Told you I'd update when summer came! And now it's here! I promise to work on this and I will try my hardest to get a new chapter out ever three weeks MAX. Also a little note; I'll be getting into Kitsune's past in this chapter, it's something I completely made up so no spoilers ;3.

THANK YOUS: SnowKitsuneX, sodense, TheSunshineGirls, Natsuko K, Umino Ayame, Ookamiko, mootzoot, Momochi Zabuza, hujin, Haruya, Veeko, demonsxtears, narutofan666, sissy, Bitenshi, ghostninja85, love-chibis, demon-flying, Yuen-chan, Jenniyah, Queen of the Paperclips, Itachi-rin:), DeAtHaNgEl-LaNeNdA, kazoua, Naruto Otaku, Alana-StarSugarCat.

KYAA! I lurve you all! I'm terribly sorry if I forgot you but I just went back about three chapters (to chapter 16) and up from there ;3.

To Everyone Who Reads GNMK: I've drawn a picture just for this chapter! It's of Kitsune :) BUT! You have to read this chapter first in order to understand the picture. The link will be at the end of the chapter. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto but I do own the characters of Baru and Bara-chan in this chapter :3.

Recap:

Kitsune smiled, "I've heard you've been doing excellent Sakura-chan! We'll be counting on you and Tsunade-san for our healing squad, ok?"

"Roger!" Sakura said saluting Kitsune with a smile.

Shukaku rolled his eyes, "Let's get going already."

Jiraiya tucked the rolled up map into his belt, "Alright guys… here we go."

"Hai!" The seven took off into the air with out another word.

So it began…

Good Night My Knight!

Chapter 18: I'd Never Leave You

Harsh air whipped at Naruto's face as he landed on another branch and pushed himself off once again. Kitsune led the way with the other six in toe. They'd been traveling due North for about two hours now and there was still no sign of Orochimaru. They had only just reached the Hidden Sound, after all. Naruto's eyes hardened as he thought of the icy, watery snake. How could someone like that have such great power? It just wasn't right. The kind of power that Orochimaru possessed was simply too terrifying. The thought of Kitsune, Shukaku, Tsunade and Jiraiya helping them still didn't ease Naruto's wavering nerves. His eyes shifted to land upon Sasuke.

Sasuke…

Perfect… Sasuke…

Looking back at the past three years, Naruto realized how much they'd grown. Sasuke stood proudly though he had that damn seal and Naruto admired him for it. How many men could stand proud with something that heavy weighing them down? Not many… but Sasuke, Sasuke had courage. That was only one thing Naruto loved about Sasuke. There was also his steely gaze… Naruto loved to make the cold in those eyes melt. Sasuke's smile… something, Naruto thought, that made him swear he could die happy after seeing it. Naruto's eyes traveled to Sasuke's shoulder and as Sasuke jumped off the next branch his shirt lowered to his shoulders just enough for Naruto to catch a glimpse of a black swirl. He flinched. That stupid thing was meant for him. Him. But Sasuke had saved him from it's fate. Now that Naruto thought about it, had he even thanked Sasuke for that? Truly thanked Sasuke for taking something painful upon himself, all for Naruto? He would… one day… he would tell Sasuke just how much he'd saved him… and not just from Orochimaru but from being so… alone.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

Kitsune had a firm sense of Orochimaru's position by now. They had made it three fours into the Hidden Sound without any troubles… now all that was left was to pinpoint Orochimaru's exact location and they'd get him. Oh, they would get him good. This was the last time Orochimaru would terrorize their lives. Without thinking much about it Kitsune slipped into a memory from long ago…

Flashback-

Konoha, 673 AD—30 years earlier

"Baru-chan! Come on! We're going to get breakfast!" Yelled a young(er) Kitsune from outside of a small foxhole.

"Kitsu-saaaannn… can't I sleep in just FIVE more minutes?" Whined Baru from inside the tunnel.

"If you really don't want breakfast then fine," She stuck out her fox tongue and trotted away towards an awaiting Bara.

"You're brother is being stupid again," Said Kitsune to Bara, a female young fox who (like Kitsune) had been orphaned as a kit.

"Haha, oh Ki-chan! He's stupid everyday!" Chuckled Bara.

At that moment, Baru, Bara's twin brother, trotted out of their home.

"I'm here." He whined, "Can we just go get some food now? Please?"

"Baru! You retard! We're already leaving!" Laughed Bara from about ten feet away.

"Whoa! I'm coming!"

The male fox caught up with Bara and Kitsune as fast as he could, "So what are we eating today?"

"How about a rabbit," Kitsune suggested licking her chops, "I haven't had good rabbit in about a week now and the craving is starting to kick in…"

"Rabbit it is then!" Bara said with a grin.

The trio found a bush to hide in as they peeked about for any stray rabbits in the area. Kitsune suddenly picked up a scent.

"Hey… I smell… something funny…" She said in-between sniffs.

Bara and Baru perked up there ears and their own noses went up into the air sniffing around for the scent.

"Hey! I know that smell!" Said Bara.

"Yeah… me too… smells like human…" Said Baru.

The two twins began to back away from the smell but Kitsune had never smelt a… human… before.

"I want, to see it!" Kitsune said with a grin as she began to make her way towards the scent.

"No! Don't!" Whispered Bara, "They're evil, mean! It'll hurt you! Don't go!"

When Baru saw that Kitsune wasn't coming back he took off towards her.

"Dammit Kitsune!" He barked chasing after her before the human spotted them.

"Oh be quite Baru, it's just a bit of fun." Kitsune said turning to face him as he ran towards her.

"Well, well, well…"

But it was too late…

"What do we have here? Two—no three kits? Barely even foxes yet, are we?" The cold voice snickered.

Kitsune saw the look of horror on Baru's face and ever so slowly began to turn around to face the human. That was the first time she looked into the yellow, venomous eyes of Orochimaru.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

Sakura yawned. They'd stopped to take a break a few minutes ago. Kitsune had said she needed to rest. The fox had seemed a little out of it as she wandered off for a walk down to a nearby stream. Sakura stretched her arms high above her head as she looked up to the noon sun shinning happily away. She glared at the bright, hot sun and wandered over to a bit of shade underneath a tree. Plopping down onto the ground she looked around at the others. Jiraiya had pulled out a few piece of paper and began to write as he sat on a rock next to a few berry bushes they'd found. Tsunade was dozing off underneath a few trees next to Sakura. Shukaku, who'd been quiet almost the entire journey, was taking a nap, a very tense and alert nap, on a hill. Naruto laid out on the grass with that silly grin of his while he talked to Sasuke who sat next to him on the lush green grass. Everything seemed well… like they were still back in Konoha simply resting after a brief training session or a light mission. Even that sense of security still wasn't enough to put Sakura at ease. She was tense. She could see that Shukaku was equally as tense as she. Something just wasn't right… but what exactly wasn't right? She pondered to herself while watching a few squirrels run and play in the braches of the trees.

Was Orochimaru near? Or was it just the fact that she could feel this mysterious, untrustworthy air that seemed to follow her everywhere in this hidden village of sound…

Xoxoxoxoxoxox

Kitsune dipped her feet in the cool river water and sighed as the tension washed away with the current of the river. She laid back, her feet still submerged, and gazed at the endless sky. Why? Why were these memories she thought she'd left behind coming back…?

Flashback-

His eyes bore into her skin, making her ears lay flat on her head and for her paws to start retreating on their own. Baru laid his ears back flat and bore his teeth, the trio could sense the evil aura of this man. Kitsune had backed down to where Bara was frozen in terror. Baru was still growling at the pale man when he decided to speak again.

"Foolish kit… you are no match against me." Orochimaru made a grab for Baru.

Baru jumped out of the way, but only barely. Bara lept towards the man, sinking her teeth into the flesh on his calf she clamped down and refused to let go. Baru took this time to lunge once more at Orochimaru, but this time he stopped in mid-leap. Orochimaru had reached down and tore Bara off his leg along with his own flesh, still warm and dripping in Bara's mouth.

"Pathetic…" Came the mumble from Orochimaru's lips.

Kitsune wasn't sure how it happened, but Orochimaru had taken Bara's neck into his hand and with a flick of his wrist a sickening 'crack!' emitted from the kit. Kitsune froze as she watched Bara's lifeless body as it was tossed to the side like a doll. Memories came flooding into Kitsune's head so fast that she almost passed out. Memories of Bara, of her smile, of her cunning… of just simply Bara…

"I told you… you're all foolish…" Orochimaru was now starting towards Baru… his yellow eyes already stunning their target.

Kitsune then realized she was frozen. She tried to move but her body only sent shocks of pain through her. She fell to her side, panting, watching hopelessly as Baru bared his teeth in a show of rage. He leapt towards Orochimaru again and successfully ripped a good chunk from Orochimaru's arm. But as the young kit bit at Orochimaru's arm, the snake devil simply laughed and shook Baru from his arm. Baru flew from his hold and landed in the bushes not far from Kitsune. Kitsune was too terrified to even move her eyes anymore. She focused on one spot, a light color in the tree bark, as Orochimaru approached beside her to where Baru lay whining.

'Move…' She thought, 'Please move…'

But her body didn't respond, only weakened more and curled up inside of itself. Another sickening crunch could be heard from only five feet away from her and Baru's whining ceased. That was all Kitsune heard before her eyes went wide in pain.

First came the memories, searing hot and running through her mind like dogs loose from the leash. She tried to block the faces of her lost friends but the more she pushed emotions aside the stronger and quicker they came. Her will less body on the ground began to stir as she lay wide eyed and staring at the feet of her friend's murderer. Another sudden wave of pain washed over her and a strange tingling sensation ran through her body. What was… happening? She suddenly felt the fur on her body leaving, the hair on her head growing. Her skin became pale, furless… she was becoming… a human…

"So you are different from the other two? I thought so…" Muttered smirking lips.

"W-what's happening… to me?"

"You my dear are a fox demon… no wonder you were left all alone to die…"

"I'm not… no… I…" Kitsune could hardly speak, what words could be said?

She wasn't used to the feel of a strange orange cloth rapped around her body. Nor was she used to the nakedness she felt without her fur all around her. She looked down to her hands to see long fingernails, much like claws. Her yellow, cat like eyes widened as she brought her hands to her face and felt the smooth scars in her cheeks where her whiskers used to be. She was human… and now she was completely alone.

"Your friends were useless… only holding you back." Orochimaru said as he picked a red flower from the ground, "They were obstacles you had to overcome. That simple."

He tore off two of the blood red petals and dropped the flower beside Kitsune.

"You don't need them… even if you did, you'll only be alone now…" He whispered with a twisted grin, "Grow. Hate me. And maybe one day you can avenge your friends death, kit."

Orochimaru laughed as Kitsune still examined her new body. Then his grin twisted more as he caught sight of Kitsune looking at her lost friends. All her movement stopped as she gazed upon them. They were her family, her life… and now she had not been able to protect them.

They were gone… her life was gone.

Orochimaru slithered away with a final smirk as Kitsune leaned against a tree. She was alone. And she was weak. She had let down her friends and now she would pay for it. She would suffer. But she deserved it, or so she thought. And she would obtain revenge for her friends… even if it meant using her demon powers… just to kill the man that killed her life.

A stray tear slipped down her cheek.

She would kill Orochimaru.

Xoxoxoxoxoxox

Short (only about six pages)! But don't worry! I will have chapters up a lot faster now so it won't be as bad! Here's the picture I promised: www. Deviantart .com/deviation/19250188/ … remember to take out the spaces and add in the usual http thing at the beginning!

I really hope you guys like it! I wanted to draw and so I decided that drawing something for this story would be the best idea (think of it as a thank you for 200+ reviews :3). I'd been working with colored pencils in my art a lot more and thought that trying them out on Kitsune would be an ok thing to do. Tell me what you guys think x3.

Anukis

PS. Sorry about any grammar/spelling mistakes but I'm just too lazy ;p