Title: Blood Stained Silence
Author: Spaziod
Summary: Sometimes, all that's left on the battlefield is silence.
It would be had to tell, at first, that the clearing was a clearing at all. Once healthy green grass had been trampled and covered with a thick, red sheen of blood. The blood had been spilled from the countless bodies that lay strewn about the clearing, some in contorted positions, some missing limbs, and some missing their throats. All of the bodies bore metal plates with small symbols on them, gouges marring the carvings.
Except for one.
The strip of metal, attached to a blue cloth, bore the unblemished symbol of a leaf. It was clutched tightly in a bloody hand. A hand which was connected to an otherwise motionless body that was covered in nearly as much blood as the grass that lay below it. The red tattoos on his face almost seemed smeared because of the blood that streaked his face. Holes and tears were rent in his uniform and his green vest was torn open to reveal a gaping, bloody wound in his chest.
This man was dead.
This shinobi was dead.
The stillness of the battlefield was broken with a crunch of grass and a soft whine. A dog staggered up, taking faltering steps towards that one man that was different. Grey fur was matted and stained; a kunai still protruded from its shoulder blade. Despite the fact it seemed impossible the beast should be moving, it moved anyway.
Halting steps brought the dog to the man, and another whine rose from its throat. The beast's head ducked to nudge the clutching hand; it moved lifelessly with the touch, and then stilled again. The dog gave a panicked little whimper, limping and pacing beside the body. Hesitantly, it leaned down to lick the man's cheek, clearing some blood away. It leaned back a minute, as if waiting expectantly for a response.
But no response came.
A distressed sound came from the animal. It was low and pained, somewhere between a whine and a cry, and most definitely mourning. The dog licked the man's cheek one more time, and then shifted. Slowly, whimpering as it did so, the beast lay beside it's master, resting it's head on the man's chest. It continued to give those soft, whimpering cries until they eventually tapered off, and the beast's chest stopped rising.
All that was left was a blood stained silence.