heart as he straightened the papers on his desk and opened his laptop.

"I hope you're right, Naruto. I hope you're right."

…

The couple returned to their home and packed their supplies. It didn't take long, but their time was delayed because Naruto spent more time staring at his mate than packing.

"Would you stop staring at me? It's nerve-wracking."

"Are you sure you're alright to go on this mission?"

"Naruto, for the last time, would you stop worrying about me? I told you a thousand times that I'm fine. I don't need you hovering over me."

"I'm sorry, I can't help it. It's unnerving that you've been sick lately. What if you get sick again while we're out there? What if something happens to you? I just… I just want to keep you safe is all." Naruto sighed as he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.

"I understand that you want to protect me, but you can't; at least not always. I am a shinobi and your mate. I will fight until my last breath for both you and this village. You and I knew the consequences when we became shinobis. I may not be as active as I once was, but I am still a ninja. So, if you want to keep me safe, then trust in my capabilities and judgment. I need a partner, not a mother hen." Sasuke sighed as he turned to face his mate.

The blond didn't answer right away. He let Sasuke's words dance in his head for a few moments before finally pushing off the wall and turning away. "You're right. I'm sorry." He whispered.

The slack shoulders, the lazy movements, the feeling of sadness radiating from his partner; Sasuke hated all of that. It made him feel as if he did something wrong as if he had hurt Naruto in some way. Sasuke knew that wasn't the case. Sasuke knew that Naruto wouldn't think of it like that either. But it doesn't stop the pain he felt in his chest when he saw his mate's expression.

With a gentle sigh, Sasuke sealed his final supply away into his scroll and walked over to the sulking Naruto. Silently, he dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around Naruto's abdomen, and pressed into his back. His omega pheromones filled Naruto's senses, instantly calming him. The blond smiled gently as he placed his hands over Sasuke's and closed his eyes, taking in the fresh scent of strawberries and warmth. No words were said as they stayed like that for a while; long enough for Naruto's anxiety to dissipate. Once he was done, the blond gently tapped Sasuke's hands, signaling for him to let go. The raven complied before he got up and finished a few chores around the house. And, within the hour, they had finished their tasks, sealed their stuff away, locked their apartment, dropped the key off at Iruka's, and used the Teleportation Room to head to their destination.

…

"Damn. I forgot how old it is here." Naruto shivered while they were escorted to the nearest hotel.

"I told you to pack warmer clothes. It's well-known that too many outsiders die from the frigid temperatures within these lands." Sasuke sighed.

"I know, I know. You don't have to remind me." He huffed as he tucked his arms into his armpits.

"Do not worry. Despite the harsh frost here, all of our hotels, homes, and other buildings come heated and well maintained. It is getting there about which you must worry." The guard mentioned before he led them into the hotel.

The couple stood by as the guard announced their arrival. The woman at the counter entered their information, grabbed their room keys, and walked them to their room with a smile. Once she opened the door, everyone bowed goodbye and watched her leave down the hallway.

"I hope everything is to your liking. General Mifune sent his apologies for not meeting you after your arrival. This situation has left him with more on his plate than anticipated. However, he requested an audience with both of you tomorrow morning. I will be here at eight o'clock sharp to pick you up."

"That's all right. We understand he's busy. We'll tell him that he can leave everything to us." Naruto said with a thumbs up.

"He also made arrangements for room service and to have your room guarded while you both are away. Please, if you gentlemen need anything else from us, do not hesitate to ask."

"Thanks, but we got it from here. Thank the gods! We have warmth!" Naruto cheered as he jumped onto the bed and folded his arms behind his head.

"Can you give us more information about these shinobi invading your territory?" Sasuke asked as he sat on the couch.

"I am sorry. I do not know much more outside of what General Mifune already discussed. However, I might have something that will help your investigation. One of our soldiers spotted a dark figure during their typical patrol shift. When we investigated it, there were no traces of that individual anywhere. It is quite common for our night patrol soldiers to claim they saw figures when it was either an animal or shadows. Usually, they are easy to debunk. Unfortunately, we are not so sure this time."

"How long ago was this?" Sasuke questioned.

"About a day or two ago. With the random sightings of these unusual shinobi, we did not want to take the risk and dismiss it. This entire situation has left us all on edge." The guard sighed.

"Do not worry. Naruto and I will do our best to thoroughly investigate and report any findings back to General Mifune and our Hokage."

"Thank you. We will be indebted to you for this deed. Farewell." The guard bowed and left.

The room was quiet, save for the harsh winter winds blowing against their windows and patio door. Both shinobi were lost in their own thoughts about the situation, each pondering several possibilities.

"I don't like this." Naruto suddenly said.

"Me either. There are too many missing details." Sasuke sighed.

"Do you think they're hiding something from us?"

"No. As far as I know General Mifune, and his men seem like honest people. You also have to consider that they're the ones asking for help. As Kakashi said, this land is considered neutral grounds because of their different social ideologies. They would not request our help if they thought they were capable of handling this. Unfortunately, that does not make things easier."

"So, you're saying we're all in the dark and could possibly be facing a foe with unnatural abilities?" Naruto asked as he suddenly sat up with his legs crossed.

"I wouldn't dismiss it. It's not like we didn't just defeat an alien goddess a few months ago." Sasuke smirked.

"Ugh. Don't remind me. I don't know what I'd do if we had to go through that again."

"Hn. It doesn't matter. The only thing General Mifune asked was for us to investigate and report back. However, I don't think he would be opposed if we were to take down any enemy in our path. And if it so happens to be another alien or person with unique abilities, so be it."

"Hm. I ever tell you that you're sexy when you talk like that."

"You're impossible." The raven feline rolled his eyes but failed to hide his smirk.

"And you're the wind beneath my wings, babe. But it doesn't seem that we can do anything tonight, especially in this storm. So why don't we order some room service, eat some food, and snuggle under the blankets? You can use me to stay extra warm." Naruto smirked as he wiggled his eyebrows.

"Keep it up, and you'll be keeping yourself warm on this couch. But food and a bath do sound like a good idea. I still feel a little achy."

"Are you feeling sick again? Do you want me to give you another one of Sakura's medicine pills?"

"No. I think I'm ok for right now. I just wish whatever this is would work its way out of my system already. I hate getting sick."

"I really think you should see Granny when we get back. I get you're feeling better, but maybe this is something that your body is having a hard time fighting off. It wouldn't hurt for her and Sakura to take a look, right?"

Sasuke looked over at his mate on the bed, giving him wide puppy dog eyes, and sighed. It isn't fair how Naruto can manipulate him sometimes. But then again, he had no room to talk.

"Alright, dobe. You win." The raven sighed as he ran a hand through his long locks. "If I'm still not feeling better by the time we finish this mission, then I'll make an appointment to see them. Are you happy now?"

"For now." The blond brightly smiled as he picked up the room phone. "Now, what do you want to eat?"

…

It was around one in the morning when a sudden wave of nausea hit Sasuke. Quickly, he untangled himself from his mate's arms and the covers and made his way into the bathroom. It was a narrow escape, but the raven made it in time to hurl his dinner into the porcelain bowl. Pale, shaky hands gripped the side of the toilet as he finished vomiting. Although not everything from last night's dinner was regurgitated, it was enough to frustrate the annoyed feline.

"Fuck me. This is ridiculous." He groaned as he flushed the toilet.

Afterward, he leaned back and rested against the warm wall. There, he sat in silence and thought of the various possibilities for his illness. And, as much as he didn't want to admit it, he started to think that maybe Naruto was right.

"Damnit. Maybe I should see Lady Tsunade or Sakura. There should be no reason I haven't fully recovered from… whatever this is. But I must do it without Naruto knowing. I don't want him to hold this over me. For now, I must keep this hidden. I'll keep taking those pills Sakura gave me, and hopefully, that'll keep some of the symptoms down, for now at least."

The raven waited a few more moments before he stood up, washed out his mouth, and reentered their room. To his right, Naruto continued to sleep on his back, wrapped up in the blankets with his arms and legs spread over the bed, and snoring.

Sasuke quietly counted his blessings that his mate was a sound sleeper. With a light smirk on his face, the raven made his way toward Naruto's packing scroll. He quietly released the seal and searched for the medicine. Once he found it, Sasuke took one of the pills and resealed the scroll. But, as he readied for bed again, a sudden shadow movement caught his eyes.

Sasuke cautiously walked towards the window and peeked out of the curtain. Even though the windy snowstorm calmed, it was still too dark to see anything. Sasuke activated both his Rinnegan and Sharingan to improve his sight, but it didn't help anything. A strange sense of frustration and anxiety fueled his veins. He growled low in his throat as he felt the hairs on his arms and the back of his neck stand up.

"Something doesn't feel right."

"S'uke?" A grungy Naruto yawned as he sat up. "Everything ok?"

The omega quickly disabled his eyes and closed the curtain before walking over to their bed.

"Yeah. Everything is fine."

"You sure? You weren't sick, were you?"

"I promise that I'm ok, Dobe." He smirked as he poked the blond's forehead and climbed into bed. "Let's go back to sleep."

"M'kay. Goodnight S'uke." Naruto nodded as he laid back down and snuggled against his mate.

It took him about half an hour before he finally drifted off to sleep, but the feelings drifted with him.

…

The next morning, as promised, the guard arrived to take Naruto and Sasuke to meet with General Mifune after they ate breakfast and readied for the day. Despite last night's storm, the ground was only covered in ankle-deep snow, and the morning sun brought some form of warmth. The walk was brief and silent for the most part. Although Sasuke kept his eyes trained in front of him, Naruto couldn't help as he marveled at the people around them.

The last time Naruto had been here was when he tried to plead with the Five Kage to spare Sasuke's life. They also fought Danzo and had their final fight nearby, not the happiest of memories for the couple. So, to see the town bustling with people, stores, and activity was a different sight to behold.

"Shouldn't you be focusing on your surroundings, dobe? Not admiring the scenery?" Sasuke smirked.

"Can't I do both? After all, the town didn't look like this the last time we were here about a year ago." Naruto smiled until he realized what he just said. "I'm sorry. That was insensitive of me."

The raven shook his head without losing his smirk. "It's all right. I've… grown since then. I'm just glad that I'm still here to appreciate it."

The rest of the walk was quiet until they reached Mifune's office.

"Thank you, gentlemen, for coming so quickly. I apologize for not meeting you last night. I had other matters to attend to." The older dragon said from behind his office's desk.

"It was not a problem." Sasuke said.

"Yeah, it seems that you have your hands full enough. We just appreciate the commendations." Naruto smiled.

"Having my hands full is an understatement, young one." He chuckled. "Now, on to business. I don't need to rehash the situation, but I can tell you this. It seems we have someone or something lurking in the shadows. It's almost unnerving. Over the past few weeks, my patrolmen noticed and reported several situations involving strange situations, like the incident with your other two fellow shinobi. That was the first time dealing with something like that. But since then, which was almost a month ago, things quieted down. The most recent incident was a few days ago."

"Your guard mentioned it last night. He said that another guard noticed something in the shadows during their night of patrol, but then said there were no traces of it when you investigated." Sasuke said.

Mifune nodded, "That is correct. Normally, especially during the winter months, it's natural for people to see things moving in the shadows, especially animals looking to get away from the harsh winter storms. However, with everything happening… well… you can understand why we can't take any chances."

"Have you noticed anything else strange since?" Naruto asked.

"Nothing yet. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing though." The general sighed.

"Is there anything else we should know?" Sasuke questioned.

"Nothing outside of what you already know. I'm sorry."

"What would you like from us? Kakashi-sensei said you requested our help, but is there anything specific you need from us?" Naruto asked.

"All I need from you two is to put our minds at ease. Since we do not practice chakra manipulation and based on some of the information we reported earlier, we may be dealing with a foreign enemy; an enemy that we are unequipped to deal with." Mifune sighed.

The air between them thickened as they felt Mifune's demeanor drop. Thinking quickly, Naruto flashed his famous smile and stood up. "Leave it to us! We'll take care of everything."

Mifune smirked as he leaned back and folded his arms. "Thank you, future Hokage."

Naruto gave a thumbs up as Sasuke stood up and bowed before they left.

As the sound of his door closing filled the room, Mifune let out a low chuckle as he thought about the couple that left his office.

…

It was nightfall when Naruto and Sasuke started their search. Since most of the "sightings" occurred during the evening, it might be worth investing. The couple dropped their hotel key off at the front desk and stepped outside into the chilly night. Luckily, the wind was not blowing nor was it snowing, making the visibility clear.

"Alright! Let's get moving!" Naruto cheered with a fist in the air.

"Naruto," Sasuke called out, gaining his mate's attention. "be careful out there. Last night… I thought I saw something move during the blizzard."

"You did? But why didn't you say something earlier? Especially to Mifune?"

"I wasn't sure of what I saw. I tried using my Rinnegan and Sharingan, but it was no use. The visibility was next to impossible to see through, even with my eyes. And honestly, it could have been nothing. I might even be overeating. However, as General Mifune said, we can't afford to take any chances."

Naruto sensed that his mate was uncomfortable, and anxious, and smiled. Sometimes, if you knew Sasuke well enough, during times when he is uncertain, you can feel his emotions. Luckily, Naruto was there to calm him.

The raven practically jumped when he felt the blond's hand on his shoulder. Shocked onyx-colored eyes stared into gentle blues and allowed himself to calm down almost instantly.

"Hey, it's all right, babe. Whatever happens, just know I've got your back; just like you have mine. Between the two of us, there was nothing we can't handle, right?"

The bright smile made his own appearance as Sasuke placed a pale hand on top of his alpha's. "Right. All right then, let's go."

…

The couple searched the area well into the night without anything to show for it. They even searched along the perimeter, but nothing stuck out to them.

Sasuke stood on a tall tree branch with his Rinnegan and Sharingan activated and searched the land below. However, much like the rest of the night, nothing appeared out of place.

"Find anything?" Naruto called as he appeared below the branch.

"Nothing." Sasuke sighed as he released his eyes and jumped down. "I'm starting to wonder if the guy Sakura and Lee defeated was the only one around."

"I was thinking that too. But then it dawned on me. The one they fought hid in a nearby village, away from Mifune and his guard's watchful eyes. What if there were more? I don't think they'd come near the city without fear of being outnumbered."

"Hn. You could be right. It would definitely make sense. But that wouldn't explain some of the reported sightings. Could they be playing the waiting game?"

"Maybe. Or, they could have turned and ran with their tails between their legs when they heard we were coming, eh?" The blond smirked as he flexed his muscled arms through his jacket.

Sasuke chuckled as he reached up and poked a tanned forehead. "I'm sure that wasn't it, dobe. But it's getting late. Why don't we pack it up for the night~"

Suddenly, something caught Sasuke's attention. He pushed Naruto out of the way and reactivated his eyes. In the distance, a dark, tall figure stood still, almost as if it was sizing the couple up. Sasuke stood and growled as a warning toward the intruder.

"What is it, babe?" Naruto asked as he looked in the same direction.

"Someone's there." That was all Sasuke said before the figure took off running. "C'mon! They're getting away." He said as he led Naruto after the figure.

…

The couple chased the intruder into another nearby emptied village. As they entered the village, Sasuke cursed when he lost sight of their target.

"Damnit. I know they're around here somewhere." He growled.

"I'll use my sage powers to try sensing them," Naruto said before he sat on the cold ground and activated Sage Mode. Once activated, Naruto's chakra and senses spread throughout the village until they found their target in a house a few blocks away. "Found him!" The blond cheered as he jumped up and teleported with Sasuke to the intruder's location.

Without hesitation, Sasuke kicked the door in as the two entered the emptied house. The place was eerie and too quiet to be safe. The couple continued through the home silently as they searched for their enemy. Suddenly, a gruesome sight made the couple jump back.

In front of them, a deceased family lay at their feet and was covered in puddles of dried blood. An older man, presuming to be the father, lay on his chest on the floor with his head chopped off. In the corner, an older woman, possibly the mother, lay on her side, in front of an opened closet door with dried caked blood on her face and in her long dark hair. And finally, the worst of it all, three small children, huddled together inside the closet, had deep slices along their entire bodies. One of them looked to be about nine years old, the other was about five, and the final one could not have been more than a year. The sight made both men sick to their stomachs, especially Naruto.

The blond clenched his fists and barred his teeth at the scene in front of them. Suddenly, both males felt the sensation of being watched. Quickly, they turned around to see their target standing inside of the threshold with a hood over their face.

"Did you do this, you sick bastard?!" Naruto shouted. When the stranger didn't say anything, Naruto became angrier. His whiskers deepened as his fangs and claws extended. "I'll kill you!"

The blond jumped towards the figure but was caught off guard when they disappeared in a gust of snow. Sasuke ran to help his mate up from the ground.

"Fuck this dude." Naruto groaned.

"It seems that we might have a strong enemy on our hands."

"How can you tell? It just seemed like a normal genjutsu to me." Naruto asked.

"No. This was different. It seems they know how to use their abilities without weaving hand signs. We need to be careful or else~" Sasuke started before a sudden wave of nausea overcame him. "Damnit! Keep it together!" He internally growled.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine! Just pay attention to the task at hand. Watch out!" The raven yelled as he pushed Naruto out of the way to save him from an ice beam.

The males looked up and saw that the house was completely frozen over in a thick layer of ice.

"What the hell?" Naruto turned to see the stranger standing before them. "Just who the hell are you?!" He screamed as they stood up.

The stranger didn't say anything as they readied another icy attack. "Naruto! You need to focus! Don't worry about who they are! We just need to defeat them!" Sasuke yelled back before he formed his own hand signs, "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

Sasuke's fireball collided with the stranger's ice attack, but to the raven's surprise, the ice did not melt as quickly as they suspected.

"Tsk. Looks like we're going to have to do things the hard way." Naruto smirked as he punched his palm and activated Sage Mode again. "Keep them busy. They can't take both of us on at once."

Without any more hesitation, Naruto charged headfirst toward their opponent. Having noticed this, the stranger released their last icy attack before jumping back to avoid a downward punch by the blond fox. As Naruto's fist hit the ground, similar to when Sakura punches the ground, it shook violently and caused a crater to appear. Their target jumped onto a nearby rooftop but was ambushed by a quick Sasuke. The raven summoned his Chidori and attacked. Unfortunately, the hooded figure was too quick for him.

Naruto quickly joined his mate as they chased their target across more rooftops. Thinking quickly, the blond added more chakra to his feet and gave himself a speed boost, leaving indentations where he stepped. The stranger was shocked to see the yellow glowing fox on their tail.

"I've gotchya now!" Naruto smirked before he whipped around and used his tails to attack. One tail grabbed one of the stranger's writs while another grabbed an ankle, effectively halting them in place. "Take this!" Naruto cocked his fist back and throw it forward as hard as he could but was surprised when they disappeared in a gust of snow again. "Damnit!"

"Did you get them?" Sasuke panted as he caught up to his mate.

"No. The stupid bastard got away again. I had him in my grasp too." He groaned as he rubbed his face.

Sasuke leaned over and used his eyes to spot their enemy again. When they reappeared, he smirked. "It's not over yet. Follow me."

Both males jumped down in front of the shocking figure. Sasuke released another fireball to distract the stranger. And just when they went to use another ice attack, Naruto jumped through the blaze with his Kurama-Chakra-covered extended hand. Naruto grabbed the stranger by the face and slammed them to the ground. There, inside the crater, the stranger lay, unconscious on the ground.

"Think we got them?" Naruto asked.

"I don't sense anything, but that doesn't mean anything. Stay alert." Sasuke said as he cautiously approached the stranger.

However, when he was close enough, their opponent quickly jumped up and summoned an intense mini-blizzard. Since he was closer, Sasuke got hit with the worst of it. He tried to shield himself with his arms, but it did very little to help. Luckily, Naruto could use his chakra to keep him warm in almost any intense cold weather. Unfortunately, his mate wasn't so lucky. Despite needing to defeat their enemy, his primary goal was to protect Sasuke.

Without hesitation, Naruto dug his feet into the snow-building snow and stomped his way toward his shivering mate. But, by the time he got to him, Sasuke had collapsed onto the ground and went into an unconscious state. Because Sasuke is of the feline bloodline, they are one of the hybrids that are more susceptible to colder temperatures. It is common knowledge that their body temperatures can rapidly drop well below dangerous levels. And If Naruto doesn't do anything soon, then he was going to lose his mate to hyperthermia.

As soon as Naruto was closer enough, he extended his chakra enough to surround his mate and himself while blocking out the rest of the blizzard. In his arms, the feline Uchiha, although already unconscious, shook violently from the effects of the man-made blizzard. Rage filled the blond fox as he released more of his chakra into the atmosphere, effectively burning the stranger from the inside and out and causing the blizzard to stop. The air around them was back to the eerie silence it was when they first entered. As he stood up, Naruto used his sensory powers to see if there were any lingering foreign chakra signatures. To his shock and somewhat relief, there were none, including their former opponent. With this knowledge in his head, and his mate in his arms, Naruto wasted no time in returning to General Mifune for medical assistance.

…

Naruto sat in a nearby chair inside the hospital room as a nurse, who forgot her name, checked Sasuke's vitals, adjusted his breathing mask, and changed out his warming IV bag. They returned from their completed mission the previous night. Once Naruto knew that they were safe and that the enemy had been defeated, he immediately teleported them to the hospital to get Sasuke medical treatment. They tried to offer him at least a checkup, but Naruto refused and begged them to focus more on his mate. With no room for argument, the team of nurses went to work rising Sasuke's body temperature and vitals to safe levels. Finally, after working through tonight and keeping a close watch over the raven, he stabilized, filling Naruto with much-needed relief.

"How is he, nurse?" Naruto asked as he reached for Sasuke's still cold hand.

"His vitals are fine, and his body temperature seems to be rising. We have done all we can do. In fact, I'm even surprised that he survived the sudden drop in his body temperature. But nonetheless, I'm happy that we were able to save him. Thank you for bringing him to us."

"Thank you for saving him. I really owe you all one." Naruto smiled gently as he continued to stroke the back of his omega's hand.

Suddenly, the door opened to revile General Mifune and his guards, Naruto stood up and bowed with the nurse. Mifune waved his hand and dismissed the nurse and his guards so that they could talk in private.

"How is your friend?"

"He's strong. He'll make it. But I have to give most of the credit to your team, General Mifune. I owe you all for everything." Naruto said as he sat back down.

"No. It is we who owe both of you. My guards filled me in on what they saw when they went to investigate the sudden nearby blizzard. From what they gathered; a fight took place in another emptied village. I'm assuming it was between you two and an enemy?"

Naruto nodded, "Yeah. While we were on patrol, Sasuke spotted a hooded figure. I couldn't tell what animal hybrid they were. Hell, I couldn't even tell their gender. But it didn't matter to us. We knew we had to go after them. They led us into a nearby, emptied village. We didn't think anything of it until we followed them into a house where we saw a family was murdered. That's when we put two and two together. It… made us sick, to say the least." He sighed with his head down.

"I see." The older dragon hummed and sighed as he stroked his white beard. "So, another of my villages was whipped out by these people, eh? That is unnerving."

"I somewhat understand the first time, but after Sakura and Lee reported to you about it, why was nothing done to prevent this time?" Naruto asked angerly.

"It is not that simple, young one. We are not as big as your Land of Fire. We do not have the among of guards it would take to protect every village, despite my wishes. All I can afford to send is one guard per village. However, after your friends met with me about the first incident, I tightened security. I made everyone in nearby villages move closer or within the city to better protect them. It is not the ideal plan, but it was the best for the time being. However, when we did a head count, we assumed that we had everyone.

I sent a team to double-check on each village, and they all reported back to me that everyone for whom was alive should have been accounted. I was unaware that that village was not among those numbers."

"That doesn't make any sense. Did your guards not report that there were people murdered within that village?"

"What happened was that they were already dead by the time they got to that village. I was notified that there were murdered villagers in both places, but my guards assumed that they were a part of the first attack. We are still investigating if this is true or not. I would hate to know that I could have prevented another tragedy if I acted sooner."

"Ok, but when we asked if was there anything else we should know about, why didn't you mention any of this? Weren't you the one who said that we can't afford to take any chances?" Naruto practically growled at his own question.

"Bite your tongue, young one. You are a thousand years too early before you can tell me how to run and protect my village and its inhabitants. Although, you are not wrong." He sighed as he moved to sit in a chair across from the angry blond.

"I am a foolish old man. We… had never dealt with anything like this before. Sure, we're used to the run-of-the-mill shinobi looking to make a name for themselves. But this was entirely new territory for us, hence the reason we needed your help. I apologize for not informing you two sooner. I assumed you would never have to step foot in any villages outside of the city due to the security measures I put into place. Again, I was wrong. Please forgive this foolish old dragon."

"It's alright." Naruto sighed as he looked at Mifune. "I supposed that I wouldn't know what to do if something like this happened to us. It's almost like when Pain, the leader of the Akatsuki attacked our village all over again."

"Yes, I've heard about that attack. A sad event indeed. My condolences to your village and its deceased."

"We're doing all right now. We still have some rebuilding to do, but things are a lot better than what they were." Naruto smiled as he nervously rubbed the back of his head.

Mifune returned his smile with a nod and turned away for a moment. "Did your opponent say anything?"

The blond shook his head, "No, and they didn't give a name either. All we knew was that they had great chakra control and they could control snow, wind, and ice."

"Interesting. One opponent was a necromancer and puppet master, while the other was elemental. This is quite troubling. Looks like this is something outside of our ability, and just made my job harder." Mifune sighed as he crossed his arms.

"I can ask Kakashi-sensei if he can send some shinobi out here to help with any more enemies and increase security until we can figure things out."

This shocked the dragon as he turned to look at the smiling blond with raised eyebrows.

"You'd do that? No, I can't accept the help. It's too generous."

"It's not a problem. I can't guarantee anything, but I can at least bring it to their attention and see if it gets approved or not."

"I would appreciate it if you can do that." The room was quiet for a moment before he spoke again. "By the way, I heard your former Hokage, Lady Tsunade: one of the Legendary Sannin retired and is now running a hospital with her former apprentice."

"Yeah! Grandma Tsunade and Sakura-chan are the best! They can heal just about anything." He bragged.

"Hn. Then, as soon as your friend awakens, I shall release him to their care. It's best, even if he fully recovers here, to have him checked out by the experts to be safe."

"I agree. I planned to do that anyway. He's been sick these past days, almost weeks. I've been worried about him. I just hope it's nothing serious." Naruto sighed.

"Me either. I will be praying for a speedy recovery." Mifune said before he stood up. "Well, I better get going. I shall write up a report and send a copy to your Hokage. Please let me know when your friend wakes up so that I may send you off."

"I will. Thank you for everything."

The blond and the dragon bowed to each other before Mifune left Sasuke's hospital room. The only sounds were the heart monitor and the breathing mask. It shouldn't be too much longer before his mate awakened. But for now, all Naruto could do was wait by his side, as the raven did for him after the war and many times before that.

…

To Be Continued…