The Little Mute Girl

by ZabuzasGirl

Tragedy has fallen onto a loving family turning six brothers into swans. It's up to their sister Arrietty to break the transformation. For six years she must endure in silence. The sister may not endure alone. In the Hidden Leaf she meets a boy who is very much as lost and alone as she. Naruto can never replace her brothers. Perhaps she can help nurture him as he grows into a man.

2. Chapter 2

The Little Mute Girl Chapter 1

That night while her brothers Haru, Hitoshi, Yoshiro, Akahoshi, Fuujin, and Dotuo were sleeping she hurried out quietly and went to where she knew nettles grew thickest and began her painful task. They stung, they pricked, they burned like fire. Arrietty plucked until she had all that her arms could hold.

Exhausted from the labors of this hard work Arrietty had drifted off some time during the night. When she had woken up to a brand new sunrise she received a shock at what she ended up finding in front of her.

Arrietty's brothers disappeared, were nowhere to be seen. She searched all over the family property, but couldn't locate them anywhere. Though she pined for them Arrietty told herself not to worry. She didn't know where the thought came from, but the answer soon popped into her mind.

Arrietty would see them only twice a year at midsummer and midwinter. This is so she remains focused on the task and has the drive to continue on. The concern and worry plaguing Arrietty soon faded replaced with determination. No matter where she went Arrietty is confident that they will always find her.

That is the strength lying in the power behind the bond the siblings shared together.

Arrietty couldn't stay here. As long as that dreadful Shinobi was still alive this holding is no longer safe. So the decision was made for her to leave.

Arrietty could only take a certain amount of belongings with her so she had to be very careful to keep practical.

Arrietty obviously would take the cart her father had used to take the things he wanted to trade at the markets with him along with the one horse. Arrietty wouldn't keep the animal. She'd sell it to gain money for things she needs. Caring for one would be an added burden that she doesn't need.

In spite of this there is much she did require, taking anything that might be considered useful. A couple of bags of rations, a sack of dried beans, a small crock of honey, a water bottle, spade, and some rolled up blankets on top of the entire load. The Land of Fire is known for its warmth most of the year, but right now it was a little chilly. So Arrietty helped herself to an old coat and a pair of boots mixed with her own shoes. A sharp knife, an old cooking pot, spools of thread, and bone needles.

Most important of all the spindle. She couldn't right leave without that.

Everything together didn't even fill up half of the cart. This is good for it would weigh down the horse.

Maerwen had sat there on the cart a while before she took her farewell. She then snapped the reigns of the horse leaving it behind.

After long travels Arrietty chose the place of her refuge well. It was in the vicinity of the Village of Konoha, but not close enough to be noticed. Entering and taking up residency behind the walls of the Village meant drawing attention to herself. That's the very last thing Arrietty desires.

So she chose a spot just outside of them more vacant.

It was in a clearing that held a large, healthy hollow tree at its center. A tiny spring welled. Here herbs would grow half wild, where once some solitary wanderer had cultivated them years ago. All along the tiny streambed that passed through, grew the long stems and feathery leaves of the starwort plant. This plant does not die down in winter, but remains green even in the coldest times.

A blessing in disguise. The Gods must really be showing favor towards her.

This is a perfect place for Arrietty to settle. The hollow tree is to be her sanctuary and home until the curse is broken, with enough natural resources for her to forage for her own food instead of buying it. The seed she brought from home is going to be put to good use, too.

Soon Arrietty had put everything the way they should. After she decided on this place Arrietty took the horse, trading it for some extra goods she would need in order to survive in this new isolation with only a paltry sum of money. Arrietty wouldn't interact with any other humans unless necessary. The risk of speaking accidentally and sealing the fate of her siblings in death would be enormously minimized then.

Arrietty then put the wood used to make up the cart into something marvelous.

With a knife and some rope she single handedly created a loom where she could weave the shirts after the starwort plant was made into yarn with the spindle. The remainder would be used for firewood.

Even with the tools and skills Arrietty possessed this became strenuous work. For never before had Arrietty ever dared to use starwort as material for a garment.

Yes, Arrietty had already picked starwort, but the amount she had wasn't enough. So Arrietty had to pick more. She cut adeptly cut the stems, the spines lodging themselves in her flesh and hands hurt more than she could ever have believed possible. The supply of the plant may be abundant, but the acquirement was slow. When she had a descent sized bundle of stems ready she went down to the stream in order to get them soaked. To make it easier Arrietty sprinkled ash onto the stems to speed the process and used a round stone to pound and break the touch fibers apart. This continued until they had more the look of single threads. Arrietty twisted the rough hanks around a stick that could be wedged in between the stones in the stream. Here they would soak for three days. On the fourth day the poor sister removed the starwort from the water, pounded them a second time, hung them to dry, and then began to spin into yarn.

The fruits of this hard work would be hands swollen and ruined along with a tiny spool of ill-spun yarn for the loom, lumpy and fragile, scarce enough to hem a jacket for a butterfly. Still she persevered, refusing to complain.

Not even when without warning the starwort threads would suddenly break apart on the loom and she'd have to start all over again. Instead of bursting into tears Arrietty simply started everything from the beginning all over again.

Most would've given up within the first week, but Arrietty pushed forward. The faces of her brothers and father being the things to motivate her.

She would not fail.

A couple of months into this Arrietty received a visitor to her little hollow tree in the forest totally by accident.

A lonely little orphan neglected and abused by many of these around him, seeking attention and affection from someone he couldn't find in Konoha.

A young ten year old boy who carried a secret lying inside of him had unwittingly wandered into her path.

Naruto Uzumaki.

Authors Note:

The anniversary for the terrible tragedy of day of 9/11 year's ago just occurred a couple of months ago. .

I was a very young child when that happened. All I can remember that day was my mother picking me and my little sister up from grade school. At home my sister and I learned what happened in New York City. My father came home soon after fearful that we were all going to be attacked. That was one of the scariest days of my life. I know for a fact I'll never forget it. I doubt anyone will.

For those reading this right now I know we can't all be together, but I ask that you share a moment of silence and prayer, no matter your religion, out of respect for the people who died that day and those alive who are still suffering from being there that day. And those of you who may be either going to a restaurant or a bar please raise a glass in a toast for those survivors and fallen.

Heads up guys! We've got trouble. I received this alert from another fellow author.

Subject: #SAVEYOURINTERNET

Can you imagine a world without the following:
- Youtube
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Tumblr
- Reddit
- Memes
What if I told you that all of this could potentially go away before the end of next year. #Article13 threatens to stop almost all user-generated content and their creative freedom, such as fanart and fanfiction.

To everyone in AND outside the EU. Just because you don't live in the EU, doesn't mean Article 13 won't affect you. The wording of Article 13 is so loose that it could be manipulated in a way where only big companies can upload content on the internet.

Article 13, as written by the European Parliament, will create large unintended consequences for everyone. Let's come together for a better solution. #SaveYourInternet

Sign and share this petition to as many people as possible [remove spaces to access links]:
: / www . change p / european-parliament-stop-the-censorship-machinery-save-the-internet

Spread the news. Do what you can to help stop #Article13 from passing.
: / www . youtube saveyourinternet/

Why Article 13 Will Destroy YouTube
: / youtu . be / gBTJb08VYUU